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Silver Lady: Travels Along the River Road

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“Sage has crafted a unique near–future, post–pandemic world where Art is vanishing and the world is chaotic. The Silver Lady drifts downriver in a dreamlike state, slipping through time and reality, past and present, in a world with ever–changing rules, making you question what is real...” –Lena Gibson, author of The Edge of Love and Survival During the Apocalypse

In a world teetering on the brink of collapse, Cassie, an older woman determined to savor a pre-apocalyptic vacation, finds herself at the helm of a luxury houseboat. As the looming shadow of civil war threatens society, Cassie’s journey along the might river becomes a transformative odyssey filled with magic, mystery, and self-discovery. To survive, Cassie must navigate the boat along with an eclectic group of fellow travelers.

When the river turns perilous, can Captain Cassie pilot the Silver Lady to its destination? Or does the Silver Lady have a will of her own?

Silver Lady weaves a captivating narrative that resonates with those who enjoy uncanny stories of the inexplicable, as well as connections formed on epic journeys. Will the river reveal its secrets, or will the puzzles confound the crew? Dive into the pages of Silver Lady and experience a magical mystery ride that transcends time and reality.

233 pages, Paperback

Published December 11, 2024

7 people are currently reading
4380 people want to read

About the author

Susan E. Sage

4 books296 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Susan E. Sage is an American novelist and poet. Three of her books are published with a fourth to be released in December 2024. She has received has received the Literary Titan Book Award for her novel, DANCING IN THE RING. It was also a 2024 finalist in the Global Book Awards, and a 2023 finalist in the American Writing Awards.

Susan received an English degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. During her college years, she began publishing her poetry, and was a recipient of WSU’s Tompkins Award in Creative Writing.

After moving to the Flint area, she became a certified teacher in Language Arts, and also completed graduate coursework at the University of Michigan-Flint. An educator for over twenty years, Susan has worn many hats: an adult education teacher, educational coordinator, as well as an academic interventionist at both the elementary and secondary levels. During her years at Carman-Ainsworth High School, she served as both sponsor of the creative writing club, as well as editor of its annual magazine. She has also been active in a group of local authors, Writers as Instructors.

Her novels include INSOMINY (2010), A MENTOR AND HER MUSE (2018), and DANCING IN THE RING (2023). Susan's fourth novel, SILVER LADY, will be available for pre-order in the fall of 2024.

Susan enjoys travelling and stargazing. She lives in Flushing, Michigan, with her husband, Tom, and two cats. They have a daughter, Sarah, who is also an author.





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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
Profile Image for Daniel Garwood.
Author 1 book22 followers
December 28, 2024
The bleak reality of May 2033 paints a harrowing picture. Three years after the Strangler Virus claimed nearly a billion lives worldwide, the USA is plunged into the depths of the Great Collapse. With sky-high prices, scarce goods and services, nightly curfews, and daily eruptions of violence, including riots, looting, and mass shootings, society is teetering on the brink. As the nation unravels, whispers of an impending civil war grow ever louder.

Retired teacher and doula Cassie Navrone leads an isolated life. Her once-strong friendships have faded, and her adult daughter Melanie, paralysed by fear of the plague and violence, seldom leaves her home. Yearning for adventure, Cassie seizes the opportunity to captain a houseboat, embarking on a journey to deliver the Silver Lady to its owner 2,000 miles downriver.

Cassie, determined to find companions for her adventure, advertises and conducts interviews. She selects two artistic couples and an intriguing single woman. Socialising is difficult for Captain Cassie after 3 years of isolation, but she tries to bond with her crew.

Although the Great Collapse is most evident in the cities, the spectre of violence haunts the riverbanks as well. The crew faces not only physical dangers but also the enigmatic Vanishing – a mysterious phenomenon where paintings, poetry, and stories disintegrate and vanish without a trace. Over the month-long journey, fantasy weaves seamlessly with realism.

