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The Raven and Eagle #1
The Door on the Sea
An epic quest fantasy debut that is the Tlingit indigenous response to The Lord of the Rings
When Elān trapped a salmon-stealing raven in his cupboard, he never expected it would hold the key to saving his people from the shapeshifting Koosh invaders plaguing their shores. In exchange for its freedom, the raven offers a secret that can save Elān’s home: the Koosh have lost one of their most powerful weapons, and only the raven knows where it is.
Elān is tasked with captaining a canoe crewed by an unlikely team including a human bear-cousin, a massive wolf, and the endlessly vulgar raven. To retrieve the weapon, they will face stormy seas, cannibal giants and a changing world. But Elān is a storyteller, not a warrior.
As their world continues to fall to the Koosh, and alliances are challenged and broken, Elān must choose his role in his own epic story.
When Elān trapped a salmon-stealing raven in his cupboard, he never expected it would hold the key to saving his people from the shapeshifting Koosh invaders plaguing their shores. In exchange for its freedom, the raven offers a secret that can save Elān’s home: the Koosh have lost one of their most powerful weapons, and only the raven knows where it is.
Elān is tasked with captaining a canoe crewed by an unlikely team including a human bear-cousin, a massive wolf, and the endlessly vulgar raven. To retrieve the weapon, they will face stormy seas, cannibal giants and a changing world. But Elān is a storyteller, not a warrior.
As their world continues to fall to the Koosh, and alliances are challenged and broken, Elān must choose his role in his own epic story.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published September 9, 2025
83 people are currently reading
8899 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
November 20, 2025
What a wild ride across the sea and back. So many dangers, so much death and fear for the characters in this book, and so much joy in seeing how the main character grows through it all. (A map can be found on the author's website, along with some background information.)
I wish I could give it 5 stars, it's really brilliant and I loved almost everything about it. Except for that damn raven... so annoying and so grrrr. It's such a vicious bird, insulting everything and everyone, and its words hurt me so much. And it's such a coward and not helpful at all. That was really extremely distracting from the whole story.
“You’re a cruel, old fathead,” raven said, “and you smell of crap. I didn’t want to have to mention that, but everyone else is too polite to tell you, which isn’t being polite at all. I thought I should be polite and let you know your rotten, old-man buns give off a terrible stink.” 😕🐦⬛
Everything else was really awesome, and yes, I'm going to read the second book. It's not my favorite genre, because there's no romance in this one, but it's a really great fantasy story.
BUT, it's not the usual kind of story you're familiar with. It's told like a legend, like a fairy tale, like a lesson, around the campfire, for the young ones, so they can learn something. That's why there are a few info-packed learning moments.
Shoved by a strong wind from the stern, every time Waka climbed to the top of a mountainous wave, gales pulsing into the bow ripped at the sails and threatened to turn the canoe sideways in the deep troughs between waves—which, as you know, is dangerous and an easy way to capsize a sailing canoe. You may also know, if you’re of the sea, that outriggers become a hindrance instead of a help if caught sideways in between huge waves. 🧐🌊🧐
It took me a while to get into it and until I loved Elān, but after about 100 pages or so, it was almost impossible to put the book down.
I'm a little exhausted by the sheer volume of plot, the questions that remain unanswered, and the philosophical musings.
But I'm really glad I took the plunge and read something that wouldn't have been my first choice.
“Imagine you are dying of thirst and have only a fishing net to catch the rain when it falls. Human language is a net trying to catch the rain. Most of the meaning falls through it. Human languages use sounds that struggle to impart meaning. But my black bear relatives’ language is a bucket in the rain. Full of sounds, smells, and emotions. Full of meanings.” ❥♥️❥🤔❥♥️❥
The Koosh said he and his foul brethren had come to this world to save the nations of Éil’. Save us from whom? Elān thought. From ourselves? The Koosh think they’re here to save us from ourselves? Elān looked around the dark Yahooni cell. Maybe the Koosh are right. We’d rather destroy each other than unite and destroy the Koosh. Elān rested his head in the corner of the cell. We’re stuck in old stories . He closed his eyes. We’re all stuck in ancient stories. ❥♥️❥🤔❥♥️❥
I wish I could give it 5 stars, it's really brilliant and I loved almost everything about it. Except for that damn raven... so annoying and so grrrr. It's such a vicious bird, insulting everything and everyone, and its words hurt me so much. And it's such a coward and not helpful at all. That was really extremely distracting from the whole story.
“You’re a cruel, old fathead,” raven said, “and you smell of crap. I didn’t want to have to mention that, but everyone else is too polite to tell you, which isn’t being polite at all. I thought I should be polite and let you know your rotten, old-man buns give off a terrible stink.” 😕🐦⬛
Everything else was really awesome, and yes, I'm going to read the second book. It's not my favorite genre, because there's no romance in this one, but it's a really great fantasy story.
BUT, it's not the usual kind of story you're familiar with. It's told like a legend, like a fairy tale, like a lesson, around the campfire, for the young ones, so they can learn something. That's why there are a few info-packed learning moments.
Shoved by a strong wind from the stern, every time Waka climbed to the top of a mountainous wave, gales pulsing into the bow ripped at the sails and threatened to turn the canoe sideways in the deep troughs between waves—which, as you know, is dangerous and an easy way to capsize a sailing canoe. You may also know, if you’re of the sea, that outriggers become a hindrance instead of a help if caught sideways in between huge waves. 🧐🌊🧐
It took me a while to get into it and until I loved Elān, but after about 100 pages or so, it was almost impossible to put the book down.
I'm a little exhausted by the sheer volume of plot, the questions that remain unanswered, and the philosophical musings.
But I'm really glad I took the plunge and read something that wouldn't have been my first choice.
“Imagine you are dying of thirst and have only a fishing net to catch the rain when it falls. Human language is a net trying to catch the rain. Most of the meaning falls through it. Human languages use sounds that struggle to impart meaning. But my black bear relatives’ language is a bucket in the rain. Full of sounds, smells, and emotions. Full of meanings.” ❥♥️❥🤔❥♥️❥
The Koosh said he and his foul brethren had come to this world to save the nations of Éil’. Save us from whom? Elān thought. From ourselves? The Koosh think they’re here to save us from ourselves? Elān looked around the dark Yahooni cell. Maybe the Koosh are right. We’d rather destroy each other than unite and destroy the Koosh. Elān rested his head in the corner of the cell. We’re stuck in old stories . He closed his eyes. We’re all stuck in ancient stories. ❥♥️❥🤔❥♥️❥
October 5, 2025
I love folklore, from anywhere and everywhere. I am somewhat familiar with indigenous mythology, but not so much from up north-north. This tale didn’t disappoint! I’ve read some origin folktales that mention Raven, but let me tell you, in this story, Raven is a little different than *just* mischievous and a trickster. He is straight-up rude, vulgar and will not shut up with his insults and taunts! I do not know why anyone else puts up with him, truly.
Through a series of events, unassuming young Elān is thrust into a leadership role for a very important mission to retrieve an item that will help the tribes defeat their enemies, the Koosh. The Koosh have not-so-slowly been warring against other tribes and enslaving them, and they are unfortunately making their way closer and closer to Elān’s village.
Something must be done.
Elān just didn’t think it would have anything to do with him.
—————————
I loved this. I was all in on the journey and the character arcs. It was also fascinating to learn more about indigenous cultures, languages and customs.
I highly recommend reading this! 4.5 stars, rounded up.
Thank you to Solaris and NetGalley for an eARC! All opinions are mine.
Through a series of events, unassuming young Elān is thrust into a leadership role for a very important mission to retrieve an item that will help the tribes defeat their enemies, the Koosh. The Koosh have not-so-slowly been warring against other tribes and enslaving them, and they are unfortunately making their way closer and closer to Elān’s village.
Something must be done.
Elān just didn’t think it would have anything to do with him.
—————————
I loved this. I was all in on the journey and the character arcs. It was also fascinating to learn more about indigenous cultures, languages and customs.
I highly recommend reading this! 4.5 stars, rounded up.
Thank you to Solaris and NetGalley for an eARC! All opinions are mine.
August 30, 2025
The Door on the Sea is a simple book: simple prose, simple ideas, and simple characters. While this style of storytelling will work well for many readers, unfortunately, it did not work well for me.
