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The Celestial Seas
Not yet published
Expected 31 Mar 26A tale of identity, love, and the hunt for vengeance in the darkest corners of space—perfect for fans of
Iron Widow
and
Aurora Rising
!
Ishara Ming is the sole survivor of the Essex, a spacefaring whaler destroyed by the legendary Ballena. Left with a damaged memory chip and a missing arm, Ishara has vowed to avenge the twenty-three lives lost to the rogue Mech-Operated Bio-Integrated Spacecraft (MOBIS), an autonomous spacecraft containing an intricate blend of mechanical hardware and code-controlled bacteria.
To take on the Ballena, Ishara assembles a crew of capable misfits, including her first mate, Quinn, the girl who makes Ishara's heart stumble over its own beats. Quinn has always believed in her, even when the rest of the system thinks she’s a delusional captain who hallucinated the Ballena.
That is, until Augustus, a handsome ship mech with his own reasons for revenge, convinces Ishara to let him join the crew. He’s armed with a specialized tracking system Ishara can’t refuse, but there’s something familiar about him she can’t quite shake. Torn between Quinn’s cautious guidance and Augustus’s encouragement, Ishara issues increasingly risky orders. But one too many brushes with death will force her to choose between her newfound family or the vow to avenge her old one—and the two closest to her she can't help but fall for.
Inspried by Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, this retelling brings a much-needed modern update to a beloved classic.
Ishara Ming is the sole survivor of the Essex, a spacefaring whaler destroyed by the legendary Ballena. Left with a damaged memory chip and a missing arm, Ishara has vowed to avenge the twenty-three lives lost to the rogue Mech-Operated Bio-Integrated Spacecraft (MOBIS), an autonomous spacecraft containing an intricate blend of mechanical hardware and code-controlled bacteria.
To take on the Ballena, Ishara assembles a crew of capable misfits, including her first mate, Quinn, the girl who makes Ishara's heart stumble over its own beats. Quinn has always believed in her, even when the rest of the system thinks she’s a delusional captain who hallucinated the Ballena.
That is, until Augustus, a handsome ship mech with his own reasons for revenge, convinces Ishara to let him join the crew. He’s armed with a specialized tracking system Ishara can’t refuse, but there’s something familiar about him she can’t quite shake. Torn between Quinn’s cautious guidance and Augustus’s encouragement, Ishara issues increasingly risky orders. But one too many brushes with death will force her to choose between her newfound family or the vow to avenge her old one—and the two closest to her she can't help but fall for.
Inspried by Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, this retelling brings a much-needed modern update to a beloved classic.
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 31, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars.
What a fun novel! It's full of adventure and drama on the high (celestial) seas.
Space whales are one of my favorite SFF tropes, so it was cool to see TA Chan's version of one. The concept of an ancient flying cyborg data center in space does sound a bit ridiculous. It wasn't clicking for me until the one-third mark, but when I really suspended my disbelief, it actually became a cool concept.
I really liked the mystery behind the FMC's memory loss. It was an interesting plotline that kept the momentum going and I liked how it helped with the FMC's characterization.
The last third of the novel was a blast. The action, suspense, and the big plot twist kept me on my toes. This was definitely a make or break moment and helped elevate this a bit higher than my usual YA read.
The middle did drag a lot, which is why I didn't give this a higher rating. And other than the FMC, Quinn, and Augustus, the rest of the crew didn't make a dent on me. I actually wish it was just the three of them so that we could really get to see the relationships bounce off of each other, for better or for worse. Maybe something like a Han, Chewie, Luke, and Leia quartet but with a trio.
Other than my complaints and preferences, this was a great space adventure with equal parts fun and drama. I think teens who love sci-fi will enjoy this novel.
Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this arc.
What a fun novel! It's full of adventure and drama on the high (celestial) seas.
Space whales are one of my favorite SFF tropes, so it was cool to see TA Chan's version of one. The concept of an ancient flying cyborg data center in space does sound a bit ridiculous. It wasn't clicking for me until the one-third mark, but when I really suspended my disbelief, it actually became a cool concept.
I really liked the mystery behind the FMC's memory loss. It was an interesting plotline that kept the momentum going and I liked how it helped with the FMC's characterization.
The last third of the novel was a blast. The action, suspense, and the big plot twist kept me on my toes. This was definitely a make or break moment and helped elevate this a bit higher than my usual YA read.
The middle did drag a lot, which is why I didn't give this a higher rating. And other than the FMC, Quinn, and Augustus, the rest of the crew didn't make a dent on me. I actually wish it was just the three of them so that we could really get to see the relationships bounce off of each other, for better or for worse. Maybe something like a Han, Chewie, Luke, and Leia quartet but with a trio.
Other than my complaints and preferences, this was a great space adventure with equal parts fun and drama. I think teens who love sci-fi will enjoy this novel.
Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this arc.
Want to read
August 7, 2025very interested in a YA space Moby Dick
Want to read
August 8, 2025an action-filled sci-fi romance with a queer love triangle
Want to read
November 20, 2025pre-read notes:
ARC received! Inspired by Moby Dick, sci-fi, and that stunning cover??? 💜
ARC received! Inspired by Moby Dick, sci-fi, and that stunning cover??? 💜
October 21, 2025
THE CELESTIAL SEAS is an action-packed thrill ride with stellar worldbuilding and a wonderfully flawed protagonist. It's YA Sci-Fi at its finest.
Now, this is the part where I admit I haven't read Moby Dick. So a lot of the references in this book, which is a loose Moby Dick retelling, were probably lost on me. But! The space whales were really cool. This book has a really interesting take on what constitutes a living creature vs a machine.
The worldbuilding was seriously, deeply impressive. The technical details will appeal to readers who are STEM nerds, but there's also a lot to love here in terms of language, culture, etc. The vibes were kind of like a YA "The Expanse", which is one of my favorite series of all time.
Anyone who knows me knows I love a messy protagonist, and Ishara Ming is definitely a mess. I think that's great. It makes it easy to root for her as she confronts her past, her flaws, and the possibility of a future she didn't think was possible.
Overall, this is also just a very well-written book, with vivid imagery and some gorgeous turns of phrase. I have to emphasize again just HOW COOL the setting is.
Thank you so much to the author and publisher for this early look!
Now, this is the part where I admit I haven't read Moby Dick. So a lot of the references in this book, which is a loose Moby Dick retelling, were probably lost on me. But! The space whales were really cool. This book has a really interesting take on what constitutes a living creature vs a machine.
The worldbuilding was seriously, deeply impressive. The technical details will appeal to readers who are STEM nerds, but there's also a lot to love here in terms of language, culture, etc. The vibes were kind of like a YA "The Expanse", which is one of my favorite series of all time.
Anyone who knows me knows I love a messy protagonist, and Ishara Ming is definitely a mess. I think that's great. It makes it easy to root for her as she confronts her past, her flaws, and the possibility of a future she didn't think was possible.
Overall, this is also just a very well-written book, with vivid imagery and some gorgeous turns of phrase. I have to emphasize again just HOW COOL the setting is.
Thank you so much to the author and publisher for this early look!
December 4, 2025
I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for this read.
So, for a debut, this is a really solid book. It was inspired by Moby Dick, obviously it doesn't follow the story beat by beat, but it takes the inspiration from the whale and the Captain who is attempting to chase it down and kill it.
The plot is pretty straight-forward, and the action is non stop. It's a YA book, but for a YA book it drops a lot of technical jargon and scientific terms which is solid in my book. There is also the fact the main character is bi, which is solid in my book (she has her sights on the tracker in her team.) I liked the other characters and I liked that they all had something to do instead of just being on the ship for the sake of having a crew.
