Overview
The Boys Are Back!
Sir Michael Sevenson and his squire, Fisk, can't seem to keep out of hot water. After five long years, Fisk has been called home to Ruesport to investigate who framed his sister Anna's husband, Max, as a blackmailer. Anna figures that Fisk, with his criminal past, is uniquely qualified to find out who set Max up. Of course Michael feels he has to come along to help his friend; but now he wears the tattoos of the unredeemed and fears he might be more hindrance than help.
As in The Last Knight, Hilari Bell's first Knight and Rogue novel, Rogue's Home combines the banter of a buddy story with elements of classic fantasy, medieval derring-do, and mystery. Michael and Fisk are likable guys who just seem to he magnets for trouble. You never know what is going to happen to these would-be heroes next.
Synopsis
The Boys Are Back!
Sir Michael Sevenson and his squire, Fisk, can't seem to keep out of hot water. After five long years, Fisk has been called home to Ruesport to investigate who framed his sister Anna's husband, Max, as a blackmailer. Anna figures that Fisk, with his criminal past, is uniquely qualified to find out who set Max up. Of course Michael feels he has to come along to help his friend; but now he wears the tattoos of the unredeemed and fears he might be more hindrance than help.
As in The Last Knight, Hilari Bell's first Knight and Rogue novel, Rogue's Home combines the banter of a buddy story with elements of classic fantasy, medieval derring-do, and mystery. Michael and Fisk are likable guys who just seem to he magnets for trouble. You never know what is going to happen to these would-be heroes next.
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.”
Editorials
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 -
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 IsaacKLIATT -
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 RohrlickSchool Library Journal
Gr 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