Voyage of the damned

Ganymedes, or Dee for short, is dreading spending the next 12 days on a ship with the Blessed, the magically gifted heirs of Concordia. Not just because he finds them pompous and prejudiced, but because he's been holding onto a lifelong secret at his father's insistence, namely that he is not Blessed with a magical gift, and is not the heir to Fish Province. He's hoping to make enough enemies to get kicked off the ship before his secret can ever be exposed. Unluckily for him, the murders start with the princess herself, the very first night on board, and he's a prime suspect for her death. Dee, the sickly heir to Bear Province, and the six-year-old ball of energy from Grasshopper will need to solve the mystery before everyone is out of time. This queer fantasy-mystery is chaotic, fun, suspenseful, and surprising in turn. Dee is a self-destructive, sharp-tongued, irritating protagonist with a precious, nonsensical little girl sidekick, and readers will get a kick out of his wit, his cynical attitude, and his development across the narrative. This bold debut novel sparkles with delicious reveals, rich characters, and strong world building, and fans of both mystery and fantasy will be excited to get their hands on it.

White debuts with an equally campy and tender tale that answers the question: what happens when Agatha Christie meets queer fantasy? Ganymedes Piscero is among the Empire of Concordia's 12 Blessed, wielders of magical powers said to stem from the Goddesses they worship who each rule one of the empire's 12 provinces. Together, the Blessed set out on a 12-day team-building journey on an enchanted ship, with the aim of fostering friendship and connection between their lands. Instead, the Blessed start dying off, and as they are the only people on the ship, one of them must be the culprit. Ganymedes harbors a big secret: he's not actually capable of magic, but has been forced to fake it by his father. Even so, he intends to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the killer. Notwithstanding some slightly farcical magical happenings, there's real heart here, and Ganymedes--a fat bisexual man from the lowest and least respected province in Concordia--makes an indisputably lovable hero. Studded with puns and dad jokes, this is a fun romp with a wholesome message about believing in oneself and lending a helping hand to others. (Aug.)