Susan L Markloff
Jennifer Monroe is an average eighteen-year-old girl, and she knows it.
Which is precisely why no one—least of all herself—would suspect anything extraordinary from the quiet, boring girl who only has a few good friends to call her own. But that all got flipped on its head about a year ago, when two imposing men, a complete goofball, a werewolf, and two large four-legged creatures barged into her life.
Now over a year later, Jen leads a double life. Mild mannered, quiet, high schooler by day; dragon slayer and raw-energy-wielding-warrior (in training) by night. Juggling SAT scores, papers, and mastering the art of flying, she’s managed to keep her friends and family oblivious of her hybrid abilities. Everything was going swimmingly.
Until one normal, foggy, November morning, when a dragon crashed through the clouds, heralding a small army to descend on her high school. All for little, forgettable her. Making her realize that maybe there’s a whole lot more going on than she originally thought.
Praise for The Rise of the Raidin
"A must-read, action-packed adventure that combines the real-life challenges of high school with that of an epic, otherworldly armageddon. This is a thrilling debut novel by author Susan L Markloff." - Reedsy Discovery
"Markloff has pulled off a fantastic story here, with depth of plot and characters that leave you wanting to read more. Young Adult Fantasy readers will find a whole world to love in The Rise of Raidin, and the premise fits nicely within the genre. Superbly written, with great humor and attention paid to each character that makes the whole read thoroughly enjoyable." - ManyBooks
"A highly original YA urban fantasy, The Rise of the Raidin is an engaging mixture of everyday high school pressures, and the pressure of confronting mythical beasts. The well-choreographed action scenes and snappy dialogue result in a work of YA fantasy that will satisfy traditional YA readers and fantasy readers alike." - Self-Publishing Review
"The Rise of the Raidin delivers an original take on dragons and dragon slayers with a secret world, a double life, coming-of-age discovery, and action-packed fight scenes." - Readers' Favorite
"Markloff has put together a mixture of high school slice-of-life storytelling and intense dragon battles with fantasy armies. This unusual combination harkens to animes and mangas, as well as other beloved fantasy series, such as Lord of the Rings." - BookLife
Meet the Cast
One of Jen's best friends. Small and unassuming, but fiery in her own right.
One of Jen's protectors, a skilled sniper.
One of Jen's protectors, essentially a lion-sized golden retriever.
One of Jen's protectors. Refined, dignified, and a dictionary's worth of a vocabulary.
One of Jen's best friends, kinda has a crush on her.
The main character of the story; half-human, half-dragon, wields blue energy. Tends to leap before she looks.
One of Jen's protectors. He's a werewolf. He doesn't want to talk about it.
One of Jen's protectors. Unanimous fan favorite. Teleporter.
Jen's younger sister, a literal cinnamon roll, has great admiration for her older sister.
One of Jen's best friends. Goofy, kinda a dork, and sometimes says what everyone else is thinking.
One of Jen's protectors. Kinda tightly wound because he's in charge of...everyone.