Traitor to the Throne

Gr 8 Up—Amani Al-Hiza continues to wield a rifle and magic as she and fellow rebels plot to overthrow the Sultan, put the Rebel Prince in power, and give truth to their cries of "A new dawn! A new desert!" Amani, "The Blue-Eyed Bandit," is a demdji (half djinn, on her father's side) who was separated from Jin, one of the Sultan's out-of-favor sons, at the end of Rebel of the Sands. No prison can hold her, and Amani escapes to join rebel friends, only to be recaptured and held as a "flower in the Sultan's harem." Not that Amani's acerbic wit and willingness to fight will allow the Sultan or his guards any peace. Jin, Ahmed, Shazad, and others from the previous volume are integral to this tale, along with human and nonhuman rebel friends and foes. There are passages of violent conflict; passionate, interrupted kisses; and occasional discussions of political theory. Shape-shifters, formidable djinni, and ruthless double-crossing keep the story racing along. The Sultan has sons by many women, and not all of them can (or should) reign over the desert kingdom of Miraji and its nearby lands. Though Amani doesn't desire the crown for herself, she definitely wants a say in who will become ruler of Miraji. Significant loose ends point to a third book.