Together We Burn

March 21, 2022
Olive-skinned flamenco dancer Zarela Zalvidar, 18, and her father, renowned “Dragonador” Santiago, are staging a show to celebrate the 500th anniversary of their family’s dragon-fighting arena, La Giralda, when tragedy strikes. Several dragons somehow escape the dungeons and attack the crowd, killing 13 people and injuring dozens more—Santiago included. Zarela’s mother was herself killed by a dragon one year earlier, which means that La Giralda’s fate now lies with Zarela. The head of Hispalia’s dragon guild, who despises Santiago for unknown reasons, will seize control of the arena unless it can safely and profitably reopen. Repairs and victim restitution leave Zarela with enough money to purchase new dragons, but not to hire a new Dragonador, so she persuades handsome, surly dragon hunter/tamer Arturo Díaz de Montserrat, 20 and amber-skinned, to train her for the job. Meanwhile, Zarela must stop the saboteur she suspects is targeting her family. Shallow character work and underdeveloped fantasy elements weaken this standalone from Ibañez (Written in Starlight), but readers will savor the plentiful action; richly textured, medieval Spain-inspired backdrop; and Arturo’s efforts to change attitudes toward dragons. Ages 13–up. Agent: Sarah Landis, Sterling Lord Literistic.