Surrealism saturates the River Road, as the people, creatures, and places they encounter grow increasingly bizarre. Presented in a matter-of-fact manner, the bizarre elements are met with a curious calm by the crew, who barely react to the absurdity. Logic is abandoned, and time itself seems to warp and twist in this strange, dreamlike world.

Margot, a crew member in her early forties, is my favourite character. She's deeply in love with Vincent and, despite having lost her voice when she joins the boat, she brings beauty to the journey with her haunting flute melodies. Once a choreographer and dancer, she now mesmerises the crew with her music. My favourite riverbank oddity is the Land of Doze, where the crew spends a few nights in a haunted hotel with a pale pink façade and furnishings reminiscent of Victorian England.

In the acknowledgements, Susan suggests that ‘Silver Lady’ falls into the Magic Realism or Protopian genres – a classification I endorse. However, as in her work ‘A Mentor and Her Muse,’ which I adored, Susan's true brilliance shines through her profound character analysis. She meticulously reveals the thoughts and inner workings of all the main characters, offering readers unparalleled insight into their motivations and inner conflicts.

This is the third of Susan's books that has captivated me completely. It's a thrilling ride that will have you perched on the edge of your seat, breathlessly awaiting each twist and turn.
Profile Image for Nina Romano.
Author 35 books160 followers
September 11, 2025
Susan Sage has written an interesting premise using elements of magic realism. The setting of this novel is a river. She introduces us to a host of personalities, especially the protagonist, Cassie, the boat captain of the Silver Lady. I enjoyed her inimitable voice, nature, and disposition in what came across to me much of the time as interior monologue. While there isn’t a great deal of action, each passenger aboard the boat, as described by Cassie, is examined as an individual character study.

The writing seduces you like the river does with its lullaby ways of ebbing and flow. The atmosphere on the river portrays a moody feeling of the approaching doomsday or end of times, yet for some reason doesn’t come across as fearful—instead it seems as though everyone is accepting of it and living for the moment. For me this was a unique reading experience because I don’t usually select this genre. I found this to be a noteworthy, yet understated and restrained exploration into uncharted waters both for the author and for this reader.
Profile Image for Cori Samuel.
Author 62 books59 followers
December 4, 2025
Meditative and dreamlike roadtrip rivertrip, lovely reading.

Set in a near future US, where ongoing pandemics, violence and the threat of civil war are driving people into isolation and disconnection. Cassie, our main character, pushes back against her shrinking comfort zone by doing something rather outside it -- hiring on to captain a houseboat from its initial mooring to meet up with its owner a few weeks' down-river.

Despite the setting, this book is not particularly violent, and rather more remniscent of Alice in Wonderland, with strange happenings both significant as works of art and creativity start to vanish, and minor. If you like a well-explained dystopia, or a strong plot, this is probably not that book. It's decidedly weird, in a light and calm way ... yes, a poem you wrote three days ago may now have vanished from your notebook, but look at the sand sculptures there surviving the rain! and so on.

I enjoyed it very much, and might recommend it in particular to people who enjoyed I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger, for the generally positive tone, the near future dystopia, and a love-letter to life on the water.


This review is based upon a complimentary reading copy provided by the publisher.
Profile Image for Maria.
210 reviews
January 27, 2025
Silver Lady is such a magical and mysterious story! Cassie, an older woman, decides to take a vacation on a luxury houseboat, even though the world around her is falling apart. I loved how the Silver Lady, the houseboat, felt almost alive—it made me wonder if it had a mind of its own. For example, when the boat seems to guide Cassie and her crew through dangerous waters, I felt like I was right there with them, holding my breath.

The mix of magic and mystery kept me hooked, and I really connected with Cassie’s journey of self-discovery. It reminded me of times in my life when I felt lost but found strength in unexpected ways. This is the kind of book that makes you question what’s real and keeps you thinking long after you finish it. Highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Zea Perez.
Author 10 books58 followers
February 10, 2025
SILVER LADY BY SUSAN SAGE
A Book Review by Zea Perez
February 2025

It tells about the ‘vanishing phenomenon’ of creative arts!

