One of my favorite books of last year was The Scorpion Rules and I am
now reading its sequel, the second title in the Prisoners of Peace series from American turned Canadian
writer Erin Bow: The Swan Riders. This
continues the saga of Greta, princess turned AI (artificial intelligence) in a
cruel, dystopian future. She and Talis (the ruling AI) are traveling across Saskatchewan
in the company of Swan Riders, those “angels of death” who may not be as
unwaveringly loyal as they initially appear. The Swan Riders moves
slowly at the beginning; make sure that you have read or reviewed The Scorpion Rules so as to appreciate
the plot nuances. While the questions posed are dark (is Greta’s life worth 2
or 3 bombed cities?), Bow lightens the mood with unexpected humor (e.g., horses
named NORAD and Gordon Lightfoot).
The Swan Riders received starred reviews from Kirkus ("brillant and compelling") and School Library Journal ("stunning story"). You can read the first chapter on Erin Bow’s website; then grab a copy of the book (beautiful cover!) in our new library.
