What do you think?
Rate this book
Oceanforged #1
The Wicked Ship
The realm of Aquinta has fallen into a dark age. And no one knows that better than thirteen-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life in a pirate crew more beastly than Aquinta's sea monsters.
But Cori's life changes when she finds the Oceanforged Gauntlet - a piece of armour belonging to the legendary Champions who once ruled the islands. Whoever wears the armour wields the Champions' magic and has the power to return Aquinta to its lost glory.
Cori must begin a treacherous journey to find the rest of the armour. But first, she'll have to escape from her captain, who craves the gauntlet's magic for himself ...
The quest begins in the first instalment of an epic new fantasy adventure series from the bestselling author of The Grandest Bookshop in the World.
But Cori's life changes when she finds the Oceanforged Gauntlet - a piece of armour belonging to the legendary Champions who once ruled the islands. Whoever wears the armour wields the Champions' magic and has the power to return Aquinta to its lost glory.
Cori must begin a treacherous journey to find the rest of the armour. But first, she'll have to escape from her captain, who craves the gauntlet's magic for himself ...
The quest begins in the first instalment of an epic new fantasy adventure series from the bestselling author of The Grandest Bookshop in the World.
239 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 29, 2025
7 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 9, 2025
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Oceanforged 1: The Wicked Ship by Amelia Melloris a fun and fast paced junior fiction fantasy read for lovers of pirates, ancient magic and adventures.
We follow thirteen-year old orphan Cori who inadvertently finds herself a crew member on the Harridan where she is made to do dangerous and deadly tasks aboard the pirate ship. Cori dreams of escaping the captain, one day.
The opportunity for escape arises when Cori discovers a magical gauntlet, a piece of armour that wields magic and she embarks on a quest to return the realm of Aquinta to its lost glory.
Themes of nature, bravery and justice.
An immersive setting with a courageous protagonist, an evil villain and colourful supporting characters. Books 2 & 3 of this epic new fantasy are due out in 2026 and the final two books in 2027.
As an adult I found this an entertaining read.
Publication Day 29 July 2025
Publisher Affirm Kids
Ages 8-11
Thank you so much Affirm Press for a copy of the book
Oceanforged 1: The Wicked Ship by Amelia Melloris a fun and fast paced junior fiction fantasy read for lovers of pirates, ancient magic and adventures.
We follow thirteen-year old orphan Cori who inadvertently finds herself a crew member on the Harridan where she is made to do dangerous and deadly tasks aboard the pirate ship. Cori dreams of escaping the captain, one day.
The opportunity for escape arises when Cori discovers a magical gauntlet, a piece of armour that wields magic and she embarks on a quest to return the realm of Aquinta to its lost glory.
Themes of nature, bravery and justice.
An immersive setting with a courageous protagonist, an evil villain and colourful supporting characters. Books 2 & 3 of this epic new fantasy are due out in 2026 and the final two books in 2027.
As an adult I found this an entertaining read.
Publication Day 29 July 2025
Publisher Affirm Kids
Ages 8-11
Thank you so much Affirm Press for a copy of the book
December 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is an excellent example of the beginning of a middle grade fantasy series.
Short with images. Some big words to push readers, but mostly easy language.
The story is fast paced packed with excitement, dragons, magic and magical objects, quest, pirates, witches, and more.
We follow Cori who has been stuck as a slave working on a pirate ship. When on a raid she discovers an ancient magical artifice the gauntlet. This soon leads to her forming friendships and going on adventures to stay safe and fulfill the gauntlets potential.
Thank you Affirm press for providing me with an ARC for my honest review.
I read this aloud to my junior primary age son and he was entertained.
This is an excellent example of the beginning of a middle grade fantasy series.
Short with images. Some big words to push readers, but mostly easy language.
The story is fast paced packed with excitement, dragons, magic and magical objects, quest, pirates, witches, and more.
We follow Cori who has been stuck as a slave working on a pirate ship. When on a raid she discovers an ancient magical artifice the gauntlet. This soon leads to her forming friendships and going on adventures to stay safe and fulfill the gauntlets potential.
