Description
Amid the chaos of a dying city ruled by colonizers, three rivals-a thief, a slumlord, and an heiress-race to find a hidden cache of magic that will decide the city's fate.
In the occupied city of Tejomaya, calor-a magical fossil fuel-is found only in the blood rains that fall from the sky. While a six-month drought has brought Tejomaya to a desperate standstill, rumors of a secret stash of magic propel three unlikely treasure seekers to risk everything.
Tenacious and street-smart Zain Jatav has been forced to steal calor for her slumlord bosses for years. Finding the magic reserve might be her only key to freedom. But she'll have to contend with Iravan Khotar, a slumlord himself and an ambitious revolutionary hoping to use the same magic to save his people from the mysterious illness devastating the slums-and to bolster a fight against their oppressors. Meanwhile, heiress Anastasia Drakos leads the ruling council of Tejomaya from the safety of a nearby island. With the hidden magic, she could finally take full control of the city and crush the slums beneath her unyielding fist.
As Zain, Iravan, and Anastasia draw closer to finding the treasure, their paths tangle, and not for the first time-they met before, a decade ago, in a fire that destroyed each of their lives in different ways. Their reunion might bring the already-weakened city to its knees.
Exploring the devastating mechanisms of power, this searing climate fantasy breathes life into a crumbling world hovering on the brink of total destruction.
About the Author
S. Hati is a speculative fiction writer, currently residing in the Bay Area. She holds a bachelor's degree in microbiology from UCLA and a master's degree in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University and pretends to use them both while working in health tech. She writes about brown girls in strange worlds that straddle the line between magic and science.
Reviews
"And the Sky Bled is a book that grabs you by the shoulders, stares into your eyes, and does not let go until the end. It's set in a fascinating, deeply built world that explores extractive colonialism and the resultant environmental devastation, but does so through the very human experiences of its characters. It's an intricate tangle of histories and relationships-loss, guilt, regret, hope, survival, and the shifting balance of power. It's a book that asks "What now?" and then answers: "Now we find a way to move on." -Moniquill Blackgoose, author of national bestseller To Shape a Dragon's Breath, a Washington Post and NPR Best Book of the Year
"And the Sky Bled is a dazzlingly original, epic, and totally blood-soaked fantasy not for the faint of heart. The dying, dystopian city of Tejomaya and the three intersecting stories of its desperate antiheroes took my breath away. A fresh addition to the fantasy genre! Hati is certainly a writer to watch. -Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Principle of Moments
"The desperation of the characters leaps off the page. A new addition to the genre, this book explores themes of survival and revolution in refreshingly new and interesting ways." -Marvellous Michael Anson, author of Firstborn of the Sun
"A remarkable debut! And the Sky Bled does what an excellent fantasy novel should: it forces readers to confront the powers, politics, and pitfalls of their own world by plunging them into a magical one." -Hannah Gordon (@hngisreading), BookTok influencer
"This dark tale of power, loyalty, and a world on the brink of destruction pulls you in, holds on tight, and refuses to let go." -Jaysen Headley (@ezeekat), global top 5 BookTok influencer
"And the Sky Bled is exactly what fantasy is meant to be: powerful and emblematic of the catastrophes we face globally. The characters' brutal and raw determination to survive pours off the page, and Hati's talent for world-building is undeniable. This was excellent!" -Azanta Thakur (@azantareads), book influencer
"And the Sky Bled is a powerful fantasy debut that sucks you in immediately to a devastating world filled to the brim with corruption and desperation. Hati weaves a captivating story of survival and power, and it leaves you raw yet still hopeful. Consider me obsessed!" -Basma (@bookishbasma), book influencer
"An intimate study of power and revolution in a magical, ferocious world. Hati's riveting prose and reimagining of South Asian culture form a thrilling climate fantasy that left me on the edge of my seat." -Ayushi (@bookwormbullet), book influencer
"An evocative and timely tale of climate and colonialism filled with high stakes and compelling characters. This searing debut immediately found a place on my favorites shelf." -Taz Hossain (@tazisbooked), book influencer
Book Information
ISBN 9781959411680
Author S. Hati
Format Paperback
Page Count 336
Imprint Girl Friday Productions
Publisher Girl Friday Productions
Dimensions(mm) 228mm * 152mm * 21mm
