New York Times-bestselling author Aiden Thomas returns to the beloved world of The Sunbearer Trials in Celestial Monsters, a heart-stopping duology finale, in which three young semidioses travel through a dark monster-infested world, facing down chaotic Obsidian gods, in a quest to save their friends and return the sun to the sky.
Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Aiden Thomas’s Celestial Monsters, which is out September 3rd 2024.
Teo never thought he could be a Hero. Now, he doesn’t have a choice.
The sun is gone, the Obsidian gods have been released from their prison, and chaos and destruction are wreaking havoc on Reino del Sol. All because Teo refused to sacrifice a fellow semidiós during the Sunbearer Trials.
With the world plunged into perpetual night, Teo, his crush Aurelio, and his best friend Niya must journey to the dark wilderness of Los Restos, battling vicious monsters while dealing with guilt, trauma, and a (very distracting) burgeoning romance between Teo and Aurelio. Determined to rescue the captured semidioses and retrieve the Sol Stone, the trio races against the clock to return Sol and their protective light. With it, order can be restored.
The future of the whole world is in their hands.
“Don’t you get it? . . . I don’t need your help, I don’t want you to save me! I am Obsidian, and this is our revenge!”
Xio spat his final declaration as he was swallowed by the nebulous dark Caos had conjured. The rush of wind howled in Xio’s ears as he flailed, untethered and falling endlessly. The air was sucked from his lungs and for a brief, disorienting moment, Xio thought he might suffocate—and then it was like someone flicked on the lights. He landed hard on his back.
He had a second to register their new location—wet stone soaking into the back of his shirt, the smell of damp moss and the relieving cool of being deep underground, the throbbing in his right hand—before the world exploded with movement all around him.
Ocelo was the first to launch, their claws extended and aimed directly at Venganza’s face. The tall, goat-headed god sighed as though he found this all incredibly dull, and flicked his wrist, backhanding Ocelo with such force it sent them flying head over heels.
Auristela shouted. Unlike Ocelo, she had taken a moment to assess her surroundings before charging into action—which, Xio reflected, was to be expected. Her gold jewelry sparked in firelight as she sent a massive wave of flames careening toward Venganza, Caos, and Chupacabra from behind.
Xio hadn’t spent months of his life learning all her tricks to fall for that now.
“Watch out!” he cried, scrambling to his feet. But he didn’t need to.
Caos threw out their midnight blue hand and Auristela’s fire went out—disappearing in a puff. Auristela snarled, and Xio was pretty sure he heard a chuckle echo from Caos’s shrouded, featureless face. The hem of their dark robes hovered above the ground, their exposed midnight blue skin dancing with moving constellations.
Xio crouched, readying himself to be the target of the Golds’ rage, but they didn’t seem to even notice him.
The semidioses put up a good fight, throwing all of their best moves at the three gods. Still decked out in their gaudy regalia, the Golds looked out of place. They were supposed to be parading around Sol Temple, gleaming alongside all the opulence and grandeur. Instead, they were in dank, wet darkness.
Xochi’s thorns were out in full force, ready to shred whatever she struck with her vines. Marino used high pressure streams of water powerful enough to cut through wood, an advanced move he used so rarely that Xio had only ever seen one video of it on TúTube. Atzi tossed lightning, not at all weighed down by her ruffled dress. Earsplitting cracks filled the room as the bolts missed their targets and ricocheted off the walls.
Dezi, fast as a hummingbird, dodged around the others, trying to get within reach of one of the gods, but it was no use. They were disorganized and sloppy, frantic instead of calculated.
Xio relaxed. He wasn’t in any danger.
For once, the Golden children of the dioses were outmatched.
And, damn, did it feel good to watch.