The part that I struggled with the most throughout the book was the writing style. The book is written very objectively: mostly told as a series of actions, with very little time taken to describe the environment or the feelings of the characters. I struggled to build a connection to the characters. For example, a large portion of the book takes place at sea with the characters sailing a canoe. Many long chapters are spent describing a play-by-play of character actions, such as the steps needed to sail a canoe. I appreciate an author who clearly knows a lot about the things they are describing, and, to a degree, I did appreciate the care that was put into these descriptions. However, I ended up struggling with them because the focus really is on the actions of the characters and, in turn, very little time is spent reflecting on the characters’ thoughts, feelings, or conversations. I didn’t feel like I could describe any character’s personalities, past maybe one or two words each.
Furthermore, the book often stops to explain a concept to the reader in a way that further breaks immersion. For example, the parts of a boat or a sport that will be unfamiliar to most readers. I do appreciate that the author is trying to bring the reader into a culture that most readers will be unfamiliar with, and I liked how much the book embraced the language and traditions of the characters. However, they were used so often that I struggled to maintain immersion. The reliance on telling rather than showing felt like it broke the flow of the story at times, particularly when a very obvious concept (such as the mast of a ship) is explained.
Furthermore, when the book does discuss its themes –tradition, identity, nonviolence—I always wanted more than the book had to say. As a consequence of rarely being in a character’s head, when themes are discussed, they are abrupt, short, and very objective discussions that don’t really give me any insight into the situation.
Finally, the humor of the book did not work for me. It was delivered mostly in the form of fat jokes and poop jokes from a crude and obnoxious raven. This will definitely work for some readers, but for me it greatly detracted from my reading experience.
Ultimately, this book just didn’t work for me. I am really glad for the readers who have enjoyed it—I do think there’s a lot to love, particularly in the opportunity to read an Own Voices book exploring a culture that it underrepresented in media. I did feel like I learned a lot from the book, particularly in the language used throughout the book. Unfortunately, while there were aspects of the book that I appreciated, I just didn’t end up enjoying reading the book.
Thank you to Solaris for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The part that I struggled with the most throughout the book was the writing style. The book is written very objectively: mostly told as a series of actions, with very little time taken to describe the environment or the feelings of the characters. I struggled to build a connection to the characters. For example, a large portion of the book takes place at sea with the characters sailing a canoe. Many long chapters are spent describing a play-by-play of character actions, such as the steps needed to sail a canoe. I appreciate an author who clearly knows a lot about the things they are describing, and, to a degree, I did appreciate the care that was put into these descriptions. However, I ended up struggling with them because the focus really is on the actions of the characters and, in turn, very little time is spent reflecting on the characters’ thoughts, feelings, or conversations. I didn’t feel like I could describe any character’s personalities, past maybe one or two words each.
Furthermore, the book often stops to explain a concept to the reader in a way that further breaks immersion. For example, the parts of a boat or a sport that will be unfamiliar to most readers. I do appreciate that the author is trying to bring the reader into a culture that most readers will be unfamiliar with, and I liked how much the book embraced the language and traditions of the characters. However, they were used so often that I struggled to maintain immersion. The reliance on telling rather than showing felt like it broke the flow of the story at times, particularly when a very obvious concept (such as the mast of a ship) is explained.
Furthermore, when the book does discuss its themes –tradition, identity, nonviolence—I always wanted more than the book had to say. As a consequence of rarely being in a character’s head, when themes are discussed, they are abrupt, short, and very objective discussions that don’t really give me any insight into the situation.
Finally, the humor of the book did not work for me. It was delivered mostly in the form of fat jokes and poop jokes from a crude and obnoxious raven. This will definitely work for some readers, but for me it greatly detracted from my reading experience.
Ultimately, this book just didn’t work for me. I am really glad for the readers who have enjoyed it—I do think there’s a lot to love, particularly in the opportunity to read an Own Voices book exploring a culture that it underrepresented in media. I did feel like I learned a lot from the book, particularly in the language used throughout the book. Unfortunately, while there were aspects of the book that I appreciated, I just didn’t end up enjoying reading the book.
Thank you to Solaris for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2025
*I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
I cannot emphasise enough that THIS IS NOT AN OBJECTIVELY BAD BOOK.
Like, I don’t think it’s amazing, either. But take that with a pinch of salt, because this isn’t my genre.
The main issue here is with ME: I misunderstood what this book was going to be, is all. And unfortunately, what it actually is…doesn’t interest me at all.
See, I assumed that a ‘Tlingit response to Lord of the Rings’ was going to be…different? I mean, fundamentally different to typical adventure story I’m familiar with. I was curious about Tlingit storytelling traditions and wondered if they might include a story structure I didn’t know – the ‘three act’ story you’ve probably heard about is very much a white Western thing, and other parts of the world have very different ones, like the Japanese kishōtenketsu (‘storytelling without conflict’) or the frame story model of the Middle East (think about how Thousand and One Nights is a story about telling other stories). What does a Tlingit hero look like? Etc!
But – at least as of 36% in, which is as far as I got – there wasn’t really anything new for me. The Door On the Sea is a pretty conventional adventure story, with a coming-of-age arc for the main character Elān. Off he goes on a quest with several companions; there is a growing threat of shapeshifting monsters; there’s even a quest object. Nothing wrong with any of that! It’s just not the kind of story I enjoy. And it is entirely on me for misunderstanding what this book was going to be.
I found the writing pretty blunt and plain, but it’s not actively bad. That being said, there’s not a lot of interiority to the characters – we don’t get much of their thoughts and feelings, which was a shame. I admit I raised an eyebrow when it became clear that the only woman on the quest is deeply unpleasant, but I’m probably supposed to be glad there’s any women at all, so? And I did find it inexplicable that, when Elān is put in charge of the quest, none of the more experienced adults help or guide him or give advice, even though he’s never been in this position before. The Hierarchy of Command is more important than everybody surviving, I guess. (He nearly gets everyone killed, and the warriors just tell him apologising for it is weak. Which he disagrees with, at least.) They somehow expect him to know and remember everything he needs to know and remember, and if his ignorance gets them killed, well! At least they died following orders!
It really didn’t help that the raven is an immature, gross brat. Crude and rude and mean, all the time. This isn’t bad storytelling or writing by any means, it’s just a kind of humour that I really don’t enjoy and rapidly found repetitive.
So this is not a me-book, but I think it’s a perfectly okay example of what it’s trying to be. If you enjoy this genre like I don’t, then I don’t think you’ll hate this one.
I cannot emphasise enough that THIS IS NOT AN OBJECTIVELY BAD BOOK.
Like, I don’t think it’s amazing, either. But take that with a pinch of salt, because this isn’t my genre.
The main issue here is with ME: I misunderstood what this book was going to be, is all. And unfortunately, what it actually is…doesn’t interest me at all.
See, I assumed that a ‘Tlingit response to Lord of the Rings’ was going to be…different? I mean, fundamentally different to typical adventure story I’m familiar with. I was curious about Tlingit storytelling traditions and wondered if they might include a story structure I didn’t know – the ‘three act’ story you’ve probably heard about is very much a white Western thing, and other parts of the world have very different ones, like the Japanese kishōtenketsu (‘storytelling without conflict’) or the frame story model of the Middle East (think about how Thousand and One Nights is a story about telling other stories). What does a Tlingit hero look like? Etc!
But – at least as of 36% in, which is as far as I got – there wasn’t really anything new for me. The Door On the Sea is a pretty conventional adventure story, with a coming-of-age arc for the main character Elān. Off he goes on a quest with several companions; there is a growing threat of shapeshifting monsters; there’s even a quest object. Nothing wrong with any of that! It’s just not the kind of story I enjoy. And it is entirely on me for misunderstanding what this book was going to be.
I found the writing pretty blunt and plain, but it’s not actively bad. That being said, there’s not a lot of interiority to the characters – we don’t get much of their thoughts and feelings, which was a shame. I admit I raised an eyebrow when it became clear that the only woman on the quest is deeply unpleasant, but I’m probably supposed to be glad there’s any women at all, so? And I did find it inexplicable that, when Elān is put in charge of the quest, none of the more experienced adults help or guide him or give advice, even though he’s never been in this position before. The Hierarchy of Command is more important than everybody surviving, I guess. (He nearly gets everyone killed, and the warriors just tell him apologising for it is weak. Which he disagrees with, at least.) They somehow expect him to know and remember everything he needs to know and remember, and if his ignorance gets them killed, well! At least they died following orders!