Thank you Affirm press for providing me with an ARC for my honest review.
I read this aloud to my junior primary age son and he was entertained.
July 12, 2025
The first in a five book series. An entry level fantasy for those stepping out of junior fiction but may interest older reluctant readers.
Eleven yr old Cori lived with her parents beneath the city of Highwater, on the island of Nexus in Aquinta. They lived in a crowded maze of tunnels known as the Burrows. When a cyclone floods the Burrows and orphans Cori, she is taken to the Radiant Palace, where she will becomes a Council Page. One day she is sent to the lower chambers to find floor polish, and stumbles upon a room containing a painting of an artificer. She discovers more paintings depicting people wearing golden armour and carrying the same sword. She starts to take an interest in her history lessons and learns about the Age of Glory. She is punished when she questions the council upon seeing the Oceanforged Helmet behind locks and when she turns twelve, she is sent with a handful of other pages to the outer islands. When they arrive, Cori steps into a side alley, runs away and ends up joining a pirate ship. Cori is now thirteen and has been living on the Harridan for the past 6 months.
Captain Scrimshaw is on the hunt for the lost artifices of the Oceanforged. He wears a blue-green jewel around his neck that starts glowing as they near Fin Island. Captain Scrimshaw takes Cori and two other crew members and go in search of the Oceanforged Gauntlet. When they come across a dilapidated building, Cori is sent through the broken roof, where she locates the gauntlet. She decides that the gauntlet should not be given to the Captain and Cori slips her left hand inside. The gauntlet moulds itself to Cori’s arm. Using the power of the gauntlet, she escapes and steals one of the Harridan’s flipperboats. As she travels deeper into the maze of islands, she is caught in a storm and is washed overboard. She manages to get to shore and after walking for a while, comes across some locals, Aunty Mok, Rey and Tarn. Cori learns that they are naturals and have special abilities. They make their way to their small village of Little Point, where they have dinner and a good night’s sleep. The following morning, when Cori is trying to slip away, she meets Tarn’s Mum Ead. Cori explains that she would like the gauntlet taken off, so Ead suggests Cori travel to Scantling and see the witch. Tarn takes Cori to meet Zin, the witch, who tells them about the Age of Glory. Cori knows that there are five items, all oceanforged, the gauntlet, the tunic, the greaves, the sword and the helmet. Zin explains that the Oceanforged Armour was divided 250 years ago when the last champions died and the Prime Council rose to power. Zin adds that she is a loyalist and has always believed that the armour will be reunited, the Prime Council overthrown and an heir will restore Aquinta. Zin also tells them that each piece of the Oceanforged Armour was scattered, hidden in vaults and guarded. Zin notices that there is a jewel missing from the gauntlet and Cori realises it is the jewel that Captain Scrimshaw has.
Can Cori get the jewel and find the rest of the Oceanforged items?
Thank you to Novel Insight for providing an uncorrected proof. I enjoyed reading this novel.
Eleven yr old Cori lived with her parents beneath the city of Highwater, on the island of Nexus in Aquinta. They lived in a crowded maze of tunnels known as the Burrows. When a cyclone floods the Burrows and orphans Cori, she is taken to the Radiant Palace, where she will becomes a Council Page. One day she is sent to the lower chambers to find floor polish, and stumbles upon a room containing a painting of an artificer. She discovers more paintings depicting people wearing golden armour and carrying the same sword. She starts to take an interest in her history lessons and learns about the Age of Glory. She is punished when she questions the council upon seeing the Oceanforged Helmet behind locks and when she turns twelve, she is sent with a handful of other pages to the outer islands. When they arrive, Cori steps into a side alley, runs away and ends up joining a pirate ship. Cori is now thirteen and has been living on the Harridan for the past 6 months.