Silver Lady as a traveling ship on the River Road is comparative to Cassie’s life journey, the main character of this book. It traversed and witnessed the happenings of mankind in its most extraordinary times of the past, the present and the future- through a strange switch to another space and time – dubbed in this tale as the parallel world.

The setting is mainly on a traveling ship at a background time called the ‘breakdown’ and 'chaos' of a ‘disintegrated America’ and is just surviving the Covid pandemic; starting to lift up its regulation; and travelling is once again allowed given it follows the requirements and regulations.

The main character organizes a travelling group, a gathering of creatives, who love poetry and to write them as they sail, in an effort to preserve them in response to a ‘vanishing phenomenon’ on creative arts.

Although the characters in this book are aware of the ‘vanishing’ phenomenon that is stirring in their current times, the twist of the tale begins when the Silver Lady crosses the odd place nobody knows it exists. It is at this time as well that the vanishing of people and things including creative writings arose on the ship.

On the contrary, while there are disappearances witnessed by the characters, there exist as well the ghostly appearances of people, things, places all from various space and time as the journey of the Silver Lady continues – these visions appear to be magical and bizarre, an interlacing of time!

The tale of the book is a deviation from present reality yet it tells a lot about the current actuality as well. For instance, about people and migration; on the threat to creative production as the rise of artificial intelligence masters the goings of arts and creativity.

And as the Silver Lady navigates to its otherworldly and tough direction, the tale dives into the innermost bays, nature and interpersonal relationships amongst the characters. Exploring and exposing each of their flaws and strengths from the ponderings of the other characters through their reflective journal-like narratives which naturally tied and closed the book to its adequate resolution at the end of the trip.



19 reviews1 follower
February 4, 2025
This book has  unique and magical story set in a future world that is shattering.The main character, Cassie, is an older woman who unexpectedly becomes the captain of a beautiful houseboat called Silver Lady. As she travels down the river, she is joined by a group of young artists, each dealing with their own problems.

The world around them is in trouble—there is a threat of war, and life is uncertain. But as they sail, they face strange events, mysterious experiences, and personal challenges. The journey is not just about traveling on the river; it is also about learning, growing, and discovering new things about themselves and each other.

Author writing makes the story feel real and magical at the same time. Her descriptions of the river and the places along the way are so realistic that it feels like you are right there with the characters. The story moves in a dreamy, poetic way, making it a unique reading experience.The story is full of surprises and moments that make you think.

"During the book I realised that everyone has their own struggle but the thing which make us different is by learning and taking lessons from our own struggle".

Whether you love poetic storytelling, strong characters, or meaningful stories, this book has something special to offer
Profile Image for Lahari.
58 reviews2 followers
February 28, 2025
The story takes place in future where world is moving towards the great collapse. Daily violence, riots, curfews are happening in the cities. Prices of Goods and services are sky-rocketing. Billion of people died with Strangler virus pandemic. Artworks, paintings vanished. Artists and poets continue to search for cold spots where creative works seem to last. Rivers are safer, at least to some degree. This is the story of Cassie, a retired teacher, mother and doula. After living in isolation throughout the pandemic and followed by her cat's demise, Cassie takes on a temporary job as a ship Captain with other 5 people (2 couples and an young woman). She interviews these 5 people herself. All of them were art lovers. Silver Lady is the name of a beautiful and giant ship they aboard. The 5 crew members also plays a crucial role in the story.Sage’s vivid storytelling and rich character development make this a captivating read, filled with suspense and wonder. It’s a tale that explores resilience, human connection, and the beauty of adventure in the face of uncertainty. A must read for fans of magical realism and thought provoking narratives. You will be easily hooked to this book for its beautiful writing and exceptional storytelling
10 reviews1 follower
January 31, 2025
"Silver Lady: Travels Along the River Road" by Susan E. Sage is a mesmerizing journey set in a chaotic, post-pandemic world where art is vanishing and society is on the brink of collapse. The story follows Cassie Navrone, a courageous older woman who captains a luxury houseboat, the Silver Lady, down a mysterious river with a crew of eclectic artists. As they navigate through surreal landscapes, strange creatures, and time-bending phenomena, the journey becomes a blend of magic, mystery, and self-discovery. Sage’s vivid storytelling and rich character development make this a captivating read, filled with suspense and wonder. It’s a tale that explores resilience, human connection, and the beauty of adventure in the face of uncertainty. A must-read for fans of magical realism and thought-provoking narratives.
26 reviews1 follower
February 1, 2025
This book is a hauntingly beautiful tale set in a near-future world ravaged by a deadly virus and societal collapse. The story centers on Cassie Navrone, a determined older woman who takes on the challenge of captaining the Silver Lady, a luxury houseboat, down a mysterious river. Joined by a quirky crew of artists, Cassie’s journey is anything but ordinary. As they drift through eerie, dreamlike landscapes and encounter bizarre creatures, the line between reality and illusion blurs. Sage masterfully weaves themes of courage, friendship, and the power of art into a narrative that is both magical and deeply human. This enchanting and thought-provoking novel is perfect for readers who love stories that blend adventure with a touch of the surreal.
Profile Image for Wendy Slater.
Author 6 books455 followers
January 9, 2025
Susan Sage’s “Silver Lady” is fantastical magical realism set against the dystopian backdrop of 2033 where Earth has been struck by the strangler virus. The juxtaposition of the apocalyptic with the lyrical beauty of Sage’s magical realism weave a fascinating dream-like story.

