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3.0 AVERAGE
3.0 AVERAGE
bfls's review
3.0
I give this 2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3 as it is a debut novel. It is a little unpolished and clunky in spots, particularly at the start, but settles down to being an entertaining read.
It tells the tale of Ytzak, an seemingly ordinary, decent man who is just trying to get on with his life but the gods/spirits (?) seem to have other plans. However, the author has avoided writing the cliched story about a chosen one who will save the world/universe/day. So far (at least) it seems that Ytzak is just being nudged in the right directions so he can help out the towns and villages he comes across. The scale of his deeds is kept small, which is ambitious in a first novel.
The world is well thought out with obviously a lot of history behind it. Unfortunately, this is sometimes made clear by info dumps. Part of this is done with largely unnecessary framing story. A young man travels to find an old man who can tell him the tales of Ytzak Anan. This could have been reduced say an extract from "Tales of Y.A." as a prologue or simply dropped entirely, especially as we don't get the first part of this framing story until about 1/4 of the way into the novel.
As I said, the story was a little unpolished, particularly at the start - a little to much telling rather than showing but this improves as the story goes on. At first the story seems to be a somewhat unconnected series of episodes in Ytzak's life but thinking back on them it is clear there is thread linking them all. A little trimming and polishing would have made this clearer.
I'm curious to read more tales of Ytzak Anan. I doubt very much life is going to let him to just buy that boat he has his heart set on.
And he should listen to his mother.
It tells the tale of Ytzak, an seemingly ordinary, decent man who is just trying to get on with his life but the gods/spirits (?) seem to have other plans. However, the author has avoided writing the cliched story about a chosen one who will save the world/universe/day. So far (at least) it seems that Ytzak is just being nudged in the right directions so he can help out the towns and villages he comes across. The scale of his deeds is kept small, which is ambitious in a first novel.
The world is well thought out with obviously a lot of history behind it. Unfortunately, this is sometimes made clear by info dumps. Part of this is done with largely unnecessary framing story. A young man travels to find an old man who can tell him the tales of Ytzak Anan. This could have been reduced say an extract from "Tales of Y.A." as a prologue or simply dropped entirely, especially as we don't get the first part of this framing story until about 1/4 of the way into the novel.
As I said, the story was a little unpolished, particularly at the start - a little to much telling rather than showing but this improves as the story goes on. At first the story seems to be a somewhat unconnected series of episodes in Ytzak's life but thinking back on them it is clear there is thread linking them all. A little trimming and polishing would have made this clearer.
I'm curious to read more tales of Ytzak Anan. I doubt very much life is going to let him to just buy that boat he has his heart set on.
And he should listen to his mother.
jennsie's review
4.0
I received a copy of this for the author in exchange for an honest review.
Very nice debut!
I quite liked this! It reminds me of a combination of Scott Lynch's Gentlemen Bastards books and the Horatio Hornblower series - fun, gritty, and just different enough from the real world to keep you from being too uncomfortable. It's not as complex as Lynch's works, but I think the author might get there eventually - there's definitely promise and I think with more writing, the author will get there
I liked Ytzak - he's an interesting guy.
Definitely worth a read - it's a fast read!
Very nice debut!
I quite liked this! It reminds me of a combination of Scott Lynch's Gentlemen Bastards books and the Horatio Hornblower series - fun, gritty, and just different enough from the real world to keep you from being too uncomfortable. It's not as complex as Lynch's works, but I think the author might get there eventually - there's definitely promise and I think with more writing, the author will get there
I liked Ytzak - he's an interesting guy.
Definitely worth a read - it's a fast read!
milo_afc's review
3.0
The Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/06/sailor-skysea-crawford-review-bane-of-kings/.
