About This Book
A parent would reach for this book when their child is wrestling with feelings of being an outsider or questioning their own origins and hidden potential. It is particularly resonant for children in foster care or adoptive families who are beginning to ask deep questions about why they were abandoned or where they truly belong. The story follows Elrod, an orphan at the Ghorm Citadel, as he embarks on a high-stakes quest to uncover his identity and unleash latent magical powers. Beyond the magic and monsters, the book explores the foundational importance of fellowship and the idea that our true family is often the one we build through loyalty and shared hardship. It is a fast-paced, imaginative choice for middle schoolers who enjoy subverted tropes and stories where the underdog discovers they are part of a much larger, more mysterious world.
