Child of the Air is an old-school sci-fi book. It fits in perfectly with the books I was devouring when I was 12. Sort of fitting into the whole H.M. Hoover style. Except that this book is very obviously set in a whole different universe, really more of a science fiction and fantasy blend. But it follows more of the science fiction pattern.
Mylanfyndra and her brother Brevan live on the mesa, a forlorn chunk of rock inhabited by fire birds (totally forget what they were actually called) and hit by a firestorm (the glair, if I remember that correctly) for about thirty days every summer.
The children have always been different, living up on the hill outside of the village with their grandfather (kinda like Heidi, only with two kids in a fantastical world). But when the old man dies, the evil, narrow-minded oppressors (what good sci-fi book is without those?) send Myl and Brevan to live in the slave quarters in town with the other orphans and poor people.
The children, before sneak out at night and go up to the grove where they hid their prized possessions: strange amulets and bracelets. And where they practice flying.
They eventually discover that the world is far, far bigger than their tiny island of rock, and discover people who can fly, just like they can.
Overall, I liked this book. A lot. My 12-year-old self approves. My only disappointment was it wasn't epic enough, but that's the spoiled 20-year-old me who is used to The Books of Pellinor and Lord of the Rings and the books about Zamonia and the like. Plus the book leaves ample room for a sequel (even almost sets it up, what with where it ends). But there isn't one. As far as I was able to determine on Amazon.
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