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Tides of Magic #1
The Price of Redemption
A debut female-led swashbuckling fantasy following powerful sorceress and sea captain Marquese Enid d’Tancreville as she is forced on the run where she meets a vast cast of characters perfect for fans of Patrick O’Brian’s beloved Master and Commander series.
Despite her powerful magic, Marquese Enid d’Tancreville must flee her homeland to escape death at the hands of the Theocratic Revolution. When a Theocratic warship overtakes the ship bringing her to safety, Enid is spared capture by the timely intervention of the Albion frigate Alarum , under the command of Lt. Rue Nath.
The strange circumstances make for an odd alliance, and Enid finds herself replacing Alarum ’s recently slain sea mage. Now an officer under Nath’s command, Enid is thrust into a strange maritime world full of confusing customs, duties, and language. Worse she soon discovers the threat of the revolution is not confined to shore.
Despite her powerful magic, Marquese Enid d’Tancreville must flee her homeland to escape death at the hands of the Theocratic Revolution. When a Theocratic warship overtakes the ship bringing her to safety, Enid is spared capture by the timely intervention of the Albion frigate Alarum , under the command of Lt. Rue Nath.
The strange circumstances make for an odd alliance, and Enid finds herself replacing Alarum ’s recently slain sea mage. Now an officer under Nath’s command, Enid is thrust into a strange maritime world full of confusing customs, duties, and language. Worse she soon discovers the threat of the revolution is not confined to shore.
368 pages, Paperback
Published July 9, 2024
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687 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 29, 2024
Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
I really wanted to like this one. The premise is SO cool: set in the era of naval warfare on a reimagined Mediterranean region, except with magic. I wanted to read about swashbuckling nautical adventures, and ship workings, and magical battles on sea, and political conspiracies/intrigue.
Unfortunately, the writing style ended up not working for me. The characters talk ceaselessly to one another; dialogue is used not only to provide background information about things such as the world's magic system and the operations of the ship, but also to literally summarize and rehash events and interactions that had happened only a few pages prior. Why? I couldn't see the benefits of doing so, and it slowed the pacing down until it would lose in a race against a snail. The characters just taaaaaaalk talk talk talk and offend and apologize and clarify and explain and act all buddy-buddy... through dialogue.
The odd thing is, THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION chose to have its characters spend pages talking and talking, while blithely summarizing other aspects that I felt could/should have been expanded more. An example of this would be Enid reading the journal of her predecessor. For some reason, the book never lets us see even one journal entry, and instead summarizes the journal contents over the course of several pages. I just... what? Is this a gigantic issue of telling-not-showing?
So yeah, I had issues with the writing, which for me affected worldbuilding and pacing. Characterization was also hit-or-miss. I found none of the characters remotely likeable: Enid is hoity-toity and not making any allies due to her propensity to look down at others through her supposed high-born status, and Nath has the potential to be likable if only he'd stop talking for a few pages and let the reader get to know him and the others on their own terms. Yeah. I think that's what bothers me most about the writing style. So little is left to the reader that it feels stifling. Sometimes reading is most powerful in the spaces left for the readers to draw their own conclusions. This book refused to do that.
I think the comparisons to Naomi Novik's Temeraire series is apt, but I struggle to say that those who enjoyed Temeraire would appreciate this one, because I am one of those readers, and I found THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION difficult to get through.
I really wanted to like this one. The premise is SO cool: set in the era of naval warfare on a reimagined Mediterranean region, except with magic. I wanted to read about swashbuckling nautical adventures, and ship workings, and magical battles on sea, and political conspiracies/intrigue.
Unfortunately, the writing style ended up not working for me. The characters talk ceaselessly to one another; dialogue is used not only to provide background information about things such as the world's magic system and the operations of the ship, but also to literally summarize and rehash events and interactions that had happened only a few pages prior. Why? I couldn't see the benefits of doing so, and it slowed the pacing down until it would lose in a race against a snail. The characters just taaaaaaalk talk talk talk and offend and apologize and clarify and explain and act all buddy-buddy... through dialogue.
The odd thing is, THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION chose to have its characters spend pages talking and talking, while blithely summarizing other aspects that I felt could/should have been expanded more. An example of this would be Enid reading the journal of her predecessor. For some reason, the book never lets us see even one journal entry, and instead summarizes the journal contents over the course of several pages. I just... what? Is this a gigantic issue of telling-not-showing?
So yeah, I had issues with the writing, which for me affected worldbuilding and pacing. Characterization was also hit-or-miss. I found none of the characters remotely likeable: Enid is hoity-toity and not making any allies due to her propensity to look down at others through her supposed high-born status, and Nath has the potential to be likable if only he'd stop talking for a few pages and let the reader get to know him and the others on their own terms. Yeah. I think that's what bothers me most about the writing style. So little is left to the reader that it feels stifling. Sometimes reading is most powerful in the spaces left for the readers to draw their own conclusions. This book refused to do that.
I think the comparisons to Naomi Novik's Temeraire series is apt, but I struggle to say that those who enjoyed Temeraire would appreciate this one, because I am one of those readers, and I found THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION difficult to get through.
July 6, 2024
Fleeing a homeland gripped by revolution, sorceress Marquese Enid d'Tancreville fears all is lost when her ship is captured by another bearing the flag of a Theocratic Confessor. But a third ship under the command of the Albion navy saves her, giving Enid a surprising opportunity: she can join their crew and fight back against the revolutionary forces that have killed everyone she cares about. Enid's never sailed before, but she'll have to learn quickly if she's to use her magic to aid the ship on a dangerous mission in enemy waters.
THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION is a fantasy book in the vein of MASTER AND COMMANDER that fails to do anything interesting with its fantasy elements. I'm perplexed why the author didn't simply make this a historical fantasy novel; as it is, he instead simply took the map of Europe and slapped new names on all the countries. But in doing so, the author didn't create anything new out of these countries. I can't tell you anything about their history or culture that distinguishes them from their English or French counterparts. Even the Theocratic Revolution is just the French Revolution by a different name.
By going to the effort of creating fictitious countries, the author has set the expectation that this world operates differently than our own, and that magic is integral to how it functions. Instead, were I to remove every element of magic from the book, 90% of the story would carry on as if nothing were missing. If this had been a historical fantasy set in Europe during the 1800s, my expectation for world-building would have been considerably lower, and the low magic setting would have fit right in. Instead, the author spends more time talking ABOUT magic than in actually USING the magic.
Much of this could be forgiven if the nautical side of things had held my attention. I came to this story ready to love an old-fashioned adventure; I was raised on HORATIO HORNBLOWER TV movies and have read my fair share of 18th and 19th century authors. Unfortunately, I found the overall story itself to be incredibly slow, more interested in explaining how ships work and the hierarchy of naval ranks than in actually moving the story forward. There are a few naval actions which are engaging in and of themselves, and I did like the overall atmosphere of the story. This is a rare occasion where I can say that if this novel had been trimmed down to a novella, I may have ended up liking it considerably more.
I do want to applaud the author for making this a gender equal society, where women serve on ships alongside men without any comment at all. But again, the author strangely undercuts himself with how his male characters react to the female lead character. For the first half of the book, not a single man can have an interaction with the female lead without ogling her or making a remark about her elegant neck or having internal thoughts about her scent. This constant objectification was off-putting to say the least.
Those who have a strong love for 18th and 19th century naval traditions may find themselves liking THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION considerably more than me. While I did appreciate the atmosphere and tone it was trying to recreate, it ultimately muddied the waters by adding fantasy elements to the world that just didn't aid in the story the author was trying to tell. The result is that THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION is an unfortunate miss for me in every way, making it a hard book to recommend.
Note: I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION is a fantasy book in the vein of MASTER AND COMMANDER that fails to do anything interesting with its fantasy elements. I'm perplexed why the author didn't simply make this a historical fantasy novel; as it is, he instead simply took the map of Europe and slapped new names on all the countries. But in doing so, the author didn't create anything new out of these countries. I can't tell you anything about their history or culture that distinguishes them from their English or French counterparts. Even the Theocratic Revolution is just the French Revolution by a different name.
By going to the effort of creating fictitious countries, the author has set the expectation that this world operates differently than our own, and that magic is integral to how it functions. Instead, were I to remove every element of magic from the book, 90% of the story would carry on as if nothing were missing. If this had been a historical fantasy set in Europe during the 1800s, my expectation for world-building would have been considerably lower, and the low magic setting would have fit right in. Instead, the author spends more time talking ABOUT magic than in actually USING the magic.
Much of this could be forgiven if the nautical side of things had held my attention. I came to this story ready to love an old-fashioned adventure; I was raised on HORATIO HORNBLOWER TV movies and have read my fair share of 18th and 19th century authors. Unfortunately, I found the overall story itself to be incredibly slow, more interested in explaining how ships work and the hierarchy of naval ranks than in actually moving the story forward. There are a few naval actions which are engaging in and of themselves, and I did like the overall atmosphere of the story. This is a rare occasion where I can say that if this novel had been trimmed down to a novella, I may have ended up liking it considerably more.
I do want to applaud the author for making this a gender equal society, where women serve on ships alongside men without any comment at all. But again, the author strangely undercuts himself with how his male characters react to the female lead character. For the first half of the book, not a single man can have an interaction with the female lead without ogling her or making a remark about her elegant neck or having internal thoughts about her scent. This constant objectification was off-putting to say the least.
Those who have a strong love for 18th and 19th century naval traditions may find themselves liking THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION considerably more than me. While I did appreciate the atmosphere and tone it was trying to recreate, it ultimately muddied the waters by adding fantasy elements to the world that just didn't aid in the story the author was trying to tell. The result is that THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION is an unfortunate miss for me in every way, making it a hard book to recommend.
Note: I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
September 15, 2024
Honestly was pretty boring
November 10, 2024
I was excited to read a book inspired by Patrick O'Brian with magic. In the end I think that what the author sees in the Aubrey/Maturin novels isn't what I get out of them, and this was more like an homage than a new take on the form.
First, a lot of things were directly lifted from O'Brian. You could argue that they make up the Napoleonic Naval Novel catalogue of tropes, but even still. Stephen's phrase "I am with child to know" was repeated several times. The character of grumpy steward was based on Killick. There was a cutting-out expedition and the death of a young midshipman. Captain Nath earns his rank of Post Captain at the end. Enid is an obvious stand-in for Stephen, and quickly becomes a confidant of the captain. They share an interest in drama instead of music. But O'Brian not only wrote it first, he wrote it better - his books are masterpieces of showing, not telling.
If familiar, this is all enjoyable enough. But the character of Enid and the magic system needed more work. She is a member of the deposed French nobility (except this is a world with different country names and slightly altered geography - not sure why). Her attitude toward the common people is snobby and condescending, even as she kind of recognizes why there was a revolution in her country. This does not make her a sympathetic character, even as we have glimpses that maybe her horizons are being widened. Mostly her characterization is: excellent magister, knows how to hold her own socially and survive.
Enid is serving as a volunteer magister on Nath's ship (as Stephen was on Jack's ship as a doctor). Well and good, but the magic system was very vague. We learn that she can summon sylphs and undines to change the wind and waves, but not really how it works. There is much talk of spell-locks, which I guess are like magic match-locks? We never hear how they work. She has a suit of clothes with charms against spell-locks, but we never hear if the charms are really rare or expensive. Because otherwise, why wouldn't EVERYONE have such charms? Why don't we hear more about defensive magics? The world doesn't make sense to me. My sense is that this is because the author wanted to write naval battles with guns and cannons, but make them magic. But they didn't really work for me.
Further, this book does the thing where it puts women in the navy as if it deepens the world of the book, but makes no allowances on how this changes the Regency social setting the book is based in. The women are not characterized differently than men - it's like the idea of equality means "no difference" to the author. Except Enid gets inappropriate comments several times, and is offended, but nothing really comes of it. I don't get it. There was a girl midshipman lumped in with the boys. I would love to read a book where this is done right.
So I guess I congratulate the author on writing the book he wanted to write, but I'm not sure I'm interested in following Enid's further redemption and social awakening or Nath's naval career. (Question: is he characterized as small of stature to not be like Jack Aubrey?)
First, a lot of things were directly lifted from O'Brian. You could argue that they make up the Napoleonic Naval Novel catalogue of tropes, but even still. Stephen's phrase "I am with child to know" was repeated several times. The character of grumpy steward was based on Killick. There was a cutting-out expedition and the death of a young midshipman. Captain Nath earns his rank of Post Captain at the end. Enid is an obvious stand-in for Stephen, and quickly becomes a confidant of the captain. They share an interest in drama instead of music. But O'Brian not only wrote it first, he wrote it better - his books are masterpieces of showing, not telling.
If familiar, this is all enjoyable enough. But the character of Enid and the magic system needed more work. She is a member of the deposed French nobility (except this is a world with different country names and slightly altered geography - not sure why). Her attitude toward the common people is snobby and condescending, even as she kind of recognizes why there was a revolution in her country. This does not make her a sympathetic character, even as we have glimpses that maybe her horizons are being widened. Mostly her characterization is: excellent magister, knows how to hold her own socially and survive.
Enid is serving as a volunteer magister on Nath's ship (as Stephen was on Jack's ship as a doctor). Well and good, but the magic system was very vague. We learn that she can summon sylphs and undines to change the wind and waves, but not really how it works. There is much talk of spell-locks, which I guess are like magic match-locks? We never hear how they work. She has a suit of clothes with charms against spell-locks, but we never hear if the charms are really rare or expensive. Because otherwise, why wouldn't EVERYONE have such charms? Why don't we hear more about defensive magics? The world doesn't make sense to me. My sense is that this is because the author wanted to write naval battles with guns and cannons, but make them magic. But they didn't really work for me.
Further, this book does the thing where it puts women in the navy as if it deepens the world of the book, but makes no allowances on how this changes the Regency social setting the book is based in. The women are not characterized differently than men - it's like the idea of equality means "no difference" to the author. Except Enid gets inappropriate comments several times, and is offended, but nothing really comes of it. I don't get it. There was a girl midshipman lumped in with the boys. I would love to read a book where this is done right.
So I guess I congratulate the author on writing the book he wanted to write, but I'm not sure I'm interested in following Enid's further redemption and social awakening or Nath's naval career. (Question: is he characterized as small of stature to not be like Jack Aubrey?)
October 7, 2024
Tbh I don't know if it's fair to mark this as read bc I zoned out so much.
i-honestly-tried
November 30, 2024I think this was a case of mismatched expectations - I dove into this book expecting epic naval adventure, and it definitely opens with a bang. But then it takes a turn into showcasing life on a ship and crew-bonding experiences and becomes somewhat slice of life? I feel this one is more for fans of historical ships / navy and all the language surrounding it, so they can immerse themselves in the minutia of sailing and manning a ship.
Also, were the interjections really necessary? They didn't add to the plot, or made the mc look sexier, or served as a warning in any form. And if anyone tells me this is "realistic" in a mixed crew, it's also "realistic" characters have to go poop from time to time but nobody describes that in books.
Overall, I thought Nath was the most interesting character being a somewhat Napoleonic figure of unassuming looks but earning respect of his crew.
Thank you for the ARC, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.
Also, were the interjections really necessary? They didn't add to the plot, or made the mc look sexier, or served as a warning in any form. And if anyone tells me this is "realistic" in a mixed crew, it's also "realistic" characters have to go poop from time to time but nobody describes that in books.
Overall, I thought Nath was the most interesting character being a somewhat Napoleonic figure of unassuming looks but earning respect of his crew.
Thank you for the ARC, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.
December 2, 2024
hmmm i'm not entirely sure where i land with this one, probably at a 2.5? i was excited to read another pirate fantasy but i thought this one fell flat. i sort of struggled to keep all of the characters straight in my head, which isn't great for a multi pov. the magic was neat and the mix of politics and fantasy was interesting, and while i don't think this one will stick in my head for very long, i don't regret trying it out
July 8, 2024
Thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy for review.
Despite her powerful magic, Marquese Enid d’Tancreville must flee her homeland to escape death at the hands of the Theocratic Revolution. When a Theocratic warship overtakes the ship bringing her to safety, I found myself captivated by the timely intervention of the Albion frigate Alarum, under the command of Lt. Rue Nath, sparing Enid from capture.
The strange circumstances of this encounter create an odd alliance, and I was intrigued to see Enid replacing Alarum’s recently slain sea mage. Now an officer under Nath’s command, Enid is thrust into a strange maritime world full of confusing customs, duties, and language. To make matters worse, she soon discovers that the threat of the revolution is not confined to the shore.
The intertwining of politics in the high seas with magic makes this book a delightfully immersive read. I particularly enjoyed the development of the relationship between Enid and Nath. While I found the pace a bit slow and the dialogue-heavy, it offers a promising start for a series, especially for high fantasy fans with a penchant for naval settings.
