Chase the Legend

A Classic Retold

by Hannah Kaye

The End of the Map lies far behind you now. Here there be dragons. The nation of Outer Melvia runs on the power of dragon oil, but only the Hunters of Map’s End are fearless–or foolish–enough to pursue the great beasts of the deep. In the wake of a broken engagement, Ilsa Starling boards the Hunting vessel Relentless in search of the solace the sea promises her. But dragons are not the only threats that lurk in these uncharted waters. As first mate aboard Relentless , Ilsa becomes a key player in the impossible quest determined by her captain, Adam Chase. Once Map’s End’s rising star, Chase lost everything to an ill-fated encounter with a legendary white dragon that haunts the seas at the very edge of the world. Now the captain swears to avenge himself on the beast and restore all that was stolen from him, no matter what–or who–he may lose along the way. In this gaslamp fantasy reimagining of Moby Dick, Hannah Kaye spins a tale of hurt and healing, breathing hope into Herman Melville’s timeless tragedy.

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 27, 2023

About the author

Hannah Kaye is a professional daydreamer, homeschool mama, drama teacher, and lover of stories in all forms. She is the author of The Sadie and Clyde Adventures, a series of humorous and heartfelt Westerns for middle grade readers, and is also a contributing author in the faith-filled fantasy series A Classic Retold.

Her stories are largely inspired by her sisters, her Christian faith, and her passion for weaving Truth into fiction. When not spinning tales, Hannah enjoys being outside, especially near water, where she’s dabbled in kayaking, sailing, and SCUBA diving.

She lives in northeast Oklahoma with her nerdy husband, two young hobbits, a long-legged dog, and several aquariums of tropical fish. She can often be found lurking near a coffee pot, baking elaborate desserts, or playing jigs on the Irish tinwhistle in improbable locations.

You can connect with Hannah online at www.hannahkaye.blog or follow her on Instagram @hkayewrites.

Reviews

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this with no expectations and ended up loving it so much. Never read from the author before. Hadn’t even heard of her. I just loved the cover and wanted to read another Moby Dick reimagining.

This is so well done. It ties in the retelling with a unique fantasy world and makes an old story feel new. The writing was especially fantastic. I am excited to read more from this author. I binged this in a couple hours and my head hurts now. Definitely worth it, though.

[Julia Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updated review:



🫂 Chase the Legend, by Hannah Kaye, was the book I had sitting on my shelf for a while that I didn't know I needed. I honestly can't say enough about it because words aren't adequate.

🐋 First off, it's basically a Moby Dick retelling with dragons. 🐉 Can you get more awesome than that?

💙Apparently, you can, because this book has flying ships, a cute creature, and beautiful chronic illness representation.

🩵 As someone who has struggled with illness, both mental and physical, and felt that her sickness defines her and that she doesn't matter, just a voice screaming in the dark shouting, "Listen to me!" only to be swallowed by despair....this book is everything and more. I've never found a book where I have felt so seen and held. Honestly, I am starting to cry again, just looking at some of the quotes I underlined.

💔 If you have ever felt that you are a burden, that your life doesn't matter, that despair has taken you for everything you got, and you don't feel like living... read this book. It's worth the world.

[Hannah Kaye]

Out now! Find it here: https://a.co/d/4pgBDjt

Love the book? Leave a review!

Age recommendation: 15+ for heavy thematic material. Full content advisory here: https://hannahkaye.blog/content-discl...

Thank you for all the love and support for this story.

[Night Owling · Rating 5 out of 5]

50/5 stars, the book was incredible

This was an absolute gem. So very very good.
Incredibly fast paced, fantastic world building,
God and faith themes were seamlessly intergerated into the dialogue, which I find is not easy to do.

Towards the end the characters just drop one incredible line after the other, heartbreaking life affirming truths. I will be rereading this .

My only objection, I needed the story to be longer. In between the heartbreaking admissions towards the end I needed some mundane things to happen. More character interractions. More more, more

[Katie Hanna]

Decided this is not for me, since I don't like Moby-Dick. You may be wondering why I picked up a Moby-Dick retelling if I don't like the story in the first place. The reason is, I had previously read another book in the Classic Retold series that was wildly different from the source material it was retelling, and I thought this book might be in the same vein. But it turned out to be more faithful to the original; which is fine, of course, just not for me.

[Allison Tebo]

RTC!

