Rick Riordan Presents: Lords of Night, The-A Shadow Bruja Novel Book 1 - (Storm Runner) by J C Cervantes (Hardcover)

About the Book

When fourteen-year-old godborn and shadow bruja, Renata, embarks on a quest to stop five rogue demigods from awakening the nine Aztec Lords of Night and overpowering the Maya gods, she confronts questions about her family, her magic, and her destiny.

Book Synopsis

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents J. C. Cervantes's exciting new spin-off from the best-selling STORM RUNNER trilogy.

"This duology opener is accessible to readers who are new to this world. An engrossing, god-filled delight."--Kirkus Reviews

Fourteen-year-old Renata Santiago is the most powerful godborn of them all, a bruja with a unique combination of DNA. The Mexica blood from her dad's side gives her the ability to manipulate shadows. Her mom Pacific, a Maya goddess, gifted her a magical rope that controls time, and Ren recently used it to save a few gods from getting stuck forever in 1987. She brought them back to the present, but her BFF Ah Puch, the once fearsome god of death, darkness, and destruction, is now a teenager with no divine powers.

Ren is also a girl with ordinary hopes and dreams. She wishes, for example, that her blog about alien sightings would garner more respect. She's always been absolutely convinced that there's a connection between aliens and the Maya civilization. Plenty of online haters feel differently, and they call her a fake, a liar, and a loser.

When Ren receives an email about an alien sighting in Kansas, she thinks it may support her theory. She also suspects that the cinco--five renegade godborns--are up to no good. Soon she finds herself embroiled in a quest to prevent the troublemakers from awakening the nine Aztec Lords of Night. Problem is, none of Ren's friends are available to help her hunt down the cinco and the dangerous gods they are resurrecting. Ren has no choice but to team up with two strangers recruited by Ah Puch: Edison, a teen hybrid demon, and Montero, an eleven-year-old Aztec hunter. Succeeding in this quest will prove that Ren is no fake, liar, or loser. But it isn't just another challenge. It could well be an impossible one that leaves Ren questioning her very existence.

Anyone who enjoys fast-paced myth-based adventures will be swept up in this one featuring Maya and Mexica gods and their magical offspring.

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

Can't get enough of Mesoamerican mythology? Get the prequel trilogy!
Rick Riordan Presents: The Storm Runner by J. C. Cervantes
Rick Riordan Presents: The Fire Keeper by J. C. Cervantes
Rick Riordan Presents: The Shadow Crosser by J. C. Cervantes

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR THE STORM RUNNER

NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING SERIES!

"A perfect storm of inspiring heroes, surprising twists, and some seriously scary monsters. This hilarious, expertly-plotted adventure keeps you racing through the pages and leaves you desperate for the next book (and craving a steaming mug of hot chocolate)!"
--Shannon Messenger, New York Times best-selling author of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series and the Sky Fall series

"J. C. Cervantes is about to take you on a trip you will never forget, through the darkest, strangest, and funniest twists and turns of Maya myth. You will meet the scariest gods you can imagine, the creepiest denizens of the Underworld, and the most amazing and unlikely heroes who have to save our world from being ripped apart."
--Rick Riordan, New York Times #1 best-selling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

"The Storm Runner takes us on a wild thrill ride through the Southwest, Los Angeles, and the spirit realm amidst all-night diners, delicious cups of hot chocolate, and Maya deities. A terrific read leading to an explosive page-turner of a finale!"
--Daniel Jose Older, New York Times best-selling author of Shadowshaper

"The Storm Runner is brilliant, exhilarating, and funny. Its pages will burn in your hands, and Zane Obispo and the Maya gods will keep you up at night terrified and delighted! But beware, this book might reveal your own hidden magic."
--Francisco X. Stork, author of Marcelo in the Real World

★ "Fantastic and villainous creatures from [Maya] folklore combine with clever, realistic, and heartwarming characters. A page-turning and well-written trip into the world of [Maya] mythology, perfect for fans of David Bowles's Garza "Twins" and Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" series."
--School Library Journal (starred review)

★ "Zane is an instantly relatable character: he's frustrated by his circumstances and wants to do the right thing, though he often gets into trouble for fighting bullies or wandering off alone. Cervantes wastes no time getting right into the action, and her conversational tone and suspenseful pacing will keep the pages turning as the tension escalates and the characters face deepening stakes. Plentiful references to Mayan mythology and culture are bound to send readers searching for more background info, even with the glossary in the back matter. Don't miss this rip-roaring adventure."
--Booklist (starred review)

". . .the high stakes will grab kids who just want to turn the pages as quickly as possible. . . .Zane's incredibly appealing kid voice and wry internal interjections make him easy to root for."
--Kirkus Reviews

PRAISE FOR THE FIRE KEEPER (Storm Runner, 2)

"A fast-paced addition to a solid middle grade series whose mythological roots are sure to satisfy fans of the first book."
--School Library Journal

PRAISE FOR THE LORDS OF NIGHT (Spin-off from the best-selling Storm Runner trilogy)

"This volume sizzles with madcap fun, interweaving icons and figures from Mayan and Aztec mythology with dizzying results. The author excels at making these gods and goddesses cool and familiar. In the second half, many truths kept from Ren fall into fabulous place, spiraling into an exciting cliffhanger. This duology opener is accessible to readers who are new to this world. An engrossing, god-filled delight."
―Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

J. C. Cervantes (www.jccervantes.com) grew up in San Diego and was fascinated by stories about Maya gods and magic as a child. Those tales inspired her to write a best-selling middle grade fantasy trilogy about children of Maya and Aztec gods for Rick Riordan Presents: The Storm Runner, The Fire Keeper, and The Shadow Crosser, two of which featured Ren as a main character. Jen's short story "The Cave of Doom" in the best-selling The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities anthology also ties into this book. For more work by J. C. Cervantes, look for her YA rom com, Flirting with Fate, and her entry in the YA fiction series The Mirror: Fractured Path. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter: @jencerv, and Instagram: #authorjcervantes.