“An interesting, confident adventure story that makes my experience with self-published novels continue to be successful.” ~The Founding Fields
If you’ll remember, earlier this week, I reviewed Alexander McKinney’s Keystones: Altered Destinies, another self-published book, and it seems that I got requests to review two in quick succession with Sailor of the Skysea. However, it is clear that right from the start, both are very different books. Whilst McKinney’s is sci-fi with a touch of superheroism, Crawford’s tale is not quite science fiction despite the fact that the world is a planet that seems to have lost contact with other civilizations and regressed backward to a post-colonial era, and it as a result seems more like a fantasy novel, but not one that you’d come to expect from a genre filled with novels from the likes of George RR Martin, Tolkien and Sanderson. Whilst Crawford may not reach those heights, his first book is a fairly strong read – and it’s also something that you shouldn’t judge by its cover, for it is far from Young Adult as the cover implies.
"Hardened sailor Ytzak Anan is an outsider. The color of his skin holds him back in a brutal, post-colonial world. And now his dreams of captaining his own ship, along with all his savings, have been stolen by a faithless lover.
Up a mighty river and out to sea once again, Ytzak searches for meaning and a new start. But the cruelties of ruthless men dog his steps, and mysterious forces seem to be guiding his journey for purposes unknown…
In this explosive debut, author A. C. F. Crawford has created something new in the realm of fantasy.
From high-seas adventure to a climactic clash with a malevolent autocrat, from back alley brawls to arcane shamanic sorcery, Sailor of the Skysea explores a mythical world with a truly American feel."
Racial issues are the key theme of Sailor of the Skysea, it has several elements of inspiration from a darker period of American History, but it’s still very clearly an fantasy tale in a different setting that you probably won’t have seen before in this genre. The post-colonial world allows for a very interesting backdrop, and the various adventures partaken in by the main character is pretty engaging – and the book moves along at a fairly swift pace, with no obvious errors in the writing.
The book itself tells the story of Ytzak Anan, whose upbringing was, well – not very pleasant, to say the least, and despite being a successful fighter, he’s had several drawbacks, including a faithless lover and a father who’s never there. He’s certainly a well rounded character, never quite feeling in a position where he falls into the category of an invulnerable protagonist who seems to gain everything and have the centre of the universe revolve around him, but not really anything that stands out as too memorable or distinctive unfortunately , and the rest of the cast is virtually forgettable – however, that doesn’t stop the story from being pretty full with detail, and whilst you might not know enough about ships, Crawford eases you into the world with a way that doesn’t really feel like info-dumping, and manages to create a tale that will really draw you in.
The world itself is what makes Sailor of the Skysea unique. The Skysea region feels very unique, with a lot of effort put into its creation. If you have ever read a fantasy novel where you feel like you do not know enough about the world to become fully immersed in the story, then you’ll like Crawford’s book. The world building is pretty impressive here, and there’s never any real global scale threat to the world – but there are several high stakes involved in Ytzak’s character, giving Sailor of the Skysea a slightly different flavour from your standard ‘Great Evil’ fantasy.
The action is pretty strong, and there are some quite varied fight scenes in here and you never feel like you’re feeling the same repetitive sequences told over and over again in a different place. Crawford writes with confidence, compelling the story forward and creating an interesting enough adventure to compel you to keep reading, for there’s a satisfying ending, and whilst there is no cliffhanger, there’s certainly room for a return to the Skysea region.
VERDICT: 3/5
“An interesting, confident adventure story that makes my experience with self-published novels continue to be successful.” ~The Founding Fields
If you’ll remember, earlier this week, I reviewed Alexander McKinney’s Keystones: Altered Destinies, another self-published book, and it seems that I got requests to review two in quick succession with Sailor of the Skysea. However, it is clear that right from the start, both are very different books. Whilst McKinney’s is sci-fi with a touch of superheroism, Crawford’s tale is not quite science fiction despite the fact that the world is a planet that seems to have lost contact with other civilizations and regressed backward to a post-colonial era, and it as a result seems more like a fantasy novel, but not one that you’d come to expect from a genre filled with novels from the likes of George RR Martin, Tolkien and Sanderson. Whilst Crawford may not reach those heights, his first book is a fairly strong read – and it’s also something that you shouldn’t judge by its cover, for it is far from Young Adult as the cover implies.
