A Magic Fierce and Bright, Hemant Nayak
A Magic Fierce and Bright, Hemant Nayak
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A Magic Fierce and Bright

Author: Hemant Nayak

Narrator: Shiromi Arserio

Unabridged: 10 hr 18 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/09/2024


Synopsis

A young technomancer teams up with a handsome thief and a sentient motorcycle to save her sister in this propulsive, magic-filled young adult fantasy that is perfect for fans of Gearbreakers and Iron Widow.

Adya wants nothing more than to be left alone. Content to be loyal to no one but herself in the isolated jungles of South India, she dreams only of finding her lost sister, Priya, and making enough money to take care of their family. It’s too bad that her rare ability to wake electric machines—using the magic that wiped them out five centuries ago—also makes her a coveted political pawn. Everyone seems to believe that her technomancy can help them win the endless war for control over the magic’s supernatural source.

These senseless power struggles mean little to Adya. But when her enemies dangle news of her sister before her, she’s all too quick to leap at the chance to bring Priya home—even if it means teaming up with a rakish, disreputable thief in order to do it. With the threat of invasion looming ever larger on the horizon, Adya must reconcile the kind of person she is with the kind of person she wants to be and untangle the web of intrigue, conspiracy, and deceit that threatens to take all of India down with it.

About Hemant Nayak

Hemant Nayak is a writer of fantasy stories with a bit of heart and joy and a lot of the strange. He lives with his family in the Pacific Northwest. In his free time, he runs around the deep woods with his dogs, strums guitar in a garage band, and even plays Dungeons & Dragons with friends. When he’s not writing, he shifts to his alternate life as an ER doctor. Find out more about him at HemantNayak.com.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Billie's Not So Secret Diary on November 29, 2024

A Magic Fierce and Bright by Hemant Nayak YA Fantasy NetGalley eARC Pub Date: July 9, 2024 Simon and Schuster Ages: 13+ Adya is a technomancer, gifted with the rare magic to bring ancient machines back to life, and is using her ability to bring a rickshaw back to life so she can find her sister who disappe......more

Goodreads review by Patty (IheartYA311) on March 24, 2025

An interesting read, adequately paced, but nothing memorable.......more

Goodreads review by Spiri on February 23, 2024

USELESS THE CAT I LOVE YOU <33 The soul arrows are so cool?? I feel like getting places in this book was rushed but the rest of it is really good, would love a book two......more

Goodreads review by Belle on May 08, 2025

DNF'ed 40% in This is my fault for falling for pretty covers. A bunch of wild magical jungle kids, and a dirt bike? What could possibly go wrong? A lot. A lot can go wrong. Like this story. It wasn't terrible, it was just boring. I really didn't care what happened with this weird magic system and talk......more

Goodreads review by KMart on June 23, 2024

Set against the lush backdrop of South India, the story follows Adya, a technomancer who can awaken electric machines with her rare magical abilities. Living a life of solitude in the jungles of India, Adya's primary focus is to find her lost sister. However, her unique powers make her a valuable as......more


Quotes

"Adya has led a difficult life, and her anger, resentment, and general mistrust are highlighted in Arserio’s portrayal. Princess Imral has led a sheltered life, and Arserio’s portrayal is a believable arc from spoiled and bossy to willing to work as part of a team...Strangely, the most compelling character is the ancient Yamaha motorcycle, which is given a full range of emotion and surprising nuance by Arserio.

"Shiromi Arserio's narration grounds this post-apocalyptic fantasy in the characters. Adya's yearning for her sister and care for her brother drive her every move, and Arserio ensures that this comes through without softening Adya's harder edges and distrust of others…An engaging listen for young fantasy fans!"