Rick Riordan Presents: City of the Plague God-The Adventures of Sik Aziz Book 1 - by Sarwat Chadda (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents an adventure based on ancient Mesopotamian mythology by Sarwat Chadda, author of the Ash Mistry series.

"An epic worthy of Gilgamesh. Chadda brings attention to the less well-recognized mythology of ancient Mesopotamia with engaging humor and wit."--Kirkus Reviews

Thirteen-year-old Sik wants a simple life going to school and helping at his parents' deli in the evenings. But all that is blown to smithereens when Nergal comes looking for him, thinking that Sik holds the secret to eternal life. Turns out Sik is immortal but doesn't know it, and that's about to get him and the entire city into deep, deep trouble. Sik's not in this alone. He's got Belet, the adopted daughter of Ishtar, the goddess of love and war, on his side, and a former hero named Gilgamesh, who has taken up gardening in Central Park. Now all they have to do is retrieve the Flower of Immortality to save Manhattan from being wiped out by disease. To succeed, they'll have to conquer sly demons, treacherous gods, and their own darkest nightmares.

"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

Endorsed by Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, soon to be a series on Disney+.

Look for these other best-selling Rick Riordan Presents titles:

• Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
• The Storm Runner by J. C. Cervantes
• Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee
• Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
• Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

Review Quotes

Praise for City of the Plague God

2022: Texas Lone Star Reading List
2022: Young Hoosier Book Award Master List (Indiana)

"Welcome to the world of Mesopotamian myth as interpreted by the brilliantly creative, wonderfully offbeat mind of Sarwat Chadda. You may never want to leave!"--New York Times #1 best-selling author Rick Riordan

"City of the Plague God is not to be missed. It shines with comedy, drips with menace, and oozes with authenticity. Another outrageously readable winner from Rick Riordan Presents."
--Eoin Colfer, internationally best-selling author of Artemis Fowl

"Bold, brave, and full of surprises! I couldn't stop turning the pages. Chadda balances an action-packed story with his trademark humor and a deft handling of Sik's immigrant identity that feels relevant and important in today's world."
--Natasha Ngan, author of the New York Times best-selling Girls of Paper and Fire series

"An epic worthy of Gilgamesh. Chadda brings attention to the less well-recognized mythology of ancient Mesopotamia with engaging humor and wit." --Kirkus Reviews

"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

"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

Praise for Fury of the Dragon Goddess

* "Chadda excels in this action-packed adventure." --Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

About the Author

Sarwat Chadda, a first generation Muslim immigrant, has spent a lifetime integrating the best of his family's heritage with the country of his birth. There have been tensions as well as celebrations, but he wouldn't wish it any other way. As a lifelong gamer he decided to embrace his passion for over-the-top adventure stories by swapping a career in engineering for a new one as a writer. That resulted in his first novel, Devil's Kiss, back in 2009. Since then he has been published in a dozen languages, writing comic books, TV shows, and novels such as the award-winning Indian mythology-inspired Ash Mistry series and the epic high-fantasy Shadow Magic trilogy (as Joshua Khan). While he's traveled far and wide, including Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, he's most at home in London, where he lives with his wife, two more-or-less grown-up daughters, and an aloof cat. Feel free to drop him a line @sarwatchadda.