"Hardened sailor Ytzak Anan is an outsider. The color of his skin holds him back in a brutal, post-colonial world. And now his dreams of captaining his own ship, along with all his savings, have been stolen by a faithless lover.
Up a mighty river and out to sea once again, Ytzak searches for meaning and a new start. But the cruelties of ruthless men dog his steps, and mysterious forces seem to be guiding his journey for purposes unknown…
In this explosive debut, author A. C. F. Crawford has created something new in the realm of fantasy.
From high-seas adventure to a climactic clash with a malevolent autocrat, from back alley brawls to arcane shamanic sorcery, Sailor of the Skysea explores a mythical world with a truly American feel."
Racial issues are the key theme of Sailor of the Skysea, it has several elements of inspiration from a darker period of American History, but it’s still very clearly an fantasy tale in a different setting that you probably won’t have seen before in this genre. The post-colonial world allows for a very interesting backdrop, and the various adventures partaken in by the main character is pretty engaging – and the book moves along at a fairly swift pace, with no obvious errors in the writing.
The book itself tells the story of Ytzak Anan, whose upbringing was, well – not very pleasant, to say the least, and despite being a successful fighter, he’s had several drawbacks, including a faithless lover and a father who’s never there. He’s certainly a well rounded character, never quite feeling in a position where he falls into the category of an invulnerable protagonist who seems to gain everything and have the centre of the universe revolve around him, but not really anything that stands out as too memorable or distinctive unfortunately , and the rest of the cast is virtually forgettable – however, that doesn’t stop the story from being pretty full with detail, and whilst you might not know enough about ships, Crawford eases you into the world with a way that doesn’t really feel like info-dumping, and manages to create a tale that will really draw you in.
The world itself is what makes Sailor of the Skysea unique. The Skysea region feels very unique, with a lot of effort put into its creation. If you have ever read a fantasy novel where you feel like you do not know enough about the world to become fully immersed in the story, then you’ll like Crawford’s book. The world building is pretty impressive here, and there’s never any real global scale threat to the world – but there are several high stakes involved in Ytzak’s character, giving Sailor of the Skysea a slightly different flavour from your standard ‘Great Evil’ fantasy.
The action is pretty strong, and there are some quite varied fight scenes in here and you never feel like you’re feeling the same repetitive sequences told over and over again in a different place. Crawford writes with confidence, compelling the story forward and creating an interesting enough adventure to compel you to keep reading, for there’s a satisfying ending, and whilst there is no cliffhanger, there’s certainly room for a return to the Skysea region.
VERDICT: 3/5
ralphd00d's review
3.0
Before I begin, I was contacted by this author, who gave me a free e-book copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
This is a novel set in an alternative history, circa later 1800's, along what I took to be the Eastern and Southeastern parts of the the U.S. Mostly what I read as parts of the Mississippi River, New Orleans, and the Eastern seaboard, with a few new add-ins (like islands, etc.). The story is about Ytzak Anan, raised as a sailor/fisherman in what I took to be the swampy delta, who learned to be a prize-fighter. After accidentally killing a man in a bout and losing interest in 'brawling', he turned to sailing and leading ships through the miles of meandering waterways around the area. Having saved almost enough of his own ship, then being robbed of his savings by one he thought as his love, Ytzak joins a crew taking a shipment upriver. From this point on, the story moves along fairly well, bringing the main character into situation after situation where he does his best to make the best decision, and the results of said decision. In resolving each conflict, he travels much of the area I mentioned, and meets several people.
Though the title is a bit misleading, the picture is not. There is no 'sailing in the sky' or other mechanical means of flying, but it does center around pre-industrial boating in that the use of poling, rowing, and physically pulling boats along a waterway, or sailing, are used. I felt the mechanics involved were acceptable to the timeline being written. I did get lost a bit when the author would delve off into the political and/or religious background whether it was in a conversation, or just background description. Not because it was written badly, just I find those topics to be a bit boring, and I didn't feel I needed as much description as was provided. Also I was a bit put off about the choice of character names. Some, like Ytzak, would throw me out of a 'reading rhythym' due to the spelling, and would take a few minutes trying to decide how to pronounce a name before I could continue on.
