A young gay prince uncovers a conspiracy to barter boys for dark spiritual power during the last days of Atlantis.
Publisher’s Description:
Atlantis is besieged by violent storms, tremors, and a barbarian army. For sixteen-year-old Aerander, it’s a calamitous backdrop to his Panegyris, where boys are feted for their passage to manhood.
Amid a secret web of romances among the celebrants, Aerander’s cousin Dam goes missing with two boys. With the kingdom in crisis, no one suspects the High Priest Zazamoukh, though Aerander uncovers a conspiracy to barter boys for dark spiritual power. Aerander’s proof– an underground vault that disappears in the morning–brings shame on his family and charges of lunacy. The only way for Aerander to regain his honor is to prove what really happened to the missing boys.
Tracking Dam leads Aerander on a terrifying and fantastical journey. He spots a star that hasn’t been seen for centuries. He uncovers a legend about an ancient race of men who hid below the earth. And traveling to an underground world, he learns about matters even more urgent than the missing boys. The world aboveground is changing, and he will have to clear a path for the kingdom’s survival.
Genre: Fantasy
Representation:
Gender:
Cis girls: Alixa
Cis boys: Aerander, Dam, Lys, Calyiches, Dardy
Sexuality:
Gay: Aerander, Dam, Lys
Bisexual: Calyiches
Heterosexual: Dardy, Alixa
Romantic Orientation:
Homoromantic: Aerander, Dam, Lys
Biromantic: Calyiches
Heteroromantic: Dardy, Alixa
Race/Ethnicity:
It’s a fantasy world so modern races/ethnicities don’t really apply; the main characters Aerander, Dam and Lys are described with Mediterranean, Caucasian features; some supporting characters are described as brown-skinned, and some are described with Asiatic and Indigenous features.
Ownvoices: Ownvoices for gay rep
Ending: Bittersweet