Despite her powerful magic, Marquese Enid d’Tancreville must flee her homeland to escape death at the hands of the Theocratic Revolution. When a Theocratic warship overtakes the ship bringing her to safety, I found myself captivated by the timely intervention of the Albion frigate Alarum, under the command of Lt. Rue Nath, sparing Enid from capture.
The strange circumstances of this encounter create an odd alliance, and I was intrigued to see Enid replacing Alarum’s recently slain sea mage. Now an officer under Nath’s command, Enid is thrust into a strange maritime world full of confusing customs, duties, and language. To make matters worse, she soon discovers that the threat of the revolution is not confined to the shore.
The intertwining of politics in the high seas with magic makes this book a delightfully immersive read. I particularly enjoyed the development of the relationship between Enid and Nath. While I found the pace a bit slow and the dialogue-heavy, it offers a promising start for a series, especially for high fantasy fans with a penchant for naval settings.
July 9, 2024
ARC review. I liked this book quite a bit. The dialog definitely got long-winded and felt a bit too straight-forward or stiff at times, but the action was well realized and some of the characters were very likable. Our main POV had an interesting backstory and motivation but I never felt like her characterization and style of dialog quite spoke to that, which made her feel a bit like two separate characters that had been mashed together for simplicity. Besides these certain aspects of her character and the often wordy dialog I though the book did a very good job at conveying a small slice of what felt like a much bigger world.
I'm definitely looking forward to continuing this series!
I'm definitely looking forward to continuing this series!
dnf
August 31, 2024Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
To start out: I have not read the Master and Commander series that this book was based on (heavily?). So maybe some things are the way they are because of that and I'm on the ignorant side.
Anyway, I did end up DNFing this at 31%. I'm not one for DNFing and normally I'd push through, but The Price of Redemption has the misfortune of coming to me at a time where there are SO MANY good fantasy books coming out right now that I don't really have the patience (stubbornness?) to make myself continue.
Some contributing factors to my decision:
⚓ Why isn't this a historical fantasy rather than toted as a full blown fantasy? Obviously the map is just the British Isles and Europe with different names. . . same with language/cultures/governments etc. Like, why make things more complicated than necessary? Not only am I stuck trying to follow every single nuance of 18th century English Naval Command, but now I have to figure out what made up name denotes which country on top of it.
⚓ There is a lot of dialogue. A lot. And it's very stilted at the best of times and unintelligible without heavy googling at the worst. Honestly I think of the 30% I read, at least 20% of it was just people talking. And maybe I might've understood all the jargon if I'd read Master and Commander. Maybe. They mostly talked about how ships work or the command chain or maybe obliquely about magic or introducing more and more characters who are very samey.
⚓ Enid feels very male-gazey. She's noble and handsome and people sniff her/notice her scent and admire her neck and the hollows under her collarbones. In fact if she hadn't used that one paragraph of magic in the first chapter, I'd be willing to believe she was just there to be a distraction to all the men! Also she is literally sniffed, the man is publicly rebuked for it, and THEN the captain who punished him spends an inordinate amount of time waxing poetic to himself about the curve of her neck. Just. Ok. I honestly feel like character dynamics and interactions would've been better/more organic if Enid had been a man.
⚓ I just was not having fun. Enid mentions if they'll go out and have some good old naval battles and whatnot to disrupt trade and Rue literally says oh no we have to sail a week with no fun times to get new orders. At the pace (three to four days had passed so far!!) of the story thus far I am too tired to find out how narratively long that week will be.
To start out: I have not read the Master and Commander series that this book was based on (heavily?). So maybe some things are the way they are because of that and I'm on the ignorant side.
Anyway, I did end up DNFing this at 31%. I'm not one for DNFing and normally I'd push through, but The Price of Redemption has the misfortune of coming to me at a time where there are SO MANY good fantasy books coming out right now that I don't really have the patience (stubbornness?) to make myself continue.
Some contributing factors to my decision:
⚓ Why isn't this a historical fantasy rather than toted as a full blown fantasy? Obviously the map is just the British Isles and Europe with different names. . . same with language/cultures/governments etc. Like, why make things more complicated than necessary? Not only am I stuck trying to follow every single nuance of 18th century English Naval Command, but now I have to figure out what made up name denotes which country on top of it.
⚓ There is a lot of dialogue. A lot. And it's very stilted at the best of times and unintelligible without heavy googling at the worst. Honestly I think of the 30% I read, at least 20% of it was just people talking. And maybe I might've understood all the jargon if I'd read Master and Commander. Maybe. They mostly talked about how ships work or the command chain or maybe obliquely about magic or introducing more and more characters who are very samey.
⚓ Enid feels very male-gazey. She's noble and handsome and people sniff her/notice her scent and admire her neck and the hollows under her collarbones. In fact if she hadn't used that one paragraph of magic in the first chapter, I'd be willing to believe she was just there to be a distraction to all the men! Also she is literally sniffed, the man is publicly rebuked for it, and THEN the captain who punished him spends an inordinate amount of time waxing poetic to himself about the curve of her neck. Just. Ok. I honestly feel like character dynamics and interactions would've been better/more organic if Enid had been a man.
⚓ I just was not having fun. Enid mentions if they'll go out and have some good old naval battles and whatnot to disrupt trade and Rue literally says oh no we have to sail a week with no fun times to get new orders. At the pace (three to four days had passed so far!!) of the story thus far I am too tired to find out how narratively long that week will be.
July 12, 2024
When it comes to fictional settings, the Napoleonic Wars are a gift that just keeps on giving. Admittedly, that giving is in the context of the thing about adventures being terrible stuff that happened to someone either long ago, far away, or both. In the case of The Price of Redemption, very much of both.
Because the war between the Ardainne and Albion is absolutely a rehash of the Napoleonic Wars, with Ardainne serving at the post-Revolutionary French complete with their own version of a revolution, and Albion, naturally, sailing in for the Brits holding the line to protect their status quo.
Which is when this particular take on that old conflict gets fascinating, fantastic and utterly magical. Because Ardainne’s Theocratic Revolution throws a religious crusade on top of the class warfare, and marries fanatics straight out of the Spanish Inquisition to Madame Defarge cackling at the feet of Madame Guillotine.
The equivalent of the sans culottes in this world’s Revolution hate and kill mages every bit as much and often as they do aristos – made much simpler for VERY bloody meanings of the world simple – by the fact that so many of the aristos ARE mages who have been using their magical power to increase their political and socio-economic power for centuries.
Ardainne, just like France, was ripe for some kind of plucking. Our story begins with Marquese Enid d’Tancreville, running before the wind and away from the Theocrats (just call them Rats because EVERYONE does) now in charge of the Revolution, on an Albion merchant ship that is outmanned and outgunned but nevertheless rescued in the nick of time by Captain Rue Nath and his outclassed frigate, the Alarum.
Once the smoke clears, Nath is victorious but in need of a replacement Magister – meaning Ship’s Mage – as his previous ‘Spells’ died in the recent skirmish. Enid needs a better protected way to Albion, so that she can offer her services to people who are at least doing something about the filth that has taken over her beloved homeland.
Nath and Enid strike a win-win bargain – she’ll become his temporary new Magister, he’ll convey her and her worldly goods to the place where she intended to go, and in the meantime the Alarum will at least be able to fight if another Rat ship finds them on the open sea.
And thereby, as that very old saying goes, hangs an absolutely marvelous tale of wooden ships, iron men and women, deeds of derring-do and dastardly betrayals from within.
Escape Rating A+: The Napoleonic Wars absolutely are the gift that keeps on giving, at least in the fictional sense. You’ve even seen and or read plenty of stories that used it as a base – even if some of those stories hide the base pretty well.
But one of the most respected AND popular ‘spin offs’ from this particular war is the Aubrey and Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian that begins with Master and Commander, where Jack Aubrey is in the exact same position as Rue Nath – he’s the commander of a ship, called ‘Captain’ by courtesy while in command, but whose true rank is Lieutenant. The journey of the first book in both series is for the ‘Captain’ by courtesy title to make ‘Post’ – to be commissioned as a Captain by rank and clamber onto first rung of the ladder to the Admiralty.
Both the Honor Harrington series by David Weber and the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik used Aubrey and Maturin as their jumping off points, taking their inspiration from the Napoleonic wars into SF (Weber) and fantasy (Novik, but with dragons).
