‘The Fire Keeper’ by J.C. Cervantes

With The Fire Keeper, author J.C. Cervantes continues her Storm Runner series that centers around gods from Maya mythology.

Teen protagonist Zane Obispo chronicled his earlier adventure with a secret message for other “godborns” who, like himself, had a god for a parent. In this follow-up, he learns that by doing so, he’s placed those other godborns at risk and, moreover, his father Hurakan is going to be put to death by the other gods.

Cervantes’ books in the Storm Runner series are part of a unique imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, which is published by Disney Hyperion.

The books involves themes and characters from world mythologies, written by authors who are from those cultures and who have a deep familiarity with the legends and traditions.

Rick Riordan, of course, is the bestselling author of mythology-based adventures that combine modern-day characters with figures out of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Norse mythologies.

Like Riordan’s own books, the stories in this imprint involve themes and characters from mythology, but Riordan’s role can be described as that of a curator rather than author (“Disney Announces New Rick Riordan Imprint,” Publisher’s Weekly, Sept. 13, 2016).

As related in the article, Riordan had been asked “about a zillion times” by his readers, “When are you going to write about (fill in the blank): the Hindu gods and goddesses? Ancient Chinese mythology? Native American legends?”

As his editor, Stephanie Owens Lurie, explained concerning the imprint’s launch: ”I know he feels that, in some instances, the books his readers are asking for him to write are really someone else’s story to tell.”

Having avidly read each new title as it was released by the imprint, I especially enjoyed a continuation for the saga of Zane Obispo. It populates an exciting and suspenseful adventure with characters that I came to care about.

I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley