Royalslinger

By Author / Illustrator

Graci Kim

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

Publisher

Piccadilly Press

ISBN

9781835870617

Format

Paperback / softback

Expected

21-07-2026

Synopsis

Discover the next instalment in the fantasy series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul, meals magically appear based on your mood and dreams literally come to life!

After successfully passing the Annual Royal Slinger Trials, Aria is about to kick off her second year of training at the Royal League of Dreamslingers. All she and her bloom dragon, Rio, have to do is pass the final Fellowship exam and they'll finally become fully fledged Fellows.

But before training can begin, the king of Royal Hanguk cancels the exam, and instead commands Aria and the other novices to reclaim the Touch of Death - a powerful ancient relic that was stolen from the kingdom. And by Aria's mother, no less.

If that wasn't bad enough, Aria experiences a devastating loss and considers going to horrific lengths to cope . . . even potentially joining the freedom slingers - a rogue and dangerous faction of dreamslingers. How will Aria choose to deal with her grief? And will her decisions result in the end of the League?

A THRILLING AND IMMERSIVE FANTASY MIDDLE GRADE SERIES FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR GRACI KIM!

Reviews

Sue

Aria and her bloom dragon, Rio, have settled in to their new lives as members of the Royal League of Dreamslingers. Despite bearing guilt for her past mistakes, Aria's strong friendships with other novices have made her confident about challenging some of the old ways of the League; however, when a powerful ancient relic is stolen, Aria realises that everything is not what it seems. Faced with many questions and few answers, Aria has to decide who to trust and what form her future will take.

Having reviewed Dreamslinger for ReadingZone, I was delighted to receive a copy of the conclusion to the duology, Royalslinger. Royalslinger is every bit as exciting and action-packed as the first book. Rich, imaginative world-building creates the perfect backdrop and although this is a sequel, enough background information is given for the book to make sense without reading Dreamslinger first. However, those who have read this will enjoy learning more about Aria and her friends as they continue their journey to becoming official members of the League.

Rio, Aria's bloom dragon, steals the show! Her impulsive, snack obsessed nature is very endearing and her rambling comments add plenty of humorous notes to the story. Her bond with Aria seems all the stronger for the initial difficulties the pair had, making Aria's devastation when she thinks she has lost her dreampanion heart-breaking. There is real growth in Aria's character through this story as she faces some hard blows and has to make some very difficult decisions, but she emerges all the more likeable for this and the duology's conclusion is all the more satisfying for it.

The book draws on Korean folklore and culture, perfect for inspiring readers to discover more. In this story, Aria visits Tui in New Zealand, learning more about her family and traditions too. Thoroughly enjoyable, these books are perfect for those who love magical stories, but who are looking for something a little different.

288 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher