Rebel Skies and Rebel Fire are the first two books in an imaginative fantasy series for teenaged readers (From around 11+). As well as delivering an intriguing plot, set against breathtaking backdrops, the books pose interesting questions about power and autonomy.
What Is Rebel Skies?
Kurara and Haru are two friends working on a floating pleasure ship called the Midori When the Midori is attacked by a dragon, everything they know about the world is shattered. Kurara finds herself alone and on the run, with only one offer of help. Her rescuer, Himura, it turns out, has been tracking Kurara; seeking her out because of a very particular skill she possesses. Kurara is a Crafter.
Crafters can manipulate paper, forcing it into shapes and making it move freely about them. They use their skills to entertain but can also forge paper into a deadly weapons. In the first book, Rebel Skies, Kurara finds herself separated from Haru. Desperate to find him again, she joins the crew of another floating ship, the Orihime. The crew of this ship tracks and kills rogue Shikigami.
Shikigami are sentient creatures made from paper. Some Shikigami are controlled by crafters, who use them as paper familiars to do their bidding. Other Shikigami, have gone rogue, causing destruction in their madness. The dragon that attacked the Midori, was such a Shikigami and now the Orihime is in hot pursuit. The magical core of such a paper beast is worth good money. Rogue Shikigami must be destroyed before they can do too much damage and the Orihime and its crew are the best hunters in the business.
In her quest to discover what has happened to Haru, Kurara will stop at nothing. She presses on throughout the book to gain audience with one of the most powerful Crafters in the world. A terrifying member of the royal family, Princess Tsukimi.
At the end of the book, once again Kurara finds herself questioning everything she understand about the world, setting things up for more quests and revelations in the thrilling seqeul Rebel Fire.
Why Read Rebel Skies and Rebel Fire?
There is much to recommend these books. The setting of giant sky cities floating over the world is captivating, as are the beautiful paper Shikigami. They dovetail well with the innovative paper-based magic system too. There are lots of dramatic set pieces, with action scenes reminiscent of Wuxia movies. Characterisation is strong too, with classic heroic and villainous types, but also many more nuanced individuals who undergo great personal journeys across the books.
Overlayed across all that is an intriguing plot, which as we move into Rebel Fire has unexpected depth. There are number of political factions at play here, and a cultural conflict about the nature of Shikigami.
With her Shikigami, author Ann Sei Lin reexamines what could be defined as the Star Wars droid problem. The question of whether the seemingly intelligent and often autonomous droids are actually victims of slavery. Here, the Shikigami are akin to droids. Constructs, with a creator, that are able to think freely and form emotional bonds. Yet many crafters and in particular Hiruma, see these creations only as tools. Objects to be ordered around, used at will, and even destroyed, if it is expedient to do so. It opens interesting avenues of discussion around freedom and the nature of free will.
As the series moves into Rebel Fire, the history of the creation of Shikigami becomes central to the plot, as does their fragile future. This brings additional layers of emotional resonance to an already captivating storyline. Some of the questions posed by the nature of Shikgami even take on a cosmic significance.
As book two finishes, there are still many questions to be answered and many factions jostling to take over power of a fragmented Kingdom. I was a late starter with this series, but I can’t wait for a third instalment to see how things will play out. I’ve been extremely impressed by how many themes have been packed into the first two books. Whilst nominally children’s books, much like His Dark Materials they transcend their supposed target audience and offer much to enjoy for readers of all ages. As with Pullman’s masterworks, these books pose questions that strike at the heart of existence.
If all that wasn’t enough, I’d also like to highlight just how good illustrator, Amir Zand’s, covers are. They’re spot on for the Kurura and the Shikigami and very much set the tone of the novels, even before you turn the pages.
If you’d like to pick up a copy of Rebel Skies (The first book in the series) you can do so here, in the US. (Release date is Feb 2024). Both books are currently available in the UK. (Affiliate links)
If you enjoyed this review, do check out my other book reviews, here.
Disclosure: I received copies of both books in other to write this review.
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