From master storyteller Melina Marchetta comes an exhilarating new fantasy springing from her celebrated epic, Finnikin

of the Rock.

Blood sings to blood . . . Those born last will make the first . . . For Charyn will be barren no more.
Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home . . . or so he believes. Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been taken roughly and lovingly in hand by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper with a warriors discipline. But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds in its surreal royal court. Soon he must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad princess in this barren and mysterious place. It is in Charyn that he will discover there is a song sleeping in his blood . . . and though Froi would rather not, the time has come to listen.

Melina Marchetta is the acclaimed and awardwinning author of Jellicoe Road, which won the Michael L. Printz Award; Saving Francesca and its companion novel, The Pipers Son; and Looking for Alibrandi. She lives in Australia, where Finnikin of the Rock, her first fantasy novel, won an Aurealis Award.

Froi of the Exiles Book 2 of The Lumatere Chronicles

On sale March 13, 2012

$18.99 ($21.00 CAN) HC: 978-0-7636-4759-9 E-book: 978-0-7636-5966-0

A Sneak Peek at Froi of the Exiles,

Book Two of the Lumatere Chronicles

from Melina Marchetta

What I wanted to avoid in Froi of the Exiles was writing about a character who triumphs because the good guys give him a chance. Theres a blurry line at times in this novel about who is good and bad. The Lumaterans find themselves on the bad side of the debate as much as the enemy find themselves on the good. Frois story centers on the nurture-versus-nature debate. The question most asked by those who have come to love Froi is, who would he have been if the most base of street thugs had not raised him? But I wanted Froi taking

responsibility for his own actions rather than blaming others. What was important to me is that he struggles with his past actions every day of his life. More importantly, I wanted to explore the strengths of spoken bonds. Froi has a bond to his beloved Queens guard and another to the Queen herself. He follows these rules every day of his life in Lumatere, and they become the guide on how to live his life. As someone who taught for ten years, I spoke often about the difference between discipline and self-discipline, so it wasnt surprising that the story I wanted to tell about Froi centers around what happens to him when his guides are removed from his life. Can he be good without someone elses rules to follow, and at what point in his life does he write his own bond?

Praise for Finnikin of the Rock,

Book One of the Lumatere Chronicles
H Magic, romance, intrigue, and adventure all play their parts as this dense,
intricate epic unfolds, and flawed, memorable heroes fight for their kingdoms redemption. Publishers Weekly (starred review)

H Filled with questions about the impact of exile and the human need to
belong, this standout fantasy quickly reveals that its real magic lies in its accomplished writing. Booklist (starred review)

H Readers will be rewarded by a shining story of romance, adventure in all of its

gritty realism, and high ideals. School Library Journal (starred review)

H This fantasy has it all magic, intrigue, bloodshed, and romance. . . .

The plot and the characters are complex and truly believable. Library Media Connection (starred review)

H Marchetta transforms what could be just another epic quest into an

innovative fantasy. Its driven almost entirely by the intense relationships among its multidimensional characters, giving the readers a unique perspective on the Lumatere situation as both a personal and political crisis. Bulletin of the Center of Childrens Books (starred review)

PB: 978-0-7636-5292-0 $9.99 ($11.00 CAN) E-book: 978-0-7636-5175-6 HC: 978-0-7636-4361-4