One of the things that the Aubrey and Maturin series did extremely well, that is absolutely a part of The Price of Redemption, is the way that the story takes the reader through the perspective of a previously (land)lubberly point of view character – Enid here and Maturin in the original series – and uses their instruction by beautifully descriptive but still fascinating details to draw the reader into the arcane mysteries of the sea.
The story, the part that keeps the reader frantically turning pages, is, on the one hand, the story of the plucky underdog – in this case Albion – fighting the mighty empire of Ardainne. On the other hand, it’s a very intimate story about one man’s fight to protect his crew, his career, and his country against all comers – particularly the forces arrayed against them all. And on the third hand, possibly the one on the rudder steering this ship, the story of a woman desperate to find a new place in the world – one from which she can strike a blow at her own enemies, find a new perspective on what she left behind that brought her and her country to this terrible pass, and a help create a future that she can live on, and with, and into.
It’s marvelous and riveting and a compulsive page-turner every single league of its way. That this story is not over yet, that there are two more books on the horizon for this cast and crew, is the absolute best news any reader could possibly receive.
Originally published at Reading Reality
Because the war between the Ardainne and Albion is absolutely a rehash of the Napoleonic Wars, with Ardainne serving at the post-Revolutionary French complete with their own version of a revolution, and Albion, naturally, sailing in for the Brits holding the line to protect their status quo.
Which is when this particular take on that old conflict gets fascinating, fantastic and utterly magical. Because Ardainne’s Theocratic Revolution throws a religious crusade on top of the class warfare, and marries fanatics straight out of the Spanish Inquisition to Madame Defarge cackling at the feet of Madame Guillotine.
The equivalent of the sans culottes in this world’s Revolution hate and kill mages every bit as much and often as they do aristos – made much simpler for VERY bloody meanings of the world simple – by the fact that so many of the aristos ARE mages who have been using their magical power to increase their political and socio-economic power for centuries.
Ardainne, just like France, was ripe for some kind of plucking. Our story begins with Marquese Enid d’Tancreville, running before the wind and away from the Theocrats (just call them Rats because EVERYONE does) now in charge of the Revolution, on an Albion merchant ship that is outmanned and outgunned but nevertheless rescued in the nick of time by Captain Rue Nath and his outclassed frigate, the Alarum.
Once the smoke clears, Nath is victorious but in need of a replacement Magister – meaning Ship’s Mage – as his previous ‘Spells’ died in the recent skirmish. Enid needs a better protected way to Albion, so that she can offer her services to people who are at least doing something about the filth that has taken over her beloved homeland.
Nath and Enid strike a win-win bargain – she’ll become his temporary new Magister, he’ll convey her and her worldly goods to the place where she intended to go, and in the meantime the Alarum will at least be able to fight if another Rat ship finds them on the open sea.
And thereby, as that very old saying goes, hangs an absolutely marvelous tale of wooden ships, iron men and women, deeds of derring-do and dastardly betrayals from within.
Escape Rating A+: The Napoleonic Wars absolutely are the gift that keeps on giving, at least in the fictional sense. You’ve even seen and or read plenty of stories that used it as a base – even if some of those stories hide the base pretty well.
But one of the most respected AND popular ‘spin offs’ from this particular war is the Aubrey and Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian that begins with Master and Commander, where Jack Aubrey is in the exact same position as Rue Nath – he’s the commander of a ship, called ‘Captain’ by courtesy while in command, but whose true rank is Lieutenant. The journey of the first book in both series is for the ‘Captain’ by courtesy title to make ‘Post’ – to be commissioned as a Captain by rank and clamber onto first rung of the ladder to the Admiralty.
Both the Honor Harrington series by David Weber and the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik used Aubrey and Maturin as their jumping off points, taking their inspiration from the Napoleonic wars into SF (Weber) and fantasy (Novik, but with dragons).
One of the things that the Aubrey and Maturin series did extremely well, that is absolutely a part of The Price of Redemption, is the way that the story takes the reader through the perspective of a previously (land)lubberly point of view character – Enid here and Maturin in the original series – and uses their instruction by beautifully descriptive but still fascinating details to draw the reader into the arcane mysteries of the sea.
The story, the part that keeps the reader frantically turning pages, is, on the one hand, the story of the plucky underdog – in this case Albion – fighting the mighty empire of Ardainne. On the other hand, it’s a very intimate story about one man’s fight to protect his crew, his career, and his country against all comers – particularly the forces arrayed against them all. And on the third hand, possibly the one on the rudder steering this ship, the story of a woman desperate to find a new place in the world – one from which she can strike a blow at her own enemies, find a new perspective on what she left behind that brought her and her country to this terrible pass, and a help create a future that she can live on, and with, and into.
It’s marvelous and riveting and a compulsive page-turner every single league of its way. That this story is not over yet, that there are two more books on the horizon for this cast and crew, is the absolute best news any reader could possibly receive.
Originally published at Reading Reality
September 24, 2024
Cannons, ship mages, political upheaval, naval rivalry, characters you want to win and villains you want to boo, all with a very queer friendly whipped cream and cherry topping? This book delivers.
This is a newly published work and the debut novel of Shawn Carpenter. At 368 pages, The Price of Redemption is a solid read, introducing us to the beginning of the Tides of Magic series and its unique world of mage-craft and seafaring. Readers are treated to a map, glossary, informative article, and labeled illustration of a frigate to orient them to the sailor terms and ranks. The prose is decadent. The book doesn’t follow trite predictability, and, best of all, the characters are developed, layered, and I definitely look forward to seeing them again in the next book.
By and large, this book sated things I didn’t even realize I was starved for. Just… (Chef kiss!)
I was very fortunate to stumble on this book at all, and through the capricious channels of Discord, no less. Thrown into a promo area, I gave it a look over, decided the idea of a mage and captain thrown into close quarters among political upheaval interesting, and purchased a paperback copy.
First off, I’m going to lavish my attention on the characters, and why I’m eager to see them in action again soon. The Price of Redemption showcases a well-formed cast, good, bad, and in between, with people who are easy to love, and people who we love to hate. Even side characters are not the usual paper cut-outs to fill space. We often experience perception shifts to other surprising points of view and get great insights from the outside looking in on the political landscape (seascape?) and our protagonist odd duo.
And what a duo they are! First up, the Marquese Enid d’Tancreville.
Enid is a layered onion. She’s a noble with a lot to be bitter over, and is overall an intimidating mage with a tongue as sharp as her sword. (Her verbal eviscerations in the book are great fun!) But at the same time, we can see she’s not callous nor unsympathetic. She is on a major turn in her life with only a vague idea of her direction, and readers get to be on the journey of discovery with her. And what a good voyage she takes us on! Enid is no wilting poppet. She is fiercely educated with a vice for learning, is devout, protective, and we get to see the incremental evolution of her thinking and character, and that has made me adore her.
Also the magic craft she possesses is cool as Puck, described in very scientific formulas. I love a good magic system! This one’s top notch, and this book has given us but a peek into what I’m sure is just the tip of the iceberg.
And, oh, Captain, my Captain!
If you’re looking for the standard, tall, rugged stoic or devilish captain with a lush velvet-clad cabin and feather bed, there are plenty of those in other fictitious works, some of them very fabulous. In my mind, Lieutenant Commander Rue Nath supersedes them all.
Rue captured my attention first paragraph. You can instantly see he is a fantastic leader, like the kind you always wish you could get for a boss or project manager. He is so enthusiastic about his crew, and that alone would secure my adoration. But he is also intelligent, good-hearted, eager to teach and promote, and, nnf—You’re gonna love this guy.
And, finally, we receive some well-earned diversity from tall and rugged. Nath is a Short King Extraordinaire, and it is fun seeing this sharp bird solve problems and navigate bad straits.
Now, to the prose!
This book has some superb word smithing. I haven’t gotten to lap up such diversity in language in some time, and it has reminded me why I love our baffling English. It’s a banquet of oft forgotten words and nautical language. The prose echoes the pattern of speech of the era without being ostentatious or overbearing in length, striking a good balance for world immersion without losing legibility.
And a novel that enthusiastically demonstrates a world of queer and gender equality? (Clutches colorful goblin heart-space, swooning.) It’s a glimpse into what that could look like if those bigotries didn’t exist. It’s so standard in the world, it’s not even noteworthy in many cases because it is so normal there, and the book just pulls it off with such smooth ease.
Now, Nuts and Bolts!
This book is traditionally published, and they did their good work on editing. You’re not going to find any sloppy grammar or prose here. There are interesting shifts in POV at times, but they only help to enrich.
