Ascension

Dalkey's intriguing marine world brims with descriptions of Atlantis and mermyd life

First in a captivating young adult series of ritual and romance (Publishers Weekly).

Sixteen-year-old mermyd Nia has one wish: to gain glory for the noble Bluefin Clan by becoming an Avatar, one who rules Atlantis through a telepathic connection with an ancient alien race. But first she must be chosen as a candidate by her clan, and then pass the Trials. Nia is sure she can outswim and outwit anyone else in her family, which is why she is shocked when her bumbling cousin is chosen instead.

At least her crush Cephan is competing in the Trials. Of the lowly Stingray clan, he toils in the Lower Depths of Atlantis and gives Nia a glimpse of her undersea city that changes everything she thought she knew. Secrets and lies are submerged in the heart of Atlantis, and the upcoming Trials will put Nia's loyalty to her clan to the test, and bring her world crashing down around her.

"An exotic undersea world is given vivid life... A detailed and refreshingly original submerged society, continually revealing deeper layers and hidden crannies that hint at a rich and complex history... The exhilarating twists and turns carry readers gasping into a stunning cliffhanger that will leave them clamoring for the next installment." —Kirkus Reviews