So why did I rake it down a star? I think it comes from that this book could not in any way expect me to believe this girl is tough / captain of a ship. She's eighteen (or around about) and at one point she was like, "there are consequences for disobeying my orders". In my eyes, she is all talk and no real bite. Sure, she had something traumatic happen to her, but she just came off young / inexperienced for me to really take her seriously. Do I think the book should have had their ages increased? Yes, I do. Yet, I don't know if the author could make the book have an adult tone / add more to it. (I also don't quite understand the strange firefly mesh of language going on - seemed like Spanish, Mandarin and English were used as the defacto slang.)
All in all, for a YA book? It's pretty good and it will fit that hole for YA kids looking for LGBTQ sci-fi.
So, for a debut, this is a really solid book. It was inspired by Moby Dick, obviously it doesn't follow the story beat by beat, but it takes the inspiration from the whale and the Captain who is attempting to chase it down and kill it.
The plot is pretty straight-forward, and the action is non stop. It's a YA book, but for a YA book it drops a lot of technical jargon and scientific terms which is solid in my book. There is also the fact the main character is bi, which is solid in my book (she has her sights on the tracker in her team.) I liked the other characters and I liked that they all had something to do instead of just being on the ship for the sake of having a crew.
So why did I rake it down a star? I think it comes from that this book could not in any way expect me to believe this girl is tough / captain of a ship. She's eighteen (or around about) and at one point she was like, "there are consequences for disobeying my orders". In my eyes, she is all talk and no real bite. Sure, she had something traumatic happen to her, but she just came off young / inexperienced for me to really take her seriously. Do I think the book should have had their ages increased? Yes, I do. Yet, I don't know if the author could make the book have an adult tone / add more to it. (I also don't quite understand the strange firefly mesh of language going on - seemed like Spanish, Mandarin and English were used as the defacto slang.)
All in all, for a YA book? It's pretty good and it will fit that hole for YA kids looking for LGBTQ sci-fi.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
There are so many fantasy genre retellings of older stories, but I get excited when I find a science fiction one instead. I recently enjoyed a sci-fi retelling of The Great Gatsby, so I decided to grab this sci-fi retelling of Moby Dick when it was offered on NetGalley.
Now, despite having a good number of classics under my belt, I have not read Moby Dick. I tried to brush up on the details beyond the very basics that I'm aware of on Wikipedia so that I could have that in the back of my mind while reading The Celestial Seas, but even the plot summary was so long and meandering that I gave up on that. So I am judging this book more on its face than I am judging it as a retelling.
Mostly, this was fun and I enjoyed it. I thought that the author did a great job imagining what a whale would look like as a Mech-Operated Bio-Integrated Spacecraft (even the acronym is clever). The first half is kind of repetitive and singularly focused on the main character's obsession with finding the whale - in that regard, I was a little more forgiving knowing this was a heavy nod to the original. Without that background, I probably would have been more annoyed. At the 50% mark, I found it really started varying the events and conversations much more, and it got more enjoyable. I had a number of questions throughout the book where I felt like the plot got a little fuzzy, but the author did address and resolve these plot points toward the end and I felt much better about them.
I think the book could have been improved by fleshing out the side characters a little bit more. There are a few members of the ship's crew that are very, very flat and can be chalked up to one character trait, and they mainly served to prop up the main character's journey. It would have felt much richer to have learned more about them and for them to have their own journeys. There is also some repetitiveness in the writing, such as the main character constantly "running/rubbing her thumb over her knuckles" or referring to the whale by its name three times in two sentences instead of varying the vocab used to refer to it (paraphrasing here but along the lines of, "We chased after the Ballena and the Ballena turned around and fired at us. Now we are hunting for the Ballena because it disappeared again.").
Now, despite having a good number of classics under my belt, I have not read Moby Dick. I tried to brush up on the details beyond the very basics that I'm aware of on Wikipedia so that I could have that in the back of my mind while reading The Celestial Seas, but even the plot summary was so long and meandering that I gave up on that. So I am judging this book more on its face than I am judging it as a retelling.
