About the Book

"Brilliantly inventive." —Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

"Gorgeously written and unforgettable." —Kamilah Cole, indie bestselling author of So Let Them Burn

Alchemy and ancient spirits come to life in this debut fantasy inspired by African diasporic folklore and the 1920s World Fair, wherein sixteen-year-old Kellan DuCuivre, an orphan from a reviled class, must compete for a coveted apprenticeship among the nation’s elite in order to save her adoptive father from a twisted fate.

Sixteen-year-old Kellan DuCuivre is the descendant of traitors. She never knew her family members or which one of them betrayed the isle of Nanseau. But like all Du orphaned after the war, Kellan is forbidden by law from practicing makecraft, the trade of carving magic into metal that was perfected by the Guild of Engineers and their maker apprentices. No one can know that Kellan has been using makecraft in secret and that, in the wake of a tragic miscarve, she’s been helping her adoptive father, Edgar, run his celebrated makeshop.

But Edgar’s condition is worsening, and his shop is on the brink of ruin. On the eve of the Eighty-Fourth Annual Makers’ Exposition in Nanseau’s sparkling city of Riz, Kellan is thrust into the Guild’s twisted web of political intrigue and ancient secrets when she strikes a dangerous deal with one of its members to save Edgar and his shop. Now Kellan must compete in a rigorous gauntlet against the nation’s elite for a coveted spot as a maker’s apprentice.

But danger lurks at every turn. And as Kellan falls into a budding relationship with the illegitimate son from one of Nanseau’s most revered families, she’s put into the limelight when something sinister begins targeting the Gauntlet’s competitors and wreaking havoc on Riz. Amid a crumbling city and a ticking clock, winning the Gauntlet won’t just be a test of survival—it will mean pulling back the veil of secrets behind the Guild and uncovering the shrouded legacies of Nanseau itself.

Critical Praise

“Brilliantly inventive. The Ancient’s Game is the perfect combination of a transfixing world and the beguiling intrigue within.” — Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

“The Ancient's Game is a gorgeously written adventure about one girl's determination to carve her place in the world and protect her family—and the love she finds along the way. Kellan's fractured world is fresh and unforgettable, and her gang of humans and automatons are poised to be your new favorite found family.” — Kamilah Cole, indie bestselling author of So Let Them Burn

"Kellan’s struggle to build confidence in herself—which she navigates alongside a budding romance with a Guild architect—drives Crittenden’s glimmering debut forward, resulting in a high-stakes story of friendship and the widespread effects of classism." — Publishers Weekly

"Kellan, a talented, determined Black heroine, takes on a steampunk, New Orleans–inspired city that goes topsyturvy in madly riveting ways. A spectacular, mechanical fantasy that is expansive and immersive, Crittenden’s debut combines traditional cultural elements of the African diaspora with contemporary-feeling teens." — Booklist

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Product Details

• ISBN: 9780063296435
• ISBN 10: 0063296438
• Imprint: HarperCollins
• On Sale: 10/29/2024
• Pages: 352
• List Price:24.99 CAD
• BISAC1 : YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Fantasy / Historical
• BISAC2 : YOUNG ADULT FICTION: Fantasy / Romance
• BISAC3 : YOUNG ADULT FICTION / People & Places / United States / African American

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