Kie is a courier for the kingdom, riding on her skyrider, a small but fast winged horse. Her Uncle taught her the old ways of fighting the chimerae. Fearing a full chimarae invasion, her uncle sends Kie to the capital to convince the leaders to use the old ways of fighting. But she’s dismissed by the leaders who insist on their new ways — which will eventually get them killed. Meanwhile, Kie learns she can mindspeak to all skyrider steeds which helps when she and her friends (including the prince and princess) must save the city themselves. Readers will love this exciting story with an interesting plot and a brave but reluctant heroine. (I couldn’t put it down!)

Fun flight-filled middle grade fantasy. In the Prekalt empire, magical flying horses called skysteeds exist, and if you're lucky, one will choose to bond with you. Thirteen year old Kiesandra and her skysteed N'Rah live on a fruit orchard with her uncle Dug. All her life, Uncle Dug has worried about a resurgence of the monstrous chimerae, who are believed to have been destroyed years ago. When these monsters do reappear, it is up to Kie to share the knowledge of how to defeat the chimerae with those in power, before it's too late.

This magical adventure was a delight to read. Kie's friendships with both humans and skysteeds really make the story shine. (I'd love a skysteed of my own!) The world is described beautifully. You get to watch Kie grow, overcoming her insecurities and stepping into the role she was meant to play. Readers young and old will get enjoyment out of this tale. Excited to see what happens next in this world.

Skyriders is the first in a new series by Polly Holyoke, and if this is the start, I am here for the whole thing!
Kiesandra Torsun (Kie) is living a quiet life with her Uncle Dug, working with her Skysteed N’Rah as a sky courier (and quite good at her job) and helping run the family’s orchard. But when the chimerae, monsters who were thought to be wiped out centuries earlier, reappear, all that changes. Uncle Dug always said the chimerae would return, and he trained Kie for that possibility. He tasks her with sharing her training and his manual, chock-full of useful information on how to fight the deadly creatures, to the capital city. He insists she must make someone listen to her, to get the information to the country’s Skyforce before they take flight and engage in battle.

Growing up, I loved horses. Black Beauty. The Black Stallion. National Velvet. Summer Pony. Misty of Chincoteague. King of the Wind. Even Brighty of the Grand Canyon. If it had a horse or horse-like creature, I was all about reading it. So the cover of Skyriders made the child in me squee with delight. I mean, look at it! The colors! The horse and rider! The wings!

And the story is worthy of its majestic cover. Kie is a charming protagonist and a reluctant heroine. She doesn’t seek out glory. When she is praised for taking down two chimerae herself, she demurs and turns the praise to others instead. She’s a level-headed young woman, and she keeps an admirable focus on her goal rather than getting discouraged when things don’t go the way she’d hoped.

The other characters are well written, too. Even the side characters have enough backstory to grab your interest. We see an interesting twist with Kie’s friend and fellow courier Topar, and a Skyforce cadet’s initial unpleasant attitude toward Kie offers a good opportunity for character development. Other than Kie, I think Princess Halla and N’Seella are two of my favorites. The Dowager and her more mature Skysteed, N’Talley, are also a treat. I hope there’s room for them all in future stories in the series!

The story’s themes are uplifting, things you’d be glad for your kids to read: perseverance, bravery in the face of danger, learning to think outside the box to find a solution, realizing that there is always more strength in working together. The story also emphasizes that even a young person can make a difference. Kie was able to help the Skyforce – indeed, everyone – realize that the smaller, wild Skysteeds could play a vital part in the country’s defense even if they didn’t have Skyriders. She also worked to convince those in power to change the edict that only nobles could bond with Skyriders, which made a big difference to a lot of people and Skysteeds.

There was nothing about this story that I didn’t love. Engaging characters, tension and action, change and growth, and humor, too! Five BIG stars from a horse-loving girl who hasn’t ever entirely grown up. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

A page-turning adventure in the sky! Talented young Kai is a committed mail delivery skyrider, but when giant chimerae threaten her land, she manages to bring crucial ancient knowledge and her mind-speaking gift to the upper-class rulers and professional fighters. Once they take her seriously, they might win the biggest battle of their lives.