It really didn’t help that the raven is an immature, gross brat. Crude and rude and mean, all the time. This isn’t bad storytelling or writing by any means, it’s just a kind of humour that I really don’t enjoy and rapidly found repetitive.
So this is not a me-book, but I think it’s a perfectly okay example of what it’s trying to be. If you enjoy this genre like I don’t, then I don’t think you’ll hate this one.
November 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this Tlingit inspired epic fantasy quest tale starting at Samish Island, but it certainly won't be for everyone, especially if you don't usually read fantasy.
The book is written as if there is an oral storyteller giving a rousing rendition of the tale around a campfire, which could lend itself to some info-dumping and repetition. Like, we didn't really know what each parts of a sailboat are called to get immersed in the story. But I became really emotionally invested in the story of nerdy Elān, who secretly wants to be a warrior but is constantly ostracized for being a cowardly bookeater. He's destined for a career as a teacher, or is he?
A manipulative raven he traps one day tells him about a secret weapon of the Koosh, an enemy from another world that is conquering and enslaving all the tribes. Elān is the grandson of a great warrior but he otherwise has no credentials to go on such a journey, but when he tells this story to a clan elder, he's charged to go on a journey of recovery of this mysterious weapon. A handful of warriors accompany him, including one badass woman named Kwa.
The raven joins the group as well. He was so OTT rude and bratty that he could get gratingly annoying, but he was so ridiculous that he was also fun. I found myself often rolling my eyes at his cowardly antics.
Everyone in Elān's life, in this world dripping with toxic masculinity, constantly told him what a coward he was, but his actions and quick but careful thinking proved otherwise. He won the grudging respect of his crew along the voyage. I loved the camraderie shown between the crew and the way their bond evolved over time.
The Koosh weapon was so all-powerful and didn't even kill Koosh, that I had to wonder who really needed that power and it became hard to root for the bearer of such a devastating weapon. But there is more to the weapon than meets the eye and I was intrigued in the parallel quantum world theme.
Perhaps what I liked the best about this book was that I felt completely immersed in the indigenous culture of history, and it showed the clans as being vibrant, advanced, creative and innovative. I felt like I was journeying from longhouse to longhouse as I followed Elān on his daring quest. I also loved how he even won over Kwa and the annoying raven.
I would read more in this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book is written as if there is an oral storyteller giving a rousing rendition of the tale around a campfire, which could lend itself to some info-dumping and repetition. Like, we didn't really know what each parts of a sailboat are called to get immersed in the story. But I became really emotionally invested in the story of nerdy Elān, who secretly wants to be a warrior but is constantly ostracized for being a cowardly bookeater. He's destined for a career as a teacher, or is he?
A manipulative raven he traps one day tells him about a secret weapon of the Koosh, an enemy from another world that is conquering and enslaving all the tribes. Elān is the grandson of a great warrior but he otherwise has no credentials to go on such a journey, but when he tells this story to a clan elder, he's charged to go on a journey of recovery of this mysterious weapon. A handful of warriors accompany him, including one badass woman named Kwa.
The raven joins the group as well. He was so OTT rude and bratty that he could get gratingly annoying, but he was so ridiculous that he was also fun. I found myself often rolling my eyes at his cowardly antics.
Everyone in Elān's life, in this world dripping with toxic masculinity, constantly told him what a coward he was, but his actions and quick but careful thinking proved otherwise. He won the grudging respect of his crew along the voyage. I loved the camraderie shown between the crew and the way their bond evolved over time.
The Koosh weapon was so all-powerful and didn't even kill Koosh, that I had to wonder who really needed that power and it became hard to root for the bearer of such a devastating weapon. But there is more to the weapon than meets the eye and I was intrigued in the parallel quantum world theme.
Perhaps what I liked the best about this book was that I felt completely immersed in the indigenous culture of history, and it showed the clans as being vibrant, advanced, creative and innovative. I felt like I was journeying from longhouse to longhouse as I followed Elān on his daring quest. I also loved how he even won over Kwa and the annoying raven.
I would read more in this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 21, 2025
** Thank you to Rebellion | Solaris, Netgallery, and Caskey Russel for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. **
Elān is made for the sheets (of paper) and not for the streets!
Or that is how the story begins. Elān is more interested in stories, knowledge, and books than he is in becoming a mighty warrior like his grandfather. He's never fit in and is seemingly trying to find his place among his tribe and in the world. But when he catches a foul-mouthed, cantankerous raven stealing his salmon, he traps him in a cupboard. Raven tells Elān where he can find a powerful weapon lost at sea by the Koosh invaders. When elder Ixt catches wind of this, he sends Elān, mouthy Raven, and a group of misfit warriors to retrieve the weapon and save his people.
Elān and his crewmates face a perilous journey against the sea, cannibalistic giants, and the Koosh invaders. Constantly compared to his warrior grandfather and crippled with self-doubt, Elān must figure out who he wants to be and earn the crew's respect. Along the way he learns that all he ever needed to be was exactly himself.
Overall: How do you critique a story that feels like it has always been? This book is unique in that the story feels like one that has been passed down from generation to generation. It was touching to read that this is a story he developed for his kids, as it felt like one of those stories you are told by your parents after you've been tucked in tight for the night. "Please, one more chapter!"
Recommended: for anyone! Literally, everyone should read this book.
Feels like: an Indigenous version of the Odyssey- only way better!
Gripes: None! Well, I could have used a little more Raven, who is now one of my all-time favorite characters!
Rating: 5/5- Perfection, no notes!
Note to the author: This is my advanced PLEA for the second installment of this story!
Elān is made for the sheets (of paper) and not for the streets!
Or that is how the story begins. Elān is more interested in stories, knowledge, and books than he is in becoming a mighty warrior like his grandfather. He's never fit in and is seemingly trying to find his place among his tribe and in the world. But when he catches a foul-mouthed, cantankerous raven stealing his salmon, he traps him in a cupboard. Raven tells Elān where he can find a powerful weapon lost at sea by the Koosh invaders. When elder Ixt catches wind of this, he sends Elān, mouthy Raven, and a group of misfit warriors to retrieve the weapon and save his people.
Elān and his crewmates face a perilous journey against the sea, cannibalistic giants, and the Koosh invaders. Constantly compared to his warrior grandfather and crippled with self-doubt, Elān must figure out who he wants to be and earn the crew's respect. Along the way he learns that all he ever needed to be was exactly himself.
Overall: How do you critique a story that feels like it has always been? This book is unique in that the story feels like one that has been passed down from generation to generation. It was touching to read that this is a story he developed for his kids, as it felt like one of those stories you are told by your parents after you've been tucked in tight for the night. "Please, one more chapter!"
Recommended: for anyone! Literally, everyone should read this book.
Feels like: an Indigenous version of the Odyssey- only way better!
Gripes: None! Well, I could have used a little more Raven, who is now one of my all-time favorite characters!
Rating: 5/5- Perfection, no notes!
Note to the author: This is my advanced PLEA for the second installment of this story!
December 16, 2025
This feels simultaneously like a very simple, familiar hero’s journey/coming of age, & delightfully fresh ! I listened to the audiobook, which I would recommend both for the narrative voice--written as though somebody is telling the story aloud--and for the pronunciation, bc I cannot even imagine how a lot of these names would be spelled 😅
The initial premise reads like a very straightforward battle to resist a mysterious colonial invasion by foreigners whose strange weapons can cause a LOT of damage (sound familiar?). That being said, right off the bat it also brings in some important questions about culture, tradition, & who gets to determine these values or norms... and building from this, it sets up & then challenges our perception of different geopolitical groups in a way which really (sometimes quite literally) plays with binary expectations 🥰
Overall the worldbuilding details feel completely fresh & unfamiliar to me, deliberately deviating from eurocentric expectations on that front. This book definitely doesn't pretend to be free of colonial influence though; instead, it toys with expectations of genre & narrative structure in a way which leaves me super excited to see where the next book is going to go!