All that being said, overall it was not a bad read, though I would not advise it for the younger YA crowd due to some of the bit more graphic scenes. I was a bit leery, as I don't regularly read this style of fantasy fiction, but leaving a bit of my disinterest out of the rating, I would say it was worth a good liking.
This is a novel set in an alternative history, circa later 1800's, along what I took to be the Eastern and Southeastern parts of the the U.S. Mostly what I read as parts of the Mississippi River, New Orleans, and the Eastern seaboard, with a few new add-ins (like islands, etc.). The story is about Ytzak Anan, raised as a sailor/fisherman in what I took to be the swampy delta, who learned to be a prize-fighter. After accidentally killing a man in a bout and losing interest in 'brawling', he turned to sailing and leading ships through the miles of meandering waterways around the area. Having saved almost enough of his own ship, then being robbed of his savings by one he thought as his love, Ytzak joins a crew taking a shipment upriver. From this point on, the story moves along fairly well, bringing the main character into situation after situation where he does his best to make the best decision, and the results of said decision. In resolving each conflict, he travels much of the area I mentioned, and meets several people.
Though the title is a bit misleading, the picture is not. There is no 'sailing in the sky' or other mechanical means of flying, but it does center around pre-industrial boating in that the use of poling, rowing, and physically pulling boats along a waterway, or sailing, are used. I felt the mechanics involved were acceptable to the timeline being written. I did get lost a bit when the author would delve off into the political and/or religious background whether it was in a conversation, or just background description. Not because it was written badly, just I find those topics to be a bit boring, and I didn't feel I needed as much description as was provided. Also I was a bit put off about the choice of character names. Some, like Ytzak, would throw me out of a 'reading rhythym' due to the spelling, and would take a few minutes trying to decide how to pronounce a name before I could continue on.
All that being said, overall it was not a bad read, though I would not advise it for the younger YA crowd due to some of the bit more graphic scenes. I was a bit leery, as I don't regularly read this style of fantasy fiction, but leaving a bit of my disinterest out of the rating, I would say it was worth a good liking.
cinnytoast's review
3.0
I found this book to be a promising first effort with a decent storyline. The first and last bits held my attention and made me want to read more, but the middle third lagged a little for me. Our likable protagonist is a former boxer and current sailor, but I honestly found the parts of the story that focused on those things to be the least interesting. Ytzak exposing criminals, getting to know the townsfolk on his travels, and unraveling mysteries were the parts I enjoyed the most.
I had to overlook quite a few editing mistakes, grammatical errors, and some confused sentence structure, but the plot and pacing were solid. Any fantasy fans who also like boxing and sailing will dig this book. Alas, most things nautical make my attention wander and I dislike boxing for the most part so I don't know if I will pick up the next one. Overall, a fun read.
I had to overlook quite a few editing mistakes, grammatical errors, and some confused sentence structure, but the plot and pacing were solid. Any fantasy fans who also like boxing and sailing will dig this book. Alas, most things nautical make my attention wander and I dislike boxing for the most part so I don't know if I will pick up the next one. Overall, a fun read.
rouver's review
1.0
The author of this book contacted me to read it & I was definitely looking forward to the story. I wanted to like it. I wanted to be liked by the author. But for those of you who know me, you know that I hate lying. And I feel like the only just thing to do here is to be honest. Brutally so. It was only because I'd promised that I'd review the book that I finished reading it. I wish I could have a hard copy to write all over it. (PLEASE find a harsh editor that will help you!)
