In the sequel to Stranger, Ross get kidnapped by King Voske and forced to prospect for ancient weapons. Jennie and Mia will stop at nothing to free him. The book introduces two new characters: Kerry, Paco’s half-sister, and Santiago. Kerry and Santiago don’t introduce more queer characters, though we get to see more of Brisa and Becky.
Publisher’s Description:
Welcome back to Las Anclas, a frontier town in the post-apocalyptic Wild West. In Las Anclas, the skull-faced sheriff possesses superhuman strength, the doctor can speed up time, and the squirrels can teleport sandwiches out of your hands.
In book one, Stranger, teenage prospector Ross Juarez stumbled into town half-dead, bringing with him a precious artifact, a power no one has ever had before, and a whole lot of trouble— including an invasion by Voske, the king of Gold Point. The town defeated Voske’s army, with the deciding blow struck by Ross, but at a great cost.
In Hostage, a team sent by King Voske captures Ross and takes him to Gold Point. There he meets Kerry, Voske’s teenage daughter, who has been trained to be as ruthless as her father. While his friends in Las Anclas desperately try to rescue him, Ross is forced to engage in a battle of wills with the king himself.
Genre: Science fiction, fantasy
Representation:
Gender:
Cis girls: Mia, Jennie, Felicité, Brisa, Becky, Kerry
Cis boys: Ross, Yuki, Indra, Santiago
Sexuality:
Gay: Yuki
Lesbian: Brisa, Becky
Demisexual: Mia
Heterosexual: Ross, Jennie, Indra, Felicité, Kerry, Santiago
Romantic Orientation:
Homoromantic: Yuki, Brisa, Becky
Heteroromantic: Ross, Jennie, Indra, Felicité, Kerry, Santiago
Demiromantic: Mia
Race/Ethnicity:
Latinx: Santiago
Japanese: Yuki
Korean: Mia, Kerry
Black: Jennie
Indian: Indra
Multiracial: Felicité
Indigenous: Ross
Disability:
Ross and Jennie have PTSD. Ross has lessened mobility in his left hand and is using a prosthetic hand to regain some of that mobility.
Trigger Warnings:
Racism
Suicide ideation
Torture