Kayla is a Skyrider, her bond with her pangron like nothing else in her life. He is called Faro and like Kayla, loves to be high above their home of Sophiatown, stretching his wings and flying free. Kayla isn’t popular at the Sky Academy with students or teachers, where she has trained to protect her city. Her mother committed a crime and Kayla has borne the brunt of it. But as long as she is with Faro, she can bear the cold treatment she receives. It’s only one evening when she follows something suspicious, does she realise how much Faro is an essential part of her, as she loses him to a stranger on the sea.

Althea is a healer in her home of Ataria, just as her father was before her. But after he died from the Scourge, she has worked even harder to look after her younger siblings and grandmother. Their district is poor and the Ataria authorities don’t care for the people who live there – as long as The Scourge doesn’t affect them. Althea tries different herbs and plants in trying to defeat the illness that kills 100 percent of its victims. But now her grandmother has the early signs, Althea must enter the Beast Lands to try and find a new plant that might just save her life.

Rustus is the youngest in his family of warriors. His brothers and father are respected for their strength and positions among the Scorched initiated soldiers of their city. Rustus has trained hard to try and gain his father’s respect, and is anticipating doing well in the climbing trial to go from an Unscorched trainee to a fully fledged Scorched Warrior to protect the walls of his city. The trial does not go to plan, and Rustus is soon roaming the jungles of the Beast Lands, when he is chased by his first terrifying creature.

All three have been told the Beast Lands is a terrible place where no one ever returns from, but they find the opposite. Althea is amazed at the plant life, keen to collect and test them on illnesses. Rustus is fascinated by the multitude of creatures both big and small, and Kayla who has never needed anyone but herself and her pangron Faro, must accept help from Rustus and Althea, in order to survive.

This first instalment in this new series is full-on adventure. Three young teens from rival cities find themselves together in a place their elders have always told them is never to be explored. They have different reasons for being there, but soon find themselves united in plans to save loved ones, both human and animal.

They have all heard about a prophecy, but don’t realise they are key components of it. When they come across a maniacal plan to take over not only the Beast Lands but every city on the outskirts, they fly into action to try and prevent it. Having to choose between foiling these plans or saving each other’s lives, they must finally pull together as the prophecy says, and work out what to do next.

Although a fantasy world, I recognised the nod to save vital jungles and possible life saving cures – The Amazon. Biodiversity is challenged on these pages both in the past and present by humans – razing nature to the ground, only to realise vital resources are finite. Lastly, there is evidence of genetic experiments resulting in much loss of human life.

Really looking forward to the next book in the series. Are the Beast Lands with its astounding flora and fauna, not to mention everyone’s lives in nearby cities, in mortal danger?

Author – Jess French

Age – 9+

(2024, Allen & Unwin, Action, Adventure, Animals, Betrayal, Courage, Fantasy, Family, Friendship, Growing up, Science, Series, Creatures, Jungle, Prophecy, Ice Hospital, Virus, Experiments, Medicinal plants, Bestiary, Beasts)