Traitor to the Throne

The second installment of this highly-acclaimed trilogy, Traitor to the Throne throws the irrepressible Amani into a world of espionage, harems, and the Sultan himself.

This is not about blood or love. This is about treason. Nearly a year has passed since Amani and the rebels won their epic battle at Fahali. Amani has come into both her powers and her reputation as the Blue-Eyed Bandit, and the Rebel Prince's message has spread across the desert - and some might say out of control. But when a surprise encounter turns into a brutal kidnapping, Amani finds herself betrayed in the cruellest manner possible.

Stripped of her powers and her identity, and torn from the man she loves, Amani must return to her desert-girl's instinct for survival. For the Sultan's palace is a dangerous one, and the harem is a viper's nest of suspicion, fear and intrigue. Just the right place for a spy to thrive... But spying is a dangerous game, and when ghosts from Amani's past emerge to haunt her, she begins to wonder if she can trust her own treacherous heart.

Review by Tanaya Lowden

Alwyn Hamilton has returned with the much awaited sequel to her bestselling Rebel of the Sands.

Traitor to the Throne picks up a few months on from the ending of Rebel of the Sands. Amani and the rebellion are striving to replace the Sultan on the throne. All is going well, until Amani is kidnapped, and finds herself prisoner to the Sultan. Stuck in the palace, Amani is desperate to uncover the Sultan's secrets by spying on his court. But the longer she remains in the palace, the more she begins to question whether the Sultan is really the villain she's been told he is.

Traitor to the Throne was as action-packed and exciting as the first book, and had me turning the pages quickly to find out how everything would turn out. I particularly love that this series features a refreshing world set in the desert, and I loved getting to explore more of this.

This book introduces some new fun and well-written characters, and I really liked seeing their relationships develop with our original set of lovable characters. I couldn't help but come to love the Sultan, and felt that I too began to question whether he was the villain he had been made out to be. This just made the chaotic ending with its twists all the more enjoyable and gut-wrenching. The last 200 pages especially were unputdownable as the story came together.

I will say that the beginning was a little slow, but stick it out because the rest of this book makes up for it. Traitor to the Throne was a wonderful follow-up in a sizzling and exciting series. The year-long wait for the third and final instalment will definitely be a struggle!

About the Author

Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and spent her early years bouncing between Europe and Canada until her parents settled in France. She left France for Cambridge University to study History of Art at King's College, focusing in on painting in the French Revolution. She then moved to London where she now lives and put her degree to use working for an auction house. Rebel Of The Sands was her first novel.