Among Those Left Standing — A.A. Aaron

Seventeen-year-old Hawk dares to speak out and challenge the political oppression and censorship standing in the way of a daring rescue. The Glinto tribe on the border of Hawk's kingdom has the most beautiful girls in all the land, but the girls are dying at an alarming rate for a reason only the king is entitled to know. When Hawk dares to seek this censored information, he is turned in as a political criminal and sent on the most dangerous military mission in all the Land -- the Expedition. Hawk and his small army must travel to Glintonfost and bring back a Glinto girl for the king. If they should fail, the entire Expedition Force will earn itself a one-way trip to the guillotine. Hawk rises up as an unlikely leader for the Expedition Force, guiding his men with courage and civil disobedience. Hawk's endeavor to understand and appreciate cultural diversity promotes the mutual trust between the Expedition Force and the Glinto people. When the king becomes impatient with the Expedition Force, Hawk is ready to give everything for the girl he loves.