Mostly, this was fun and I enjoyed it. I thought that the author did a great job imagining what a whale would look like as a Mech-Operated Bio-Integrated Spacecraft (even the acronym is clever). The first half is kind of repetitive and singularly focused on the main character's obsession with finding the whale - in that regard, I was a little more forgiving knowing this was a heavy nod to the original. Without that background, I probably would have been more annoyed. At the 50% mark, I found it really started varying the events and conversations much more, and it got more enjoyable. I had a number of questions throughout the book where I felt like the plot got a little fuzzy, but the author did address and resolve these plot points toward the end and I felt much better about them.
I think the book could have been improved by fleshing out the side characters a little bit more. There are a few members of the ship's crew that are very, very flat and can be chalked up to one character trait, and they mainly served to prop up the main character's journey. It would have felt much richer to have learned more about them and for them to have their own journeys. There is also some repetitiveness in the writing, such as the main character constantly "running/rubbing her thumb over her knuckles" or referring to the whale by its name three times in two sentences instead of varying the vocab used to refer to it (paraphrasing here but along the lines of, "We chased after the Ballena and the Ballena turned around and fired at us. Now we are hunting for the Ballena because it disappeared again.").
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Ishara Ming is young to be captaining a crew of whalers in the far reaches of space. But, as the only survivor of a terrible battle with the elusive whale known as Ballena, Ishara has a vendetta against the biomachine that nearly took her life. Unfortunately, she is low on funds, and few people believe in the Ballena's continued existence; so, many of Ishara's missions are fed almost exclusively by her own appetite for vengeance. When a new crew member joins her team, however, a seed of optimism returns to Ishara's plans, and Ishara must determine what she is willing to sacrifice in order to achieve her ultimate goal.
This futuristic reimagining of the story of Moby Dick transports readers into a distant future in which life has transitioned to an existence far beyond the planet Earth. Utilizing similar names and a parallel design, the essence of Moby Dick is intriguingly adapted into this modern young adult novel. And, much like Captain Ahab, Ishara begins to lose herself in her obsession with the Ballena. An imagined shorthand with a foundation in Spanish language is embedded within the dialogue, which is at once familiar and novel, helping the story to feel as futuristic as it is intended to be. Ample time is spent establishing the elements that make the world unique, including intense battle sequences and technologies that separate the narrative from contemporary life. While action is a feature of the story, however, attention is also placed on the interpersonal relationships among the characters. Utilizing a blend of first person narrative, Captain's Logs, and flashbacks, the story effectively explores the depths of Ishara's emotions in a way that is particularly enjoyable to fans of sci-fi literature. This is a unique and memorable addition to library collections for mature young adult readers.
This futuristic reimagining of the story of Moby Dick transports readers into a distant future in which life has transitioned to an existence far beyond the planet Earth. Utilizing similar names and a parallel design, the essence of Moby Dick is intriguingly adapted into this modern young adult novel. And, much like Captain Ahab, Ishara begins to lose herself in her obsession with the Ballena. An imagined shorthand with a foundation in Spanish language is embedded within the dialogue, which is at once familiar and novel, helping the story to feel as futuristic as it is intended to be. Ample time is spent establishing the elements that make the world unique, including intense battle sequences and technologies that separate the narrative from contemporary life. While action is a feature of the story, however, attention is also placed on the interpersonal relationships among the characters. Utilizing a blend of first person narrative, Captain's Logs, and flashbacks, the story effectively explores the depths of Ishara's emotions in a way that is particularly enjoyable to fans of sci-fi literature. This is a unique and memorable addition to library collections for mature young adult readers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Moby Dick but reimagined in space?
Ishara is out to find a whale that killed her crew, but she's losing a battle with her own memories, finances, and well, the whale she's seeking.
I don't think this was for me, however, it is an interesting enough take on Moby Dick (though I haven't read Moby Dick). I don't find there to be enough at stake for Ishara; she's bent on getting this whale, but her lack of memories prevents her from being able to move forward as she needs to. The focus of the whale should be her priority or getting her memories back, it can't be both, and I think her not having her memories really disrupts stuff. I don't know if it's necessary.
