Gold Dust, by Catherine Assaro, is the second Dust Knights novel. This is an exciting standalone story with a large cast of characters that centers around the Undercity kids who have joined the Raylicon Olympic team and their teammates. There is Bhaaj, a retired and decorated military officer turned private investigator and track and field coach. Mason, the city of Cries coach who discovers that the Undercity people are athletic prodigies. Angel, a strong psychic from the Undercity who is constantly underestimated by her city instructors. Ruzik, Angel’s husband and a great distance runner. Dice, heir to the Undercity’s Vakaar crime syndicate. Shiv, heir to the Undercity’s Kaja crime syndicate. Tam, a talented trans Undercity runner who is targeted multiple times because of her origin. Kiro, an incredibly strong empath from a wealthy and privileged family in the city of Cries. Hyden, an arrogant runner from another wealthy family who scorns all Undercity runners as beneath him, and Zee, Lamp, and Strider, Undercity runners who are drawn to Kiro and accept him into their family.
These kids just want to run, (and get food and clean water for their families) but are hit with prejudice and obstacles at multiple turns. Everyone “knows” that people from the Undercity are all no good, lazy, and stupid criminal thugs. At almost every race, the Undercity athletes are underestimated and ridiculed, accused of cheating when they win.
But this story is about more than that. There are surprising twists and revelations, power plays between two major corporations, all with family ties, interstellar intrigue, and a pair of star-crossed lovers. Can the city athletes look beyond their preconceived notions? Can the Undercity athletes overcome their many disadvantages and find acceptance? You’ll need to read to find out. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to more in this series.
Gold Dust releases on October 7, 2025
As a life-long animal enthusiast, Tracie Barton-Barrett is a speaker, Licensed Professional Counselor with a specialty in pet loss, and former psychology and sociology instructor. Buried Deep in Her Hearts is her debut novel, and she hopes it will help the reader to relate, reflect, and heal after the loss of a beloved animal. She’s facilitated pet loss support groups and presented and written articles on the subject. She and her husband live in North Carolina in the US and are owned by their two cats, Rutherford B. Barrett and Oliver Monkey.
So, ever the devoted student, I delved into pet loss research, copying as many articles as I could, proud of my newfound labeled and neatly stacked folders. But, they just sat there. Collecting dust. For years. It wasn’t until the anniversary of our Kimball Kitty’s death (whose story is featured in my book) when it hit me: Make it fiction.
Wolf: You really like water, don’t you. If this question were any question in the world, what question would you want it to be and how would you answer it?
Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.
