15-year-old Fantina arrives in turn-of-the-century Venice, Italy, in search of fortune and glory and a place to call home after the recent death of her father. What she finds, however, is a fanciful world beyond her imagination. With each magical sundown, a glimmering power rises, and Leo, the winged lion of Venice, wakes to lead the secret guild of Gondoliers in defending the city from harm. But a sinister plot to destroy Venice and steal the hidden treasure of Marco Polo is afoot, and Fantina must join with the Gondoliers and harness the unseen power of Glim to discover her own inner strength and fight the dark forces now awakened in the night. With elements of Italian folklore, steampunk fantasy and a touch of Venetian history, The Gondoliers will welcome young readers into an enchanting new world of wondrous adventure.