The initial premise reads like a very straightforward battle to resist a mysterious colonial invasion by foreigners whose strange weapons can cause a LOT of damage (sound familiar?). That being said, right off the bat it also brings in some important questions about culture, tradition, & who gets to determine these values or norms... and building from this, it sets up & then challenges our perception of different geopolitical groups in a way which really (sometimes quite literally) plays with binary expectations 🥰
Overall the worldbuilding details feel completely fresh & unfamiliar to me, deliberately deviating from eurocentric expectations on that front. This book definitely doesn't pretend to be free of colonial influence though; instead, it toys with expectations of genre & narrative structure in a way which leaves me super excited to see where the next book is going to go!
August 14, 2025
3.5 stars
I have been wanting for years to see more indigenous voices in fantasy, because the storytelling provides such a uniquely different perspective to western stories. I think that is the strength of the story, the unique storytelling mechanics and details given that change the focus from what we are traditionally used to in fantasy.
However, my reading experience was hampered by some of the way things were written. Particularly in the first third of the book, there was a strong reliance on short show-and-tell sentences that made it difficult to gain a connection with the text at hand. As well, there were a lot of areas throughout where repetition was common between characters. Someone would tell someone the plan then they would do it and they would then say the exact same thing back saying they had done it. I am not sure if this is part of the oral tradition, but it doesn't adapt well to the physical medium.
Lastly, I really struggled to make a connection to the overall story. While the second half of the book was easier to read, it didn't feel like there was any ups and downs to the story. I wasn't left at the books end with burning questions left unanswered. As well, I was hoping since the journey was the focus of the novel there would be more small moments between characters where they deepened their connections. Little conversations or sharing memories. Those weren't really there. This led to disappoint as we got to the end and
Thanks to NetGalley and Solaris for the ARC.
I have been wanting for years to see more indigenous voices in fantasy, because the storytelling provides such a uniquely different perspective to western stories. I think that is the strength of the story, the unique storytelling mechanics and details given that change the focus from what we are traditionally used to in fantasy.
However, my reading experience was hampered by some of the way things were written. Particularly in the first third of the book, there was a strong reliance on short show-and-tell sentences that made it difficult to gain a connection with the text at hand. As well, there were a lot of areas throughout where repetition was common between characters. Someone would tell someone the plan then they would do it and they would then say the exact same thing back saying they had done it. I am not sure if this is part of the oral tradition, but it doesn't adapt well to the physical medium.
Lastly, I really struggled to make a connection to the overall story. While the second half of the book was easier to read, it didn't feel like there was any ups and downs to the story. I wasn't left at the books end with burning questions left unanswered. As well, I was hoping since the journey was the focus of the novel there would be more small moments between characters where they deepened their connections. Little conversations or sharing memories. Those weren't really there. This led to disappoint as we got to the end and
Thanks to NetGalley and Solaris for the ARC.
June 21, 2025
THANK YOU NetGalley and Solaris Books for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Take a fairy tale, set it inside a sweeping epic fantasy, steep it in Tlingit indigenous lore and tradition, and the result is The Door on the Sea. I was delighted to encounter shapeshifters, a mismatched crew of explorers, a rude raven, plenty of exciting action, and a touching coming-of-age element. Main character, young Elān, is secretly thrilled (but nonetheless apprehensive) as he is challenged to lead a quest that could mean the life or death of his entire world. It's obvious he has the brilliant mind of a story-teller, but he must prove to himself that he also has the soul of a warrior. This is only the first installment of the journey and I am anxious to find out what is next for our crew!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and very much felt like I was listening to one of Elān's own tales as it might be woven out loud. Though I spent the duration at the edge of my seat, swept up in the story, it lacked much of an emotional connection for me. This may have been because of that same narrative style that I liked so much, that stayed true to the story-teller feel. Still, sometimes it irked me that I wasn't feeling all the feels.
I would recommend this read to anyone in the mood for that fairy tale style, or those looking for a fresh fantasy world they've never experienced before. I WILL be anxious for more from Caskey Russell.
4 easy stars from me.
Take a fairy tale, set it inside a sweeping epic fantasy, steep it in Tlingit indigenous lore and tradition, and the result is The Door on the Sea. I was delighted to encounter shapeshifters, a mismatched crew of explorers, a rude raven, plenty of exciting action, and a touching coming-of-age element. Main character, young Elān, is secretly thrilled (but nonetheless apprehensive) as he is challenged to lead a quest that could mean the life or death of his entire world. It's obvious he has the brilliant mind of a story-teller, but he must prove to himself that he also has the soul of a warrior. This is only the first installment of the journey and I am anxious to find out what is next for our crew!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and very much felt like I was listening to one of Elān's own tales as it might be woven out loud. Though I spent the duration at the edge of my seat, swept up in the story, it lacked much of an emotional connection for me. This may have been because of that same narrative style that I liked so much, that stayed true to the story-teller feel. Still, sometimes it irked me that I wasn't feeling all the feels.
I would recommend this read to anyone in the mood for that fairy tale style, or those looking for a fresh fantasy world they've never experienced before. I WILL be anxious for more from Caskey Russell.
4 easy stars from me.
August 23, 2025
This was okay. It had its moments but there were times were it felt repetitive and the story needed pushed and it never came. I'll be reading book two.
October 7, 2025
The Door on the Sea is the first book in a new epic fantasy series based on Tlingit (from the Pacific Northwest) myths and folklore.
I read this physically, but the style of writing feels quite like oral storytelling and I think the audiobook will be an excellent way to experience this story.
Elān is a bookeater, studying to eventually become a teacher like his father. When he catches the greedy and mouthy Raven in the act of stealing his salmon, Raven offers a secret for his release. This thrusts Elān into a dangerous adventure, captaining a war canoe full of much more experienced warriors, to retrieve a weapon from the strange and deadly Koosh.
This feels like a coming of age story for Elān, he's naïve but willing to learn, he questions traditions and where the stories his society so rigidly follow come from. His crew traverse dangerous seas, meeting with unexpected hindrances and help as the realise the world is changing rapidly, with the threat from the Koosh creeping ever closer.
I liked the mix of crew and their differing views on how the quest should go, but I didn't always feel like they were especially attached to each other. I hope the characters all return for the next book and we get to see more of their relationships. The Raven, I suspect, might be a divisive character. He's not just a trickster and rude, he's a complete a-hole. Most of his dialogue is insults and he spends most of his time either crapping on people's heads or flying away at the first sign of danger.
Don't expect a great deal of wider explanation in this book, most of the mysteries remain mysteries but it looks like they'll be explored more the next one.
A really great start to a new epic fantasy series
Thanks to Solaris books for providing me with a review copy
I read this physically, but the style of writing feels quite like oral storytelling and I think the audiobook will be an excellent way to experience this story.
Elān is a bookeater, studying to eventually become a teacher like his father. When he catches the greedy and mouthy Raven in the act of stealing his salmon, Raven offers a secret for his release. This thrusts Elān into a dangerous adventure, captaining a war canoe full of much more experienced warriors, to retrieve a weapon from the strange and deadly Koosh.
This feels like a coming of age story for Elān, he's naïve but willing to learn, he questions traditions and where the stories his society so rigidly follow come from. His crew traverse dangerous seas, meeting with unexpected hindrances and help as the realise the world is changing rapidly, with the threat from the Koosh creeping ever closer.
I liked the mix of crew and their differing views on how the quest should go, but I didn't always feel like they were especially attached to each other. I hope the characters all return for the next book and we get to see more of their relationships. The Raven, I suspect, might be a divisive character. He's not just a trickster and rude, he's a complete a-hole. Most of his dialogue is insults and he spends most of his time either crapping on people's heads or flying away at the first sign of danger.
Don't expect a great deal of wider explanation in this book, most of the mysteries remain mysteries but it looks like they'll be explored more the next one.
