This book was reviewed via Lola’s Blog Tours.

Safronoff’s Sunborn Rising is a richly tailored, beautifully woven tale of the bond between friends, the spirit of adventure, and the love of family. It is a coming of age for one young Listlespur, and her two companions as they are drawn into a journey unlike any they could ever imagine.

After finding her father’s journals, Barra becomes more and more determined to find what really happened to him. Forays deeper and deeper into the forbidden Middens bring more evidence to light, but it’s not enough for the Council to take heed. Despite her ma’s admonitions to stay away from the Middens, and determined to find irrefutable proof of the dangers lurking below, Barra enlists the aid of her two friends- Plicks and Tory. A series of unfortunate incidents sets the three on an amazing journey to the very heart of the Cerulean cosmos and back again. They meet new friends, dubious allies, and a being of living nightmare.

I absolutely love the artwork! There are sketches ever so often, depicting the many interesting characters, and occasionally there are more detailed, full-page drawings. The races who live in the Loft and in the Ocean are myriad, from Listlespurs to Haggidon to the Nebules. So much of this story reminds of some of my most favourite fantasy RPG videogames. There was a definite Final Fantasy feel to it. One of my other favourite things was that the Arboreals measure years by tree-rings! They use dendrochronology! The archaeologist in me was so charmed by that.
????? Highly recommended. Perfect for fans of Watership Down, Brian Jacques’ Redwall series, and the movie Avatar directed by James Cameron.