The ending left me pleased as punch. While not all issues are resolved, we still get a delightful triumph. The remaining conflicts set up for the next book grandly, so I was left satisfied, but hungry for more. Tides of Magic has an expansive world build, things hinted at and mentioned that I am confident will surface over the horizon in the future.
I may not know where the next cruise will take us, but I’m all aboard.
Big Goblin Lick of approval! Check this one out. It’s a tasty read.
This is a newly published work and the debut novel of Shawn Carpenter. At 368 pages, The Price of Redemption is a solid read, introducing us to the beginning of the Tides of Magic series and its unique world of mage-craft and seafaring. Readers are treated to a map, glossary, informative article, and labeled illustration of a frigate to orient them to the sailor terms and ranks. The prose is decadent. The book doesn’t follow trite predictability, and, best of all, the characters are developed, layered, and I definitely look forward to seeing them again in the next book.
By and large, this book sated things I didn’t even realize I was starved for. Just… (Chef kiss!)
I was very fortunate to stumble on this book at all, and through the capricious channels of Discord, no less. Thrown into a promo area, I gave it a look over, decided the idea of a mage and captain thrown into close quarters among political upheaval interesting, and purchased a paperback copy.
First off, I’m going to lavish my attention on the characters, and why I’m eager to see them in action again soon. The Price of Redemption showcases a well-formed cast, good, bad, and in between, with people who are easy to love, and people who we love to hate. Even side characters are not the usual paper cut-outs to fill space. We often experience perception shifts to other surprising points of view and get great insights from the outside looking in on the political landscape (seascape?) and our protagonist odd duo.
And what a duo they are! First up, the Marquese Enid d’Tancreville.
Enid is a layered onion. She’s a noble with a lot to be bitter over, and is overall an intimidating mage with a tongue as sharp as her sword. (Her verbal eviscerations in the book are great fun!) But at the same time, we can see she’s not callous nor unsympathetic. She is on a major turn in her life with only a vague idea of her direction, and readers get to be on the journey of discovery with her. And what a good voyage she takes us on! Enid is no wilting poppet. She is fiercely educated with a vice for learning, is devout, protective, and we get to see the incremental evolution of her thinking and character, and that has made me adore her.
Also the magic craft she possesses is cool as Puck, described in very scientific formulas. I love a good magic system! This one’s top notch, and this book has given us but a peek into what I’m sure is just the tip of the iceberg.
And, oh, Captain, my Captain!
If you’re looking for the standard, tall, rugged stoic or devilish captain with a lush velvet-clad cabin and feather bed, there are plenty of those in other fictitious works, some of them very fabulous. In my mind, Lieutenant Commander Rue Nath supersedes them all.
Rue captured my attention first paragraph. You can instantly see he is a fantastic leader, like the kind you always wish you could get for a boss or project manager. He is so enthusiastic about his crew, and that alone would secure my adoration. But he is also intelligent, good-hearted, eager to teach and promote, and, nnf—You’re gonna love this guy.
And, finally, we receive some well-earned diversity from tall and rugged. Nath is a Short King Extraordinaire, and it is fun seeing this sharp bird solve problems and navigate bad straits.
Now, to the prose!
This book has some superb word smithing. I haven’t gotten to lap up such diversity in language in some time, and it has reminded me why I love our baffling English. It’s a banquet of oft forgotten words and nautical language. The prose echoes the pattern of speech of the era without being ostentatious or overbearing in length, striking a good balance for world immersion without losing legibility.
And a novel that enthusiastically demonstrates a world of queer and gender equality? (Clutches colorful goblin heart-space, swooning.) It’s a glimpse into what that could look like if those bigotries didn’t exist. It’s so standard in the world, it’s not even noteworthy in many cases because it is so normal there, and the book just pulls it off with such smooth ease.
Now, Nuts and Bolts!
This book is traditionally published, and they did their good work on editing. You’re not going to find any sloppy grammar or prose here. There are interesting shifts in POV at times, but they only help to enrich.
The ending left me pleased as punch. While not all issues are resolved, we still get a delightful triumph. The remaining conflicts set up for the next book grandly, so I was left satisfied, but hungry for more. Tides of Magic has an expansive world build, things hinted at and mentioned that I am confident will surface over the horizon in the future.
I may not know where the next cruise will take us, but I’m all aboard.
Big Goblin Lick of approval! Check this one out. It’s a tasty read.
February 13, 2025
The Price of Redemption, Shawn Carpenter. Probably around 110-115,000 words.
3 or 3.5 stars.
I picked this book up from the "new arrivals" section at my local library because I felt like I read too many comics and needed to pick up a real book. Which is probably a good thing, because I'm not sure I would've finished it if I hadn't had a looming deadline over my head. Or at least not in any kind of timely fashion. Not the most riveting thing I've ever read, but I was definitely interested for most of it. I mean, I finished it! I very rarely truly dnf things though so it's not a very high bar.
It was a bit slow, as in it felt like I was halfway through the book and yet nothing had really happened, but that doesn't mean it wasn't entertaining to some degree. Dialogue was witty. Most of the nautical references went over my head (straight through my sails..? over my sails..?) but that made it entertaining, in its own way.
Setting was interesting, by which I mean life on a ship and such. I looked at the map at the beginning and went "Hey... That's just Europe drawn by a drunk person!" Not to mention the countries are truly analogous to their real world counterparts, down to the etymology of the names. Another thing about the map-- it was totally useless! Over half the countries on the map are never mentioned, not even just the name. If I understood correctly, we spend most of the book in the Merentian (mediterranean) sea, and you really only need to know where Albion, Naverona, and Ardainne are. I guess that wouldn't make a very captivating map... but that doesn't have any effect on my rating, I'm just putting it out there.
I felt a little confused with how the magic system worked, especially at the beginning. Exposition felt heavyhanded, when it was there, although I did like to learn about magic by way of Enid teaching the mids. (I was so confused though because nowhere does it say salamanders are like a spirit and not the animal. figured actual salamanders showed up and didn't realize that wasn't the case until I had to google a word and realized it was some kind of spirit and the salamanders must be of the same ilk)
If I ever see the sequel around, I'll pick it up. The story felt a little unfinished-- not sloppily done (I actually feel like the ending was the strongest part of the book, which is ironic because you have to kind of wade through the rest of it to get there)-- but brimming with untapped potential. It didn't really start picking up steam until like 3/4 of the way through, which is a shame. If the sequel is written like the last quarter of the book it'll be a better read than this one. I don't regret reading it, though, and everything about it (the story, the characters, the world) COULD be great in a way this first book didn't hit the mark on. Not sure I'd read it again, but not something I regret using a couple hours of my life on.
The map just being Europe if you squint still cracks me up.
3 or 3.5 stars.
I picked this book up from the "new arrivals" section at my local library because I felt like I read too many comics and needed to pick up a real book. Which is probably a good thing, because I'm not sure I would've finished it if I hadn't had a looming deadline over my head. Or at least not in any kind of timely fashion. Not the most riveting thing I've ever read, but I was definitely interested for most of it. I mean, I finished it! I very rarely truly dnf things though so it's not a very high bar.
It was a bit slow, as in it felt like I was halfway through the book and yet nothing had really happened, but that doesn't mean it wasn't entertaining to some degree. Dialogue was witty. Most of the nautical references went over my head (straight through my sails..? over my sails..?) but that made it entertaining, in its own way.
Setting was interesting, by which I mean life on a ship and such. I looked at the map at the beginning and went "Hey... That's just Europe drawn by a drunk person!" Not to mention the countries are truly analogous to their real world counterparts, down to the etymology of the names. Another thing about the map-- it was totally useless! Over half the countries on the map are never mentioned, not even just the name. If I understood correctly, we spend most of the book in the Merentian (mediterranean) sea, and you really only need to know where Albion, Naverona, and Ardainne are. I guess that wouldn't make a very captivating map... but that doesn't have any effect on my rating, I'm just putting it out there.
I felt a little confused with how the magic system worked, especially at the beginning. Exposition felt heavyhanded, when it was there, although I did like to learn about magic by way of Enid teaching the mids. (I was so confused though because nowhere does it say salamanders are like a spirit and not the animal. figured actual salamanders showed up and didn't realize that wasn't the case until I had to google a word and realized it was some kind of spirit and the salamanders must be of the same ilk)
If I ever see the sequel around, I'll pick it up. The story felt a little unfinished-- not sloppily done (I actually feel like the ending was the strongest part of the book, which is ironic because you have to kind of wade through the rest of it to get there)-- but brimming with untapped potential. It didn't really start picking up steam until like 3/4 of the way through, which is a shame. If the sequel is written like the last quarter of the book it'll be a better read than this one. I don't regret reading it, though, and everything about it (the story, the characters, the world) COULD be great in a way this first book didn't hit the mark on. Not sure I'd read it again, but not something I regret using a couple hours of my life on.