The first problem was that I just couldn't connect with the main character. He had relatively no drive (well, he wants to own a boat), and all of his adventures sort of fell into his lap. I finally decided that it felt like the author had played a fun D&D campaign & decided to write it up, but without his companions. People came in & out of his life, but the author didn't build any rapport. They could have all been slaughtered in a horrible plague & it wouldn't have made a difference. There were multiple side-quests for the protagonist to do, and he does ALL OF THEM. This is fine when I'm playing through a computer RPG (yes, I do all the quests)...not so much when I'm reading a book. Plus, you're never really clear what the main objective is of Ytzak. What he *does* do is recover some stolen books, learn how to play a pipe organ, dig some holes in the ground, practice his accounting skills, and do some boxing. I *think* his big quest was to save a 'native American' (Jinnee) child from an embezzling rapist cleric (*sigh*...really?). Ytzak does complete the rescue with the goal of 'taking her home'...except the author failed to ever really tell us how Ytzak knows where her home IS. There are multiple tribes spread across a large geographic area! The book suffers from too many details and at the same time NOT ENOUGH. What was supposed to be a heart-warming reunion between Ytzak & his mother just felt awkward...we only get bits & pieces about his life & descriptions of his family members, but odd, pointless details like the bar patron who was wearing a bright yellow hat. Like in any good cRPG, named characters have quests for you or pieces of information. Travel randomly into the woods to gather information, come across a strange traveler who takes you several hours to what you find out is actually a leper colony (roll for a lore check on their garments), where you entertain the stricken with your portable organ (hur hur hur) (roll to see if they were suitably entertained), before learning a key bit of information to help you along in your quest, in which case you head straight back to town? CHECK!
ARGH! It was like there were two or three decent stories globbed together in here, with unsatisfying resolutions to all of them. I really wanted the author to succeed. I wanted to type up glowing praises. Instead, I found myself writing rants in my head every day in the shower. I wanted to be able to ask the author, "This! Right here! What was the point? Why did you do that?" Especially the fact that part way into the book, we find out that the whole story is *actually* being told to a cliche of a ornery old man (with cliched crotchety old wife in the background) to some sort of historian. Apparently this is the first installation of the epic chronicles of Ytzak.
Crawford: Seriously, please. Harsh, honest editor. Get one. Because I think you have some good ideas & I think you have a good story in there....you just need to get it pulled out & polished. Good luck!
The first problem was that I just couldn't connect with the main character. He had relatively no drive (well, he wants to own a boat), and all of his adventures sort of fell into his lap. I finally decided that it felt like the author had played a fun D&D campaign & decided to write it up, but without his companions. People came in & out of his life, but the author didn't build any rapport. They could have all been slaughtered in a horrible plague & it wouldn't have made a difference. There were multiple side-quests for the protagonist to do, and he does ALL OF THEM. This is fine when I'm playing through a computer RPG (yes, I do all the quests)...not so much when I'm reading a book. Plus, you're never really clear what the main objective is of Ytzak. What he *does* do is recover some stolen books, learn how to play a pipe organ, dig some holes in the ground, practice his accounting skills, and do some boxing. I *think* his big quest was to save a 'native American' (Jinnee) child from an embezzling rapist cleric (*sigh*...really?). Ytzak does complete the rescue with the goal of 'taking her home'...except the author failed to ever really tell us how Ytzak knows where her home IS. There are multiple tribes spread across a large geographic area! The book suffers from too many details and at the same time NOT ENOUGH. What was supposed to be a heart-warming reunion between Ytzak & his mother just felt awkward...we only get bits & pieces about his life & descriptions of his family members, but odd, pointless details like the bar patron who was wearing a bright yellow hat. Like in any good cRPG, named characters have quests for you or pieces of information. Travel randomly into the woods to gather information, come across a strange traveler who takes you several hours to what you find out is actually a leper colony (roll for a lore check on their garments), where you entertain the stricken with your portable organ (hur hur hur) (roll to see if they were suitably entertained), before learning a key bit of information to help you along in your quest, in which case you head straight back to town? CHECK!
ARGH! It was like there were two or three decent stories globbed together in here, with unsatisfying resolutions to all of them. I really wanted the author to succeed. I wanted to type up glowing praises. Instead, I found myself writing rants in my head every day in the shower. I wanted to be able to ask the author, "This! Right here! What was the point? Why did you do that?" Especially the fact that part way into the book, we find out that the whole story is *actually* being told to a cliche of a ornery old man (with cliched crotchety old wife in the background) to some sort of historian. Apparently this is the first installation of the epic chronicles of Ytzak.