The author’s writing is top-notch. I am a huge fan of her other books (brilliant historical fiction and a dazzling disturbing psychological thriller.) This book is just as dazzling—it’s as if the reader takes the surreal and fantastical voyage down the river on The Silver Lady with the hand-picked travelers. A wonderful and magical read!
Profile Image for A. Rick.
Author 27 books12 followers
March 17, 2025
Alice in wonderland on a riverboat

First off, if you are someone looking for excitement and action, you will be disappointed. This is a cerebral 'diary' written from a woman's perspective, so be prepared.

That said, it was sometimes entertaining in an Alice in wonderland way from the shrinking village to other similarities to 'that' book.

For those looking for 'action', just don't. Even the pirates are nonviolent. I'm an action kind of guy and got bored more than a few times, but still slogged through. It was worth the effort to get through my normal comfort zone.

As an 'action' reader, there's no way I could give it a 5-star review, but I couldn't also slam it with a 3 or fewer number since I went in with my eyes wide open after reading other reviews.

Action guys... take a pass. Ladies, you'll enjoy this diary of a riverboat journey from a lady's point of view.
105 reviews3 followers
February 4, 2025
Silver Lady is set in May 2033, after a deadly virus and the Great Collapse have left the world in chaos. Cities are full of violence, shortages, and fear. Cassie Navrone, a retired teacher, escapes her lonely life by leading a houseboat journey downriver with a group of strangers.

The trip is strange and magical, with mysterious events like the Vanishing, where art disappears, and surreal places like a haunted hotel. Margot, a mute woman, plays beautiful flute music, adding charm to the journey. This book combines adventure, mystery, and deep character stories.
92 reviews3 followers
January 27, 2025
Refreshing read

I couldn’t put Silver Lady down! Cassie, the main character, is an older woman who ends up leading a group of strangers on a houseboat while the world outside is full of chaos. What I loved most was how the river felt like its own character—full of secrets and surprises. Something that stood out to me was when the boat drifted into a strange, dreamlike place where time seemed to stop. It gave me chills and made me feel like I was in a whole different world.

Cassie’s courage really inspired me. She wasn’t perfect, but she kept going, even when things felt impossible. The story made me think about how we all have to navigate life’s challenges, even when everything feels uncertain. It’s a magical and emotional journey I’ll remember for a long time.
Profile Image for Deb Sanchez.
212 reviews3 followers
June 3, 2025
I did not have the same exciting and beautiful experience described in most of the other reviews of this book. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen but it never did. Three stars for an ok read.
72 reviews2 followers
February 2, 2025
The story follows Cassie, a retired teacher turned temporary houseboat captain, navigating a broken world filled with violence, political collapse, and mysterious disappearances.

