Hunter and Fox

Talyn of the Vaerli purchased survival by working as the Hunter for the Caisah, the smiling monster who crushed the Vaerli in ages past and who dominates the world even now. Talyn’s existence comes at the cost of her soul and alienation from her people. Tale-spinner Finn makes himself the Hunter’s next prey with a seditious performance. Evading the Hunter’s peculiar gifts is nearly impossible, but their inevitable encounter ends not in death but hope for both Talyn and the Vaerli. While Ballantine does provide some kind of conclusion, this is more of an introductory episode than a complete novel. The mutable world, where the landscape constantly changes, provides a mildly diverting setting, but the prose and dialogue are flat and affectless, and readers will find few reasons to invest their time in this drearily familiar tale of a brutal tyrant and the brave few who oppose him. Agent: Laurie McLean, Larsen/Pomada Literary Agents. (July)