KaiandCalebGoodacrehavebeenkidnappedjustasrumorsofacultsweepingacrossthereservationleadsMaggieandHastiintoinvestigateanoutpost,andwhattheyfindtherewillchallengeeverythingthey’vecometoknowinthis“badass“(TheNewYorkTimes)action-packedsequeltoTrailofLightning.It’sbeenfourweekssincethebloodyshowdownatBlackMesa,andMaggieHoskie,Din矇monsterhunter,istryingtomakethebestofthings.Onlyherlatestbountyhunthasgonesideways,she’slostheronlyfriend,KaiArviso,andshe’ssomehowfoundherselfresponsibleforagirlwithastrangeclanpower.ThentheGoodacretwinsshowupatMaggie’sdoorwiththenewsthatKaiandtheyoungestGoodacre,Caleb,havefalleninwithamysteriouscult,ledbyafigureoutofNavajolegendcalledtheWhiteLocust.TheGoodacresareconvincedthatKai’satruebeliever,butMaggiesuspectsthere’smoretoKai’snewfaiththanmeetstheeye.ShevowstotrackdowntheWhiteLocust,thenrescueKaiandmakethingsrightbetweenthem.HersearchleadsherbeyondtheWallsofDin矇tahandstraightintothehorrorsoftheBigWaterworldoutside.Withtheaidofamotleycollectionofallies,Maggiemustbattlebodyharvesters,newborncasinogodsand,ultimately,theWhiteLocusthimself.Butthecultleaderisnothinglikeshesuspected,andKaimightnotneedrescuingafterall.WhenthefullscopeoftheWhiteLocust’splansarerevealed,Maggie’sburgeoningtrustinherfriends,andherself,willbepushedtothebreakingpoint,andnoteveryonewillsurvive.