Crawford: Seriously, please. Harsh, honest editor. Get one. Because I think you have some good ideas & I think you have a good story in there....you just need to get it pulled out & polished. Good luck!
pastathief's review
I was provided with a free copy of this book in return for an honest review, and I was dove into the book happily under those terms. It's languished for a long time on my "reading" list. Because of the arrangement mentioned above, I was unusually determined to make it through the book, and I kept returning it to the fore and working through a few more pages, gradually losing steam, and setting it aside again. I think it's time to admit that I'm just not going to make it.
The book isn't at all terrible. It's essentially a American historical story thinly disguised as a fantasy story. I honestly think it would have worked much better had the disguise been dropped. The historical angle would have leant a lot more interest. (I love fantasy, but it just didn't really work with the way the book is written.) Also, the way the narrative is framed, within the outer narrative of the telling of the tale, drains it of urgency. You never really wonder if Our Every-Man Hero is going to make it, because you know at the outset that he does, and you never really know which time period to invest in. And it's very, very exposition-heavy at times.
That said, there's a lot of detail and world building here. I got mired in the exposition, but if you enjoy that sort of thing, you might like this book. Also, if you think you'll enjoy the allegorical presentation, then again you might like it.
I feel guilty for not finishing, and in fact, only getting maybe 1/3 of the way in, but it turned out to really be a slog for me. It might not be for others.
The book isn't at all terrible. It's essentially a American historical story thinly disguised as a fantasy story. I honestly think it would have worked much better had the disguise been dropped. The historical angle would have leant a lot more interest. (I love fantasy, but it just didn't really work with the way the book is written.) Also, the way the narrative is framed, within the outer narrative of the telling of the tale, drains it of urgency. You never really wonder if Our Every-Man Hero is going to make it, because you know at the outset that he does, and you never really know which time period to invest in. And it's very, very exposition-heavy at times.
That said, there's a lot of detail and world building here. I got mired in the exposition, but if you enjoy that sort of thing, you might like this book. Also, if you think you'll enjoy the allegorical presentation, then again you might like it.
I feel guilty for not finishing, and in fact, only getting maybe 1/3 of the way in, but it turned out to really be a slog for me. It might not be for others.
cupiscent's review
3.0
The author provided me with a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It was an interesting opportunity to read something that ordinarily I probably wouldn't have. I'm very interested in non-European fantasy settings, and quite interested in maritime things (as my father was a sailor) so I was curious from the outset.
The world of this book is an interesting, diverse and quite real thing - a scattered pioneer society on the verge of industrialising, but still having that sense of adventure, of isolation, of independence, and of possibility that contributes so much to the potential of a fantastical story. The fantastical elements themselves were present but only in the corner of the eye, in references and possibilities, in belief and in faith. However, when they did press upon the story directly, I found myself disappointed in how ephemeral they were - were Elemental forces acting directly on our hero's life? To what purpose? This, I felt, was an interesting element in the story, and it was never explored.
The story is a journey, a following-along with a phase in our hero Ytzak's life. This phase covers three acts, but there is little that carries over from act to act, and I found that this made the plot feel quite thin as we moved into the latter stages. There had been a great richness of characters, place and interweaving stories, but all of those elements that had moved into Ytzak's life in the first half of the novel failed to have any ongoing or returning relevance in the latter stages. Details I was sure would prove important later failed to do so. As we came into the final act - where an intriguing net of mystery and grubby human motivation began to unfold - I found myself wondering why the first half of the novel needed so much space.
It left a lot of pressure on Ytzak to really carry the novel, and he was not really delivered with sufficient depth to be compelling in the role. He has a yen for his own ship, which provides him with a motivation to earn money, but we don't really explore why, or how this drives his character. (Jack Sparrow, at least, covets the freedom that the Black Pearl provides.) Nor do we see him really take any great joy in sailing during the brief period the book spends actually at sea. Ytzak also has a stated reluctance regarding violence - especially lethal violence - from a history with same, but this seems to be more something he feels he should have than something that actually weighs heavily upon his decisions and actions; especially in the finale sequences, I found the lack of conflict between pacifism and what needed to be done a dissatisfying gap in the narrative.
