Privateer

August 27, 2018
Intricate political intrigue marries well with personal machinations in Weis and Krammes’s epic second Dragon Corsairs fantasy (after Spymaster). The kingdoms of Rosia and Freya stand precariously between war and a tentative peace, with everything balanced on the knife edge of an engagement between Princess Sophia of Rosia and Prince Thomas, contender for Freya’s throne. There are only a few small problems: Thomas loves someone else, secret societies are plotting dire activities, and trust comes at a premium. The novel opens with the misadventures of privateer Captain Kate, Prince Thomas, and friends as they run afoul of the Rosian and Freyan governments. Other stories—including the attempted rescue of Dalgren, Kate’s friend and dragon partner, and Thomas’s path to the throne—weave through one another. An unfortunate cliffhanger ending is the one dim spot in an otherwise immersive and imagination-fueled adventure. Agent: Christi Cardenas, Plains Agency.

August 1, 2018
When Thomas and Pip discover that Captain Kate has been captured, they undertake a risky plot to free her, setting into motion an unpredictable and fast-moving chain of events in this sequel to Spymaster (2017). Kate insists on rescuing her stranded crew, but when Dalgren is exiled, she follows him to the land of the Bottom Dwellers, where she discovers a plot that will send an already-reeling nation into even more chaos. Henry Wallace, the queen's Spymaster, is desperately trying to get Queen Mary to declare an heir, and there are more wheels turning in that vast conspiracy than anyone expected. The web of political machinations provides an excellent, entertaining backdrop for the adventures and romances of the intrepid heroes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)