In an alternate world where humans and dragons battle over fossil fuels, a teenage slayer and his bard must rally their community against impending doom.

"Johnston's masterful book is a refreshing blend of alternative history, high fantasy, and contemporary teen life. Johnston has done careful research for her intricate world building, and the result is strikingly original and believable." -- Booklist, Starred Review

Listen! For I sing of Owen Thorskard: valiant of heart, hopeless at algebra, last in a long line of legendary dragon slayers. Though he had few years and was not built for football, he stood between the town of Trondheim and creatures that threatened its survival.
There have always been dragons. As far back as history is told, men and women have fought them, loyally defending their villages. Dragon slaying was a proud tradition.
But dragons and humans have one thing in common: an insatiable appetite for fossil fuels. From the moment Henry Ford hired his first dragon slayer, no small town was safe. Dragon slayers flocked to cities, leaving more remote areas unprotected.
Such was Trondheim's fate until Owen Thorskard arrived. At sixteen, with dragons advancing and his grades plummeting, Owen faced impossible odds -- armed only with a sword, his legacy, and the classmate who agreed to be his bard.
Listen! I am Siobhan McQuaid. I alone know the story of Owen, the story that changes everything. Listen!

Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
Kirkus Prize for Young People's Literature Finalist
Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist
YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults

"The tale of one slayer and his bard becomes a celebration of friendship, family, community and calling... It may "[take] a village to train a dragon slayer," but it takes an exceptional dragon slayer to deserve a village?and a storyteller?like this one." -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Johnston has created a whip-smart, witty, and utterly inventive alternate history. If this stellar debut is any indication, hers looks to be a bright, long-burning career." -- Quill & Quire, Starred Review

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• Teen & Young AdultScience Fiction & FantasyFantasyMyths & LegendsMythical Creatures
• Teen & Young AdultLiterature & FictionSocial & Family IssuesValues & Virtues
• Teen & Young AdultScience Fiction & FantasyFantasyAlternative History

• Publication Date: May 7, 2024
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 316 Pages
• File Size: 23 KB