Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton ISBN: 978-0385744072
Series: Seeker
Published by Delacorte Press, Random House Children's Books on February 10, 2015
Genres: Action & Adventure, Friendship, General, Science Fiction, Social Issues, Young Adult
Pages: 448
Goodreads
The night Quin Kincaid takes her Oath, she will become what she has trained to be her entire life. She will become a Seeker. This is her legacy, and it is an honor.
As a Seeker, Quin will fight beside her two closest companions, Shinobu and John, to protect the weak and the wronged. Together they will stand for light in a shadowy world.
And she'll be with the boy she loves--who's also her best friend.
But the night Quin takes her Oath, everything changes.
Being a Seeker is not what she thought. Her family is not what she thought. Even the boy she loves is not who she thought.
And now it's too late to walk away.
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Seeker Reviews
“Fans of Veronica Roth’s Divergent, Marie Lu’s Legend, and Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games series: your next obsession has arrived.” —School Library Journal
“[A] powerful beginning to a complex family saga . . . Dayton excels at creating memorable characters.” —Publishers Weekly
“A tightly woven, action-packed story of survival and adventure, Seeker is perfect for fans of Game of Thrones.” —Tahereh Mafi, author of the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series
“Secrets, danger, and romance meet in this unforgettable epic fantasy.” —Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Beautiful Creatures and author of Unbreakable
About Arwen:
Arwen Elys Dayton spends months doing research for her stories. Her explorations have taken her around the world to places like the Great Pyramid (which she explored by a single fading flashlight when researching Resurrection), Hong Kong and its many islands, and lots of ruined castles in Scotland. She enjoys creating complete worlds inhabited by characters who charm, frustrate or inspire.
Arwen lives with her husband and their three children on the West Coast of the United States. You can follow her @arwenelysdayton on Twitter and Instagram.
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PLEASE WELCOME ARWEN TO BOOKHOUNDS YA
How much of your extensive research was actually used in this book?
My research was focused mostly on geography and the feel of the places in the book. A lot of that ended up in the book, particularly for Hong Kong. The book is set in the near future, so the world is a bit different than it is now, but the sensory experience you get when walking around the Scottish countryside and through the crowded streets of Hong Kong will be, I’m fairly certain, much the same, even decades from now. Each place has a unique character and is quintessentially “itself.” I hope this comes through in the story, because the feel of these locations was part of the inspiration for Seeker.
Which is worse: exploring the Great Pyramids by flashlight or living in earthquake country?
Exploring the Great Pyramid by flashlight ended up being maybe the most exciting two hours of my life, so I guess I have to say that living in earthquake country is worse! Luckily, the relentless sunshine helps distract from the threat of quakes.
As a side note, that dark exploration of the Great Pyramid (while doing research for a previous book, Resurrection) was the result of a strange confluence of events, including the pyramid being closed to general visitors, our guide having an “in” with someone important, and probably the fact that there weren’t many tourists around that day. The end result was us getting the interior of the pyramid to ourselves. I treasure that memory!
Do you extensively plot or just let the story flow?
I’ve done both, but for Seeker, I plotted rather extensively because a lot happens, and it happens in several different points of view. I tried to be as efficient with chapters as I could, and that’s a lot easier if you plot things out ahead of time. After Seeker, I have a very different series I want to write, and I may be able to “let the story flow” a bit more for that one.
What are you reading right now?
All the Bright Places, by Jennifer Niven. She and I did a prepublication tour together in November. She’s a lovely person, and I’m really enjoying the book!
I am so excited that sci fi stories with strong female leads are back in style. Do you have a favorite character?
For books, Alia from Dune! The idea that full consciousness was thrust upon her in the womb and that she was, mentally, a full adult from the earliest moments of her life continues to fascinate me. If you’re asking about my favorite female lead from sci-fi movies, that would be Ripley, from Alien. J
Thank you for letting me include Katie! She is my constant companion while I write. Here she is in her two most common states: napping and jumping.
Giveaway Details: 5 Winners.
5 winners will receive finished copies of SEEKER, US only.
To seek redemption I would first make amends with myself for why I feel the need for redemption.
Thank you for the chance! 🙂
When I see the picture of the seeker I see truth and justice is obscure. Great excerpt!
I enjoy Arwen’s interview! I think it would be hard to be constantly compared to such great series, but Seeker definitely sounds good! Thanks!
I would correct as best I could the mistake I had made.
Being at fault for anything is hard so to seek forgiveness or saving is is something worth going after.
An interesting and wonderful interview. I would make amends for being in the wrong.