Set in a magical medieval world of dragons, witches and shape-shifters, Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston follows twelve-year-old, nonbinary Callie, whose biggest goal in life is to become a knight. But in a world where only boys can become knights and girls are to learn all about magic, Callie is having a tough time convincing people that they are neither boy nor girl. When their ex-hero dad is summoned back to the royal capital of Helston to train the crown prince, Callie lunges at the opportunity to prove a worthy knight and begin their training. Except when they get to the capital, the intolerant elite wrongly only sees a girl when they look at Callie. But Callie isn’t about to let bigotry stand in the way of their dreams. Trapped in a fight against a rigged and antiquated hierarchy, Callie discovers there are others whose talents are also stifled to uphold the status quo—Elowen, Edwyn, and the prince himself, Willow. Together, they begin the epic fight against the bigotry within the kingdom to prepare for the fights that are lurking just outside.
I mean, we all know 2022 definitely had its ups and downs but to live at the same time as a book about a fierce, funny and unapologetically nonbinary knight fighting the bigotry of antiquated power systems is published? Yeah, let’s mark that down as one hell of a success.
The best part of this novel—besides its ragtag team of lovable characters that you’re bound to want to be a part of—is the captivating way the author mixes medieval elements like dragons and sword fights with contemporary topics such as gender and identity discussion. This is a debut novel but you can’t tell at all—the writing flows effortlessly, the pacing is bound to make your heart race and the characters are so fleshed out, you kind of want to see into all of their heads in future installments.
Symes-Smith strikes a fantastic balance between internal and external conflicts. Callie’s story has everything you could possibly want from a middle grade fantasy: fearsome shape-shifting dragons, epic sword fights and a cause worth fighting for (you know, smashing the patriarchy to bits and pieces). But even more importantly, it features characters that are young, fierce and unapologetically queer. Callie is nonbinary and while their two dads have never given them any indication that they can’t be a knight, Callie’s in a for a rude awakening in the royal capital of Helston where binaries are the only thing the people in power seem to rule by. And while there are hurtful moments of Callie being misgendered and ousted, they still believe that there is opportunity for change in Helston. Together with a prince who’s the softest boy to ever exist and a new friend who shows how badass being feminine can be, they fight the outdated hierarchy—and find friends-for-life in the process. No one is infallible in this story. Callie’s parents make mistakes and keep secrets from them that they shouldn’t but even Callie sometimes falls short of what they think they have to achieve, not to mention the prince who has a whole other level of expectations placed on him. Yet everyone not only acknowledges these moments but even grows from them and learns that as long as you have the right people next to you, the ones who support and encourage you, you can slay any dragon—whether it’s a literal or figurative one.
At its core, Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston is a story about acceptance in all its glorious forms. From accepting yourself to finding acceptance from peers or people that feel more like family than your own blood does, Callie’s (and their friends’) fight is as much about fighting for a dwindling kingdom as it is for a more inclusive world. Though there might be moments of failure, fear or even surrender, there is always the belief that things can—and will—be better. In the end, Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston shows that bravery isn’t always fighting the scary dragon or winning the privilege of ruling a nation but that the seemingly smaller fights —standing up for yourself and fighting the injustice of a prejudiced system intent on keeping the status quo— are even more important and worth battling. The magic of this story is that while there is a hopeful tone throughout it all, it doesn’t shy away from revealing how hard change can be and that’s it not something that happens over night but that it’s worth fighting for, regardless. I can’t wait for readers—especially young ones— to find themselves reflected in Callie’s epic tale.
A love letter to found family, inclusivity and magical fairy tales, Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston is, above all, a tale of finding your place in the world—and helping others claim theirs. Fierce, sharp-witted and unapologetically queer, the debut novel’s nonbinary protagonist Callie and their team of endearing friends are sure to burrow into readers’ hearts and shows that acceptance and a more inclusive world are always worth fighting for.
Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of November 8th 2022.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
In a magical medieval world filled with dragons, shape-shifters, and witches, a twelve-year-old hero will search for their place as an impending war threatens. A thrilling middle-grade series opener that stars a nonbinary tween and explores identity and gender amid sword fights.
My name is Callie, and I’m not a girl. I am here as Papa’s squire, and I want to train as a knight.
In a world where girls learn magic and boys train as knights, twelve-year-old nonbinary Callie doesn’t fit in anywhere. And you know what? That’s just fine. Callie has always known exactly what they want to be, and they’re not about to let a silly thing like gender rules stand in their way.
When their ex-hero dad is summoned back to the royal capital of Helston to train a hopeless crown prince as war looms, Callie lunges at the opportunity to finally prove themself worthy to Helston’s great and powerful.
Except the intolerant great and powerful look at Callie and only see girl.
Trapped in Helston’s rigid hierarchy, Callie discovers they aren’t alone–there’s Elowen, the chancellor’s brilliant daughter, whose unparalleled power is being stifled; Edwyn, Elowen’s twin brother, locked in a desperate fight to win his father’s approval; and Willow, the crown prince who was never meant to be king.
In this start to an epic series packed with action, humor, and heart, Callie and their new friends quickly find themselves embedded in an ancient war–the only hope to defeat the dragons and witches outside the kingdom lies in first defeating the bigotry within.