What struck me most was the eerie realism of the setting—the idea of cities turning into separate nations and a deadly virus wiping out billions felt unsettlingly plausible. One line that stayed with me was about "The Vanishing"—how people and even artwork disappear without explanation. It added a layer of mystery that kept me hooked.

Cassie’s character felt relatable, especially her longing for change and adventure despite the uncertainty around her. The book made me think about resilience—how, even in a crumbling world, people find ways to move forward.

If you enjoy dystopian fiction with a mix of mystery and personal reflection, this book is worth a read.
3 reviews1 follower
Read
September 13, 2025
Cassie is flawed, reflective, and sometimes awkward and that’s exactly why she felt real to me. I liked how she questioned herself constantly, and how her observations were tinged with both humor and melancholy.

The supporting characters were equally fascinating, especially Margot with her silence and Zona with her sharp edges. The group dynamics added so much tension to the trip.
77 reviews4 followers
January 23, 2025
Up a Lazy River

This is a compelling novel, one I found hard to put down. Who doesn’t like adventure, after all. And this, I knew from the outset, was going to be a different one. A nice story with a protagonist you have to feel for.
2 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2025
Silver Lady is a good choice for a fun winter read for those of us stuck inside. Lots of fast-paced scenery and situation changes as Cassie, the riverboat captain, steers her way into a dystopian
phantasmagorical world! A boatful of strangers as passengers together trying to make sense of
otherworldly places like Owl Town and the Land of Doze.
Sage uses each of their voices to give the reader fresh insight into their fears and wonders. Cleverly
written. Happy to take the journey along the River Road!
Profile Image for Mark Cheng.
3 reviews2 followers
Read
September 13, 2025
I loved the balance of dark dystopian elements and small glimmers of hope. It felt very human.
Profile Image for Janet.
1,448 reviews41 followers
September 9, 2025
This is a great traveling story. Very good bickering going on occasionally. This was a Goodreads giveaway winner.
Profile Image for Shauna Fleming.
3 reviews
August 17, 2025
Silver Lady: Travels along the River Road had potential, but the story felt disjointed and lacked momentum. Just as a scene began to build interest, it ended abruptly and shifted to something new without enough development to keep me engaged. The characters also felt flat, with little depth or growth to make them memorable. Overall, the book never managed to draw me in or sustain excitement.
Profile Image for Susan Rooke.
Author 9 books31 followers
January 7, 2025
In 2033 America, cities are hotbeds of violence, looting and rioting are everywhere, and civil war seems imminent. A terrible virus has killed huge numbers of people across the world and a mysterious phenomenon called the Vanishing has caused countless artworks, including books and poetry, to disappear as if they had never existed. This is the disturbing backdrop for the unsettling new novel from Susan E. Sage.

In the midst of this madness, Cassie Navrone takes a job in which she must captain a luxury houseboat down an iconic American river (possibly the Mississippi, but never named) on a journey of almost 2,000 miles, to return the craft to its owner. Silver Lady is the boat’s name, but it could easily refer to 62-year-old Cassie herself. She’s curious, open to new experiences, and a keen observer of people. She’s courageous, too, undertaking an adventuresome trip with only her good sense and her hand-picked crew of five women and men—all younger than she, most of them active in the arts—to see the job through. And oh my goodness, what a trip it turns out to be.

The story is told mostly through the first-person captain’s log that Cassie keeps. In it, she describes the river’s scenery and occasional ports of call, dissects her traveling companions, and confides truths about herself. One of the most revealing is that she feels her age renders her, for all practical purposes, invisible. She takes advantage of this, reflecting, “It can be great fun to spy on others without being seen. You can lurk, pick your nose, say and do outrageous things and others won’t pay much attention.” Her candor makes her seem to me a mostly reliable narrator, and I believe her version of events, even when they appear to be impossible.

