On My Bookshelf: Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse

The basic plot from Amazon: While most of the world has drowned beneath the sudden rising waters of a climate apocalypse, Dinétah (formerly the Navajo reservation) has been reborn. The gods and heroes of legend walk the land, but so do monsters.

Maggie Hoskie is a Dinétah monster hunter, a supernaturally gifted killer. When a small town needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie is their last best hope. But what Maggie uncovers about the monster is much more terrifying than anything she could imagine.

Maggie reluctantly enlists the aid of Kai Arviso, an unconventional medicine man, and together they travel the rez, unraveling clues from ancient legends, trading favors with tricksters, and battling dark witchcraft in a patchwork world of deteriorating technology.

As Maggie discovers the truth behind the killings, she will have to confront her past if she wants to survive.

Welcome to the Sixth World.

Why I liked it: Trail of Lightning  was like nothing I've ever read before. It's a fantastic mix of Native American mythology, science fiction, and fantasy with a post-apocalyptic setting and elements of the mystery and thriller genre. The protagonist, Maggie, is a fierce female with a male sidekick, Kai, who needs rescuing just as much as she does.

As Maggie and Kai hunt for more information about the most recent monster attacks, they encounter an eclectic mix of multi-dimensional characters. Everyone seems to have an ulterior motive for their actions though no one is strictly good or evil. The action in the story is constant leaving no room for a dull moment in the plot. I am excited to see what the rest of the series brings.

Classroom application: I would recommend this one for high school and up because of the violence and gore. Your Marvel comic loving students will be hooked on this first book in the Sixth World series as will students interested in Native American mythology. After reading, students could do research into Trickster myths across cultures.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Lightning Trail for yourself, you can find it on Amazon here.

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