Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents a second earth-shattering adventure based on Mesopotamian mythology by Sarwat Chadda, author of City of the Plague God.
*"Chadda excels in this action-packed adventure, peppered with scenes examining Western theft of cultural artifacts, xenophobia, and Islamophobia and grounded in emotional depth and tenderness for humanity. An epic tale that contains multitudes."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
While on vacation in London, Sikander Aziz gets his hands on the mythic tablet of destinies. Naturally Sik uses it to get his brother Mo back among the living. His wish is granted, but at a terrible cost. Sik’s troubles multiply a billionfold when the tablet is stolen by the elder god of insanity, Lugal, who brings back Tiamat, the great chaos dragon and mother of all monsters.
Nothing less than the fate of the world is at stake when a Muslim boy takes on the ancient gods of Mesopotamia in this action thriller by a master storyteller.
Praise for City of the Plague God:
"Featuring gods and goddesses, and importantly, Muslim heroes, this #OwnVoices tale eerily echoes our pandemic presents; but readers will find escape in the entertaining balance of an apocalyptic setting with irreverent humor."--School Library Journal
"An epic worthy of Gilgamesh. Chadda brings attention to the less well-recognized mythology of ancient Mesopotamia with engaging humor and wit."--Kirkus Reviews
"The unusual characters, well-developed plot, and perfect balance of witty humor and rapid-fire adventure will keep even those entirely unfamiliar with the mythology or cultural and religious content fully engaged, with Chadda wisely trusting his readers to figure it out while on the run with Sik."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Combining fast-paced action and heavy does of humor, this Gilgamesh-inspired novel benefits from a well-developed secondary cast. The touching exploration of adolescent grief, and the strong connections between Sik and his parents, provide additional nuance and depth."--Publishers Weekly
"Sik has the trademark snark and humor of all heroes from Riordan's imprint, which makes this venture into one of the world's oldest mythologies more fun--and is especially appreciated given that this villain is a plague god making his literary debut during a pandemic."--Booklist
Sarwat Chadda (he/him), a first generation Muslim immigrant, has been published in a dozen languages, writing comic books, TV shows, and novels such as the City of the Plague God, the prequel to this book. He lives in London, UK. Feel free to drop him a line @sarwatchadda.
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents a second earth-shattering adventure based on Mesopotamian mythology by Sarwat Chadda, author of City of the Plague God.
*"Chadda excels in this action-packed adventure, peppered with scenes examining Western theft of cultural artifacts, xenophobia, and Islamophobia and grounded in emotional depth and tenderness for humanity. An epic tale that contains multitudes."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
While on vacation in London, Sikander Aziz gets his hands on the mythic tablet of destinies. Naturally Sik uses it to get his brother Mo back among the living. His wish is granted, but at a terrible cost. Sik’s troubles multiply a billionfold when the tablet is stolen by the elder god of insanity, Lugal, who brings back Tiamat, the great chaos dragon and mother of all monsters.
Nothing less than the fate of the world is at stake when a Muslim boy takes on the ancient gods of Mesopotamia in this action thriller by a master storyteller.
Reviews
Praise for City of the Plague God:
"Featuring gods and goddesses, and importantly, Muslim heroes, this #OwnVoices tale eerily echoes our pandemic presents; but readers will find escape in the entertaining balance of an apocalyptic setting with irreverent humor."--School Library Journal
"An epic worthy of Gilgamesh. Chadda brings attention to the less well-recognized mythology of ancient Mesopotamia with engaging humor and wit."--Kirkus Reviews
"The unusual characters, well-developed plot, and perfect balance of witty humor and rapid-fire adventure will keep even those entirely unfamiliar with the mythology or cultural and religious content fully engaged, with Chadda wisely trusting his readers to figure it out while on the run with Sik."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Combining fast-paced action and heavy does of humor, this Gilgamesh-inspired novel benefits from a well-developed secondary cast. The touching exploration of adolescent grief, and the strong connections between Sik and his parents, provide additional nuance and depth."--Publishers Weekly
"Sik has the trademark snark and humor of all heroes from Riordan's imprint, which makes this venture into one of the world's oldest mythologies more fun--and is especially appreciated given that this villain is a plague god making his literary debut during a pandemic."--Booklist
Author
Sarwat Chadda (he/him), a first generation Muslim immigrant, has been published in a dozen languages, writing comic books, TV shows, and novels such as the City of the Plague God, the prequel to this book. He lives in London, UK. Feel free to drop him a line @sarwatchadda.