Captain Scrimshaw is on the hunt for the lost artifices of the Oceanforged. He wears a blue-green jewel around his neck that starts glowing as they near Fin Island. Captain Scrimshaw takes Cori and two other crew members and go in search of the Oceanforged Gauntlet. When they come across a dilapidated building, Cori is sent through the broken roof, where she locates the gauntlet. She decides that the gauntlet should not be given to the Captain and Cori slips her left hand inside. The gauntlet moulds itself to Cori’s arm. Using the power of the gauntlet, she escapes and steals one of the Harridan’s flipperboats. As she travels deeper into the maze of islands, she is caught in a storm and is washed overboard. She manages to get to shore and after walking for a while, comes across some locals, Aunty Mok, Rey and Tarn. Cori learns that they are naturals and have special abilities. They make their way to their small village of Little Point, where they have dinner and a good night’s sleep. The following morning, when Cori is trying to slip away, she meets Tarn’s Mum Ead. Cori explains that she would like the gauntlet taken off, so Ead suggests Cori travel to Scantling and see the witch. Tarn takes Cori to meet Zin, the witch, who tells them about the Age of Glory. Cori knows that there are five items, all oceanforged, the gauntlet, the tunic, the greaves, the sword and the helmet. Zin explains that the Oceanforged Armour was divided 250 years ago when the last champions died and the Prime Council rose to power. Zin adds that she is a loyalist and has always believed that the armour will be reunited, the Prime Council overthrown and an heir will restore Aquinta. Zin also tells them that each piece of the Oceanforged Armour was scattered, hidden in vaults and guarded. Zin notices that there is a jewel missing from the gauntlet and Cori realises it is the jewel that Captain Scrimshaw has.
Can Cori get the jewel and find the rest of the Oceanforged items?
Thank you to Novel Insight for providing an uncorrected proof. I enjoyed reading this novel.
July 17, 2025
Oceanforged 1: The Wicked Ship by Amelia Mellor
☀️☀️☀️☀️
Thank you to Affirm Press for this Uncorrected Proof Copy!
A fun, fast-paced series starter that will appeal to young readers seeking an epic fantasy adventure!
Young Cori, a reluctant pirate, finds herself in possession of a centuries lost magical gauntlet. It has seemingly chosen her for greater things, and with the help of some new friends she must try and keep it out of the hands of her prickly pirate captain until she can fulfill her destiny.
Cori is an amusing protagonist, but I found myself more taken by both Tarn and Jem, so I'm glad they featured so heavily. The magic system is interesting without being overly complicated, and I look forward to seeing the worldbuilding expand across the series.
Given its page count, I do wonder if devoting the time to identify so many members of the pirate crew was necessary. All of the other characters introduced felt important and helped to craft the narrative, so I'll trust the process
It is no secret that Amelia Mellor is my favourite middle grade writer. This series already feels very different from the Grandest Bookshop series, but it has a wonderful setup that kept me hooked (I read this in one sitting!) and I eagerly await the next installment.
"You don't have to be the Champion just because you were magically picked for the job by a bunch of...ghosts? Vibes?"
☀️☀️☀️☀️
Thank you to Affirm Press for this Uncorrected Proof Copy!
A fun, fast-paced series starter that will appeal to young readers seeking an epic fantasy adventure!
Young Cori, a reluctant pirate, finds herself in possession of a centuries lost magical gauntlet. It has seemingly chosen her for greater things, and with the help of some new friends she must try and keep it out of the hands of her prickly pirate captain until she can fulfill her destiny.
Cori is an amusing protagonist, but I found myself more taken by both Tarn and Jem, so I'm glad they featured so heavily. The magic system is interesting without being overly complicated, and I look forward to seeing the worldbuilding expand across the series.
Given its page count, I do wonder if devoting the time to identify so many members of the pirate crew was necessary. All of the other characters introduced felt important and helped to craft the narrative, so I'll trust the process
It is no secret that Amelia Mellor is my favourite middle grade writer. This series already feels very different from the Grandest Bookshop series, but it has a wonderful setup that kept me hooked (I read this in one sitting!) and I eagerly await the next installment.
"You don't have to be the Champion just because you were magically picked for the job by a bunch of...ghosts? Vibes?"
