Uprooted

★ 8.20 / 15

Mythopoeic Award 2016, Locus Award 2016, Nebula Award 2015. World Fantasy Award nominee 2016, Hugo Award nominee 2016.

Naomi Novik, author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed Temeraire novels, introduces a bold new world rooted in folk stories and legends, as elemental as a Grimm fairy tale.

“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.”

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows — everyone knows — that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.

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Updated 04/08/2025

Category: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Nebula Award, Locus Award, British Fantasy Award, Mythopoeic Awards

Release date: May 13, 2015

Naomi Novik

Naomi Novik is a name that resonates deeply within the world of fantasy, known for her ability to blend the fantastical with rich, immersive storytelling that challenges the boundaries of the genre. With an imagination as vast as the worlds she creates, Novik has become one of the most celebrated voices in contemporary speculative fiction, captivating readers with tales that balance intricate world-building with deeply human characters.

Born in New York City, Novik's early love for history and mythology found its natural outlet in her writing. Her passion for fantasy was sparked by childhood stories of dragons, magic, and adventure. It’s no surprise, then, that her debut novel, His Majesty's Dragon, introduced the world to one of the most distinctive dragon-centric tales in modern fantasy. Set in an alternate history where dragons serve as military assets during the Napoleonic Wars, the book became an instant favorite, hailed for its originality and its mix of history, adventure, and the enchanting presence of dragons. Novik's work is marked by her seamless blend of the historical and the fantastical, using both to illuminate complex themes of power, loyalty, and sacrifice.

What sets Novik apart in the crowded world of fantasy is her ability to evoke a sense of wonder without sacrificing the emotional depth of her characters. Whether it's the fierce bond between Captain Will Laurence and his dragon, Temeraire, or the delicate moral choices faced by her protagonists, Novik's stories resonate because they are as much about the heart as they are about the world-building. This balance between the personal and the epic is a hallmark of her writing style, making her books not only thrilling page-turners but also profoundly moving narratives about growth, friendship, and resilience.

In addition to her Temeraire series, which has earned her multiple Hugo and Locus Award nominations, Novik has expanded her repertoire with Uprooted and Spinning Silver, two novels that firmly establish her as a master of standalone fantasy. Uprooted is a lush, dark fairy tale infused with Slavic folklore, while Spinning Silver brings to life a world where magic and money intertwine in unexpected ways. Both books showcase her uncanny ability to craft stories that feel timeless, yet are rooted in the complexities of human relationships and societal expectations.

Throughout her career, Novik has garnered a devoted fan base, and her works have been translated into multiple languages. Her stories are as captivating as they are thought-provoking, offering both escapism and reflection. Novik has often shared that her writing is a way for her to explore the “what-ifs” of history and magic, blending these with a deep empathy for her characters' struggles and triumphs.

With a writing style that is both lyrical and grounded, Naomi Novik’s work is a gateway to worlds of wonder, where dragons soar, magic pulses through the earth, and the complexities of the human heart take center stage. Whether you're drawn to her historical fantasy epics or her reimagined fairy tales, Novik’s stories invite readers to step into a world of magic, danger, and the triumph of the human spirit.