Rosie HOPES
Author of speculative fiction
I'm thrilled that my YA epic fantasy debut, the Rivening Series, has been acquired by Harper Fire in the UK and Commonwealth in a three-book deal.
You can expect book one, THE AGE OF WINGS, in March 2027, and the second and third instalments following in 2028 and 2029. Watch this space for more!
Pre-order now:
Author Bio
Since the age of 10, Rosie has been able to quote (and sing) every single line of Disney's Hercules from start to finish. Her love of Greek myth led her to study Classics and English at Jesus College, Oxford, where she spent her first year learning Ancient Greek from scratch - soon discovering that Disney's Hercules is woefully inaccurate.
She loves speculative fiction of all stripes: sweeping secondary world fantasies, dystopian sci-fi, swashbuckling historical adventures and a spot of cosy fantasy romance. She never grew out of YA and she's not ashamed of it.
She is represented by Hannah Sheppard at HSLA.
What is the Rivening Series about?
Get swept away in
THE AGE OF WINGS
Book One of the Rivening Series
Our journey starts at the graduation ceremony of the University of Aligera.
The nation's sharpest minds have studied, debated, performed and raced to get as far up the rankings as possible. Why? Because each graduand gets to choose their own set of solar-powered wings to carry them into their adult life.
The wings are chosen in order of the rankings, which means that those at the top have the choice of the whole glittering wing collection. Powerful Eagle wings, ostentatious Parrot wings, delicate Insect wings and, rarest of all, two coveted pairs of Butterfly wings - only ever two at each graduation.
It's time for our graduands to take their pick ...
🦋 Meet Zerene 🪽
Lord Zerene ala Auster graduates at the top of the class, just as everyone expected he would. He's flawless: intelligent, talented, privileged and oh so charming.
He chooses a pair of glorious jade green Butterfly wings, as befits a lord of Avia who flits from tower to tower in the lofty heights of the city.
But the decisions of the other graduates behind him cause Zerene's world to unravel, and soon he finds himself walking on bloody feet in the shadow of the city's lower stacks, not quite sure how he fell so far ...
🦇 Meet Thoosa 🥀
Lady Thoosa ala Auster graduates in second place behind her brother, and the room waits for her to take the second pair of Butterfly wings on display.
But Thoosa bypasses the precious wings and chooses Bat instead. It's a scandal - Thoosa's choice means that she must join the Colony and give up her title as heir to the Auster seat.
It's shocking, it's unheard of ... surely it's proof that Thoosa has something to hide?
🦇 Meet Vesper 🔦
Vesper Sturn is next in line to graduate. She's confused by Thoosa's decision to choose Bat - she thought she'd be the only one who'd want to join the Colony, an archaic institution that patrols the city's chasms, and the disquieting Bat wings that go with it.
Now that decision has been upstaged by the enigmatic and effortlessly beautiful Thoosa ala Auster, who can't help but be the centre of attention wherever she goes.
But Vesper knows that if Thoosa is serious about joining the Colony, they will have to work together in close quarters. And a friend is better than an enemy, right?
🦋 Meet Iora ✍️
Iora Oscen can't believe what she's witnessing. She doesn't think there's ever been a case where someone ranked in fourth place snagged themself a pair of Butterfly wings ... but Iora is all about breaking conventions.
Those shimmering sapphire blue Butterfly wings are sure to help her achieve her goal: to be an investigative journalist at the Aligera Herald.
She wants to hold the elite to account, to expose the injustices in their society, to do some good in the world. Little does she know that the people in the room beside her will be key to helping her bust open a news story that will shake the foundations of their towering city ...
🪶 Meet Jac 🏆
Jacamar Harpe, fifth in the rankings, isn't interested in the politics of his peers' wing choices. His attention has been caught by the one pair of Hummingbird wings in the collection that are fast enough to compete in professional Flying races - his ticket to success.
Jac has been invited to join the Charm Circuit after graduation, the city's elite racing tournament. He knows he has the talent, the drive and the guts to win it, even in his first season.
But how much is Jac willing to sacrifice to be the Charm Circuit champion?
As Zerene, Thoosa, Vesper, Iora and Jac take their first flight as adults they'll discover their world is built on corrupt power and secrets that will rock the very foundation of Aligera – and each has a role to play in the revolution.
THE AGE OF WINGS touches on real-life themes of love, abuse, power and privilege against a fantasy backdrop with a unique aesthetic. You can expect flying races, class conflicts, sapphic romance, fearless journalism, copious amounts of facial glitter and more opulent balls and swanky clubs than you can shake a stick at.