The map just being Europe if you squint still cracks me up.
July 4, 2024
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
The Price of Redemption by Shawn Carpenter is a third person multi-POV fantasy set aboard a naval ship. When the sorceress Marquese Enid d’Tancreville is forced on the run from the Theocratic Revolution that killed her family, she is brought onto an enemy ship to take the place of their sorcerer who died in battle. But the Revolution isn't far behind and Enid’s ability to hear ghosts is not welcome on the high seas.
What I liked most was the elemental magic system. Through Enid’s lessons for some of the younger members of the Alarum, we learn more about how undines are used for water magic and salamanders for fire magic. There's hints of a deeper, older history behind the magical theory that help flesh the system out and make things feel more lived in without feeling like an info-dump. The ability to communicate with ghosts was especially interesting to me; I wouldn't have expected for sailors to be against people who could hear the dead, but the in-world explanation of the sea being full of the dead did make sense.
Enid and Merryweather's slowburn Sapphic relationship was a delightful surprise. I wasn't expecting it when I requested the ARC and was even prepared for Enid and Rur Nath, the commander of the Alarum, to have a romantic dalliance, but we instead got Merryweather making her intentions known and Enid receiving them after she rejected the attentions of a few others.
A decent chunk of the narrative is sharing language with people from different cultures. Enid comes from a very different background than the rest of the cast, both culturally and professionally, and how they use idioms and metaphors doesn't always match. Merryweather herself comes from an island nation opposed to the others and Rue Nath’s family has been cursed to have the opposite of whatever their name is come their way (for instance, if one was named Rich, they would always be poor). Language is played with a lot and it can take a bit of recalibrating at times but it's never overwhelming or alienating.
I would recommend this to fans of naval fantasies, readers who love books with elemental magic, and those looking for a linguistic focus and a Sapphic romance in a bigger plot about escaping a revolution.
The Price of Redemption by Shawn Carpenter is a third person multi-POV fantasy set aboard a naval ship. When the sorceress Marquese Enid d’Tancreville is forced on the run from the Theocratic Revolution that killed her family, she is brought onto an enemy ship to take the place of their sorcerer who died in battle. But the Revolution isn't far behind and Enid’s ability to hear ghosts is not welcome on the high seas.
What I liked most was the elemental magic system. Through Enid’s lessons for some of the younger members of the Alarum, we learn more about how undines are used for water magic and salamanders for fire magic. There's hints of a deeper, older history behind the magical theory that help flesh the system out and make things feel more lived in without feeling like an info-dump. The ability to communicate with ghosts was especially interesting to me; I wouldn't have expected for sailors to be against people who could hear the dead, but the in-world explanation of the sea being full of the dead did make sense.
Enid and Merryweather's slowburn Sapphic relationship was a delightful surprise. I wasn't expecting it when I requested the ARC and was even prepared for Enid and Rur Nath, the commander of the Alarum, to have a romantic dalliance, but we instead got Merryweather making her intentions known and Enid receiving them after she rejected the attentions of a few others.
A decent chunk of the narrative is sharing language with people from different cultures. Enid comes from a very different background than the rest of the cast, both culturally and professionally, and how they use idioms and metaphors doesn't always match. Merryweather herself comes from an island nation opposed to the others and Rue Nath’s family has been cursed to have the opposite of whatever their name is come their way (for instance, if one was named Rich, they would always be poor). Language is played with a lot and it can take a bit of recalibrating at times but it's never overwhelming or alienating.
I would recommend this to fans of naval fantasies, readers who love books with elemental magic, and those looking for a linguistic focus and a Sapphic romance in a bigger plot about escaping a revolution.
July 12, 2025
I first picked up this book because the cover boasted that it was perfect for fans of the Temeraire series and I thought "That's me! I'm fans of the Temeraire series!"
Is this book perfect for fans of the Temeraire series? In some ways! It is, for instance, a fantasy naval story set during events of European history around the turn of the 19th century. The Temeraire series is the Napoleonic Wars with dragons, and Tides of Magic seems to be set about a decade earlier and is The French Revolution with magic, in which one of the Adrain (French) aristocrats manages to escape her country and joins a Albion (British) ship to fight against the theocracy who've turned her country into a site of terror.
That's about where the similarities end, however. Anyone who hopes for extremely sweet relationships between characters (like a man and his dragon), or any sort of real in-depth character introspection and growth might be disappointed. I, in fact, found the characters to be somewhat flat (though Enid does seem to be on the same sort of path of discovery as Laurence in realizing that the ideals she was brought up with might not be wholly accurate).
Carpenter also has the annoying habit of having his characters explain terms that anyone can google -- the most egregious example being near the beginning of the novel where a captain is explaining basic naval battle terms to his landlubber passenger in the middle of a battle. "What's a broadside, lady? Well, see how the enemy is firing their canons at us? That's a broadside!" As someone who's read a fair amount of golden age of sail fiction at this point, I found it both distracting and annoying. This was just as clumsily done in describing the magic system throughout the novel, though slightly less infuriating because it's not something anyone can google.
ALL THAT BEING SAID, I did enjoy this novel, and will probably pick up the next one when it comes out. Carpenter's prose is, in general, easy to read and pleasurable (though I don't love omniscient third-person perspective). And while the story is super slow, I don't mind the slowness for all that? A solid effort overall.
Also, unexpected Gay is always a plus in my books.
Is this book perfect for fans of the Temeraire series? In some ways! It is, for instance, a fantasy naval story set during events of European history around the turn of the 19th century. The Temeraire series is the Napoleonic Wars with dragons, and Tides of Magic seems to be set about a decade earlier and is The French Revolution with magic, in which one of the Adrain (French) aristocrats manages to escape her country and joins a Albion (British) ship to fight against the theocracy who've turned her country into a site of terror.
That's about where the similarities end, however. Anyone who hopes for extremely sweet relationships between characters (like a man and his dragon), or any sort of real in-depth character introspection and growth might be disappointed. I, in fact, found the characters to be somewhat flat (though Enid does seem to be on the same sort of path of discovery as Laurence in realizing that the ideals she was brought up with might not be wholly accurate).
Carpenter also has the annoying habit of having his characters explain terms that anyone can google -- the most egregious example being near the beginning of the novel where a captain is explaining basic naval battle terms to his landlubber passenger in the middle of a battle. "What's a broadside, lady? Well, see how the enemy is firing their canons at us? That's a broadside!" As someone who's read a fair amount of golden age of sail fiction at this point, I found it both distracting and annoying. This was just as clumsily done in describing the magic system throughout the novel, though slightly less infuriating because it's not something anyone can google.
ALL THAT BEING SAID, I did enjoy this novel, and will probably pick up the next one when it comes out. Carpenter's prose is, in general, easy to read and pleasurable (though I don't love omniscient third-person perspective). And while the story is super slow, I don't mind the slowness for all that? A solid effort overall.
Also, unexpected Gay is always a plus in my books.
October 31, 2023
A compulsively-readable fantasy spin on the Master & Commander genre--but also so much more! There's plenty of cannon-fire and magic-wielding, but what makes this book special is one thing: the growing friendship between the proud, ambitious Captain and the determined, fish-out-of-water (although very much on the water), vengeful ship's Magister. They blast baddies ... and bond over playwrights and the education of the young midshipmen (who are, in fact, midshippeople; a lovely, idiosyncratic take on gender equality runs through this) and their competence in their own fields. They complement each other so well. But what makes this book special is one thing: the language. Carpenter keeps everything extremely understandable, and yet his fondness for period language shines through to wonderful effect. That stuff can fall pretttty flat but here it never does. And every now and then (too rarely!), Carpenter indulges himself for a sentence or two and the results are inevitably spectacular. But what really makes this book special is one thing: the naval warfare, which is depicted with so much detail and expertise that the stakes are always clear and the thrill is always, cruelly, making it impossible to put the book down. I don't think of 'Age of Sail' battles as being chock full of reversals and feints, trickery and cleverness--I think of them as slow and plodding. Or at least I did. But the cleverness behind the stratagems in Price of Redemption is so satisfying, and the terrible damage that metal balls propelled at high velocities (and magic that extracts a terrible cost) cause to wood and flesh is incredibly vivid. But what really makes this book special is one thing: the worldbuilding. From life on the ship to the contention between nations, from minor elements of magic to strange superstitions of the Admiralty, and from character to character to character to character, this books simply takes flight.