Her relationships could also use work. Between Quinn and Augustus, I didn't care for either of 'em.
Though, the ending was surprising, but I don't know if that was a canon ending in Moby Dick or not... I don't think so, but I've not a clue.
The world building here also could use work? The languages that aren't English being used are fine for the most part, though it's like slightly removed from what we know (what I am assuming at least, I am not all knowing of all languages). But I wasn't able to parse why we were using these languages in the first place. I don't know if it's a space thing or just the author's choice for this world. It kept taking me out of the story every time. If there was a better grasp on this universe, I think it would have been fine, but we're given very little. We're in space, and we have places that are like places in real life, but all of it is vague enough that I don't have a clear picture.
I'm sure this is for someone, but I am not that someone.
thank you to netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the eARC!
Ishara is out to find a whale that killed her crew, but she's losing a battle with her own memories, finances, and well, the whale she's seeking.
I don't think this was for me, however, it is an interesting enough take on Moby Dick (though I haven't read Moby Dick). I don't find there to be enough at stake for Ishara; she's bent on getting this whale, but her lack of memories prevents her from being able to move forward as she needs to. The focus of the whale should be her priority or getting her memories back, it can't be both, and I think her not having her memories really disrupts stuff. I don't know if it's necessary.
Her relationships could also use work. Between Quinn and Augustus, I didn't care for either of 'em.
Though, the ending was surprising, but I don't know if that was a canon ending in Moby Dick or not... I don't think so, but I've not a clue.
The world building here also could use work? The languages that aren't English being used are fine for the most part, though it's like slightly removed from what we know (what I am assuming at least, I am not all knowing of all languages). But I wasn't able to parse why we were using these languages in the first place. I don't know if it's a space thing or just the author's choice for this world. It kept taking me out of the story every time. If there was a better grasp on this universe, I think it would have been fine, but we're given very little. We're in space, and we have places that are like places in real life, but all of it is vague enough that I don't have a clear picture.
I'm sure this is for someone, but I am not that someone.
thank you to netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
~~Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC!~~
2.5/5 stars rounded down.
I so wanted to love a sci-fi LGBTQ+ retelling of Moby Dick, but there were too many things not working for me here.
First and foremost, there is so much sci-fi technical jargon that I did not care for. It was all so thick and condensed that I could barely manage to picture anything happening whenever there were space battles and the like, and the characters constantly explaining the tech made the reading experience so tedious. Granted, this is where the Melville influence shines the most, and I have to give credit to Chan for retaining that vital aspect of the original story, but it still dragged down the story so much.
The worldbuilding is bare minimum. I think I lost some of it in the technical jargon, but the only thing I got was that there were two separate star systems(?), one Ishara originated from and the current one she and all the other character inhabit. Details in between were blurred and quite vague, and anything that was somewhat explained left me with more questions than answers. It just felt so disjointed.
As for characters, Ishara was definitely the most interesting and compelling, but it's not saying much when I found the rest of the cast, including the love interests, to be quite shallow. Ishara embodying both Ahab and Ishmael presents some unique struggles throughout the story, including her fighting to restore her memories. Despite my investment in her, the banter and elements of found family she has in her crew fell flat for me. I never quite believed her bond with the others, and I had an even harder time believing she was captain because her attempts to establish her leadership were too weak and inexperienced for me to believe. The mystery behind Augustus and her relationship was interesting, though, and the outcome of that was satisfying.
All in all, this was an interesting concept but not quite what I was hoping for. I dunno if I could exactly recommend this to anyone, especially when Moby Dick enthusiasts aren't much in abundance these days. But this could be an interesting read for those who have read the original (And can easily absorb the mass amounts of whaling and shipping details).
2.5/5 stars rounded down.
I so wanted to love a sci-fi LGBTQ+ retelling of Moby Dick, but there were too many things not working for me here.
