Floodpath

Starred review from January 25, 2021
The enthralling second epic fantasy in Martin’s Outlaw Road duology sees unlikely allies working together to end inequality in Moquoia. Following the events of Sunshield, Lark, the Sunshield Bandit, has had her world turned upside down; the former slave and current outlaw now knows that she’s actually the long-lost Moquoian princess. But after helping Prince Veran rescue Tamsin, an Ashoki court singer, from imprisonment, by staging her murder, Lark has been framed for the very crime she helped to fake, and she and Veran are forced to flee across the desert. Tamsin was jailed for spreading antislavery sentiment through the royal court and her tongue was split by her captors. Her singing days behind her, she must learn a new way to communicate if she hopes to spread her message and end slavery. The endearingly flawed characters, immersive details of Lark and Veran’s travels through treacherous terrain, and epic battles faced both on the run and in the royal court keep the pages flying. This is a pitch-perfect finale. Agent: Valerie Noble, Donaghy Literary.

March 31, 2021
The story begun in Sunshield (2020) concludes in this high-fantasy story. Prince Veran has teamed up with Lark, the Sunshield Bandit, and the two make their way through the treacherous desert with no water or supplies. Veran is convinced that Lark is the lost princess, whose recovery could reshape the political landscape. However, someone does not want the princess back in her rightful spot; it's just not clear who that is. Lark, Veran, and others still hope to transform Moquoia into a better, safer place, while their hidden enemy wants to maintain the status quo. Pulling the enemy into the open will be tricky, but the fate of more than just Lark and Veran is at stake. The reshaping of their world is fascinating and empowering. Changing a system, even from a position of power, is hard, and Martin has created a system that reflects this difficulty.

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