Eerie, inexplicable scenes greet Cassie and her crew again and again, and the journey begins to seem like one long hallucination that sometimes edges into nightmare territory. They see strange tableaux and peculiar creatures along the riverbanks and in the water; they hear odd sounds that appear to come from the river itself. What is real? What is illusory? Why are their maps suddenly unreliable? Perhaps most unnerving of all, Time at some points collapses in on itself like a house of cards.

Susan E. Sage’s Silver Lady is a standout novel in the genre of magical realism, which is very tricky to write successfully. The story is impossible to encapsulate. No description can possibly do it justice. It must be read to be experienced.
Profile Image for Patty Duffy.
Author 3 books69 followers
December 22, 2024
Susan Sage’s latest novel is a big change from her award-winning Dancing in the Ring, a historical fiction powerhouse of Detroit prohibition, boxing, and law. Silver Lady is all about “getting there,” a journey down a Mississippi-like river road, a mystery tour where the reader never knows what to expect around the next bend.
The story is told through the eyes of Cassie, our intrepid houseboat captain and former doula, in the form of captain’s log entries. She carefully chose her passengers from dozens of applicants eager to escape the Great Collapse and the Vanishing. The travelers of various ages are looking forward to a pleasant escape and to preserving their artistic creations that seem to be vanishing since the Great Collapse. What they experience is far different from their expectations.
At first, the travelers seem to develop friendships and a communal sense of well-being, but cracks in the camaraderie appear. Friendships fray, and secrets emerge, alliances change along with suspicions from pasts they’re trying to understand.
As Cassie tries to keep her travelers in a buoyant mood, she is confronted with her own conflicts, past and present, losses that she hasn’t come to terms with, including a longing for a better relationship with her only daughter. However, she is not without a sense of humor. When a waiter from a restaurant near the river asks Cassie what else he might bring from the kitchen, she replies, “How about a sense of reality?”
In their adventures down the river road, they encounter unusual lands not on the map. Pages of poetry and art created by the travelers are mysteriously blank. Not only is art lost, but people are disappearing as well. Who will be next?
Conflicts between the state/countries along their route escalate into danger. Meanwhile, Cassie and her crew’s escape to something different in a time of political upheaval may come with a cost.
Sage’s command of magical realism includes solid life-sized sand sculptures, surreal living paintings, and doppelgangers that create wonder about some of the concluding events of the tale. Savor this imaginative escape down the river road with Cassie and her fellow travelers!
Profile Image for AltLovesBooks.
602 reviews31 followers
August 27, 2025
"The river can be such a simple girl, but most lovely when she's unadorned."

I clearly didn't get whatever everyone else got out of this book. I thought the setup was interesting, an aging woman escorting a houseboat full of artistic types against the backdrop of a society in flux. Art in almost all forms is disappearing, there's a plague causing people to vanish, armed uprisings, a whole host of things going wrong on the mainland, but on the river there's just them on a weird journey. After taking the wrong branch of the river they start seeing increasingly bizarre sights and stop in towns with unusual afflictions. The Land of Doze where the crew feel exhausted all the time, the Island of Lost Children, a Lord-of-the-Fliesesque town of children where everyone thinks its 1993 instead of 2033, and a whole host of bizarre encounters on the river.

Honestly, this felt a bit like The Phantom Tollbooth, but with tougher to parse allegories. Each encounter the group aboard Silver Lady runs into felt like it had some sort of deeper meaning or allusion to something, but without more to go on I wasn't able to really get anything out of it. The dystopian society the group is on vacation from isn't really reflected in the story itself beyond mention of how unsafe the world outside the river is, and a constant fear that the art they're making aboard is going to vanish. There's also a lack of a through thread tying everything together, making it hard for me to really stay invested in a story that didn't seem like it was going anywhere. The author also shoehorns in mention of Qigong any chance she can get.

I don't know, there's enough reviews out there to make me think I clearly missed something, but I didn't really enjoy this trip downriver.

