Road to Ruin

Roaring across a ravaged wasteland atop a magebike, Jin-Lu lives every day surrounded by danger. As a courier, Jin regularly ventures outside the protected cities to deliver everything from endangered animals to forbidden correspondence between lovers, all the while avoiding magical storms, non-magical raiders, and ferocious desert beasts. After a royal client with whom Jin is falling in love asks for help, the magebike rider flees the city with the princess in tow, leaving behind them an enraged father, a possessive betrothed, and a bounty hunter connected to Jin’s past. Jin must choose between following her heart or fleeing across the desert landscape, knowing that the ownership of magic is at stake. Lee’s debut novel is a love song of science fiction and fantasy storytelling, with a tortured protagonist whom Natalie Naudus narrates with a measured, emotional depth. Just as confidently, Naudus gives voices to all the primary characters, providing each with a distinctiveness amid violence, intrigue, and heartbreak.