[D.T. Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this fantasy retelling of Moby Dick. As I've said in another A Classic Retold review, I'm not a big reader of classics (especially Dickens or Melville in this case), but Kaye reinvents this classic tragedy and turns it into something more.

Whether you're a classics fanatic or someone who isn't all that excited about Melville, this book is worth your time. The characters are memorable, and the narrative respectfully addresses chronic illness (something lacking in much speculative fiction).

I won an e-ARC of this book in a giveaway hosted by the author, and I'm so very glad I had the chance to read this early.

[Morgan Giesbrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart. 😭 Somehow I feel stunned to silence & yet like I’ve been offered a warm hug. I’ve found friends in the pages & a dose of Hope I desperately needed.

Despite not having read Moby Dick & having no plans to read that whale of a tome, I still say with confidence this retelling is waaaaaaaay better than the original!

Hannah crafted a gaslight fantasy that leads the reader on a journey of epic proportions with an adorable animal sidekick, dragons, air ships, dragon hunters, and a ragtag crew, each with their own scars & hardships.

Prepare to have your heart stolen by the characters because they are gems.

YURI. I get the hype—he is precious, loyal, protective, and to be protected at all costs. I love him so much (& yes I sobbed my eyes out over him). #yurifansunite

Tasha is a loyal, hilarious, firebrand and I love her for it. For her love for Adam, her friendship with Ilsa, and her good natured rivalry with Yuri.

Ilsa was one of those main characters I just got. She’s running. She’s confused. But she’s smart with a good head on her shoulders despite a body that’s failing her. Her growth over the story was so well. And I adore her sidekick—the winged rabbit creature (tammer) Mobius.

Adam Chase is an enigma. A legend. A conundrum. His journey broke my heart and yet it was so raw & authentic. As Ilsa discovers, they are two sides of a coin—so similar yet so different. Plus, the moment the title made sense… ahhh, masterfully done!

Added to the illustrious plot, aesthetic atmosphere, and lovable characters are the rich truths & beautiful message. What are we running from & what are we running to? All life has meaning. The purpose of pain & Providence. We were made to worship our Creator, not His creatures. Togetherness. Learning to live again when chronic illness & disabilities plague us and healing eludes us.

A balm to my soul & a masterpiece on multiple levels! I promptly ordered a physical copy as soon as I finished the ebook. It’s one of those stories that sticks with you, as Sam Gamgee would say. A story that really matters. 💛

[A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flying ships, an unstable captain, a white dragon...

Not having read Moby Dick, I entered this tale only knowing the basics... as well as the end of the original story. You definitely don't need to have read the original to enjoy this. (I do think it adds to the richness of the book to know the key points, though.)
The setting was gorgeous, the characters phenomenal, and the themes...well, I can't say much here but I teared up a time or two.
This was adventure at its heart, madness at its heartbreaking worst, and courage at its finest. I loved every moment.
I adored the characters. Ilsa is flawed and relatable and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the juxtaposition between her character and that of the Captain. And oh, the Captain. Prepare yourself.
Devolution of character is a tricky thing to do well, but Hannah Kaye accomplished it beautifully.
Also, Yuri deserves all the love.
The worldbuilding was so unique! I was fascinated. The slightly gaslamp vibe combined with a very clear nautical setting was so much fun.
I highly recommend this one!

I received an ARC copy from the author. I was not required to leave a review, positive or negative. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with the other books I've now read in the series "A Classic Retold," I have been inspired to read the original classics. However, I already know I like these retellings better! 😊
I have not read Moby Dick, but I have seen movie versions to understand the original story-line and plot. Hanna Kaye's retelling was riveting and I had a hard time putting it down. Without giving any spoilers, let me say that when I turned the last page and read the last line, it brought tears to my eyes.
Excellent story-telling, and I highly recommend "Chase the Legend."

[Vanessa Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: The author sent me this book for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.

This is a very epic sea-faring adventure of hunting dragons. Chase the Legend by Hannah Kaye is a fantasy re-telling of the classic Moby Dick.

Synopsis: Ilsa Starling escapes her troubles by becoming a crewmember of Captain Chase’s ship, the Relentless. Their mission—to hunt down the great white dragon Avatheon to the Map’s End in order to gather magical dragon oil and to seek revenge. But will the dragon provide all that the crew hopes for? Or will their hopes come from somewhere else?

I loved the relationships between the characters and the new mythical races that were introduced in this fantasy re-telling. Even having not read Moby Dick before yet being familiar with the tale, I really enjoyed the thrill of it all. The climax and resolution at the end were especially satisfying.