I won a copy of this eBook through Goodreads Giveaways.
Profile Image for Angel Heaven.
48 reviews3 followers
November 7, 2024
In a near-apocalyptic world, Cassie , an older woman seeking escape from disease and violence, takes a job as captain of the luxury houseboat Silver Lady. Her mission: to return the boat to its owner, 2,000 miles away. Cassie, a hearty but insecure woman, assembles a diverse crew of young artists for the journey, including Kali, a wide-eyed poet; Leon, a brooding, fiery poet; Margot, a mute musician and protector; Vincent, a secretive painter; and Zona, a sharp-tongued woman with her own mysteries. As they travel the river, they encounter magical surprises in each town, their complex dynamics adding depth and life to the adventure. With lyrical writing and vivid characters, Silver Lady: Travels Along the River Road is a captivating tale of wonder, woe, and the unexpected currents of life.

This is awe masterpiece! My first time to read Susan Sage book and I am really blown away! I can't stop reading! I am captivated!
Susan Sage’s writing is nothing short of captivating. Her lyrical prose effortlessly draws readers into her world, blending vivid imagery with emotional depth. She has a remarkable ability to infuse her characters with authenticity, making them feel real and relatable, even in the most fantastical of settings. Sage’s sharp attention to detail and her skillful use of language create a rich, immersive experience that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. Whether through moments of humor, poignant introspection, or the quiet beauty of her descriptions, Sage’s storytelling resonates deeply, leaving a lasting impression. Her ability to balance wonder and melancholy in a single sentence is truly a testament to her talent, making her work both enchanting and thought-provoking.
Thank you for writing this great masterpiece!

***Nancy
Profile Image for Janis Daly.
Author 4 books189 followers
April 14, 2025
I think author Susan Sage may be not only a talented writer but also a clairvoyant. Set in 2033, but most likely written in 2022-2023, Silver Lady, Sage offers a prescient glimpse into a dystopian near-future—one not too far removed from our own—where a Disunited States of America (DSA) teeters on the edge of collapse. Disease, violence, and the fraying of social bonds loom large, but at the story’s heart is Cassie Navrone, a resilient mature protagonist hired to deliver a 70-foot luxury houseboat, the Silver Lady, two thousand miles downriver. What begins as a job quickly transforms into a mythic journey of self-discovery, connection, and transformation. Cassie assembles a makeshift group of passengers / crew of young artists, two couples and a single woman. Together, they navigate a river that becomes as much enchanted as it is eerie—and dangerous.

Each stop along the way peels back the layers of a reality in flux. The scenes scream for discussions about interpretations as Sage creates metaphors of our current state of life with plague triggered isolations, a battered and bruised nation, and even digital piracy and erasure of works of art. The descriptions of the sights and characters the crew meets along the riverbanks reflect a creative genius at her best. Sage’s writing is both lyrical and sharply observant, like this line: “That girl takes my breath away, but I’m afraid she won’t give it back.”

Sage’s vision is both unsettling and strangely comforting, like the best speculative fiction. Jump aboard the Silver Lady and settle in for a shimmering, mystical odyssey that leaves you pondering meanings and purpose. A luminous, genre-blending tale that floats between realism and the uncanny dystopia and hope even as the world unravels around us.


Profile Image for Diane Nagatomo.
Author 9 books77 followers
December 12, 2024
“Silver Lady” by Susan Sage is set in the not-too-distant future. It is the year 2033, three years after the most vicious pandemic the world had seen (killing half of the victims and befuddling the rest permanently). It is around the time of the “Great Collapse”, when society has fallen apart due to excessive violence and the “Vanishing”, when the creative written and artistic works of people are simply disappearing from papers and canvases. It is believed that art may be preserved if it is aboard a freshwater boat.

Cassie, the captain of the Silver Lady and six crew members (actually, passengers who’d applied to be passengers/crew) set off to deliver the Silver Lady to its owner down south. Each person aboard the vessel has their own goal, their own purpose. But despite their many differences, they bond together. Perhaps they are not friends, but they certainly are no longer strangers. During this twenty-eight-day saga, they encounter pirates, storybook characters, and an island of lost children. As they drift along the river, things constantly change—sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

It’s hard to tell what reality is for these people and what is a dream because nothing is like the world these people have known before. Civilization is falling, but no doubt there will be survivors who will be able to pick up the pieces. Now that I’ve finished this novel, I keep thinking about Cassie and wondering how she is managing in this world that somehow reflects the many sociopolitical issues of today. I do hope there will be a sequel.