In general, his life was simply too easy, and too simple. The good are good and the wicked are wicked; everyone honestly tells him what he asks at the least provocation; and I found the number of women showing up in his bed to be a little perplexing. He is a character who is blown by the wind, rather than forging his own path in defiance of man and elements... and this makes him realistic, but somewhat less interesting to read about.
All in all, I found this an interesting journey, simply told but with heart. However, for me, the lack of complexity prevented it from pulling me in.
It was an interesting opportunity to read something that ordinarily I probably wouldn't have. I'm very interested in non-European fantasy settings, and quite interested in maritime things (as my father was a sailor) so I was curious from the outset.
The world of this book is an interesting, diverse and quite real thing - a scattered pioneer society on the verge of industrialising, but still having that sense of adventure, of isolation, of independence, and of possibility that contributes so much to the potential of a fantastical story. The fantastical elements themselves were present but only in the corner of the eye, in references and possibilities, in belief and in faith. However, when they did press upon the story directly, I found myself disappointed in how ephemeral they were - were Elemental forces acting directly on our hero's life? To what purpose? This, I felt, was an interesting element in the story, and it was never explored.
The story is a journey, a following-along with a phase in our hero Ytzak's life. This phase covers three acts, but there is little that carries over from act to act, and I found that this made the plot feel quite thin as we moved into the latter stages. There had been a great richness of characters, place and interweaving stories, but all of those elements that had moved into Ytzak's life in the first half of the novel failed to have any ongoing or returning relevance in the latter stages. Details I was sure would prove important later failed to do so. As we came into the final act - where an intriguing net of mystery and grubby human motivation began to unfold - I found myself wondering why the first half of the novel needed so much space.
It left a lot of pressure on Ytzak to really carry the novel, and he was not really delivered with sufficient depth to be compelling in the role. He has a yen for his own ship, which provides him with a motivation to earn money, but we don't really explore why, or how this drives his character. (Jack Sparrow, at least, covets the freedom that the Black Pearl provides.) Nor do we see him really take any great joy in sailing during the brief period the book spends actually at sea. Ytzak also has a stated reluctance regarding violence - especially lethal violence - from a history with same, but this seems to be more something he feels he should have than something that actually weighs heavily upon his decisions and actions; especially in the finale sequences, I found the lack of conflict between pacifism and what needed to be done a dissatisfying gap in the narrative.
In general, his life was simply too easy, and too simple. The good are good and the wicked are wicked; everyone honestly tells him what he asks at the least provocation; and I found the number of women showing up in his bed to be a little perplexing. He is a character who is blown by the wind, rather than forging his own path in defiance of man and elements... and this makes him realistic, but somewhat less interesting to read about.
All in all, I found this an interesting journey, simply told but with heart. However, for me, the lack of complexity prevented it from pulling me in.
macindog's review
4.0
An initial scan of the summary of the book didn't really attract me but, having received a review copy from the author, I waded in regardless and actually quite enjoyed it.
The story centres on one Ytzak Anan, a coloured ex-sailor, ex-prizefighter just trying to rebuild his dream of owning his own ship after being robbed and betrayed by his lover. His adventures take him into some dark places in a well-crafted world of exotic peoples, cultures and religions with some parallels to 19th-century American Eastern Seaboard colonialism with its pre-industrial, post-slavery era colour issues.
On the downside, it's a bit linear and having only one main character makes it even more so - it needs some extra characters/plotlines to flesh it out a bit more. Also, the Skysea of the title isn't featured until about half-way through the tale and, while there are mentions of unseen forces and elemental spririts influencing Ytzak's progress, the book doesn't feature the more normal fantasy tale elements of magic and sorcery. Add to that, what could have been a climactic ending with a bit of completion just sort of didn't happen - it just ended!
