The Fever King

Description

Age range 14+ In the former United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Alvaro wakes up in a hospital bed, the sole survivor of the viral magic that killed his family and made him a technopath. His ability to control technology attracts the attention of the minister of defense and thrusts him into the magical elite of the nation of Carolinia. The son of undocumented immigrants, Noam has spent his life fighting for the rights of refugees fleeing magical outbreaks - refugees Carolinia routinely deports with vicious efficiency. Sensing a way to make change, Noam accepts the minister's offer to teach him the science behind his magic, secretly planning to use it against the government. But then he meets the minister's son-cruel, dangerous, and achingly beautiful - and the way forward becomes less clear. Caught between his purpose and his heart, Noam must decide who he can trust and how far he's willing to go in pursuit of the greater good. 'A plague as scary as Stephen King, and a romance as complicated and compelling as all my favourites.' - Sarah Rees Brennan, award-winning author of In Other Lands '[A] standout. Diverse characters, frank discussions about sexual and mental abuse, and reasonably plausible science-based magic elevate this above many dystopian peers.' - Kirkus Reviews 'This fast-paced, issue-driven thriller will collect readers, who will eagerly anticipate the sequel. With references to the Holocaust as well as present-day issues of immigration, deportation, martial law, and racism, Lee has worked philosophical and current-day realities into a promising series opener.' - Booklist

Victoria Lee grew up in Durham, North Carolina, where she spent twelve ascetic years as a vegetarian before discovering that spicy chicken wings are, in fact, a delicacy. She's been a state finalist competitive pianist, a hitchhiker, a pizza connoisseur, an EMT, an expat in China and Sweden, and a science doctoral student. She's also a bit of a snob about fancy whiskey. Lee writes early in the morning and then spends the rest of the day trying to impress her border collie puppy and make her experiments work. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her partner.

"Lee thoughtfully gives the subject of refugee and immigration policies center stage...the setup of this new world and planned series is genuinely compelling, and it's filled with striking moments...Readers will be absorbed as the book melds fantasy and action with psychology and political intrigue." -The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "This fast-paced, issue-driven thriller will collect readers, who will eagerly anticipate the sequel. With references to the Holocaust as well as present-day issues of immigration, deportation, martial law, and racism, Lee has worked philosophical and current-day realities into a promising series opener." -Booklist "[A] standout. Diverse characters, frank discussions about sexual and mental abuse, and reasonably plausible science-based magic elevate this above many dystopian peers." -Kirkus Reviews "Adults and older teens who appreciate stories with close ties among magic, science, and political machinations will find this first novel appealing." -Library Journal "This is a book for teens of today wrestling with the political unrest in the United States. Written from the refugee perspective, it explores topics of abuse, suicide, intergenerational trauma, mass plague outbreaks, and more. Lee's writing is advanced, sophisticated, and full of emotion. This is for true lovers of sci-fi and dystopian [fiction] who enjoy deep character development mixed with a little romance. Fans of Neal Shusterman and Veronica Roth will be drawn to this novel. Highly recommended..." -School Library Journal "A plague as scary as Stephen King, and a romance as complicated and compelling as all my favorites." -Sarah Rees Brennan, award-winning author of In Other Lands "Deliciously fierce and unforgiving, Victoria Lee's The Fever King is a merciless story that fans of V.E. Schwab's Vicious should not miss. I will never be over this book." -Ashley Poston, author of Heart of Iron and Geekerella "Brutal yet thoughtful, The Fever King is a nuanced, unblinking study of the complex structures of power in a world where magic itself is a disease that few survive. Lee's science-based, gritty world and sky-high stakes meld perfectly with the timely political intrigue of this book's twisting, devastating plot. -Emily Suvada, author of This Mortal Coil "My kind of sci-fi: sharp, smart, and political, with something important to say about our own world. Lee offers a fresh twist on magic that makes The Fever King feel totally new and unique. I was absorbed in Noam's world from the first page-and was dreading leaving it by the last." -Natasha Ngan, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and Fire