I am grateful to have received an ARC of this novel and my opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Gia.
193 reviews2 followers
March 16, 2025
Retired teacher and doula Cassie Navrone never imagined she would be the captain of a houseboat delivering the luxury vessel to the owner thousands of miles down a river.

After a crushing global pandemic, the world is on the brink of a total Great Collapse. The planet, society, and life as humanity knows it are essentially unrecognizable.

Needing to get away, to feel alive, and yearning for adventure, Cassie selects five strangers to join her in embarking on a fantastical river journey.

Under the threat of a looming civil war, Captain Cassie and her guests/crew navigate the river, steering clear of certain regions notorious for their violence or inhabited by bizarre beings. They also circumvent riverbank towns rumored to lure unsuspecting travelers with their strange, surreal magic.

Despite the carefully plotted journey, the group, even from the perceived safety of the river, encounters riverbanks that pose life-threatening dangers and treacherous perils that threaten their sanity.

The story takes readers on a fantastical journey along a river enveloped in enchanting elements of surrealism.

I’m a huge fan of Susan Sage’s writing and admire her remarkable creativity, and Silver Lady: Travels Along the River Road is an exceptional narrative and brilliant read.

Thank you to the author, Susan Sage, for the privilege of editing Silver Lady: Travels Along the River Road. It is my utmost pleasure to provide this review.

Opinions expressed are my own.
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Author 7 books383 followers
December 23, 2024
The Ultimate Literary Journey

Boarding author Susan E. Sage’s ‘Silver Lady,’ I embarked on the ultimate literary journey over the course of its 28-day homebound trip to the ship’s owner. Cassie Navrone, the silver-haired lady at the luxury houseboat’s helm, becomes one with the vessel she steers even though the Silver Lady herself seems to be in command.

Classified by the author, the novel treads Magical Realism and “upbeat Dystopian” or “Protopian.” The year, 2033, is heading to the Great Collapse at an alarming rate:

Works of literature and art are vanishing in a post-pandemic world. There’s an uptick in rioting and looting which portends a disuniting of the United States of America.

Read-riding along the river road, the water becomes murky as does life. So do the passengers whose motives and connections aren’t exactly clear. The author’s storytelling prowess and vivid details via Cassie’s ship log, and each of the five other characters' introspective thoughts, steer the reader toward clarity. Sage withholds judgment, allowing her readers to draw their own conclusions about each far-from-perfect character.

I highly recommend boarding ‘Silver Lady’. The river road’s illusions, time-slips, and unexplained oddities reflect the author’s imaginative flair and savoir-faire.
34 reviews1 follower
February 4, 2025
An elderly woman named Cassie Navrone has landed a position as skipper of the 70-foot opulent houseboat Silver Lady in a near-apocalyptic future. She must return the vessel to its owner, who lives two thousand miles away, if she accepts her work as a means of escaping illness, violence, and soul-crushing isolation. Funny, insecure, and hearty is Cassie. She has a river-faring good will and is full of energy. She assembles a group of young artists for the once-in-a-lifetime cruise since she needs assistance on the journey. Vincent, a painter and sculptor with secrets, Margot, a partially mute musician and child defender, Leon, a dark, wealthy poet with a penchant for rage, Zona, a moody, irritable woman with secrets of her own, and Kali, a wide-eyed, naive poet, make up the group. During this river excursion, they blend together and play off delicate relationship dynamics, bringing life and vibrancy to even the most placid waters. A fresh and enchanted surprise awaits in every new river town. You will be left wondering what lurks behind every corner in this charmingly enchanted river tale, which is full of wonder and misery. Susan E. Sage's vivid, poetic prose frequently made me gasp. I had a great time traveling down the River Road and laughed aloud multiple times. With all of its mysterious currents, Silver Lady: Travels Along the River Road is an exciting and crazy journey.
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