Skyriders was a delightful middle grade fantasy/adventure! I think that this book has so much that will appeal to both boys and girls - a feisty and brave 13-year-old protagonist, flying horses (but don't call them horses!), and really exciting battle scenes with three-headed monsters (the chimerae) that will appeal to both boys and girls.

Holyoke has a nice start on world building, her main character Kie has a lot of agency, and she and the supporting characters undergo some wonderful character growth, too.

And it's not just her message of how they need to train to beat the chimerae; they also hear and accept her beliefs about respect and personal responsibility around the skysteeds. There is a power to seeing that grownups aren't always right and can make better decisions. I also appreciated that everyone learned about compromise and working together to create a better way to fight against the chimerae using the strengths of both the smaller, faster steeds and the larger, stronger ones. There's also a lovely theme of found family, as well.

Looking forward to more in this series!

Buzzing with action, Skyriders is a heart pounding fantasy adventure that you won’t want to put down. I read into the wee hours of the morning so that I could finish it. It’s that good.

There are two main elements in Skyriders — the characters and the creatures.

The creatures in Skyriders really bring the book to life. The skysteeds — winged horses that can speak to those they bond with through their minds — are elegant and strong and nimble. Everything you’d want in a heroic animal. The three-headed chimerae — bloodgoat, lion and sand dragon merged together by dark, binding magic — is massive, vicious and deadly. A dangerous foe that the entire empire must fight as a united front.

On the character front, Kie is the reluctant hero. She starts out with a small “herd” (N’Rah and her uncle) and is fine with that. But through her journey, Kie learns the power of friendship. And it’s through her courage that grownups learn that children are sometimes the ones with the best answers.

While Skyriders is definitely a page-turning adventure, author Polly Holyoke has also included themes of communication, empathy and equity. It’s done so naturally that readers won’t feel as though they’ve been “taught a lesson.” It seamlessly lives within the plot’s framework and Holyoke’s prose.

Skyriders does feature a fair amount of violence and gore —there are a number of battles — but it’s written in such a way that it never feels gratuitous. It’s a fun read and a great start to a new series.

What worked:
The author artfully pens a descriptive narrative to help readers experience the action using all of their senses. The oppressive heat of the desert is the site where Kie and others ride atop their skysteeds (like Pegasi) to face the reemergence of terrifying chimerae. Kie’s uncle has taught her the ancient skills needed to battle these creatures but few people today see any value in learning the old ways. The chimerae haven’t been seen in hundreds of years so royalty and the Skyforce feel their bigger, stronger skysteeds can defeat any dangers. However, Kie and her smaller skysteed N’Rah use their speed and agility to narrowly survive and kill two of the beasts but they still can’t get those in power to heed their warning.
This is an underdog story as almost everyone doubts Kie. Even Kie questions herself and doesn’t feel like she’s anything special. Riders make mental connections with their own skysteeds but, Kie discovers she’s able to communicate with any skysteed she touches, an ability no one else possesses. This talent makes Kie different but readers must wait to determine its significance. Kie finds the only people interested in listening to her ancient strategies for fighting the chimerae are other couriers, stable workers, and two cadet warriors. The cadets suspect the methods taught by their military superiors won’t work so they seek knowledge and advice from Kie. Garnering support from lower characters makes this truly an emotional tale of overcoming incredible odds.
Kie’s character displays many admirable qualities that make her approachable and influential. She’s extremely humble and tries to avoid being in the spotlight. When others are amazed after she slays the two chimerae, she deflects the praise and lauds the deeds of other characters. She’s fiercely devoted to N’Rah and other skysteeds and she doesn’t tolerate any signs of disrespect toward them. This attitude creates a conflict with one cadet who’s less than impressed with accounts of her brave battles but Kie really gets fired up when he makes disparaging remarks toward skysteeds. Kie follows the chain of command, even when it seems unfair, and respects those who deserve respect. Her empathy creates connections that later become friendships and her personality is what encourages others to support her.
The Final Verdict:
The book’s synopsis is unassuming but the actual story is an exciting, emotional adventure. Kie’s struggles and persistence in trying to change the minds and attitudes of her superiors create an engrossing story. The impending invasion of hundreds of deadly, devastating chimerae accentuates the conflict as the tension grows to the final, climactic battle. I highly recommend you give this book a shot and I anxiously await the release of its sequel.