A Game of Noctis

A Game of Noctis

An “exciting, fast-moving” ( School Library Journal ) middle grade fantasy about a girl who must participate in a deadly game with a ragtag team of players to save her grandfather from a terrible fate—perfect for fans of James Riley and Shannon Messenger! In the opulent, sinking city of Dantessa, the Great Game rules all. Pia Paro believes that so long as you follow the rules, you always have a chance at winning. But after her beloved Gramps is sentenced to a life of servitude, Pia accepts a dangerous offer and joins a team of players seeking to win the most perilous game of all: Noctis. The Seafoxes—Pia’s new teammates—are unlike anyone she’s ever met. There’s brash, bold Carlo; macabre Serafina; kindhearted Pasquale; and their dashing ringleader, Vittoria. Each has their own reason for playing, and soon, Pia begins to question all her long-held beliefs. Maybe the rules Pia once trusted to lift her up have only been keeping her—and thousands of others like her—down. As she struggles with these revelations, Pia must survive a gauntlet of clockwork soldiers, perilous underwater adventures, and even a game against Death herself. But with Pia’s grandfather’s life at stake, Pia must finally decide whether she’s brave enough to not just break the rules, but to change the very nature of the Game. * “Dantessa’s Venetian-inspired world of canals and palazzos is intricately built, lush with sensory detail, and a vividly imagined magical gaming culture. Pia is a resilient, brave, and empathetic character. . . . Both the lead and supporting characters are distinct and intriguing, and the action is expertly paced. Diversity in skin tone and sexuality is casually woven into the story. A richly creative magical adventure about challenging an unfair status quo.” -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review ― 2/15/24 * “The transporting novel instantly enthralls, casting readers headlong into a world of impressively well-developed games and mythology. Pia shines as a phenomenal protagonist willing to examine long-held convictions as truths come to light, and the diverse supporting cast is equally as enjoyable, including a delightfully disarming Lady Death. A captivating consideration of what it means to be ‘good’ in an unjust world.” -- Booklist, starred review ― 2/15/24 * "Fagan skillfully blends adventure and team-based competitions, set against a memorable, Mediterranean-leaning environment and populated by eclectic characters described as having varying skin tones. Clever, warmhearted, fast-paced, and energetic, this tale has much to offer." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review ― 1/15/24 "An exciting, fast-moving story for fans who like clever, strong-willed heroines battling enormous odds." -- School Library Journal ― March 2024 Issue "Inventive and unexpected, this creative fantasy will entertain readers while striking deeper notes of honor and teamwork in the face of peril." -- Horn Book ― March/April 2024 Issue Deva Fagan writes fantasy and science fiction for all ages. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading, doing geometry, playing video games, hiking, and drinking copious amounts of tea. She is the author of several books, including Rival Magic , Nightingale , The Mirrorwood , A Game of Noctis , and The Delta Codex . She lives in Maine with her husband and their dog. You can find her online at DevaFagan.com. Chapter 1 CHAPTER 1 ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF PLAY , there were 8,684 officially recognized games. That should have been plenty, especially for a tiny little island like Dantessa, so small you might think it was a mistake, a blotch of ink fallen from the pen of a particularly sloppy cartographer. But I’d been trotting after Gramps for the last hour, back and forth along every mildew-streaked alley in the Damps, up and down a dozen bridges, crisscrossing the maze of canals that served as our streets. It was nearly seven o’clock, and we still hadn’t won the five measly segna we needed to buy our supper. A ramshackle collection of pushcarts and lopsided tables jammed the narrow quay, hunched under the queasy greenish glow of the fishlamps floating above. Brighter flames flared here and there from the braziers where snack-sellers sold twisted paper cones of roasted chestnuts and smoky skewers of octopus. My belly rumbled as I eyed them longingly. “One segna each, love,” sang out the woman tending the skewers. Without meaning to, my fingers clenched the pouch at my belt, feeling the single segna resting there. “Just a little longer, Pia.” I jerked my gaze away from the food stands, feeling a stab of guilt. Gramps was watching me from the next bridge, tufted gray brows arched over his mild blue eyes. I hastened to catch up, hopping over the puddles of dank water that had begun to eat up the flagstones. There was a reason this part of the city was called the Damps. In a few hours, the entire district would be flooded by high tide. “I just need to win few rounds of queekers wit