July 31, 2025
The Wicked Ship was a ball of fun to read. It's exciting and fast paced and full of fabulous characters.
Amelia's writing takes you straight into Cori's world in Aquinta and introduces the reader to a magical world where most people have access to some level of magic.
Thirteen year old Cori is an unwilling crew member of the Harridan and is made to do all the horrible and dangerous tasks on board this pirate ship. Cori is determined to one day escape the dastardly Captain Scrimshaw and set out on her own.
She gets a chance when on Fin Island they discover the Oceanforged Gauntlet and the gauntlet chooses Cori! Now she has the power.
Escaping to a nearby island Cori discovers she is not the only one hoping for the return of the Champions and for Aquinta to be returned to the glory days. Is Cori the champion they are looking for?
This story has it all - a bit of lore, magic, pirates, strange animals, including a dragon, found family and what looks to be a fantastical quest for the remainder of the Oceanforged armour.
Looking forward to the next installment of this series.
Amelia's writing takes you straight into Cori's world in Aquinta and introduces the reader to a magical world where most people have access to some level of magic.
Thirteen year old Cori is an unwilling crew member of the Harridan and is made to do all the horrible and dangerous tasks on board this pirate ship. Cori is determined to one day escape the dastardly Captain Scrimshaw and set out on her own.
She gets a chance when on Fin Island they discover the Oceanforged Gauntlet and the gauntlet chooses Cori! Now she has the power.
Escaping to a nearby island Cori discovers she is not the only one hoping for the return of the Champions and for Aquinta to be returned to the glory days. Is Cori the champion they are looking for?
This story has it all - a bit of lore, magic, pirates, strange animals, including a dragon, found family and what looks to be a fantastical quest for the remainder of the Oceanforged armour.
Looking forward to the next installment of this series.
October 8, 2025
“So I’m meant to bring in a new Age of Glory. The Age of Cori! It’s perfect!”
Having not read ‘The Grandest Bookshop’ series yet, this was my first time reading Amelia’s work and she did not disappoint.
In the realm of Aquinta, a place once ruled by the legendary Champions but now led into a dark age by the selfish Prime Council, serious magic exists - within naturals who possess magical qualities (like talking to animals), and through potions and artifices that help give people control over magic. Aquinta is where we meet young orphan Cori, who in an attempt to flee her horrible life on the island of Nexus, ends up on a pirate ship with a beastly crew. But when a weekly pirate raid ends up in Cori discovering the Oceanforged Gauntlet, 1/5 of the magical Oceanforged Armour belonging to the legendary Champions, her life is suddenly turned upside down and she is now on the run from these ghastly pirates. Will Cori manage to evade the pirates and find the rest of the armour to bring glory back to Aquinta or will the gauntlet fall into the wrong hands and send Aquinta into even greater darkness?
Sink it, this book really has it all - pirates, venom spitting dragons, thieving rats, magic, jewels, witches, boat chases and more. It’s nonstop, fast paced action that you will not want to put down. Amelia has created a vast fantasy world full of detail and a rich backstory that will engage a wide range of readers. The lineup of characters, both good and bad, are a thrill to meet, although I’m not sold on a few of their motives just yet. I think there are some twists and turns to come in the next book.
What a fantastic adventure this one was, can’t wait to see what Amelia comes up with in book 2.
Having not read ‘The Grandest Bookshop’ series yet, this was my first time reading Amelia’s work and she did not disappoint.
In the realm of Aquinta, a place once ruled by the legendary Champions but now led into a dark age by the selfish Prime Council, serious magic exists - within naturals who possess magical qualities (like talking to animals), and through potions and artifices that help give people control over magic. Aquinta is where we meet young orphan Cori, who in an attempt to flee her horrible life on the island of Nexus, ends up on a pirate ship with a beastly crew. But when a weekly pirate raid ends up in Cori discovering the Oceanforged Gauntlet, 1/5 of the magical Oceanforged Armour belonging to the legendary Champions, her life is suddenly turned upside down and she is now on the run from these ghastly pirates. Will Cori manage to evade the pirates and find the rest of the armour to bring glory back to Aquinta or will the gauntlet fall into the wrong hands and send Aquinta into even greater darkness?
