Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Awakening of Roku

Chronicles of the Avatar #6

by Randy Ribay

From National Book Award finalist Randy Ribay comes the gripping follow-up to The Reckoning of Roku, book one in the latest duology in the New York Times bestselling Chronicles of the Avatar series, set in the world of The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra
 
This epic sixth installment in the Chronicles of the Avatar series continues Avatar Roku’s journey toward discovering what it means to be a spirit of no nation…even if the lesson comes at great personal cost.

The stunning conclusion to a powerful duology, The Awakening of Roku is certain to leave readers breathless.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Audiobook

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 30, 2025

About the author

Randy Ribay is an award-winning author of young adult fiction. His most recent novel, Patron Saints of Nothing, earned five starred reviews, was selected as a Freeman Book Award winner, and was a finalist for the National Book Award, LA Times Book Prize, Walden Book Award, Edgar Award, International Thriller Writers Award, and the CILIP Carnegie Medal. His other works include Project Kawayan, After the Shot Drops, and An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes. His next novels, The Chronicles of the Avatar: The Reckoning of Roku (Abrams) and Everything We Never Had, (Kokila/Penguin) will be out in 2024.

Born in the Philippines and raised in the Midwest, Randy earned his BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Ed.M. in Language and Literacy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, son, and cat-like dog.

Reviews

[Claire]

I'M SO EXCITED

[Silvana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 in Storygraph. I quite enjoyed this adventure of Roku and his friends - finally a full Team Avatar - in the icy North. Love the new character, Makkituq, who was a healer and a badass waterbender. All the description of the cold Northern environment is also really cool. The author explained in his acknowledgment that he used a number of Inuit cultures as inspiration.

From the new POVs, I liked Sozin's POV best just because it explains his genocide decision later. I guess except Zuko almost all Fire Lords are mostly assholes and toxic fathers.

The novel does not get a full four star rating because it feel a bit too short - maybe it was rushed? Additional 20 pages would be nice to flesh out some of the conflicts, like Dalisay and the Omashu part. Plus, can't we meet the queen? Alas, I am still being pampered by Yangchen novels that are so very intricate with lots of characters and the villains are more mysterious. Here, the world felt too small. Though there are some moments that made me sad, knowing what would happen many years later.

Ribay had two more novels to write so I hope he wrote about Kuruk who has been a fascinating character since the Kyoshi's novels.

[Haley]

if its ATLA, you know i'm there

[Joshua Hitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing bounce back for Ribay. I was very critical of the first Roku novel and Ribay as an extension. This novel however was so well written with great character voices. The characters were all unique and fun. I was reading this expecting to be disappointed and every time I thought I was about to be critical of a plot twist or the next part Ribay executed a different and unexpected plot point. And most importantly Ribay really settled into the lore of the avatar world and did an amazing job creating a new story that held true to every thing I love about this series. I hope we get new books moving forward about avatars before Roku, Kyoshi, and Yangchen. I imagine we’ll get Kuruk books next.

[Colson Fairchild · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great installment in the series. I'm sad that it wasn't longer. But any time spent in the avatar world is a good time. Rokus experience in the northern water tribe is another great way that these books help contextualize what we know about the different settings in the avatar world

[Adrian Santiago · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un 3.5

Ribay sabe escribir y juntar varios personajes a un clímax, también puede argumentar y novelar una historia de forma amena... lamentablemente la historia no pasa más de lo que sería un capítulo de relleno de la serie animada. Mientras las novelas de Kyoshi y Yangchen (hasta City of Echoes) aprovechan la menor censura y capacidad de la narrativa para escenas de acción muy buenas y el agregar elementos, las novelas de Roky son más una mirada a la "vida cotidiana" de otras épocas de Avatar.

De nuevo, las novelas a pesar de ser muy buenas no cambian ni agregan mucho al "canon" de la serie. Y aquí ni siquiera hubo menciones a nuevos pasados Avatares. Otro punto que "sería" bueno es la inclusión, con temas no heterosexuales... pero igual es algo que ya ha estado presente en absolutamente todas las demás historias de avatar (desde los cómics al manual del rpg y las novelas).

Sentí que el "ultra desarrollo" de Roky y Sozin o cómo son reflejados al final de la novela es desproporcional a lo poco que sucede en la historia. También se vuelve a usar un recurso para "potenciar" el control de los elementos para hacer parecer las batallas más "épicas" o fuertes, pero palicede mucho a comparación de las escenas de pelea en la serie de Korra (ni se diga en la 3er y 4ta temporada). Y me imagino que lo siguiente será la historia de Kuruk, que aquí sentí que algunas menciones a su historia echan por la borda demasiado lo que sabíamos de su "triste historia" de andar solitario cazando espíritus.

Éso sí, la novela ahora sí está plagada de referencias a muchas cosas del mundo Avatar, que son buenas reminiscencias pero la historia en sí no es muy interesante o "potente". Igual el propio autor menciona más una mirada "histórica" e influenciada por los Inuit hacia la tribu agua.

Y... existen los capibara en el mundo avatar!

[James Orlowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has some strange convenience writing that seems a bit off compared to the first entry. A few times things just happen without cause. Was almost hard to look past. Some gets ironed out but thankfully it finds solid footing in the second half

[Maryam ❥ tomesandtravels]

I'm sat. I'm so sat.

[Farren Hurwitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I genuinely enjoyed reading this one and had fun with the plot and characters. However, a few gaping plot holes are why I think it’s a 3.5

[Jacob Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

it is a fun, easy read for the most part. There are a few chapters where it is pretty heavy handed and transparent with the social commentary. I agree with the commentary, however, I read books like this for escapism and distraction.

[Tahsina Alam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The problem is solved very abruptly. It would've been interesting to see in-depth exploration of the Makittuq character and how she solved the issue.