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The Memory Sword is a young adult fantasy novel written by American author Sin Gari. It is the first novel in the Paladins of Atlantis trilogy and is Sin Gari's debut novel, published on October 26, 2017 by American entertainment company, Ko-koro. The plot follows Mara Broom, a teenage orphan who discovers her magical destiny and finds herself pulled into a war against a powerful dark sorcerer when she is unexpectedly swept off to the hidden castle of the Society of Paladins, a secret society of magicians within the island nation of Atlantis. Its sequels are the The Zavalian and The War of Atlantis.

Plot
Mara Broom recalls a dream that she has had every night since her earliest memories. In her dream, dark sorcerer Armando Vasquez attacks Paladins Claire Solomon and Archer D'Cruz on their ship as they attempt to escape with their children, Mara and Eric, and loyal Paladin companion Charles Vernay. Though Claire manages to open a portal and escape with Mara and Vernay, Archer D'Cruz takes an arrow in the chest and continues to fight. Mara grows up on the rough island of Skull in the Empire of Atlantis with her mother Claire, unaware if her father and brother survived the fight with Vasquez.

On the night of her sixteenth birthday, Mara attends a full moon fight in the brawling Pit of Skull, where she witnesses a young foreign man defeat a seasoned fighter of Skull using an old sword. When the crowd turns on the foreigner, Mara and her best friend Griffin interfere and defend him. As Mara holds the old sword, it blazes with a brilliant light. The foreign boy flees and Mara and Griffin hurry to the Museum of Skullian History, where a crime has been reported. Mara spots the foreign boy running along the roof and follows him into the museum. Mara accuses him of stealing the sword and learns that his name is Sebastian. Before they can speak more, they encounter three teenage boys, Liam, Oliver, and Avery, young Paladins-in-training who intend to secure the relic, which they believe to be the legendary Memory Sword. Together, they face a group of magicians led by Vasquez's right-hand, Madeline. Mara and the boys narrowly manage to escape through the tunnels below the museum. Upon seeing Mara activate the sword's mysterious power source, Sebastian splits from the group and Mara wakes up in the infirmary of the castle of Keystone, the hideout of the Society of Paladins. Mara stumbles into the tower study of Roland La Roux, a professor at Keystone. Roland confirms that Archer D'Cruz was in fact Mara's father, though he does not know if Archer is alive. Roland asks Mara to join the Society in fighting against Vasquez.

Mara begins training the following day. During her third class, Magical Theory with Roland La Roux, Mara manages to impress Roland with her knack for spell casting. Dean Bancroft also hears of Mara's aptitude for spell casting and invites her, along with Liam and Avery, to set forth on a mission with Vickie Heschong to apprehend the notorious Captain Strange Eyes, a pirate who has been stealing supplies from the Atlantic capital of Leaflake. Vickie, Mara, Avery, and Liam leave Keystone at dawn and hike to Cedar Station. The old ticket attendant shares information with the group about an upcoming ball in Wicker Town to celebrate the birthday of Amelie Graylock, one of the council members of the Atlantic Empire, who is a close friend of Captain Strange Eyes. Vickie and the teenagers take the train directly to Wicker Town.

In Wicker Town, Vickie takes Mara and the boys to the home of Olivia, an old friend of Vickie's, who takes them to the ball. Mara spots a familiar face--Sebastian lingers outside with Amelie. Mara and Liam discover that Sebastian is working with Captain Strange Eyes. Sebastian opens a portal to leave the ball, and Mara follows Sebastian and drops onto the ship of Captain Strange Eyes. Sebastian locks Mara in the captain's cabin for her own safety. Mara casts a spell and breaks out of the cabin, just in time to witness the explosion of a blue glass pyramid. Sebastian dives into the sea to find Strange Eyes in the wreckage and Mara takes responsibility for steering the ship. Strange Eyes and Sebastian resurface and Strange Eyes reveals that he destroyed the pyramid, one of three Gates of Atlantis, in order to destabilize the Empire. Three hovercrafts of the Atlantic military close in on the ship. Mara casts a spell to attack the hovercrafts. She manages to take down two crafts, though the third captures Mara, Sebastian, and Captain Strange Eyes.

Mara wakes up in a room of the Spire, the tallest building in Leaflake, where Sebastian is also held captive. Dean Bancroft enters the room with a scribe. Mara discovers that Bancroft is actually a traitor to the Society of Paladins and learns that Sebastian is Eric, her brother and the son of Archer D'Cruz. Bancroft leaves the room and the scribe waves a hand over his face, transforming into Armando Vasquez. He reveals that he has been acting as Viceroy Iraman, second-in-command of the Empire. Vasquez morphs back into Viceroy Iraman and has the guard lead Mara and Eric to the Auditorium, where Eric is publicly put on trial for aiding Captain Strange Eyes.

