Steelstriker, p.35
Steelstriker,
p.35
My heartbeat quickens as we leave behind the main streets and turn into a smaller neighborhood. Now I start to recognize a few sights. There is the street stall I used to visit when I was small, the one selling frozen cubes of sweet strawberry juice and ice-cold watermelon slices. The one I’d envisioned once in a dream with Red. It is there again, and at the sight of it, I feel a rush of those old memories come back to me: my hand tucked neatly inside my mother’s and the juice sticky on my lips. The homes are like I remember, albeit newly built; rows of small, neat rectangles surrounded on all sides by flowers and trees. Their doors, as they always were when I was little, are open, the neighbors familiar enough with one another that no one feels a need to lock them.
Red smiles in wonder as he walks alongside me, and for a moment, I feel like he is returning to a childhood too.
And then I see my mother’s house.
It is a little different, of course. Its colors are blue and white, the sides not covered yet in thick curtains of green ivy, the stones and roof too new to have that sunbaked quality to them. The trees she has planted around the house are still young, brilliant green and bold and straight. But the flowers are blooming in enormous patterns of yellow and white, and the front door is wide-open.
Standing there in the front entrance is my mother, both how I remember her and how she is now, her hair pulled neatly back and her piercing eyes focused on us, her smile a sight of joy. I find myself breaking into a smile. A laugh bubbles in my chest. She waves. We wave back.
Beside me, Red smiles. Is this your peace? he asks me through our link.
I open my heart and let the light in. It is better, I answer.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Skyhunter and Steelstriker are dark books, written in dark times: during the throes of a horrific American presidency and during a pandemic that devastated the entire world. My stories are always a snapshot of who I was and what was happening around me, so in many ways, this duology are the most difficult books I’ve ever written and of which I’m proudest. I could not have done it without a crew of wonderful people at my side.
My deepest gratitude to my editors, Jen Besser and Kate Meltzer. Kate, you are such a brilliant, kind, and wise soul, and I’m so lucky to work with you. Jen, I could write a thousand acknowledgments and never thank you enough. You are one of the best people I’ve ever known. What a gift it is to be your author and your friend. To Luisa Beguiristaín, I am eternally grateful for your sharp eye and kind words. To Anne Heausler, what can I say? All these years together, and every book with you is a delight. Thank you.
To Kristin Nelson, agent extraordinaire and steadfast captain of our ship, I could never do this without you. Thank you and the entire NLA team for keeping me inspired and sticking by me through these difficult years. To the wonderful Jenny Meyer: Thank you so much to you and your team for supporting me internationally.
To the incredible Macmillan Children’s team: Allison Verost, Kristin Dulaney, Molly B. Ellis, Kelsey Marrujo, Mariel Dawson, Kathryn Little, Katie Quinn, Teresa Ferraiolo, Melissa Zar, and Cynthia Lliguichuzhca. Thank you all so much for your warmth, support, and guidance— especially through this time. I can’t even imagine the challenges happening behind the scenes, but you all kept the engine running and our books going and our readers prioritized. No small feat in any year—but certainly not in 2020 and 2021! You are warriors.
Aurora Parlagreco and Novans V. Adikresna: Steelstriker takes my breath away every time I look at it. I’m so grateful to have your talent grace this cover. Deepest thank-you to Beth Clark and Rodica Prato for the gorgeous map and insert, and for bringing the world to life.
Thank you so much to every single one of my international publishers for having faith in my books and taking a chance on me. I cannot exaggerate what it means to me to work with you all. A special thank-you to Leo Teti and your team: Although I am so sad we didn’t get to meet last year, I hope we get to in the future. Wishing you all well.
To my friends—I’m more grateful than ever to have you all in my life. Thank you for existing and for being yourselves. To my husband, Primo, and our little one: If there must be a pandemic, I am thankful to spend it with you both. I love you more than words can say.
To the librarians, booksellers, and teachers around the world: What a couple of years. I’m so sorry for all you’ve had to weather. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the important work you do.
And, of course, to my readers. What a burden you all have carried throughout this pandemic. I mourn with you, I am grateful for you, and I hope to see many of your faces in person soon. As goes the poem Talin remembers from her childhood: Just because the sun cannot be seen, that does not mean it isn’t there. I hope we will reach the times of sun.
May there always be future dawns.
ALSO BY MARIE LU
Skyhunter
Legend
Prodigy
Champion
Rebel
The Kingdom of Back
Batman: Nightwalker
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marie Lu is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Legend series, the Young Elites trilogy, the Warcross series, Batman: Nightwalker, The Kingdom of Back, and the Skyhunter duology. She graduated from the University of Southern California and jumped into the video game industry, where she worked as an artist. Now a full-time writer, she spends her spare hours reading, drawing, and playing games. She lives in Los Angeles with her illustrator/author husband, Primo Gallanosa, and their son. You can sign up for email updates here.
Follow her on Instagram and TikTok:
@marieluthewriter
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Map
Red
Newage: Mara: The Karensa Federation
1. Talin
2. Red
3. Talin
4. Red
5. Talin
6. Red
7. Red
8. Talin
9. Red
Cardinia: The Karensa Federation
10. Talin
11. Red
12. Talin
13. Red
14. Talin
15. Red
16. Talin
17. Red
18. Talin
19. Red
20. Talin
21. Red
22. Talin
23. Talin
24. Red
25. Talin
26. Red
27. Red
28. Talin
29. Red
30. Talin
31. Red
32. Talin
33. Red
34. Talin
35. Red
36. Talin
37. Talin
38. Red
39. Talin
40. Red
41. Talin
42. Red
43. Talin
44. Talin
45. Talin
Acknowledgments
Also by Marie Lu
About the Author
Copyright
Published by Roaring Brook Press
Roaring Brook Press is a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership
120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271 • fiercereads.com
Text copyright © 2021 by Xiwei Lu
Map copyright © 2021 by Rodica Prato
All rights reserved.
The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition of this book as follows:
Names: Lu, Marie, 1984– author.
Title: Steelstriker / Marie Lu.
Description: First edition. | New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2021. | Series: Skyhunter; vol. 2 | Sequel to: Skyhunter | Audience: Ages 12 to 17 | Audience: Grades 7–9 | Summary: “With her friends scattered by combat and her mother held captive by the Premier, Talin is forced to betray her fellow Strikers and her adopted homeland. She has no choice but to become the Federation’s most deadly war machine as their newest Skyhunter.”—Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021012482 | ISBN 9781250221728 (hardcover)
Subjects: CYAC: Fantasy. | Science fiction. | Soldiers—Fiction. | Government, Resistance to—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.L96768 St 2021 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021012482
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eISBN 9781250221735
First hardcover edition, 2021
eBook edition, 2021
Marie Lu, Steelstriker
