A Quokka Dreeds its Weird

In a post-apocalyptic land where humans huddle in walled cities, unable to travel for fear of giant sandworms called Rizoms, a hero emerges! He is Laolyth, the only man who can single-handedly defeat a Rizom. But then his wife Sarah dies and he disappears.

Fourteen years later, the rulers are pretending to the populace that he's still alive, though they don't know where he is... or do they?! But his son, the pixieish Kan, is still around and living under an assumed identity.

Average art and fairly typical characters (Plucky Kid With Destiny, The Girl, Evil Old Woman, Badass Mentor) keep this at an average level, though the characters are likable and the story moves quickly. It would be nice if there were any female characters who were neither evil, dead, nor The Girl Who Waits Back Home.

On the positive side, there's some intriguing worldbuilding and carrier cockatiels (like carrier pigeons.) Also, ( there's this spoiler: )

I wouldn't buy more of this, but I might check it out from a library.