When Captain Strange Eyes is brought into the Auditorium, Mara announces that Viceroy Iraman is Vasquez in disguise. Vasquez reveals that the crowd of Atlantic citizens is not aware of the existence of magic. Mara and Eric are separated. Mara discovers that Eric has shrunk the Memory Sword and placed it in her pocket. She activates it and sees Archer and Eric being led to their execution in a courtyard of the Spire. Just as Mara prepares to escape, Avery burns a hole through the door, Liam at his side. Once they reach the gallows, Mara waits until Archer gives her a signal, and throws the miniature Memory Sword. It becomes full-sized as Archer catches it. Mara, Archer, Eric, and Liam fight Vasquez until he suspends Avery over their heads. Vickie appears in a hovercraft, piloted by Olivia, and propels down to catch Avery before he falls. Amelie Graylock calls a squadron of soldiers to surround Vasquez, who creates an explosion and vaporizes the squadron. Eric opens a portal. Vasquez fires at Archer, but Mara intervenes and takes the bullet in her shoulder. Archer catches her and steps into the portal. Mara pulls Eric into the portal before it closes. Archer, Mara, and Eric land in the Bay of Skull. Archer decides to take Mara to see Doctor Ashworth, revealing that he is actually his most loyal friend, Charles Vernay. Archer carries Mara through the streets of Skull, promising to tell her whatever she wishes to know.

Main Characters

 * Mara Broom is a teenage orphan who lives at the Home for the Homeless on the island of Skull. She believes her father to be Archer D'Cruz, though she does not learn he is alive until she is captured and taken to Leaflake. Apart from the first two chapters, the events of the book take place following Mara's sixteenth birthday. Mara has a knack for punching bullies, casting spells on the fly, and has the ability to activate the latent magical power in the Memory Sword.


 * Archer D'Cruz, a former Paladin of the Society, is Mara and Eric's father and husband to the deceased Claire Solomon. Archer takes on the role of Captain Strange Eyes and attacks trade ships sailing to the Atlantic capital of Leaflake. He has one violet eye and one gray eye, and possesses the Gift of summoning objects. He also appears to be able to make the Memory Sword glow blue.


 * Armando Vasquez, a former Paladin of the Society, is the dark sorcerer who haunts Mara's dream each night. He disguises himself as Viceroy Iraman, commander of the Atlantic Armada and second-in-command of the Empire of Atlantis.


 * Liam La Roux is a teenager Paladin-in-training at the castle of Keystone. He is the older brother of Oliver and the son of Professor Roland La Roux. Liam's Gift is uncertain, though he is skilled at archery. He has pale green eyes that Mara and Oliver notice change shape depending on the circumstances and occasionally become golden.


 * Avery Arkwright is Liam's best friend and a fellow Paladin-in-training at Keystone. His Gift is the ability to start fire. His father is Zurie Arkwright, a professor of Alchemy at Keystone.


 * Oliver La Roux is Liam's younger brother and Roland's son, an enthusiastic Paladin-in-training at Keystone. He has the Gift of being fire-proof. He resembles Roland La Roux, and is described as having copper curls and brown eyes.


 * Diane Bancroft is the daughter of Dean Bancroft, the unofficial head of Keystone, and a Paladin-in-training. Her Gift is mind-reading, or telepathy.


 * Vickie Heschong is a teacher at Keystone castle and the mother of Akina Heschong. Dean Bancroft sends her on a mission to apprehend Captain Strange Eyes. Vickie competed in the Zavalian, a beloved tournament in Atlantis, in the 78th year of the Empire.


 * Roland La Roux is a professor of Magical Theory at Keystone and a Paladin of the Society. He reveals the truth of Vasquez's hunt for the Memory Sword to Mara and asks her to join the Society in defeating Vasquez. He is the father of Liam and Oliver, and husband to Josephine La Roux. He trains outside of class with Mara, Liam, Avery, and Akina. Mara senses that something bad has happened between Roland and Archer, which Roland does not wish to tell her.


 * Akina Heschong, at the age of 12, is the youngest Paladin-in-training at Keystone. She is the daughter of Vickie Heschong, and similar to her mother possesses the Gift of moving water at will.


 * Griffin Ashworth is Mara's best friend and the son of Doctor Ashworth, Skull's most trusted physician. Griffin is the same age as Mara but is described as being twice her size and 'strong as a bull'.


 * Doctor Ashworth is Griffin's father and a doctor on the island of Skull. He is described as calm and quiet, though Mara later learns that he is a part of the Society of Paladins.


 * Eric 'Sebastian' D'Cruz is Mara's older brother and Archer's son. He remained with Archer while Mara grew up with Claire on Skull. Eric possesses the Gifts of shrinking objects and opening portals.

The main antagonist is Armando Vasquez, a dark sorcerer known for being the most dangerous Paladin that ever lived. He was believed to have disappeared from Atlantis 15 years ago, though the Society has been preparing for a decade against his return. Avery suspects Vasquez possesses the Gift of mimicry, the ability to transform his face and thus disguise himself effectively.