Author Scott Reintgen is currently riding high with his New York Times Bestseller middle grade series Dragonships (The Last Dragon on Mars and The Rise of Neptune). In Devious Prey, Mr. Reintgen has a different dragon story in mind for a young adult audience. Think of the TV series Lost in a fantasy setting with an accused murderer, a brutal guard, shifting loyalties, multiple people with secrets, and a very, very deadly hunter waiting in the jungle. There is a lot going on and every character has their own agenda–even the two main protagonists, Pearl and Marken. Interestingly, Pearl and Marken are not instantly likeable, and while more page time fills in their backstories and definitely helps the reader understand them and their motivations, it doesn’t necessarily vindicate them. These characters spend a lot of time in the gray. However, rather than weakening the book, it keeps it fresh and engaging. Just exactly who are the good guys here?

The premise is a great hook, the setting is mysterious, and the plot is action-packed. There is definitely at least one twist that will catch the reader by surprise. Although the ending is a bit unconventional, it feels authentic and works well. It does not seem this book is intended to be the start of a series, but rather a stand-alone novel. Readers who like fantasy, mystery, suspense, and being on the edge of their seats will enjoy this original read.

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy Provided by the Publisher

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: 18 religious exclamations; 11 mild obscenities; 1 derogatory name; 2 scatological words.

Violence/Gore: Character dies suddenly in front of other people, cause is initially unclear and hypothesized to be heart-related; brief explanation of how certain individuals deliberately amputate a limb in order to gain magical abilities; character is hit in the face; examining a body it is announced that someone was poisoned; accident in which people are thrown about, incurring injuries (mention of blood) and death; body in the water is seen with a shard of wood through the chest; mention of floating bodies, a couple of brief descriptions; recounting of a past event that resulted in deaths that were determined to be murders by the courts; character is held while another hits and punches him, blood mentioned; brief scene where creature attacks and kills a person, mention of blood; magic blasted at a creature, some collateral minor injuries to others; character knocked unconscious with a plank; character says they intend to kill someone; character has a head injury, mention of blood trickling from small gash; character is killed in the water, ring of blood seen; several separate references to the slaughter of animals on a farm; scene of fighting/battle with spears, pistols, rocks resulting in several deaths with brief descriptions, mention of blood; character explains how someone slaughtered animals to fuel their magic; gunshot heard; blood seen on the sand and evidence of a body dragged off; characters encounter a mortally injured person, descriptions of blood; character and creature fight, injuries; character disappears and it is deduced they fell to their death; verbal threats of death and harm; character rendered unconscious; character kills another through use of magic; scene in which sounds of shooting are heard and later the scene of violent death is found and briefly described, mention of blood; character kills another violently through use of magic; creature kills a character; characters grab a body and drag it; a disturbing scene (~ 1-2 pages) in which a dead, human body is skinned and the skin is utilized/made into something, while not detailed in description it is quite apparent what is happening; character verbally relates a past battle that resulted in many deaths.

Sex/Nudity: Passing mention of brothels; female character notices that a couple of other male characters are handsome; female character thinks about how a male character shivered when she tended his wound; female and male character kiss; female hugs a male to comfort him; kiss on the forehead; hug at parting; female and male character have romantic interest in each other.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death, murder, smuggling, desecration of a corpse, bullying by peers and by an authority figure.

Alcohol/Drug Use:

Wine passed around and drunk by adults; mention that several people are drunk; reference to a parent being drunk/becoming a drunkard; mention that a drunken man had followed a character one night.