I was actively looking for a fun fantasy sea-worthy novel and had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this story. And I can honestly say that it was exactly what I was looking for! I cannot praise and recommend this book enough!!

Worth a read!

[Anna Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Christian Fiction/ Classic Retelling

# of Pages: 137

Review:

I've never read Moby Dick (and what I know is very little) so I can't compare Chase the Legend to it, because of this my review is entirely based on the book itself. With that being said… I was actually surprised at how much I liked it! For my fellow readers who love romance I have a fair warning: romance is not a major plot in this book (but don't let that stop you from reading it!). I don't read too much fantasy so it took me a little while to get into it, but once I did I was hooked (Mobius is the cutest and def my favorite character 💖)! I thought I could predict what would happen as I progressed through the chapters but I was wrong. I love the creative liberties the author took in the changes made from the original storyline of Moby Dick: I don't like when books end on a depressing note so I'm very happy with the way it ended! Whether you've read Moby Dick or not, I encourage you to read this book and let me know if you liked it!

[Ashley Stangl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book.

I love the world--familiar Victorian with just enough fantastical worldbuilding to provide a lot of intriguing layers.

I love the characters--a varied cast who build some heartwarming bonds.

I LOVE the themes, and how the story is not afraid to go deep and explore some dark places.

The ending's maybe a bit too sweet at one point, but that's barely a criticism.

This blew my expectations out of the water. I keep finding myself surprised at how deeply I enjoy this, even on reread. (Despite, or perhaps because of, not reading the original).

Just an excellent book.

[Olivia Gratehouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhhh wow this book was soooooooo good. 😭 I’ve never read Moby Dick, but I was aware enough of certain characters and plot points to recognize the references here and there, and Chase the Legend really elevated the story and themes in a way that was refreshing and exciting to a modern audience!

Ilsa was a breath of fresh air as a main character and I really connected with her. I loved her loyalty and resolve and her constant determination to do right in spite of the circumstances. I also really adored Adam Chase, our stand-in for Captain Ahab, and watching his character develop. But Yuri, our stone giant, stole my heart from the first page. I think everyone needs a Yuri in their lives, and boy did this guy make me tear up. 😭

The themes in this story were wonderful too, and Hannah did SUCH an amazing job dealing with subjects like chronic illness/pain, depression, and despair, while weaving in themes of new life and hope and forgiveness. It was beautifully written and made me both laugh and tear up on multiple occasions.

My only wish is that there had been enough room to expand on some scenes, because there were a lot of time jumps and rushing past plot points that I wanted to see expanded upon. That said, I understand working under the constraints of set word counts, especially in a larger series, and the time jumps were handled well.

Overall, this was a beautiful book that helped dip my toes in the world of Moby Dick while giving us things like hope and dragons. 😉

[Laura Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an easy five stars! While it’s true I’m a huge fan of the author (❤️) I didn’t know what to expect from this as I’m not a huge fantasy fan and have never read Moby Dick. But it was epic. Evidenced by the fact that I willingly stayed up past midnight to finish it when I’m already in a sleep deprived state. Yup, that good.
I was impressed by the world building in Hannah Kaye’s story-the diversity of characters and uniqueness of the setting were great without being overdone. I agree with another reviewer that Mobius was the cutest and now I want my own little winged rabbit as a sidekick.
The story was filled with action, but I was surprised by the depth of it and the themes it explored. It was so carefully done and I appreciated the author’s intentionality in dealing with these subjects in such a realistic yet hope filled manner.
Chase the Legend definitely exceeded my expectations-I shouldn’t be surprised, Hannah Kaye is such a talented author (and lovely person)-but each time I’ve read a new book of hers I’m blown away! (Love ya, Hannah!)

[Hannah Rosson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative retelling of Moby Dick. If you love dragons and the sea and want to read a book with a unique world, this book is for you! It has really lovable characters and a fast-paced plot.

[Cheyenne Langevelde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never planned on reading this book, especially since I've not read the original classic and it sounded like it would be the cliché strong-woman-slays-dragons story that I...dread. But thanks to a friend and fellow author gifting me a copy for my birthday, I finally picked it up. And I'm glad it did.