Sink it, this book really has it all - pirates, venom spitting dragons, thieving rats, magic, jewels, witches, boat chases and more. It’s nonstop, fast paced action that you will not want to put down. Amelia has created a vast fantasy world full of detail and a rich backstory that will engage a wide range of readers. The lineup of characters, both good and bad, are a thrill to meet, although I’m not sold on a few of their motives just yet. I think there are some twists and turns to come in the next book.
What a fantastic adventure this one was, can’t wait to see what Amelia comes up with in book 2.
November 24, 2025
Hard to rate this since obviously I'm not the intended audience for this book but it was just so eh. Like while I'm sure some kids will enjoy the story it doesn't really feel like a book that lots of kids will LOVE. The story premise is good but It just wasn't as wonderous and magical as it could of been, the writing was just sort of beige.
It's not really a funny book but neither the plot or the characters really carry it enough. It feels like the type of story that would have been much better suited to being for an even younger audience with lots of fun illustrations. I know this book has some illustrations which I can't see in my arc copy but it seems to only be like six full page illustrations throughout the book as opposed to scattered big and small on most pages which I think would have worked better.
It's not really a funny book but neither the plot or the characters really carry it enough. It feels like the type of story that would have been much better suited to being for an even younger audience with lots of fun illustrations. I know this book has some illustrations which I can't see in my arc copy but it seems to only be like six full page illustrations throughout the book as opposed to scattered big and small on most pages which I think would have worked better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2025
'The Wicked Ship' proved to be a perfect pick-me-up that held me deal with work stress and gloomy weather blues.
Cori's a great protagonist and the cast of allies that builds up around her is charming and fun to get to know. Concerning the story itself, 'The Wicked Ship' proved to be a delightful mix of very clever world building and smoothly flowing narrative that had me zooming through its pages all the way to the ending.
Oh, and I picked up a new word too - 'lazarette'. Fun and educational!
I look forward to the next book in the series which I'll definitely pick up on release.
Cori's a great protagonist and the cast of allies that builds up around her is charming and fun to get to know. Concerning the story itself, 'The Wicked Ship' proved to be a delightful mix of very clever world building and smoothly flowing narrative that had me zooming through its pages all the way to the ending.
Oh, and I picked up a new word too - 'lazarette'. Fun and educational!
I look forward to the next book in the series which I'll definitely pick up on release.
January 3, 2026
First book of the year! Yeehaw!
A great start to what I can tell will be a fantastic series!
For all the teens who wanted the freedom, swashbuckling and adventure of being a pirate- but without all the morally questionable plundering and such. Can't wait to read more about the world, it's lore and these kids
A great start to what I can tell will be a fantastic series!
For all the teens who wanted the freedom, swashbuckling and adventure of being a pirate- but without all the morally questionable plundering and such. Can't wait to read more about the world, it's lore and these kids
January 8, 2026
4.5 stars. This was a fantastic adventure, fast paced and engaging throughout. Definitely keen to read the rest as they get released. Keen for my son to read this one too.
October 11, 2025
This is another great read from the author of The Grandest Bookshop in the World.
It's full of humour, danger, and bravery that will captivate kids from from the brilliant opening sentence:
“On the vast ocean, inside the rotting ship, behind the locked door with the barred window, Cori was trying to escape again.”
Cori is such an enjoyable character, with determination, kindness, and a clear moral compass. She is a wonderful hero in the making, who's working things out as she goes.
The fantastical elements of her story are introduced bit by bit — like the two moons in the night sky — creating a believable and fascinating world where magic exists, but there's not a wand or spellbook in sight.
This first book sets up a mythology and a quest for the rest of the series that will allow for lots of fun adventures.
I'm hooked, and can't wait for the rest of Cori’s story
(I won this book in an online giveaway by BookPeople Kids)
It's full of humour, danger, and bravery that will captivate kids from from the brilliant opening sentence:
“On the vast ocean, inside the rotting ship, behind the locked door with the barred window, Cori was trying to escape again.”
