Rogue's Home (Knight and Rogue Series #2)

Rogue's Home\ A Knight and Rogue Novel \ \ \ By Hilari Bell \ HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. \ Copyright © 2008 \ Hilari Bell\ All right reserved.\ \ ISBN: 9780060825072 \ \ \ \ Chapter One\ Michael\ Most of the time, having a squire is a wonderful thing for a knight errant, but there are times when 'tis a cursed nuisance. Especially a squire such as Fisk, who notices far too much.\ "That's the fourth time you've looked over your shoulder in the last hour," he complained. "If we're going to be ambushed, I wish you'd let me know. It'd be nice to be prepared—for a change."\ The cobbled street was rough. Despite the Green Moon's light, I stumbled into a rain-filled pothole and swore. Chant, the destrier I was leading, pranced nimbly around it, his hooves clattering on the stone. Fisk, who was leading Tipple, swerved and missed it too. My surge of irritation was unworthy of a true knight, but I confess I felt it. And I shouldn't have. Due to a trifling bit of aid offered a carter whose wagon had become mired on the road, Fisk was, for once, as wet and muddy as I.\ "In the first place," I told him, "you couldn't be more prepared to fight off an ambush—you've been twitching like a hunted hare for the last two weeks. And second, the warning Gift isn't that reliable. I once felt like this for almost a month, and I later learned that 'twas because one of my aunts was thinking of marrying me off to her best friend's third daughter. It could be anything, Fisk. It could be nothingat all."\ The Gift for sensing the presence of magic, a Gift whose inheritance allowed the noble families to rise to power by knowing which trees were safe to cut, which animals safe to slaughter, is always reliable. Magic is either there or it isn't, and the Gods avenge themselves on those who destroy magica plants or animals without first paying the price. But there are also a host of lesser talents, which we also call "Gifts," and they function most erratically—if they function at all.\ The tale of Aunt Gwen's scheme made Fisk laugh, as 'twas meant to, but he sobered quickly.\ "I haven't been twitchy for weeks—just since you started looking over your shoulder, day before yesterday. Because the last time you did that, old Hackle planted that magica hide on Tipple and almost got us killed. And I didn't mean prepared to fight, I meant prepared to run. You're carrying the money just now, remember?"\ I couldn't help but smile at that, for my purse had developed a peculiar habit of ending up in Fisk's hands, whether I'd lent it to him or not. I didn't mind, for Fisk is better with money than I—though 'twas sometimes disconcerting to reach down and find it missing.\ I fought the urge to look behind us yet again. Assisting the unfortunate carter had brought us into Toffleton three hours after sunset, though in mid-Oaken the sun set early enough that light and noise still streamed into the streets when a tavern opened its doors. Aside from that, and the high-sailing moon, the streets were dark, for respectable folk had their shutters closed against the damp chill.\ Though I know 'tis beneath a knight errant (not to mention two lads in their late teens) to care about such petty concerns, I was tired. I only hoped we could convince a decent inn to open its doors to us—though if it got much colder, I'd settle for a not-so-decent inn and accept a few fleas as a fair exchange for warmth.\ Since we were looking for an inn of the variety Fisk refers to as "cheap but clean," the neighborhood was a respectable one, so when the voice behind us called out, "Master Fisk!" there was no reason for Fisk to jump half out of his skin and draw his dagger as he turned. Though I must admit I turned quite rapidly myself, and my hand came to rest on the hilt of my sword, which protruded from the pack on Chant's rump.\ "Master Fisk?" The man puffing up behind us didn't seem to warrant such precautions. As he drew near, the moonlight revealed him to be stout, sturdy, and middle-aged, with a peddler's pack on his back and a larger pack on the donkey trotting behind him.\ My hand fell away from my sword, and Fisk sheathed his dagger and folded his arms as the man caught up with us.\ "Who wants to know?" Fisk asked cautiously.\ "I want to know. Are you the Master Fisk who once lived in Ruesport? I've been carrying this letter for almost three months—thought I'd never be rid of it!"\ A number of conflicting expressions flashed over Fisk's face, and I wondered what enemies he'd acquired in his years as a con man to make him so wary to claim his identity. At least, that's how I interpreted the pause that passed before he finally said, "That's me. Who's it from?"\ "You'll have to read it to find that out, won't you?" The peddler dropped his pack to the damp cobbles and burrowed into a small sack of sealed missives. "Here we are. Three gold roundels."\ "What!" Fisk yelped. "For a letter? A letter three months old?"\ "That was the agreed-on price—one to carry, three on delivery, no matter how long it took. I've carried it, and I've tracked you down—which wasn't easy, you know. I found someone who'd seen you three days ago, and . . ."\ The rest of his complaint was lost in the surge of relief that overtook me. He'd been following us for three days! It was this harmless little man I'd sensed—for the creeping tension at the back of my neck was gone. I'd have paid him for that knowledge alone, but, as I've said, Fisk is better with money than I.\ "I'm not going to pay three gold roundels for a letter that old," Fisk said firmly. "Besides, no one knows where I am—how could they send a letter after me?"\ \ \ Continues... \ \ \ \ Excerpted from Rogue's Home by Hilari Bell\ Copyright © 2008 by Hilari Bell. Excerpted by permission.\ All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.\ Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.\ \