In short, there's just one thing that makes this book special, but despite that it's a MUST READ!
In short, there's just one thing that makes this book special, but despite that it's a MUST READ!
July 12, 2024
THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION is an intriguing historical fiction with a dash of magic. The story takes place on the high seas in the midst of a war, during the Theocratic Revolution. Enid was a Marquese who fled by merchant ship to escape her own demise at the hand of the revolutionaries. When the merchant ship is besieged by conflicting war ships, she uses her magical training to help, though even that is not enough. When the Albions emerge the victor and take the merchant ship, Enid is offered a deal by their young captain/commander, Nath, as the ship's mage.
Since she was in the process of fleeing to Albion and not having terribly much choice, she accepts the bargain, temporarily at least, and enters the war on the seas.
Overall, I found the characters compelling with most of the perspectives being from Nath and Enid's points-of-view. They were interesting characters and had their own stories to tell as they traverse the seas. The story moves quickly with plenty of action and side characters to keep it interesting and the pages turning. The war setting really adds a lot into the plot, and while it could have been long days at sea, there's plenty going on as they travel. In the quieter times, there are some great romances building as well as other relationships/friendships that kept the story feeling well-paced.
The story does get a bit bogged down in the details of ships and things related to the seas, without much of the broader context for the world that would really make the story grow. It felt limited in that way, and I would have loved to see more of the cultures, learn about the magic system, and understand the ongoing conflicts better. As it was, I felt like I learned a lot about boats, but it was also easy to get lost in all that information.
THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION was a compelling historical fiction with a dash of magic that I am looking forward to continuing with future books in the series. Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Since she was in the process of fleeing to Albion and not having terribly much choice, she accepts the bargain, temporarily at least, and enters the war on the seas.
Overall, I found the characters compelling with most of the perspectives being from Nath and Enid's points-of-view. They were interesting characters and had their own stories to tell as they traverse the seas. The story moves quickly with plenty of action and side characters to keep it interesting and the pages turning. The war setting really adds a lot into the plot, and while it could have been long days at sea, there's plenty going on as they travel. In the quieter times, there are some great romances building as well as other relationships/friendships that kept the story feeling well-paced.
The story does get a bit bogged down in the details of ships and things related to the seas, without much of the broader context for the world that would really make the story grow. It felt limited in that way, and I would have loved to see more of the cultures, learn about the magic system, and understand the ongoing conflicts better. As it was, I felt like I learned a lot about boats, but it was also easy to get lost in all that information.
THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION was a compelling historical fiction with a dash of magic that I am looking forward to continuing with future books in the series. Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
August 16, 2024
I wanted to like this one. I just came off a three year pirate-themed DnD campaign and the summary sounded appealing. However I found the characterizations flat, the plot predictable, and the pacing slow. I remarked to a friend that I found the characterization of the main character baffling, as if having a woman protagonist excuses you from allegations of sexism. And yet most of her descriptions resolve around her breasts, boobs, or her downright dour personality. I support women's wrongs, but I found it difficult to like our protagonist, who seemed unable to make up her mind on who she wanted to be and instead fell into a sort of flat caricature of a rich, stuck-up noble.
This should have been historical fiction. It is insulting to pretend otherwise, when your fantasy map is just Europe with more squiggly lines, and the stereotypes so strong that even without a map I could have told you the country they were imitating. There is no subtlety in it either- the Theocratic Revolution is simply the French Revolution. This "fantasy" world is simply the one we live in with random magic thrown in. I do not believe the magic elements added much to this book either.
I enjoyed the premise and I believe it had promise. I simply do not believe this one delivered for me. We all start somewhere though! I believe Shawn has promise, and I would not be opposed to reading more from him in the future.
This should have been historical fiction. It is insulting to pretend otherwise, when your fantasy map is just Europe with more squiggly lines, and the stereotypes so strong that even without a map I could have told you the country they were imitating. There is no subtlety in it either- the Theocratic Revolution is simply the French Revolution. This "fantasy" world is simply the one we live in with random magic thrown in. I do not believe the magic elements added much to this book either.
I enjoyed the premise and I believe it had promise. I simply do not believe this one delivered for me. We all start somewhere though! I believe Shawn has promise, and I would not be opposed to reading more from him in the future.
October 15, 2024
2.5/5 rounded down
Lets get out of the way what the 2 stars represent
1 star: the vocabulary! I was so caught off guard by the vocabulary that every chapter I had a vocabulary list where I essentially listed every vocabulary word I didn't know. Every chapter was 20+ vocabulary words, resulting in a grand total of 369. Of course, that includes some repeated words but for the very reason that there is over 350 words I did not know that was annoying sometimes when I just wanted to read and sink into the plot but could not due to verbosity. However, there is a glossary in fact. In the end.
Maybe I am an inexperienced reader but how was I supposed to know that? It is not innate to check the end of the book! Moreso, the map is in the beginning of the book of course the glossary would follow after or maybe even a table of contents. Nonetheless the glossary was all maritime wording.
The .5 is out of pity, because I debated heavily if it should be a 3 star but my gut said a 2.5. I hate to rate a book that low because I hold no hate or resentment.
It felt very lethargy, the world-building was too slow, the character had little to no development, the plot of the WHOLE book could have been done in 150 pages. There was no reason to drag it out 200 more pages.
With that said will I be reading the second? I am unsure as the ending felt like it could be easily resolved within 2 chapters but knowing this series it will be 12 chapters with hardly an energetic resolve.
Lets get out of the way what the 2 stars represent
1 star: the vocabulary! I was so caught off guard by the vocabulary that every chapter I had a vocabulary list where I essentially listed every vocabulary word I didn't know. Every chapter was 20+ vocabulary words, resulting in a grand total of 369. Of course, that includes some repeated words but for the very reason that there is over 350 words I did not know that was annoying sometimes when I just wanted to read and sink into the plot but could not due to verbosity. However, there is a glossary in fact. In the end.
Maybe I am an inexperienced reader but how was I supposed to know that? It is not innate to check the end of the book! Moreso, the map is in the beginning of the book of course the glossary would follow after or maybe even a table of contents. Nonetheless the glossary was all maritime wording.
The .5 is out of pity, because I debated heavily if it should be a 3 star but my gut said a 2.5. I hate to rate a book that low because I hold no hate or resentment.
It felt very lethargy, the world-building was too slow, the character had little to no development, the plot of the WHOLE book could have been done in 150 pages. There was no reason to drag it out 200 more pages.
With that said will I be reading the second? I am unsure as the ending felt like it could be easily resolved within 2 chapters but knowing this series it will be 12 chapters with hardly an energetic resolve.
May 23, 2024
I like being swept away for a nautical adventure, be it by pirate ship, naval frigate, or raft, so when the tides of magic came into port, I was only happy to come aboard for The Price of Redemption. Captain and crew take the reader into battles, but through the eyes of the newest officer, the mage whom the commander of the frigate Alarum rescues and enlists into service, even novices in the life aboard a naval ship can learn of the ways of the sea. The dynamic between the mage (and Marquese) , Enid and the ship's commander Nath add another dimension to the story. Both are interesting in their own ways and by the end of the book, I still felt that we have merely scratched the surface of their allure. I relished every page of this first tome of the series and am eagerly awaiting the continuation of the series. This would be a great read for anyone who enjoys adventure tales be they on land, sea or sky since the author makes it easy to pick up the jargon as the sailors explain things to Enid or thru the index and glossary provided for reference at the end of the book.
I received advanced access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, Saga Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
I received advanced access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, Saga Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
July 23, 2024
Okay this one was a first for me. By that, I mean a first that had a mix of politics and a bit of magic fantasy.
We follow the story of a sorceress, her name is Enid. In beginning her boat has been captured and the story turns for what we think is the worst, but comes out to benefit her.
I loved how this story gave me some fantasy in it and not all politics. I think that is what really helped me to stay within the story. If not, it would have dragged for me. That being said!…..The narrative writing however really didn’t suit me as much as I thought it would. Felt like it was adding in too much. Less is more, as they say.
THEMES: revenge, drama, courage,secrets
ELEMENTS: Politics, seawars,
As for someone who hates political fiction books, somehow I kinda enjoy this story. Could have it been written a bit better? YES! But I still enjoyed the characters and imagery.
