This fantastic follow-up to the Storylines Tessa Duder Award-winning The Traitor and the Thief is just as exciting and action-packed as the first instalment.

Sin is dying, poisoned by his blue blood. His troubles deepen when the traitor who poisoned him escapes from the custody of the Covert Operations Group and sets out for revenge. COG tasks Sin, his friend Zonda Chubb and their frenemy Velvet Von Darque with recapturing the traitor, whatever the cost. Taking to the air in pursuit, they must battle skypirates and the terrifying Clockill to complete their mission. But with his condition worsening, can Sin survive long enough to save his friends, himself and the day?

Once again, this is a great series for readers 11 and up who have enjoyed Eoin Colfer’s Warp books, or who are looking for a slightly younger and more action-based entry into something like the Mortal Engines series by Phillip Reeve. There are plenty of airships, death-defying moments, and relentless clockwork assassins to keep the heart racing, and I’m looking forward to seeing where Sin and his friends go from here.

-CBCA (Childrens Book Council of Australia): Reading Time

Age: From 12 to 16 years

Paperback

Gareth Ward

352 pages

H: 200mm W: 130mm

Weight: 325 grams