Cori is such an enjoyable character, with determination, kindness, and a clear moral compass. She is a wonderful hero in the making, who's working things out as she goes.
The fantastical elements of her story are introduced bit by bit — like the two moons in the night sky — creating a believable and fascinating world where magic exists, but there's not a wand or spellbook in sight.
This first book sets up a mythology and a quest for the rest of the series that will allow for lots of fun adventures.
I'm hooked, and can't wait for the rest of Cori’s story
(I won this book in an online giveaway by BookPeople Kids)
October 9, 2025
After the Grandest Bookshop series, Amelia has turned her attention to a new fantasy series. This is the first of five books in the series and I am certainly in for the ride!
What is it about?
Cori is eleven and lives with her family beneath the city of Highwater when a disaster strikes and leaves her in desperate circumstances. She is given a chance working as a age for the Council but it really isn’t much and she decides to run away.
But things remain difficult as she finds herself amongst pirates and is send to do a job for the Captain. A magical gauntlet leads her on a quest and with the help of some new friends, her destiny seems to be changing.
A lot is happening in this first book already but I am already looking forward to seeing how Amelia Mellor is going to continue to expand this new world.
I’m still getting to know Cori but I am already hoping that Tarn remains a big part of the series. And Jem as well!
What a great new series and if I had one tiny disappointment, it was that the illustrations in the ARC were still missing. I love maps and illustrations and despite realising that they were still in the making, I kept hoping to see one when turning the pages. If the cover is anything to go by, they will be fantastic! 🤩
Thank you so much @affirmpress for sending me a copy of @amelia_r_mellor new book! I loved reading it and am excited to go along on this new adventure.
The book was a gift but opinions are all my own.
#reviewbook
What is it about?
Cori is eleven and lives with her family beneath the city of Highwater when a disaster strikes and leaves her in desperate circumstances. She is given a chance working as a age for the Council but it really isn’t much and she decides to run away.
But things remain difficult as she finds herself amongst pirates and is send to do a job for the Captain. A magical gauntlet leads her on a quest and with the help of some new friends, her destiny seems to be changing.
A lot is happening in this first book already but I am already looking forward to seeing how Amelia Mellor is going to continue to expand this new world.
I’m still getting to know Cori but I am already hoping that Tarn remains a big part of the series. And Jem as well!
What a great new series and if I had one tiny disappointment, it was that the illustrations in the ARC were still missing. I love maps and illustrations and despite realising that they were still in the making, I kept hoping to see one when turning the pages. If the cover is anything to go by, they will be fantastic! 🤩
Thank you so much @affirmpress for sending me a copy of @amelia_r_mellor new book! I loved reading it and am excited to go along on this new adventure.
The book was a gift but opinions are all my own.
#reviewbook
May 20, 2025
original:
"Amelia’s newest middle grade fantasy sets sail on a rollicking high-seas adventure! Join a band of misfit friends as they race to uncover a legendary set of magical armor. Along the way, they’ll face cunning pirates, mysterious witches, and wild creatures—luckily, one of them can talk to animals. Packed with heart, humor, and enchantment, this is the start of a thrilling new series from Amelia that young readers won’t want to miss!"
"Amelia’s newest middle grade fantasy sets sail on a rollicking high-seas adventure! Join a band of misfit friends as they race to uncover a legendary set of magical armor. Along the way, they’ll face cunning pirates, mysterious witches, and wild creatures—luckily, one of them can talk to animals. Packed with heart, humor, and enchantment, this is the start of a thrilling new series from Amelia that young readers won’t want to miss!"
September 30, 2025
This was a lot of fun and I look forward to the series continuing from April 2026. A great series arc mapped out as Cori finds a lost magical gauntlet that chooses her as the next champion, who will bring about better life for all.
Good humour, sweet characters and nice action.
Read by Kate.H and Mahli
Good humour, sweet characters and nice action.
Read by Kate.H and Mahli
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews