Sunshield

The spectacular opening salvo of this new fantasy series from Martin (Woodwalker) plunges readers into a fully realized world of luxury built on the back of slave labor. The Sunshield Bandit—Lark to those who know her—leads a ragtag gang of outlaws, scraping a living out of the desert by sabotaging coaches on their way to the opulent state of Moquoia, freeing the slaves, killing the slavers, and laying claim to any valuables. She makes an unlikely ally for Veran, a young diplomat to Moquoia who is navigating the subtle power plays of court. But when someone abducts the liberal-minded prince of Moquoia’s lover as part of a plot to turn the prince into a political puppet, Veran turns to the notorious Lark for assistance in solving the kidnapping. Martin spins a graceful web of intrigue, coups, and budding revolution in this fast-paced, swashbuckling adventure, tying up just enough loose ends to bring this series opener to a satisfying close, while leaving enough mysteries unsolved to have readers chomping at the bit for the next installment. Clever, thrilling, and full of heart, this is epic fantasy done right. Agent: Valeria Noble, Donaghy Literary Group. (May)