First and foremost, there is so much sci-fi technical jargon that I did not care for. It was all so thick and condensed that I could barely manage to picture anything happening whenever there were space battles and the like, and the characters constantly explaining the tech made the reading experience so tedious. Granted, this is where the Melville influence shines the most, and I have to give credit to Chan for retaining that vital aspect of the original story, but it still dragged down the story so much.
The worldbuilding is bare minimum. I think I lost some of it in the technical jargon, but the only thing I got was that there were two separate star systems(?), one Ishara originated from and the current one she and all the other character inhabit. Details in between were blurred and quite vague, and anything that was somewhat explained left me with more questions than answers. It just felt so disjointed.
As for characters, Ishara was definitely the most interesting and compelling, but it's not saying much when I found the rest of the cast, including the love interests, to be quite shallow. Ishara embodying both Ahab and Ishmael presents some unique struggles throughout the story, including her fighting to restore her memories. Despite my investment in her, the banter and elements of found family she has in her crew fell flat for me. I never quite believed her bond with the others, and I had an even harder time believing she was captain because her attempts to establish her leadership were too weak and inexperienced for me to believe. The mystery behind Augustus and her relationship was interesting, though, and the outcome of that was satisfying.
All in all, this was an interesting concept but not quite what I was hoping for. I dunno if I could exactly recommend this to anyone, especially when Moby Dick enthusiasts aren't much in abundance these days. But this could be an interesting read for those who have read the original (And can easily absorb the mass amounts of whaling and shipping details).
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Celestial Seas follows Ishara Ming, sole survivor of a whaler ship destroyed by the Ballena and current captain of a new crew and ship ready to avenge the lost lives. When she hires a new ship mech also obsessed with taking down the Ballena, Ishara becomes torn and must device whether to risk her newfound family’s lives or avenge those lost.
I really enjoyed this one! I’m a sucker for YA sci-fi and really enjoyed this unique take on the genre. I thought the Moby-Dick retelling was really well done. The whalers were super cool and the whole world building was good. There were some slower moments but as a whole, it’s pretty fast paced and the last third is super action heavy and fascinating. The memory loss plotline was interesting and I really enjoyed the twist there.
There’s a really great found family element to this book. Ishara is a really interesting character and has a lot of growth to go through in the novel. She definitely starts out very harsh (rightfully so) but does show her softer sides throughout. I really enjoyed her relationships with Quinn and Augustus and very much enjoyed how things ended. Very bittersweet but good.
If you love YA sci-fi or classic retellings, I’d highly recommend this one!
Thank you to Penguin Teen CA for the arc!!
November 2, 2025
The Celestial Seas is a ingenious retelling of Moby Dick, a thrilling read I tore through in three days. You want fascinating, flawed by endearing characters? Read this book. I loved Ishara, her pain and obsession were beautifully written and I became deeply invested in her desire to seek revenge on Ballena, the AI powered MOBIS bio-spacecraft whale that destroyed her ship and killed most of the crew she loved.
The story keeps you hooked by revealing bits and pieces of her past like breadcrumbs as it moves along. Ishara has memory issue do to Ballena's attack. I won't say more, but certain eventual revelations are breathtaking and heart-breaking.
The writing is clear and lovely and the world-building fascinating. So much intelligence and imagination went into writing this story. And one of my favourite aspects is how it explores issues we're dealing with today, specifically around technology and human being's hubris in trying to create artificial consciousness when we haven't fully explored the ethical and practical consequences.
This is a beautiful story with wonderful characters and I passionately recommend it.
The story keeps you hooked by revealing bits and pieces of her past like breadcrumbs as it moves along. Ishara has memory issue do to Ballena's attack. I won't say more, but certain eventual revelations are breathtaking and heart-breaking.
The writing is clear and lovely and the world-building fascinating. So much intelligence and imagination went into writing this story. And one of my favourite aspects is how it explores issues we're dealing with today, specifically around technology and human being's hubris in trying to create artificial consciousness when we haven't fully explored the ethical and practical consequences.
This is a beautiful story with wonderful characters and I passionately recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Penguin Random House and Viking for the print galley and to NetGalley for the eGalley to supplement this review!
