The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

A legendary pirate embarks on one last caper in this entertaining 12th-century historical fantasy from Chakraborty (City of Brass, written as S.A. Chakraborty). Years of dangerous seafaring earned Amina Al-Sirafi a reputation as a fearsome pirate captain, but everything changed when she gave birth to her daughter, Marjana, and quietly left bandit life behind her. Then Salima, the mother of a former crewmate, flushes her out of hiding and offers her a million-dinar deal to retrieve Salima’s granddaughter, who was kidnapped by the sorcerer Falco Palamenestra. Amina can’t refuse the temptation to return to the sea and secure Marjana’s financial future. She recruits her old crew to help her, and together they uncover Falco’s real motives. Too late they realize that their foe has powers beyond their capacity to fight, but Salima leaves Amina no choice but to press on despite the odds when she threatens Marjana’s life. If readers are not won over by the playful plot twists and thrilling action sequences, they will fall for the charmingly crooked cast and dry humor. This swashbuckling adventure is sure to delight. Agent: Jennifer Azantian, Azantian Literary Agency. (Mar.)