Swords and Scoundrels

Starred review from September 14, 2015
Knight (The Viking’s Sacrifice) opens her Duelist trilogy with a lighthearted secondary-world fantasy that quickly evolves into a tangled web of lies, deceit, and twisted loyalties. Kacha and Vocho love and hate each other in the ways only siblings can. Her perfection frustrates him; his bravado and lies enrage her. Both are top-notch sword fighters and had been members of the elite Duelist Guild until one of their jobs went very badly awry. Now forced to thieve for a living, they end up stealing the wrong things from the wrong people and must fight for their lives even as they struggle to protect the province of Reyes. Threads of humor lighten what could very easily be an uncomfortably dark tale filled with magic, politics, and crushing disillusionment. Beautifully crafted action scenes blend intimately with strong emotion and realistic characters. Told from several viewpoints and punctuated by flashbacks, the shifting narration serves to paint a well-rounded picture filled with fascinating surprises and unforeseen twists. Agent: Alexander Field, Alexander Field Literary Agency.

October 1, 2015
Accused of murder, brother and sister Vocho and Kacha are on the run from everyone and everything that ever mattered to them, including their honor. They had been the two best duelists in the guild but have had to resort to highway robbery after being thrown out after a bodyguarding job gone wrong. When they stop one coach, they find not only Kacha's former lover, Petri Egimont, but also a locked chest and a magician, Dom, a mysterious and fascinating character. Magicians who write spells in blood that writhes and twists into multiple images under skin have been banned since the Clockwork God and his prelate took control of the city of Reyes. As Knight launches her Duelist trilogy, she skillfully reveals the backstories of the siblings and Egimont, and how Reyes has come to the brink of revolution, illuminating a complex and intriguing world. The accelerating pacing as the present and past converge will hold readers in suspense and eager for the next two books, which will be released in November and December.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)