An Unintended Voyage

With this atmospheric fantasy adventure, Maresca returns to the universe of his Maradaine novels (after People of the City) and masterfully expands the world beyond the reaches of the title city. Things begin with the abduction of Sgt. Corrianna “Corrie” Welling, a law enforcement officer at the Maradaine Constabulary of Druthal. When Corrie and her fellow kidnap victims aboard her abductors’ ship learn of their impending fate as slaves, she attempts to free them all. But a storm sinks the ship, and lone survivors Corrie and Eana get swept out to sea. Another ship comes to their rescue, but the pair are unable to speak the crew’s language and the sailors take advantage of this language gap to dupe them into agreeing to pay an exorbitant amount for their accommodations. Debt-bound, Corrie and Eana arrive in the city-state of Mocassa, where they’re taken to the debt market and sold—and soon both become deeply entangled in Mocassa’s political conflicts. Maresca thoughtfully explores race, power, and privilege as Corrie undergoes a cultural and political awakening. The well-developed social aspects and the realistic portrayal of the characters’ struggles in a foreign land propel the story forward, while the high-stakes action builds to a satisfying climax. This is a solid addition to Maresca’s tightly constructed Maradaine universe. (Nov.)