Seraphina

A gripping new fantasy adventure by an exciting debut author.

Seraphina is a quick-paced read, and while the story does pause at times for introspection, it never stalls or grinds to a halt ... It’s a tale well told, the author’s writing hitting a real high whenever music is involved. Here, her prose verges on the poetic; beautiful, often haunting, descriptions abound ... In Seraphina, Rachel Hartman has created a likeable, gutsy heroine, one who isn’t flawless or afraid to make mistakes.

Hartman proves dragons are still fascinating in this impressive high fantasy ... Equal parts political thriller, murder mystery, bittersweet romance, and coming-of-age story, this is an uncommonly good fantasy centered upon an odd but lovable heroine ... Fantasy readers young and old who appreciate immersion into a rich new culture will not mind the novel’s slow build, especially as it takes wing and hurtles toward the stratosphere. This is an exciting new series to watch.

Hartman's splendid prose debut (is) head and talons above the rest

This is a proper fantasy, with a feisty heroine and some truly splendid dragons...it’s a beautifully told story, with some gorgeously surreal imaginative flights on a level with Alice in Wonderland – it has that dreamlike quality of beauty and absurdity...Seraphina is a fast-paced and skilfully wrought fantasy, a beautiful and original take on the dragon myth.

In her exquisitely written fantasy debut, Rachel Hartman creates a rich, complex and utterly original world. Seraphina's journey to self-acceptance is one readers will remember long after they've turned the final page

Beautifully-written high fantasy about dragons. Credible, interesting characters, intricate but subtle worldbuilding and elegant prose ... Recommended by us for its sheer class.

(a) smart and affecting debut novel … Hartman tackles difficult issues with subtlety and creativity, weaves in a surprisingly touching romance, and does it all in beautiful prose

Rachel Hartman is Canadian and this is her first YA novel. She is also the author of a mini-comic, Amy Unbound.

The kingdom of Goredd is populated by humans and by dragons who fold themselves into a human form. Though they live alongside each other, the peace between them is uneasy. 
 
But when a member of the royal family is murdered, and the crime appears to have been committed by a dragon the peace and treaty between both worlds is seriously threatened . . . 
 
Into this comes Seraphina, a gifted musician who joins the royal court as the assistant to the court composer. She is soon drawn into the murder investigation and, as she uncovers hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace in Goredd for good, finds herself caught desperately in the middle of the tension. 
 
For Seraphina hides a secret - the secret behind her musical gift - and if she is found out, her life is in serious danger . . .

Rachel Hartman

[A] worthy and wholly satisfying continuation of Seraphina’s tale

Intricate plotting, clever surprises (including the identities of Goredd’s Saints), and lovely prose make this a worthy conclusion for all of Hartman’s big-hearted characters.

Hartman continues to expand her world with enough history and detail to satisfy even the most questioning of readers, doing it all so naturally that it's hard to believe this is fiction. Dragon fiction has never flown higher.

Full of enticing characters, both good and evil . . . rife with danger and adventure.

This book's villain is one of the most terrifying I've encountered . . . I also loved, with a passion verging on the desperate, the fact that this fantasy world contains people of color, trans characters, gay characters, and languages that acknowledge multiple genders . . . Shadow Scale demonstrates that all these other ways of being are present and accounted for in the magnificent tapestry of its world.

Hartman’s prose is delicate, complex and gorgeous, and the world of these books is lushly articulated . . . [a] deeply wonderful, attention-deserving offering that should be picked up, and soon.

The Globe and Mail (Canadian publication)

As Seraphina travels the Southlands in search of the other half-breeds to help in the war effort, the dragon General Comonot and his Loyalists fight against the upstart Old Guard - with the fate of Goredd and the other human countries hanging in the balance. 
 
The gripping sequel to the bestselling Seraphina.

Rachel Hartman

Praise for Shadow Scale

[A] worthy and wholly satisfying continuation of Seraphina’s tale

Intricate plotting, clever surprises (including the identities of Goredd’s Saints), and lovely prose make this a worthy conclusion for all of Hartman’s big-hearted characters.

Hartman continues to expand her world with enough history and detail to satisfy even the most questioning of readers, doing it all so naturally that it's hard to believe this is fiction. Dragon fiction has never ...

[A] worthy and wholly satisfying continuation of Seraphina’s tale

Intricate plotting, clever surprises (including the identities of Goredd’s Saints), and lovely prose make this a worthy conclusion for all of Hartman’s big-hearted characters.

Hartman continues to expand her world with enough history and detail to satisfy even the most questioning of readers, doing it all so naturally that it's hard to believe this is fiction. Dragon fiction has never ...

[A] worthy and wholly satisfying continuation of Seraphina’s tale

Intricate plotting, clever surprises (including the identities of Goredd’s Saints), and lovely prose make this a worthy conclusion for all of Hartman’s big-hearted characters.

Hartman continues to expand her world with enough history and detail to satisfy even the most questioning of readers, doing it all so naturally that it's hard to believe this is fiction. Dragon fiction has never ...

Books by Rachel Hartman

Series by Rachel Hartman

SERAPHINA

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