Froi of the Exiles

From internationally bestselling and award-winning author Melina Marchetta comes Book Two in The Lumatere Chronicles, her dazzling epic fantasy series. Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has finally found his home in Lumatere... or so he believes. But when he is sent on a dark and secretive mission to the rival kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds in its surreal royal court. In this dangerous place, he must unravel the mysteries of a half-mad princess... and discover the truth before it is too late.

Praise for Froi of the Exiles:

"Marchetta's imagined world swallowed me whole and I wanted to stay in it." - Lorien Kaye, The Age

"Marchetta again demonstrates her fearlessness in exposing humanity at its ugliest, but also at its noblest, as her damaged characters struggle to rebuild their lives. The precipice on which Marchetta leaves readers will have them aching - but also terrified - to discover what comes next." - Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

"For fans, this is a must-read; newcomers to Lumatere's story will dive in with enthusiasm. This epic has everything readers can ask for - great characters and a truly spectacular plot filled with romance, suspense, friendship, and betrayal." - Kirkus Review

"Charged with sexual tension, internecine politics, and violent changes of both fortune and allegiance, this is a complex, memorable fantasy." - Katharine England, Adelaide Advertiser

"The best audience for this sequel is the many fans of FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK, who will hungrily devour the book, despite its length... The story's tortured romances and beyond-dysfunctional families are achingly memorable, and the complicated, continually surprising plot will keep readers on their toes... readers will bask in the deep satisfaction of a gripping story gloriously told." - The Horn Book

"The strength of Froi is not any 'gotcha' moment, but, rather, the detailed and complex and sympathetic world of Charyn, a world that in Finnikin the reader was told was dark and now turns out to be - not light, but, rather, one with shades of gray. This is an ugly story, beautifully written; a story of both the harm that people can inflict, and the healing. It is about need and forgiveness. It is about hope, but the hope that is earned by blood and tears, the hope that is willed into being because of a desire that life should be better than what it is."

"Lest this sound too emotional, too romantic, rest assured it is also action-packed. It is, after all, about war; about killing a king; about rebellion. Froi is someone who prefers to use his fists. Froi is also funny, in the type of real-world way that people are, a bit sarcastic and flip. Sometimes the humour is dark, the type of humour used in tough situations. This is, no doubt about it, one of my favourite books read in 2012. Because I fell in love with Froi, and Quintana, and the Charynites Froi meets on the way. Because like Froi, I began to forget the task he had to do and what his new friendships would mean to those left back in Lumatere." - School Library Journal (source)

"This book is complex, with rich and flawed characters and a plot that is completely addictive because it's so unpredictable and multilayered. It can stand alone, although plot details from FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK are mentioned, making it more rewarding to read the two in order. Fans of the intricate fantasies of Megan Whalen Turner or George R. R. Martin will love this powerful book and wait impatiently for the next instalment." - School Library Journal