Maudlin of Nowhere

Butler’s Tall Ships of Saradena series kicks into high gear in this action-packed second installment (after Homegoing). Following the horrific familial upheaval that ended book one, Maudlin, one of the few scholars capable of reading in a world where literacy was all but wiped out, has been exiled from her home. With the threat of invasion from the forgotten kingdom of Saradena looming, time is running out for her and Orlo to save their kingdoms. Their search for the ancient books that may reveal the history of Saradena and why they have threatened to attack brings them to Ferrant, the kingdom ruled by Maudlin’s ex-husband, King Francis. She’s terrified to face him, but Orlo has a plan. Deeply in love but unwilling to marry Maudlin until she feels the same, he offers her a betrothal, which will afford her a degree of protection without the commitment. With a deadly illness sweeping through Ferrant and violence brewing, no one is saf­e—a fact Butler proves repeatedly through a series of shocking twists on the way to a brutal climax. It’s a wild ride. (Dec.)