Ursa Major
Are you still a hero if you never had a choice? Born in Alaska into a world dominated by jingoism, coal-smoke, and magic's return, young Christopher Speier is honest, brave, and far brighter than he has any right to be. In other eras he might've become almost anything; doctor, politician, scientist, or soldier. But great forces are gathering, political as well as magical, and Chris is marked to be a Familiar, a font of magical power. Chris has only a few weeks to decide his fate, to be free, human, and ordinary, or to be transformed into an animal, well paid, well treated, but legally owned by another for the rest of his life, in service to his Guild and his country. As the time approaches, it seems less and less likely that the choice will truly be his to make. The world is headed for a crisis terrible beyond imagination. And Chris's destiny is written in the stars.