The Pedlar and the Bandit King
Wow! I loved this book! I can't wait to get to the next book in the series so I'll be short in my review:From the beginning we meet our red hooded pedlar, Scarlet of Lysia. He's an honorable Hilurin (the ruling nation of the world, but on the verge of being extinct). He is on his way to his family in the hilurian village Lysia. It's there that he hears of a Kasiri tribe (I guess that could be similar to gypsies caravans in our world?) led by Liall the Wolf (from the northern lands Rshan na Ostre, which I deduced are frozen lands, far, far away).
Scarlet and Liall's first meeting is not very polite and it puts them at odds with each other. This is where a battle of wits starts between them, with Scarlet trying to pass the bandit road without paying Liall the necessary fee: a kiss :D Their shenanigans were hilarious!
Lots and lots of thrilling but also sad things happen with an old Liall's enemy and with Scarlet's parents *wipes tears away* but in the end we prepare to embark on a new adventure with our boys. Liall's is being called to his home Rshan na Ostre, where danger awaits and has no choice but to take Scarlet with him.
Here's a drawing Scarlet and Liall I found online, probably made by a fan of the series. (though personally I picture Liall with longer hair and more manly :P)
