Traitor to the Throne

By Author / Illustrator

Alwyn Hamilton

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Faber & Faber

ISBN

9780571325412

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

02-02-2017

Synopsis

The second installment of this highly-acclaimed trilogy, Traitor to the Throne throws the irrepressible Amani into a world of espionage, harems, and the Sultan himself.This is not about blood or love. This is about treason.Nearly a year has passed since Amani and the rebels won their epic battle at Fahali. Amani has come into both her powers and her reputation as the Blue-Eyed Bandit, and the Rebel Prince's message has spread across the desert - and some might say out of control. But when a surprise encounter turns into a brutal kidnapping, Amani finds herself betrayed in the cruellest manner possible. Stripped of her powers and her identity, and torn from the man she loves, Amani must return to her desert-girl's instinct for survival. For the Sultan's palace is a dangerous one, and the harem is a viper's nest of suspicion, fear and intrigue. Just the right place for a spy to thrive... But spying is a dangerous game, and when ghosts from Amani's past emerge to haunt her, she begins to wonder if she can trust her own treacherous heart.Praise for the series:'Sheer escapism.' Guardian'Winning.' New York Times'Thrilling.' Booklist'Hugely entertaining . . . breathless romance and show-stopping action sequences.' Bookseller

Reviews

This thrilling action-packed sequel to Alwyn Hamilton's Rebel of the Sands certainly doesn't disappoint. Clad in borrowed clothes and caked in blood and dust, gun-slinging Demdji Amani is once again at the heart of the action as the rebellion gathers pace and the Rebel Prince seeks to overturn his dictatorial Sultan father. After rescuing imprisoned rebels in Saramotai and briefly being reunited with the enigmatic Jin, Amani is betrayed by her Aunt, kidnapped and taken to the Sultan's palace. When the Sultan places iron under her skin, negating her magic powers, and bronze to bind her to his orders, Amani realises she is trapped in the harem with no way to communicate with her friends and no chance of escape. Ignoring all her reckless instincts, Amani turns spy and quietly sets about gathering all the information she can about the workings of the palace, all the time seeking an ally within the suffocating confines of palace walls. Encountering two familiar faces from her hometown of Dustwalk, she realises that former best friend Tamid will never forgive her for leaving him behind and instead has to rely on old adversary Shira, who is forced to help her when Amani threatens her lofty position as Sultima. Finally with an outlet to the outside world through Shira's messenger Sam, Amani begins to pass on information to the rebels and plot a course for her rescue. As with the first book in the series, there is an enticing mix of adventure, myth, magic and romance. There are plenty of twists and turns and some heart-breaking moments. This is a much longer book and many of the characters we met in the first book are given more substance and new characters like Sam add well to the mix. Although there is a character list and some helpful recapping I would advise reading the Rebel of the Sands first as there are a lot of characters and some complex issues. All in all though another pulsating YA read with the story now perfectly poised for an explosive ending! 570 pages / Ages 12+ / Reviewed by Clare Wilkins, school librarian.