An all-consuming story of revenge, redemption and dragons from the twice Carnegie Medal-winner Patrick Ness.On a cold Sunday evening in early 1957, Sarah Dewhurst waited with her father in the parking lot of the Chevron Gas Station for the dragon hed hired to help on the farm. This dragon, Kazimir, has more to him than meets the eye. Sarah cant help but be curious about him, an animal who supposedly doesnt have a soul but is seemingly intent on keeping her safe from the brutal attentions of Deputy Sheriff Emmett Kelby. Kazimir knows something she doesnt. He has arrived at the farm because of a prophecy. A prophecy that involves a deadly assassin, a cult of dragon worshippers, two FBI agents and somehow, Sarah Dewhurst herself. From the bestselling author of the Chaos Walking trilogy comes a heart-stopping story of fanaticism, hope, bravery and impossible second chances, set in a world on the very brink of its own destruction."Exhilarating and heart-stopping." Russell T Davies"Gloriously original and unpredictable ... Mind-bending in the best possible way. ObserverA clever, complex and completely engrossing story. The Times[An] extraordinary story of fate, power and redemption He is a remarkable talent. Daily MailNess shows that although monsters exist in every world, many wish to overcome them; and even in the smoking ruins of civilisation, there is room for hope. GuardianRevenge, redemption, the Cold War and dragons. Another great tale from the master with the best opening line of any book this year. Simon MayoYou can always rely on Patrick Ness to surprise you, and this beautifully written urban fantasy doesnt disappoint an immersive, rewarding read. IndependentNever less than gripping ... full of charm, intriguing characters and awesome, cinematic set-pieces. SFXAn incredibly touching, powerful and startling read. Female FirstA provocative Cold War-set tale of dragon worshippers, parenthood, and the apocalypse. Entertainment WeeklyGripping until the end. Irish Times

 

 

This book is the winner of numerous awards

This book has been graded for interest at 14 years.

There are 384 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2021 by Walker Books Ltd .

Patrick Ness is the author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling Chaos Walking trilogy. He has won numerous awards including the the Costa and Galaxy Children's Book Awards and the Carnegie Medal. He lives in London.