INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A COSMOPOLITAN BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE YEAR
A teenager on the run from his past finds the family he never knew existed and the community he never knew he needed at an HBCU for the young, Black, and magical. Enroll in the debut of a fresh fantasy series unlike anything you've seen before. “Brings magical living to an HBCU in an unforgettable young adult adventure.”—People
Ten years ago, Malik's life changed forever the night his mother mysteriously vanished and he discovered he had uncontrollable powers. Since then, he has kept his abilities hidden, looking out for himself and his younger foster brother, Taye. Now, at 17, Malik is finally ready to start a new life for both of them, far from the trauma of his past. However, a daring act to rescue Taye reveals an unexpected connection with his long-lost grandmother: a legendary conjurer with ties to a hidden magical university that Malik’s mother attended.
At Caiman University, Malik’s eyes are opened to a future he never could have envisioned for himself—one that includes the reappearance of his first love, Alexis. His search for answers about his heritage, his powers, and what really happened to his mother exposes the cracks in their magical community as it faces a reawakened evil dating back to the Haitian Revolution. Together with Alexis, Malik discovers a lot beneath the surface at Caiman: feuding covens and magical politics, forbidden knowledge and buried mysteries.
In a wholly unique saga of family, history and community, Malik must embrace his legacy to save what's left of his old family as well as his new one. Exploring the roots and secrets that connect us in an unforgettable contemporary setting, this heart-pounding fantasy series opener is a rich tapestry of atmosphere, intrigue, and emotion.
On sale: May 7, 2024
Age: 14 and up
Grade: Grade 9 & Up
Page count: 432 Pages
ISBN: 9780593711927
Reading level: Lexile: HL670L
Hailing from the small town of Helena, Alabama, LaDarrion Williams is a self-taught playwright, filmmaker, author, and screenwriter committed to shaping a new era of Black fantasy. His theatrical work has garnered attention at notable venues, including the Echo Theatre Playwrights Lab, the Great Plains Theatre Conference in Omaha, TSU’s Black and Latino Playwrights Festival, and the Boise Contemporary Theater BIPOC Playwrights Festival.
An esteemed alum of the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, LaDarrion’s play Hurt People was selected for the 2024 conference, further solidifying his place as a bold and necessary voice in contemporary theater. His play Coco Queens was featured in the 2019 Sundance Institute’s Playwriting Intensive, won the New Works@theWorks Playwriting Award, and celebrated its world premiere at Playhouse on the Square in July 2024.
His Jeff Award-nominated play Boulevard of Bold Dreams—a poignant exploration of Hattie McDaniel’s historic Oscar win—debuted at TimeLine Theatre Company in Chicago, had its East Coast Premiere at Greater Boston Stage Company in March 2023, and was part of the Orlando Shakes Theater Signature Series in October 2023, with plans for national productions in 2024-2025.
Beyond theater, LaDarrion has directed three short films featured on YouTube and made his mark as a debut author with Blood at the Root, a New York Times and USA Today Bestseller. Through storytelling across multiple mediums, he continues to craft narratives that amplify Black voices, history, and imagination.
“Brings magical living to an HBCU in
an unforgettable young adult adventure”
—
People Magazine “A sweeping debut.”—The New York Times Book Review“
Drawing on African and Caribbean spiritual traditions and Black history for world building, Williams has crafted a highly entertaining adventure centering a well-rounded character with emotional volatility but also a desire for connection and community.
”—
Washington PostThis story offers
a fresh take on familiar YA fantasy tropes, like a secret magical school and a long-lost grandmother.” —
BuzzFeed“A
story of community and legacy that’s clearly
aiming to do something very different in this genre space.”
—Paste Magazine“Unveils a world for Black boys and girls
filled with creativity and magic.” —
Ebony ★ “Williams joins Tracy Deonn, Namina Forna, B.B. Alston, and Tomi Adeyemi in envisioning a world where Black youth uncover and harness their magical abilities. Here Williams offers a fresh perspective in Malik.
Everything about Malik’s world, from his neighbors to his internal dialogue, to his emotions, hopes, and fears, is written for Black boys, filling a much-needed gap in magical YA.
And best of all, Williams’s debut is rooted in Black history, telling the truth through fantasy...A novel long overdue." —
School Library Journal, starred review
“
Exuberant contemporary fantasy series opener....a serpentine, high-intensity
celebration of Black culture, history, and power." —
Publishers Weekly"Debut author Williams’ impressive world building blends African and Black American history and cultures with a secret society of influential hoodoo and vodun practitioners...
This celebration of Black culture will resonate with readers unused to seeing themselves in traditional fantasies.” —
Booklist"The
extensive worldbuilding incorporates West African, Caribbean, and Black American history and cultures to explain a magical reality hidden from view and relevant to the Black diaspora and Malik’s family history....
A well-thought-out magical world that provocatively centers Black experiences.” —
Kirkus Reviews
"
Williams offers a strong foundation of world-building in this series debut, blending creative magical pieces with realistic elements of Black history and culture." —
The Bulletin“A
refreshing, thrilling, magical, and all-around good read! Cheering for you, LaDarrion!”
— James Bland (Creator of Daytime Emmy Award-winning drama series “Giants”)