I still haven't read the original Moby Dick, but this book makes me want to. And this retelling itself was phenomenal. I loved the story, the characters, the world-building, the atmosphere, and the themes of healing and sacrifice. Plus 0 clichés or stereotypes, which was refreshing. It was beautifully told and a story I look forward to reading again some day. Thanks for the copy, Nathaniel!

My only complaints were that there were major inconsistencies with quotation marks/apostrophes and incorrect dialogue tags. It was distracting, but probably only because I work as an editor/proofreader so I've had to train to notice these things. Other than that, I wish the story had been longer because I would have loved to stay in the pages a bit more, but I loved it.

I binged it in one sitting. I don't do that often these days. It was excellent.

[Sarah Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is phenomenal. Having never read Moby Dick, I was excited to get a taste of the original story, especially since I love Hannah Kaye’s writing and couldn’t wait to see the world of Moby Dick through her eyes. (I was even more excited when I learned that the retelling would involve hunting sea dragons at the edge of the world!) Chase the Legend went above and beyond my expectations. I was swept away into Hannah’s vast and beautifully crafted world and loved every minute of it! I was especially impressed by the depth of her characters, the compelling dialogue and intense interactions among lots of strong personalities, and the way the characters shaped and influenced each other - for better or for worse - over the course of the story. And I love the way the author’s own hope and faith in God’s goodness inform the conclusion of the story. Melville may have written the classic, but Hannah Kaye has taken it and masterfully turned it into something very special. Can’t recommend it enough!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good shipboard adventure story, and the characters are unique and entertaining... but I never quite connected to any of them. That might be just a me thing, as I have come to realize that I often just don't like extremely obsessive characters, and everyone in this book has some kind of obsession, obvious or not, damaging or not.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this more than I expected. I have never read Moby Dick, but know enough about it that it’s never appealed to me. So I wasn’t sure what I would think of this reimagining.

It was really well written, and diverges from the original to bring a story full of hope and life. I like what the author has done, but don’t expect a faithful retelling of the classic.

[Sara Espinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This book was different from most of my other fantasy reads. The development of Ilsa throughout the book was for me the "big fights."
The book is beautifully written and I enjoyed every second of it.
The religious innuendos were misplaced for my taste.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent non-romance book! Would definitely read another book by this author! Loved it! Superb writing, 3D characters that come off the page, great message, action, adventure, this book has it all! 100% recommend!

[Kez Sharrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the retelling much better than the original! Much more fun.

[Dana Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

[Nina Sakura · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5

[Katie Gage · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this retelling/reimagining of Moby Dick, Isla flees her past and goes to sea. This book has dragons instead of whales, and flying ships, and a whole cast of lovable characters (Yuri was my favorite). The plot, though it may be familiar, keeps a good pace, and Isla's journey--both emotional and physical--is full of growth and stakes. The climax especially took my breath away. There's also some fantastic chronic illness rep in there! I don't think you need to be familiar with Moby Dick to enjoy this book, though it might enrich your understanding of the text. As an early reader of Kaye, I can say her prose has continued to deepen and improve, and this is my favorite book by her so far. If you are looking for an adventure story with hope and a heart, as well as creative creatures, lovable characters, and a fun world in inhabit, this is a great read.

[One Last Petal Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ilsa Starling has a good reason for walking away from her old life, but it’s not a reason she plans on sharing with anyone. To leave it all behind her, she travels to the farthest place she can, Map’s Edge, and boards a ship headed for the Edge.

Only dragon hunters go to the Edge. The oil from the dragons fuels their society, but only the most foolhardy are willing to brave the battle. Ilsa finds herself the first mate aboard the Relentless, serving under the enigmatic Captain Chase.

But will Ilsa face what she’s been running from in time? Or will Captain’s Chase hunger for revenge doom them all?

“They sat apart from each other, like scattered islands in a silent sea, each isolated in their private prayers.”

This story was so well-written, with language that evoked the most vivid settings and emotions. Ilsa and Captain Chase faced similar struggles, and their character arcs were so well-developed.

I loved the many side characters as well and how Ilsa grew with each of them. Yuri’s mixing up of English sayings brought lightness to sometimes darker conversations.

Hayes handled the topics of disability and chronic illness really well, and I appreciate that there was no magical healing in the end.

A wonderful retelling of Moby Dick full of heart, Truth, and faith.

5 Roses
No romantic elements
No swearing.
A few injuries and battles, but not descriptive at all.
Disability representation: Chronic illness, amputation, depression (includes a character recounting a time they no longer wanted to live).

(Thank you to the author for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review.)