\ ALA Booklist"[W]ell drawn and...diverting... The mystery may be the central focus of the novel, but the appeal of the series lies in the two strong protagonists...and the fundamental tension as well as growing bond between them."\ \ \ \ \ Horn Book Magazine"Bell writes with a buoyant, easygoing style, creating character and setting...with economy and giving her readers a lighthearted, but also warmhearted, tale. ...Good-humored and thoughtful, this has the appeal of a dashing mystery-adventure, but the deeper elements of friendship and family loyalty give it substance."\ \ \ VOYA\ - Megan Lynn Isaac\ Having failed (by design) to return the morally murky Lady Ceciel to the unambiguously corrupt hands of Lord Dorian, Sir Michael and his squire, Fisk, begin their second adventure in an even more disreputable state than their first one. Sir Michael is formally marked as an "unredeemed man" outside the protection of the law, and Fisk receives word that his family desperately needs his aid. Together they set out to unravel a complicated conspiracy-involving murder, arson, bribery, and forgery-that threatens the well-being of Fisk's three sisters. Although this episode in the Knight and Rogue series is narrated, like its predecessor, The Last Knight (HarperCollins, 2007/VOYA October 2007), in alternating chapters by the two protagonists, Fisk takes the lead throughout. Not only is he more familiar with the vagaries of town life and mercantile customs than his well-born companion, but also Michael's fall in status from noble privilege to virtual exile leaves him disoriented. The gradual and unsought increase in his Gifts, abilities to sense and sometimes manipulate the natural magica of the world, also unsettles him. The neatly woven criminal mystery peopled with both self-serving villains and feisty old ladies will entertain even those readers new to the series, but the collapse of Michael's status makes the two young men even more difficult to distinguish in voice than in the previous volume. As their relationship shifts from one of convenience to a deeply-knit friendship rooted in a shared disregard for convention, the two grow more similar and even a tad more prudent . . . maybe. Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac\ \ \ \ \ KLIATT\ - Paula Rohrlick\ In this sequel to The Last Knight, baron's son Sir Michael and his squire Fisk, a former burglar, continue their banter and adventures, though this volume can stand on its own. Michael, who always behaves honorably if somewhat rashly, has been declared "unredeemed" and cast out from society for refusing to bring a woman accused of murder to justice, as he believes her to be innocent. He and Fisk are on the road when Fisk gets a letter calling him home to the village of Ruesport, to deal with a family crisis there. Michael, unbidden, stubbornly follows Fisk, and together they investigate the framing of Michael's brother-in-law for bribery, as well as some suspicious cases of arson. There's a bit of magic involved—Michael has a Gift for sensing its presence—but mostly this is an enjoyable mystery with a medieval setting, as well as a tale of friendship featuring two appealing teenaged protagonists with a knack for stirring up trouble. They alternate chapters in telling the story and readers will enjoy the dual viewpoints and the humor in their interactions, as well as their risky escapades. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick\ \ \ \ \ School Library JournalGr 7-10\ When readers last saw the unlikely duo of starry-eyed Sir Michael and his reluctant squire (and former thief) Fisk in The Last Knight (HarperCollins, 2007), the teens were headed toward Michael's home to face the music. Despite his father's instructions, the young man has refused to bring back a woman falsely accused of murder, and the punishment for this failure is harsh. Michael is declared "unredeemed" and tattooed with marks that will declare his newly despised status to any that see his wrists. What's worse, Fisk has been called back home by his sisters to help them clear the name of a man he dislikes. Michael comes along but somebody has it in for the two, and it will take all of their wits to keep them out of either jail or a hangman's noose. In a story that's part buddy comedy, part Don Quixote, and part mystery novel, Bell outdoes herself with this intrepid pair. Michael's insistence that he is a knight, an occupation that is "two centuries out of date," has waned and now it is Fisk taking center stage. The story line moves swiftly and without a stumble. Count on this book's humor, suspense, and plot twists to keep readers coming back for future installments.-Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library\ \ \ \ \ \ Kirkus ReviewsA winter's tale-with lots of snow and ice-told by two older teens, this buddy novel tells the further adventures of the anachronistic knight Sir Michael and his trusty (and crusty) rogue squire, Fisk. In this installment, Michael has been judged, condemned and marked as an outcast while Fisk has been summoned home by his family to clear his brother-in-law's name and rescue the family fortunes. Told by Michael and Fisk in turn-the two are wonderful foils for each other-the use of alternating voices gives readers access to details about and perspective on secondary characters and events. The writing is great: lots of humor, likable people, mystery and suspense aplenty. The setting is not so dusty either-a kind of 18th-century England fantasy realm with mysterious magical elements. Bell wraps things up nicely, but not so tightly that readers won't hope for more stories of this entertaining duo. Although this is volume two, readers who missed the first book will have no difficulty diving right in and following the story. (Fantasy. 12 & up)\ \