A really great start to a new epic fantasy series
Thanks to Solaris books for providing me with a review copy
October 9, 2025
My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Not going to lie, I seriously considered DNF’ing this one solely because the Raven was so rude and obnoxious. I’m glad I gave it another chapter or two before shelving it because it was a great story. Looking forward to seeing what comes next for Elan and crew.
did-not-finish
December 19, 2025I feel bad for dnf'ing this book. When I first saw it in my library's catalogue, I was excited. I've been looking for a good Indigenous-inspired fantasy for ages, and this looked like it might be it. But once I started reading, I just couldn't get into it. The humor especially wasn’t for me—a crude, cranky raven who mostly swears, insults people, and cracks bodily‑function jokes felt more crass than funny. I picked the book up multiple times, hoping it would click, but it never did, and now that it's due back at the library, I'm calling it quits. The concept? Fantastic. The execution? Unfortunately not for me. 💔
November 4, 2025
One of the finest travel stories
A gem. Fascinating book, amazing story. Interesting world, found the american native angle fascinating and very well thought out. (I am from Europe, so cannot vouch for any authenticity)
Really looking forward to the sequels.
A gem. Fascinating book, amazing story. Interesting world, found the american native angle fascinating and very well thought out. (I am from Europe, so cannot vouch for any authenticity)
Really looking forward to the sequels.
November 24, 2025
Wonderful fantasy, fully grounded in the Pacific Northwest, Aani folklore, and the Tlingit language. Questioning of tradition, a hero's journey, and vivid characters (especially that supremely foul-mouthed Raven). Makes me want to eat salmon...
October 19, 2025
The Door on the Sea is a coming-of-age fantasy inspired by Tlingit folklore, full of myth, adventure, and heart. Eighteen-year-old Elān thinks he’ll just be a storyteller for his tribe until a deal with a foul-mouthed raven throws him into a quest to find a secret weapon that could save his homeland.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s rooted in Tlingit stories and traditions, and you can feel that in the worldbuilding and the oral, almost folktale-like narration. Sometimes the sailing details got a bit heavy (maybe that’s just my zero nautical experience talking), but I loved the attention to cultural detail. Elān is a great YA character—kind, unsure, brave when it counts, and definitely not your typical 'chosen one.' I also wished to know more about the rest of the crew, especially Kwa, the strong female warrior. Despite the long voyage together, the crew rarely engage in deeper conversation...
The Koosh are fascinating enemies (shapeshifting, god-like and powerful) and I loved how the story makes you question what’s real and what’s just legend. Overall, The Door on the Sea is a thoughtful, original fantasy with strong cultural roots and a likable, realistic hero. Can’t wait to see where the next book goes!
Thank you to Rebellion Publishing, Solaris and NetGalley for providing this ARC for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s rooted in Tlingit stories and traditions, and you can feel that in the worldbuilding and the oral, almost folktale-like narration. Sometimes the sailing details got a bit heavy (maybe that’s just my zero nautical experience talking), but I loved the attention to cultural detail. Elān is a great YA character—kind, unsure, brave when it counts, and definitely not your typical 'chosen one.' I also wished to know more about the rest of the crew, especially Kwa, the strong female warrior. Despite the long voyage together, the crew rarely engage in deeper conversation...
The Koosh are fascinating enemies (shapeshifting, god-like and powerful) and I loved how the story makes you question what’s real and what’s just legend. Overall, The Door on the Sea is a thoughtful, original fantasy with strong cultural roots and a likable, realistic hero. Can’t wait to see where the next book goes!
Thank you to Rebellion Publishing, Solaris and NetGalley for providing this ARC for my honest review.
October 1, 2025
As I read Caskey Russell’s The Door on the Sea, I realized for the first time just how much of the epic fantasy genre is European-coded. The people talk in British accents on the audiobooks and characters are humans, elves, and dwarves. Cities seem to always resemble medieval manorial towns and the social structure is often straight out of European Feudalism with Lords, Knights, and Serfs (perhaps with some different titles and names). Russell’s The Door on the Sea felt…off to me until I reoriented my perspective. I’ve done it before, and you probably have too for Asian-inspired fantasy books, but there have been hundreds of societies that have come and gone…so why not use something else as the basis for a new epic fantasy series?
And that’s precisely what Russell has done with his novel, The Door on the Sea, based on Tlingit folktales and legends.
The Tlingit, if you aren’t familiar with them, are indigenous to the Pacific Northwest (think British Columbia in Canada or southern Alaska). They are one of the tribes most famous for carving totem poles and have a rich tapestry of history and stories to draw from. So when our main character, Elān, travels via canoe to other fishing villages, it felt inauthentic until I had to stop myself to realize we can (and should) mine other cultures for their unique aspects and fascinating villains and characters.
Once I got past the “non-Euro-ness” of the story, I settled in and had a great time with Elān and his found-family fellowship. There was a certain Tolkein-esque vibe to how Russell sets up Elān on his journey. Our main protagonist, Elān, is a storyteller, not a warrior, and that aspect is woven throughout the story, giving other characters places to shine and a chance for Elān to add his own uniqueness to the quest. For a time, the tension between Elān and the female warrior who accompanies him, Kwa, was almost too much, but it finally got to a good place for the characters in the end.
Of course, what would this story be without a foul-mouthed, belligerent raven who may hold the key to defeating the Koosh, but is nearly entirely unwilling to assist the fellowship in the ups and downs of their journey to get it? At times, Raven was both my favorite and least favorite character, and perhaps that’s exactly what Russell was going for.
Ultimately, I enjoyed The Door on the Sea and will absolutely pick up the sequel to see what Elān and crew get up to in the next installment of this very non-European epic fantasy.
Thank you to Solaris for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
And that’s precisely what Russell has done with his novel, The Door on the Sea, based on Tlingit folktales and legends.
The Tlingit, if you aren’t familiar with them, are indigenous to the Pacific Northwest (think British Columbia in Canada or southern Alaska). They are one of the tribes most famous for carving totem poles and have a rich tapestry of history and stories to draw from. So when our main character, Elān, travels via canoe to other fishing villages, it felt inauthentic until I had to stop myself to realize we can (and should) mine other cultures for their unique aspects and fascinating villains and characters.
Once I got past the “non-Euro-ness” of the story, I settled in and had a great time with Elān and his found-family fellowship. There was a certain Tolkein-esque vibe to how Russell sets up Elān on his journey. Our main protagonist, Elān, is a storyteller, not a warrior, and that aspect is woven throughout the story, giving other characters places to shine and a chance for Elān to add his own uniqueness to the quest. For a time, the tension between Elān and the female warrior who accompanies him, Kwa, was almost too much, but it finally got to a good place for the characters in the end.
Of course, what would this story be without a foul-mouthed, belligerent raven who may hold the key to defeating the Koosh, but is nearly entirely unwilling to assist the fellowship in the ups and downs of their journey to get it? At times, Raven was both my favorite and least favorite character, and perhaps that’s exactly what Russell was going for.
Ultimately, I enjoyed The Door on the Sea and will absolutely pick up the sequel to see what Elān and crew get up to in the next installment of this very non-European epic fantasy.
Thank you to Solaris for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 7, 2025
Absolute masterpiece. Need to sit with my thoughts for a few days before writing that review.
October 8, 2025
Such an interesting premise, an excellent plot and all the makings of an epic. I really enjoyed the setting of the Pacific Northwest and appreciated the storytelling.
I did, however, find the writing quite hard to follow. There is character building happening, without a doubt but Caskey does a lot of telling and not showing. It makes the reading dense and I, for one, wished for there to be a more visible inner life to the characters. What are their feelings and thought, not just dialogue. It felt quite two dimensional. I missed something crucial there.
I think this can be a great book for the right reader. But if you’re, like me, lured in by the description of a fantasy epic, and you’re a seasoned fantasy reader — please beware that this is not written in traditional fantasy style. If you, however, like reading books that are written in a traditional way of storytelling, this can be for you.
I received an ARC via NetGalley and I want to thank the publisher and author for the opportunity to review with my honest opinions.
I did, however, find the writing quite hard to follow. There is character building happening, without a doubt but Caskey does a lot of telling and not showing. It makes the reading dense and I, for one, wished for there to be a more visible inner life to the characters. What are their feelings and thought, not just dialogue. It felt quite two dimensional. I missed something crucial there.
I think this can be a great book for the right reader. But if you’re, like me, lured in by the description of a fantasy epic, and you’re a seasoned fantasy reader — please beware that this is not written in traditional fantasy style. If you, however, like reading books that are written in a traditional way of storytelling, this can be for you.
I received an ARC via NetGalley and I want to thank the publisher and author for the opportunity to review with my honest opinions.
August 12, 2025
This was a very enjoyable read for me! I absolutely loved seeing a high fantasy epic adventure plotline reimagined through an Indigenous lens, and I found myself really rooting for and mourning these characters as they went through their trials and tribulations.
I also really enjoyed that this book is so clearly influenced by Indigenous oral storytelling traditions. The little asides from the narrator to the reader were a nice touch, and I appreciated that they were so often phrased as if the narrator expects the reader to be part of the tradition while also giving enough information to clue you in if you aren't. (For example: "As you know if you are of the sea...")
I will confess I struggled a little with the Tlingit language that's interspersed throughout, but that's primarily because I'm not very familiar with the language; once I was able to get into the flow of reading, it was easy to remember which words meant what, even if I still wouldn't feel confident pronouncing them aloud, and they really did a lot to add flavor to the story overall.
If I had one very minor gripe, it would be that I feel that the Koosh could have been slightly more humanized or at the very least compelling -- I felt that we didn't get enough from him to convince me that Elan's decision to travel to the Door was justified by anything other than pure intellectual curiosity. Or maybe it's enough that Elan is motivated by pure intellectual curiosity! But after such vivid descriptions of the destructive power of the dzanti, I guess I felt like I needed a little more to feel like it was worth it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and would certainly recommend it to any readers who like fantasy/speculative fiction, especially if they're interested in Indigenous fiction. Thank you to Solaris Books and NetGalley for the ARC, which I received in return for my honest review!
I also really enjoyed that this book is so clearly influenced by Indigenous oral storytelling traditions. The little asides from the narrator to the reader were a nice touch, and I appreciated that they were so often phrased as if the narrator expects the reader to be part of the tradition while also giving enough information to clue you in if you aren't. (For example: "As you know if you are of the sea...")
I will confess I struggled a little with the Tlingit language that's interspersed throughout, but that's primarily because I'm not very familiar with the language; once I was able to get into the flow of reading, it was easy to remember which words meant what, even if I still wouldn't feel confident pronouncing them aloud, and they really did a lot to add flavor to the story overall.
If I had one very minor gripe, it would be that I feel that the Koosh could have been slightly more humanized or at the very least compelling -- I felt that we didn't get enough from him to convince me that Elan's decision to travel to the Door was justified by anything other than pure intellectual curiosity. Or maybe it's enough that Elan is motivated by pure intellectual curiosity! But after such vivid descriptions of the destructive power of the dzanti, I guess I felt like I needed a little more to feel like it was worth it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and would certainly recommend it to any readers who like fantasy/speculative fiction, especially if they're interested in Indigenous fiction. Thank you to Solaris Books and NetGalley for the ARC, which I received in return for my honest review!
October 6, 2025
This book had me at "Tlingit indigenous response to The Lord of the Rings".
And then again at the introduction of a foul-mouthed, salmon-addicted Raven who can't stop blurting out insults.
And then again at the bear-cousin who is so silent, but only because human language is not sufficient to express their feelings.
And then again and again and again...
Our FMC is deep into books and stories - and yet weirdly excited to go on an adventure to retrieve an artifact to help their people fight the invaders.
With an interesting band of fellow "warriors" he boards a canoe to change their fate.
They are facing cannibal giants and themselves. And maybe the stories that were deemed true are different than they thought...
I love everything about this book, and I'm awed by the indigenous folklore woven into an epic adventure.
4,5/5 stars
Thank you @netgalley and @solarisbooks for the eARC!
#TheDoorOnTheSea #Netgalley #Bookstagram
And then again at the introduction of a foul-mouthed, salmon-addicted Raven who can't stop blurting out insults.
And then again at the bear-cousin who is so silent, but only because human language is not sufficient to express their feelings.
And then again and again and again...
Our FMC is deep into books and stories - and yet weirdly excited to go on an adventure to retrieve an artifact to help their people fight the invaders.
With an interesting band of fellow "warriors" he boards a canoe to change their fate.
They are facing cannibal giants and themselves. And maybe the stories that were deemed true are different than they thought...
I love everything about this book, and I'm awed by the indigenous folklore woven into an epic adventure.
4,5/5 stars
Thank you @netgalley and @solarisbooks for the eARC!
#TheDoorOnTheSea #Netgalley #Bookstagram
Read
September 28, 2025Survivalist quest fiction is back baby. Sometimes you just gotta have a hyper specific story about how to get a group of people from point A to point B to retrieve a magical artifact and this book does that super well.
So much good boat shit I can't even. (I do think it's important to state for the record that I am not a good judge of boat shit, but I super believe Russell) Anyway, I'm really grateful that I never had to sleep in a canoe, sounds bad.
So much good boat shit I can't even. (I do think it's important to state for the record that I am not a good judge of boat shit, but I super believe Russell) Anyway, I'm really grateful that I never had to sleep in a canoe, sounds bad.
October 11, 2025
"If only oddness and kindness were enough to change fortunes."
When Elān locks a foul-mouthed raven into his cupboard, he little imagines he’s setting off a chain of events that could determine the fate of his people and perhaps even their entire world. Drawn into a quest he never asked for, he finds himself journeying with a ragtag band of allies, including a wolf and a human bear cousin, in search of a weapon that might be powerful enough to stop the Koosh: shapeshifting invaders from another realm who are laying siege to their shores.
But Elān is no warrior, he’s a storyteller, and as they face danger and doubt, he must prove himself not just to his companions and those they meet along the way, but to himself.
The Door on the Sea is a fascinating book and I think it’s a little unfortunate that the comparison to Lord of The Rings will probably give people very specific expectations. It’s written in the style of an oral telling (so I can imagine the audiobook might even enhance the experience in that regard) and while I’m no expert, some elements that other reviewers found immersion-breaking (like the foul-mouthed raven) reminded me of irreverent touches often found in traditional myths.
The book has some truly excellent moments, both of pathos and of humor, and the journey itself is rich with fantastical and evocative imagery. I especially appreciated it as an entry point to learning more about Tlingit culture.
That being said, I did struggle to keep interest at certain points. The sailing became monotonous and, while I definitely learned a fair bit about canoes, I feel like there might have been a better way to impart that information. Apart from Raven, the crew (even Elān to a certain extent) felt a little flat and one note. There were definitely hints of greater depth but I would have loved to have gotten to know the other characters better. The arcs and plot beats were likewise rather predictable. Elān’s questioning of tradition and morality, his position as storyteller not warrior, is familiar territory, though there were moments of a deeper exploration of those themes, a unique perspective, I would have loved to see fleshed out more.
As it stands, The Door on the Sea feels like less than the sum of its parts. There are flashes of brilliant writing and storytelling, but they sometimes get lost in the pacing and underdeveloped character work. All in all though, I’m still glad to have read it for the moments of beauty and insight that made the journey worthwhile.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Solaris for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
When Elān locks a foul-mouthed raven into his cupboard, he little imagines he’s setting off a chain of events that could determine the fate of his people and perhaps even their entire world. Drawn into a quest he never asked for, he finds himself journeying with a ragtag band of allies, including a wolf and a human bear cousin, in search of a weapon that might be powerful enough to stop the Koosh: shapeshifting invaders from another realm who are laying siege to their shores.
But Elān is no warrior, he’s a storyteller, and as they face danger and doubt, he must prove himself not just to his companions and those they meet along the way, but to himself.
The Door on the Sea is a fascinating book and I think it’s a little unfortunate that the comparison to Lord of The Rings will probably give people very specific expectations. It’s written in the style of an oral telling (so I can imagine the audiobook might even enhance the experience in that regard) and while I’m no expert, some elements that other reviewers found immersion-breaking (like the foul-mouthed raven) reminded me of irreverent touches often found in traditional myths.
The book has some truly excellent moments, both of pathos and of humor, and the journey itself is rich with fantastical and evocative imagery. I especially appreciated it as an entry point to learning more about Tlingit culture.
That being said, I did struggle to keep interest at certain points. The sailing became monotonous and, while I definitely learned a fair bit about canoes, I feel like there might have been a better way to impart that information. Apart from Raven, the crew (even Elān to a certain extent) felt a little flat and one note. There were definitely hints of greater depth but I would have loved to have gotten to know the other characters better. The arcs and plot beats were likewise rather predictable. Elān’s questioning of tradition and morality, his position as storyteller not warrior, is familiar territory, though there were moments of a deeper exploration of those themes, a unique perspective, I would have loved to see fleshed out more.
As it stands, The Door on the Sea feels like less than the sum of its parts. There are flashes of brilliant writing and storytelling, but they sometimes get lost in the pacing and underdeveloped character work. All in all though, I’m still glad to have read it for the moments of beauty and insight that made the journey worthwhile.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Solaris for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 11, 2025
I'm a bit in two minds about this one but overall positive (3.5 rounded up). Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
This starts quite slow, and I had some trouble getting invested. While I ended up liking it overall, I'm much less a fan of the kind of story where people go various places and things happen to them on that journey, and that's the majority of the novel. I'm aware that this sounds somewhat insane. Another explanation: I don't really like LOTR. However, I did lock in to the story when we got a little more lore about the Koosh and ended up finishing in one or two sittings. Thank you Koosh lore, because this is a cool story told novelly, and I'm excited for the next book.
Above everything, I really liked the prose. The way the narrator actively tells the story to the reader with asides and "you", is very enjoyable. It's nice to feel like someone is telling you a story! I also enjoyed getting to learn about Tlingit culture. Elān was, in general, an interesting main character, particularly once he got a little more adapted to adventuring. I'm not overly interested in coming-of-age narratives at this point in my life, but I can quite easily get invested in the story of a young scholar who has to figure his shit out. The main cast was quite good overall. I didn't particularly care for Raven for most of the book, but that was a matter of taste more than anything. There was a lot going on thematically that I liked as well, mostly concerning how people and societies create narratives (wow I can't believe the English major is invested in that).
I do have a few complaints, which are unfortunately mostly spoiler related. For non-spoilers, while the characters are interesting and engaging, they are pretty flat, and I had a difficult time judging the changes in their relationships with Elān.
Overall, a very neat read, and I'm excited for the next in the series!
This starts quite slow, and I had some trouble getting invested. While I ended up liking it overall, I'm much less a fan of the kind of story where people go various places and things happen to them on that journey, and that's the majority of the novel. I'm aware that this sounds somewhat insane. Another explanation: I don't really like LOTR. However, I did lock in to the story when we got a little more lore about the Koosh and ended up finishing in one or two sittings. Thank you Koosh lore, because this is a cool story told novelly, and I'm excited for the next book.
Above everything, I really liked the prose. The way the narrator actively tells the story to the reader with asides and "you", is very enjoyable. It's nice to feel like someone is telling you a story! I also enjoyed getting to learn about Tlingit culture. Elān was, in general, an interesting main character, particularly once he got a little more adapted to adventuring. I'm not overly interested in coming-of-age narratives at this point in my life, but I can quite easily get invested in the story of a young scholar who has to figure his shit out. The main cast was quite good overall. I didn't particularly care for Raven for most of the book, but that was a matter of taste more than anything. There was a lot going on thematically that I liked as well, mostly concerning how people and societies create narratives (wow I can't believe the English major is invested in that).
I do have a few complaints, which are unfortunately mostly spoiler related. For non-spoilers, while the characters are interesting and engaging, they are pretty flat, and I had a difficult time judging the changes in their relationships with Elān.
Overall, a very neat read, and I'm excited for the next in the series!
October 5, 2025
5 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
When Elān traps a raven in his cupboard, he has no idea that it will lead him to the ends of the earth, the mainland, and a way to save his people. Such is the power of a single event—and the pettiness of one pissed-off, talking raven.
The Koosh—a shapeshifting race of otherworlders—have been steadily working their way up the island-chain after their arrival on the mainland. But Elān lives far from the continent, so far that the Koosh are almost a myth, a tale with which to scare naughty children. But a tale that his elders are taking very seriously.
And so Elān is tasked with a mission: captain a crew to retrieve a powerful Koosh weapon, known to have been sunken in a far-off harbor, so that his tribe might use it to drive the foe from their islands. Only… Elān is a bookeater, not a warrior. But he soon discovers there is more than one way to be strong, and more than one path to glory.
—
The Door on the Sea is a coming-of-age fantasy—inspired by Pacific Northwest (Haida and Kwakwaka’wakw, to name a few) tales—that tells the story of one young man who is unsure of his destiny. While the setting itself acts as a breath of fresh air, the book is held in check by a somewhat basic story, juvenile humor, slow pacing, and tedious description.
While marketed as adult fantasy, this is Teen at least, if not Middle Grade, but for one or two things. It’s (a) a bit long, and (b) a bit slow. It’s like a children’s author trying to be edgy. In terms of content, I counted one decapitation, but little else that could be counted as gory. The humor is definitely on the level of middle grade, consisting mainly of poop jokes. Unlike your typical Teen/YA plot, Door on the Sea is missing a romance—which I didn’t mind—but would also support the whole MG thing. The lexicon might be a bit high, but most of the unusual terms constitute loan-words, the meanings of which are included, often through the use of the phrase “in your world this might be called a ____”. Its length is a bit high for the typical MG title, but that’s hardly a rule set in stone. Its speed is definitely an issue, as the story takes quite a long time to get moving. We don’t set off on our journey until after the 25% mark, and spend quite a lot of that time making lists and double-checking what we pack. Even after setting out, the pace is often quite tedious, using the space of three paragraphs to relate something that really only deserved a sentence or two. As such, it makes the whole book seem much longer than even its 400-450 pages would entail. In adult terms, I found it slow, uninspired, plebeian, and contained of juvenile humor.
The setting, at least, does a bit to reinvigorate things. Set in a Pacific Northwest-inspired archipelago, redolent with Haida mythos, spirit bears, smoked salmon, outrigger canoes, and rainforest, but also containing things like pubs, post, and school competitions. All of these things together actually form a pretty good tapestry, one that might have carried any other uninspired story, but for the frequent lapses in immersion brought on by tedious pacing.
The characters are themselves a bit juvenile, for that matter. No one has a whole lot of depth, including Elān. Other than being a wayward youth in search of purpose, there’s not a lot to him. Yes, the story often goes out of its way to show us (and his fellow cast) that there’s more to him than just a bookeater (scholar, storyteller), but it doesn’t really mean anything. He’s basically just every other kid, trying to find their way in the world. There’s nothing in it that sets him apart. If Elān was shallow, there’s really no depth to the additional cast at all. Just cardboard-cutouts mimicking humanity. Again, in a MG story this would be excusable. In an adult one, it mostly just comes off as poor writing.
The story itself is rather straightforward. Go get this thing and come back. Yeah, stuff happens on the way, but there’s no real mystery or twist regarding anything. Still, I found the plot adequately entertaining. The boat sections are broken up by time on various islands, but not enough magic and mystery went into their creation. There’s some strife amongst the cast, but that wasn’t enough to carry the plot. It’s all a bit… lacking, if I’m honest.
It all comes back to the tedious pacing, in the end. Or the lack of character depth. Or the juvenile language. Or the uninspired story. There is some promise to the story, especially come the end, and the setting is quite new and refreshing, but Door on the Sea does little else well. An acceptable first attempt, that is—sadly—clearly a first attempt.
TL;DR
While the Door on the Sea does a few things well (setting, plot outline), there is quite a lot left wanting, beginning and ending with its language. I’d class this as Middle Grade at best. As an adult fantasy it falls flat. The humor is juvenile, as is the overall tone; it’s like a children’s author trying to be edgy without bothering with profanity, sex, or really any violence. The plot itself is uninspired, and the characters lack really any depth. The pacing is slow, often bordering on tedious. It’s like how every tale of an epic quest begins with a long list of what the expedition has packed (there are indeed packing lists, I’m not just exaggerating). We discuss every point, every detail, and then devote a lot of thought to each dissension. There are too many loan-words as well, as their subsequent explanation also steals immersion. It’s just… a bit of a mess, if I’m honest. An okay attempt if it had been for preteens, a thoroughly lacking one for adults.
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When Elān traps a raven in his cupboard, he has no idea that it will lead him to the ends of the earth, the mainland, and a way to save his people. Such is the power of a single event—and the pettiness of one pissed-off, talking raven.
The Koosh—a shapeshifting race of otherworlders—have been steadily working their way up the island-chain after their arrival on the mainland. But Elān lives far from the continent, so far that the Koosh are almost a myth, a tale with which to scare naughty children. But a tale that his elders are taking very seriously.
And so Elān is tasked with a mission: captain a crew to retrieve a powerful Koosh weapon, known to have been sunken in a far-off harbor, so that his tribe might use it to drive the foe from their islands. Only… Elān is a bookeater, not a warrior. But he soon discovers there is more than one way to be strong, and more than one path to glory.
—
The Door on the Sea is a coming-of-age fantasy—inspired by Pacific Northwest (Haida and Kwakwaka’wakw, to name a few) tales—that tells the story of one young man who is unsure of his destiny. While the setting itself acts as a breath of fresh air, the book is held in check by a somewhat basic story, juvenile humor, slow pacing, and tedious description.
While marketed as adult fantasy, this is Teen at least, if not Middle Grade, but for one or two things. It’s (a) a bit long, and (b) a bit slow. It’s like a children’s author trying to be edgy. In terms of content, I counted one decapitation, but little else that could be counted as gory. The humor is definitely on the level of middle grade, consisting mainly of poop jokes. Unlike your typical Teen/YA plot, Door on the Sea is missing a romance—which I didn’t mind—but would also support the whole MG thing. The lexicon might be a bit high, but most of the unusual terms constitute loan-words, the meanings of which are included, often through the use of the phrase “in your world this might be called a ____”. Its length is a bit high for the typical MG title, but that’s hardly a rule set in stone. Its speed is definitely an issue, as the story takes quite a long time to get moving. We don’t set off on our journey until after the 25% mark, and spend quite a lot of that time making lists and double-checking what we pack. Even after setting out, the pace is often quite tedious, using the space of three paragraphs to relate something that really only deserved a sentence or two. As such, it makes the whole book seem much longer than even its 400-450 pages would entail. In adult terms, I found it slow, uninspired, plebeian, and contained of juvenile humor.
The setting, at least, does a bit to reinvigorate things. Set in a Pacific Northwest-inspired archipelago, redolent with Haida mythos, spirit bears, smoked salmon, outrigger canoes, and rainforest, but also containing things like pubs, post, and school competitions. All of these things together actually form a pretty good tapestry, one that might have carried any other uninspired story, but for the frequent lapses in immersion brought on by tedious pacing.
The characters are themselves a bit juvenile, for that matter. No one has a whole lot of depth, including Elān. Other than being a wayward youth in search of purpose, there’s not a lot to him. Yes, the story often goes out of its way to show us (and his fellow cast) that there’s more to him than just a bookeater (scholar, storyteller), but it doesn’t really mean anything. He’s basically just every other kid, trying to find their way in the world. There’s nothing in it that sets him apart. If Elān was shallow, there’s really no depth to the additional cast at all. Just cardboard-cutouts mimicking humanity. Again, in a MG story this would be excusable. In an adult one, it mostly just comes off as poor writing.
The story itself is rather straightforward. Go get this thing and come back. Yeah, stuff happens on the way, but there’s no real mystery or twist regarding anything. Still, I found the plot adequately entertaining. The boat sections are broken up by time on various islands, but not enough magic and mystery went into their creation. There’s some strife amongst the cast, but that wasn’t enough to carry the plot. It’s all a bit… lacking, if I’m honest.
It all comes back to the tedious pacing, in the end. Or the lack of character depth. Or the juvenile language. Or the uninspired story. There is some promise to the story, especially come the end, and the setting is quite new and refreshing, but Door on the Sea does little else well. An acceptable first attempt, that is—sadly—clearly a first attempt.
TL;DR
While the Door on the Sea does a few things well (setting, plot outline), there is quite a lot left wanting, beginning and ending with its language. I’d class this as Middle Grade at best. As an adult fantasy it falls flat. The humor is juvenile, as is the overall tone; it’s like a children’s author trying to be edgy without bothering with profanity, sex, or really any violence. The plot itself is uninspired, and the characters lack really any depth. The pacing is slow, often bordering on tedious. It’s like how every tale of an epic quest begins with a long list of what the expedition has packed (there are indeed packing lists, I’m not just exaggerating). We discuss every point, every detail, and then devote a lot of thought to each dissension. There are too many loan-words as well, as their subsequent explanation also steals immersion. It’s just… a bit of a mess, if I’m honest. An okay attempt if it had been for preteens, a thoroughly lacking one for adults.
July 30, 2025
The Door on the Sea follows Elān, a young member of his community’s Longhouse of Service and Trade (“the school for everyone who wasn’t to be a warrior”), on an unexpected moon-long canoe journey to attempt to retrieve a mysterious weapon from the bottom of a bay. Elān must serve as captain to a group of predominantly warriors, some of whom don’t think he ought to be a captain, all the while relying on Raven (who claims to know where the weapon is but who is not exactly cooperative).
This is the first novel in the Raven and Eagle series which is inspired by the history, culture, and lore of the Tlingit Nation, of which the author is a member. Check out his website for more about the inspirations and context for the writing of this novel.
I enjoyed Elān’s growth over the course of the novel, his relationships with his crewmates, and the world-building. I feel the novel says a lot, particularly about tradition – who makes it, the dynamics it perpetuates, and how it can change – without ever feeling didactic. The pace was quick enough to feel exciting, and the lead characters – the members of Elān’s crew – were easy to cheer for without being one-dimensional or uncomplicated. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel & will look forward to continuing the series.
Content warnings: violence, injury detail, war, enslavement, colonisation, forcible confinement, mentions of cannibalism (nothing on-page)
Thank you to Rebellion / Solaris, NetGalley, & the author for providing me an ARC for me to review.
This is the first novel in the Raven and Eagle series which is inspired by the history, culture, and lore of the Tlingit Nation, of which the author is a member. Check out his website for more about the inspirations and context for the writing of this novel.
I enjoyed Elān’s growth over the course of the novel, his relationships with his crewmates, and the world-building. I feel the novel says a lot, particularly about tradition – who makes it, the dynamics it perpetuates, and how it can change – without ever feeling didactic. The pace was quick enough to feel exciting, and the lead characters – the members of Elān’s crew – were easy to cheer for without being one-dimensional or uncomplicated. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel & will look forward to continuing the series.
Content warnings: violence, injury detail, war, enslavement, colonisation, forcible confinement, mentions of cannibalism (nothing on-page)
Thank you to Rebellion / Solaris, NetGalley, & the author for providing me an ARC for me to review.
December 2, 2025
Goodreads said that this was an Indigenous Lord of the Rings and it was SO not.
I HATED the stupid raven (stop threatening to shoot him and just DO it!) and the constant switches to second person, always written in a condescending tone ("AS YOU KNOW, blah blah blah..." No, I don't know. How about you just show me instead of taking constant breaks to tell me?). And I was disappointed that the plot ultimately remained in shallow waters. So many interesting themes that could have been explored (family, tradition, xenophobia!) but were not. I also kept thinking there would be a twist (it seemed to be setting up for one), but no. Don't think I'll be reading the planned additions to this series.
I HATED the stupid raven (stop threatening to shoot him and just DO it!) and the constant switches to second person, always written in a condescending tone ("AS YOU KNOW, blah blah blah..." No, I don't know. How about you just show me instead of taking constant breaks to tell me?). And I was disappointed that the plot ultimately remained in shallow waters. So many interesting themes that could have been explored (family, tradition, xenophobia!) but were not. I also kept thinking there would be a twist (it seemed to be setting up for one), but no. Don't think I'll be reading the planned additions to this series.
December 11, 2025
A fantastic start to a series, and an excellent book for someone in the mood to read a seafaring pirate-ish adventure quest. My main issue is with the audiobook narration... when someone is reading in a flat, neutral accent and then hits the foreign/native words AS HARD AS POSSIBLE, it's incredibly jarring. It sounded like he was coughing or clearing his throat every time he said someone's name or a location. It did slightly improve as the book went on (or I got used to it) but it was ridiculously sharp and obnoxious.
November 17, 2025
*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*
I only read 50% of this book because my Netgalley app then decided to not open the book again until it expired. But I enjoyed this coming of age story with a Tlingit protagonist. Will try to read the rest somehow.
I only read 50% of this book because my Netgalley app then decided to not open the book again until it expired. But I enjoyed this coming of age story with a Tlingit protagonist. Will try to read the rest somehow.
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