Maybe there's another book in the series coming, and there are a few loose threads that could be picked up again, but there wasn't enough of a hint at that here. Still, as I said at the start, I quite enjoyed it and would happily follow Ytzak's tale a bit further if it comes to pass.
The story centres on one Ytzak Anan, a coloured ex-sailor, ex-prizefighter just trying to rebuild his dream of owning his own ship after being robbed and betrayed by his lover. His adventures take him into some dark places in a well-crafted world of exotic peoples, cultures and religions with some parallels to 19th-century American Eastern Seaboard colonialism with its pre-industrial, post-slavery era colour issues.
On the downside, it's a bit linear and having only one main character makes it even more so - it needs some extra characters/plotlines to flesh it out a bit more. Also, the Skysea of the title isn't featured until about half-way through the tale and, while there are mentions of unseen forces and elemental spririts influencing Ytzak's progress, the book doesn't feature the more normal fantasy tale elements of magic and sorcery. Add to that, what could have been a climactic ending with a bit of completion just sort of didn't happen - it just ended!
Maybe there's another book in the series coming, and there are a few loose threads that could be picked up again, but there wasn't enough of a hint at that here. Still, as I said at the start, I quite enjoyed it and would happily follow Ytzak's tale a bit further if it comes to pass.
tashachowdory's review
3.0
*NOTE* I was offered a free copy of this copy book in return for an honest review.
This is very much outside my genre. In that the protagonist is male and there are very few women and it's set in a world where slavery has recently been abolished and the 'Church' (in this incarnation) is still powerful.
The bad points - the women are very poorly written. In a very standard fantasy/medieval trope. The women are in very traditional roles- mother, widow, nun, young girl, whore. And not many of them are credited with much intelligence (other than his mother). I appreciate that the story focuses on Yztak but there is no appreciation of women whatsoever, in pretty much any of the dialogue. The men all frequent brothels - but that's about it. And the women are all very vulnerable - just waiting for a strong man to come by. That's probably what's stopped me from giving this book 4 stars.
The title is actually pretty misleading as well. As I'm not sure we're ever told the origin of the name. I may be reading too much steampunk' but skysea makes me think of sky pirates not islands dotted around a very obliquely disguised Caribbean.
The good points - the story is actually pretty good and Yztak is likable if overly perfect for what he is - aka half black slave-son with a great head for numbers, can fight and most people like him from animals to women and children. I think his adventures were the best part and how each melded into the other with a believable passage of events. The ending was a bit iffy to me, just because it was a bit too cliffhanger-esque and I'm almost sure that the man telling the story is either Yztak himself or his son or something similar. But guess I'll have to keep reading for that. And I do want to keep reading!
This is very much outside my genre. In that the protagonist is male and there are very few women and it's set in a world where slavery has recently been abolished and the 'Church' (in this incarnation) is still powerful.
The bad points - the women are very poorly written. In a very standard fantasy/medieval trope. The women are in very traditional roles- mother, widow, nun, young girl, whore. And not many of them are credited with much intelligence (other than his mother). I appreciate that the story focuses on Yztak but there is no appreciation of women whatsoever, in pretty much any of the dialogue. The men all frequent brothels - but that's about it. And the women are all very vulnerable - just waiting for a strong man to come by. That's probably what's stopped me from giving this book 4 stars.
The title is actually pretty misleading as well. As I'm not sure we're ever told the origin of the name. I may be reading too much steampunk' but skysea makes me think of sky pirates not islands dotted around a very obliquely disguised Caribbean.
The good points - the story is actually pretty good and Yztak is likable if overly perfect for what he is - aka half black slave-son with a great head for numbers, can fight and most people like him from animals to women and children. I think his adventures were the best part and how each melded into the other with a believable passage of events. The ending was a bit iffy to me, just because it was a bit too cliffhanger-esque and I'm almost sure that the man telling the story is either Yztak himself or his son or something similar. But guess I'll have to keep reading for that. And I do want to keep reading!