Do you love the idea of an environmental fantasy? That premise instantly hooked by myself and one of my guest reviewers! And a series starter? What a combination! Keep reading this book review to find out if The Forever Sea is for you!
Summary
On the never-ending, miles-high expanse of prairie grasses known as the Forever Sea, Kindred Greyreach, hearthfire keeper and sailor aboard harvesting vessel The Errant, is just beginning to fit in with the crew of her new ship when she receives devastating news. Her grandmother–The Marchess, legendary captain and hearthfire keeper–has stepped from her vessel and disappeared into the sea.
But the note she leaves Kindred suggests this was not an act of suicide. Something waits in the depths, and the Marchess has set out to find it.
To follow in her grandmother’s footsteps, Kindred must embroil herself in conflicts bigger than she could imagine: a water war simmering below the surface of two cultures; the politics of a mythic pirate city floating beyond the edges of safe seas; battles against beasts of the deep, driven to the brink of madness; and the elusive promise of a world below the waves.
Kindred finds that she will sacrifice almost everything–ship, crew, and a life sailing in the sun–to discover the truth of the darkness that waits below the Forever Sea.
Review
The Forever Sea is a masterful tale in which familiar concepts are redefined to construct an entirely new and colourful world. One of them is even illustrated on the (gorgeous!) cover: The ships themselves do not float on water, but instead are floating through blades of grass.
The story follows the young woman Kindred on her journey aboard a plant harvesting vessel. Together with her crewmates she must prove herself and navigate an increasingly hostile landscape of greedy politicians and bloodthirsty pirates.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book with all its new ideas and concepts. It just keeps on surprising you until the end. Kindred and her crewmates are likeable and I felt myself rooting for them towards the end.
Only the small interludes which might be used as connection point for future prequels felt a bit odd and I often times ended a reading session whenever one came up. But they are sparse and do not take anything away from this fabulous epic fantasy.
Find The Forever Sea on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
I’m so excited for this! Great review!
Thanks for commenting! I loved the idea of the magic system