Thank you SagaPress for this free digital copy of the book. I am always pleased to receive free books and read them.
We follow the story of a sorceress, her name is Enid. In beginning her boat has been captured and the story turns for what we think is the worst, but comes out to benefit her.
I loved how this story gave me some fantasy in it and not all politics. I think that is what really helped me to stay within the story. If not, it would have dragged for me. That being said!…..The narrative writing however really didn’t suit me as much as I thought it would. Felt like it was adding in too much. Less is more, as they say.
THEMES: revenge, drama, courage,secrets
ELEMENTS: Politics, seawars,
As for someone who hates political fiction books, somehow I kinda enjoy this story. Could have it been written a bit better? YES! But I still enjoyed the characters and imagery.
Thank you SagaPress for this free digital copy of the book. I am always pleased to receive free books and read them.
July 4, 2024
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. The world and concept for the story are really cool. We have magic on the open seas, privateers, and a revolution. I am fascinated by the world and the history. The magic was great, but maybe needed more explanation as to how it all worked.
I could not get into the characters, however. They all seemed to sound the same to me and while a few had their moments of distinction, I often had to double check when someone was talking. There were a few deaths that I saw happen but did not feel the loss. I also felt like there was a lot of info dumping happening, whether it be through narrative or dialogue (long dialogues to explain something). If that kind of thing does not bother you, however, I think this is an excellent read.
THREE AND A HALF STARS
Thank you to @sagapressbooks for my gifted ARC of the book. All thoughts are my own.
I could not get into the characters, however. They all seemed to sound the same to me and while a few had their moments of distinction, I often had to double check when someone was talking. There were a few deaths that I saw happen but did not feel the loss. I also felt like there was a lot of info dumping happening, whether it be through narrative or dialogue (long dialogues to explain something). If that kind of thing does not bother you, however, I think this is an excellent read.
THREE AND A HALF STARS
Thank you to @sagapressbooks for my gifted ARC of the book. All thoughts are my own.
September 22, 2024
The Price of Redemption is written with a confidence that most debut novels don't possess and I admire that. However I don't think the author took that boldness far enough and that's where that book falls flat for me. As a reader coming from the fantasy genre, rather than a nautical fiction background, I wanted more fantastical elements melded with the nautical. the magic was hardly unique and was not a major plot driver and the world was essentially Europe. this would have worked better for me if Shawn were more over the top with his theme and world instead of just prettifying the Royal Navy.
If you're more of a nautical reader and less invested in character development or fantastical elements this book will work better for you. It at least got me through a whole book filled with nautical jargon! But there's so much development that could have made this better
If you're more of a nautical reader and less invested in character development or fantastical elements this book will work better for you. It at least got me through a whole book filled with nautical jargon! But there's so much development that could have made this better
December 23, 2025
Grain of salt: I read this on the rebound from the book hangover from Queen Demon, and anything is going to pale in comparison.
As excited as I was about a queernorm Bloody Jack-style fantasy, this didn't sustain my interest throughout. This is at least the second queernorm fantasy I've read this year where the author clearly thought to add queer characters (yay!), but the worldbuilding gets incoherent around it. Would a queernorm, queer-accepting English navy that accepts women in the crew be as imperialist as the real version? I have doubts, because systems of oppression work together. I was also impatient with the "this is clearly the real world but with magic, so I've changed the names of the countries, but you can still clearly tell which is which." At this point, you may as well just call them England and France.
Interesting premise, hope to see more in this subgenre.
As excited as I was about a queernorm Bloody Jack-style fantasy, this didn't sustain my interest throughout. This is at least the second queernorm fantasy I've read this year where the author clearly thought to add queer characters (yay!), but the worldbuilding gets incoherent around it. Would a queernorm, queer-accepting English navy that accepts women in the crew be as imperialist as the real version? I have doubts, because systems of oppression work together. I was also impatient with the "this is clearly the real world but with magic, so I've changed the names of the countries, but you can still clearly tell which is which." At this point, you may as well just call them England and France.
Interesting premise, hope to see more in this subgenre.
May 31, 2024
Review: Well call me a sucker for High Seas battles with many buckles being swashed. This was a fun, albeit high in formal prose that spins verbosity to new heights.
Enid is a magister that is filled not only with vim and vinegar but is hotter than a two peckered billy goat. Sadly for the boys that tend to sniff her down, she is from the Isle of Lesbos. Her inner ruminations frequently shift to the saucy first mates pliant lips that fill her scarred face.
Captain Nath really steals the show and should drop Enid off at the nearest port. How he is not tired of a trending narcissist / psychopath after a few months is beyond-o. Still, a fun read that lost a star with poor characterization in the form of Enid.
4.1/5
Enid is a magister that is filled not only with vim and vinegar but is hotter than a two peckered billy goat. Sadly for the boys that tend to sniff her down, she is from the Isle of Lesbos. Her inner ruminations frequently shift to the saucy first mates pliant lips that fill her scarred face.
Captain Nath really steals the show and should drop Enid off at the nearest port. How he is not tired of a trending narcissist / psychopath after a few months is beyond-o. Still, a fun read that lost a star with poor characterization in the form of Enid.
4.1/5
December 17, 2024
This was a fantasy book that knows more about 18-19th century military sailing vessels than seems strictly necessary. However, it does give it a realism and level of authenticity that really moves the story along. I had to keep reminding myself that this is a fantasy book and I wouldn't be able to check to see how much of this "really happened."
The ship is full of great characters with interesting stories of their own. I hope to read another book in the series!
The ship is full of great characters with interesting stories of their own. I hope to read another book in the series!
October 28, 2024
The Price of Redemption is the first book in the Tides of Magic series and sadly this one was not for me. I was excited to read this one but the pacing was slow and at times the plot got confusing. The premise of the book was promising but I also did not enjoy having to look up every other word while reading this since it made it hard to understand. Overall this one was not for me sadly but if you like fantasy or pirates give it a read. Thank you to Saga Press Books for this one in exchange of my honest review of The Price of Redemption by Shawn Carpenter.
December 7, 2024
I think it was fine.
I mean, while growing up, I loved The Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and last year my favourite book (by far) was The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (and quite enjoyed Tress of the Emerald Sea as well). So I guess it's safe to say I'm a sucker for historical fantasy in a seafaring setting. I spotted this novel in the publisher's newsletter around the time it came out - I gathered that it's a 'mages on ships' story, which made it an instant addition to my TBR.
Unfortunately, the actual book isn't much more than that. It's really slow - which is fortunate for those who prefer slower, character-driven stories, but for my part, I wouldn't have objected a bit more action, to be honest. However, our characters are likeable, and this comradory on the boat holds a certain found family vibe that I just loved. There are a few scenes that are a bit more gruesome but the entire book was still an incredibly cozy experience for me.
I hope the sequel(s) will be more action-packed; and will explore more of the world and the magic system, they have potential.
I mean, while growing up, I loved The Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and last year my favourite book (by far) was The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (and quite enjoyed Tress of the Emerald Sea as well). So I guess it's safe to say I'm a sucker for historical fantasy in a seafaring setting. I spotted this novel in the publisher's newsletter around the time it came out - I gathered that it's a 'mages on ships' story, which made it an instant addition to my TBR.
Unfortunately, the actual book isn't much more than that. It's really slow - which is fortunate for those who prefer slower, character-driven stories, but for my part, I wouldn't have objected a bit more action, to be honest. However, our characters are likeable, and this comradory on the boat holds a certain found family vibe that I just loved. There are a few scenes that are a bit more gruesome but the entire book was still an incredibly cozy experience for me.
I hope the sequel(s) will be more action-packed; and will explore more of the world and the magic system, they have potential.
August 5, 2024
This book is excellent for the reader interested in the traditions and regulations of a fictional fantasy Navy, but for the average reader I feel this book may be too slow.
Overall the book is a decent introduction to the world, and clearly sets up future books. Personally, I will be checking the reviews of the sequel before biting.
Overall the book is a decent introduction to the world, and clearly sets up future books. Personally, I will be checking the reviews of the sequel before biting.
August 15, 2024
Delightful book
Wonderful book that was a page turner. Reads with the pleasant ease of a Jane Austen book. Couple places where I was sitting on the edge of my seat wondering how our characters were going to get out of their predicaments.
A new favorite of mine, strongly recommend.
Wonderful book that was a page turner. Reads with the pleasant ease of a Jane Austen book. Couple places where I was sitting on the edge of my seat wondering how our characters were going to get out of their predicaments.
A new favorite of mine, strongly recommend.
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