A fresh take on the classic Moby Dick story, The Celestial Seas is for those who love Treasure Planet and headstrong action girls, with a little bit of romance on the side!
It takes place in the sci-fi world of a distant future, after the "Alianza Latinoamericana" has discovered the Halo star system that becomes its own independent ruling state, and where Mech-Operated Bio-Integrated Spacecraft (MOBIS) are hunted by whalers. Our main character has her own great whale and inner traumas to take down in this awesome, action-packed novel and it was certainly a ride!
Sometimes explanations of what something is or how something works get in the way of fluid storytelling, but other than that, I really loved the world and characters. It's what I'd want in a treasure trawling, swashbuckling, futuristic space opera, and the characters can definitely be relatable to anyone who reads it--especially teens of color and queer teens. I haven't read a great sci-fi action story like this in a while and I can't recommend it enough to those who love the genre!
A fresh take on the classic Moby Dick story, The Celestial Seas is for those who love Treasure Planet and headstrong action girls, with a little bit of romance on the side!
It takes place in the sci-fi world of a distant future, after the "Alianza Latinoamericana" has discovered the Halo star system that becomes its own independent ruling state, and where Mech-Operated Bio-Integrated Spacecraft (MOBIS) are hunted by whalers. Our main character has her own great whale and inner traumas to take down in this awesome, action-packed novel and it was certainly a ride!
Sometimes explanations of what something is or how something works get in the way of fluid storytelling, but other than that, I really loved the world and characters. It's what I'd want in a treasure trawling, swashbuckling, futuristic space opera, and the characters can definitely be relatable to anyone who reads it--especially teens of color and queer teens. I haven't read a great sci-fi action story like this in a while and I can't recommend it enough to those who love the genre!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.5⭐️ I’m a bit let down that I didn’t enjoy this as much as I had hoped. There were a few aspects I liked, but also several that didn’t really resonate with me. I thought the concept of space being like an ocean and having similar descriptions was really cool, but the rest of the world-building was a bit unclear to me, which made it hard to grasp everything. This disconnect made it tough to get through the first half of the story. For characters, while Ishara is fully developed, I didn’t feel the same with the other secondary characters. There were some moments with Quinn and Augustus, but the rest didn’t really contribute much to the plot. This seems like a missed opportunity as I felt some of those characters had great potential and could have provided a stronger sense of found-family and connection. Nonetheless, thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Viking Books for Young Readers!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced review copy.
Queer science fiction Moby Dick young adult novel coming your way! If that combination intrigues you, you're off to a good start. With bonus space shanties!
Ishara's past - and memory - has been destroyed by a MOBIS. She and her crew hunt the biomechanical space whales and harvest their parts for profit...but her voyage hasn't been so profitable lately. Haunted by the MOBIS that destroyed her crew and mind, she seeks vengeance at the cost of all else.
A colorful crew and unique lore make this an excellent sci fi adventure, with plenty of literary illusions to Moby Dick for extra credit.
If you enjoy sci fi adventure, whale stories, and tensions building between two people who were meant for each other but don't know it yet, you'll probably enjoy this book. Highly recommended for both young adult and adult readers, particularly those who enjoy queer science fiction.
Queer science fiction Moby Dick young adult novel coming your way! If that combination intrigues you, you're off to a good start. With bonus space shanties!
Ishara's past - and memory - has been destroyed by a MOBIS. She and her crew hunt the biomechanical space whales and harvest their parts for profit...but her voyage hasn't been so profitable lately. Haunted by the MOBIS that destroyed her crew and mind, she seeks vengeance at the cost of all else.
A colorful crew and unique lore make this an excellent sci fi adventure, with plenty of literary illusions to Moby Dick for extra credit.
If you enjoy sci fi adventure, whale stories, and tensions building between two people who were meant for each other but don't know it yet, you'll probably enjoy this book. Highly recommended for both young adult and adult readers, particularly those who enjoy queer science fiction.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"What are we without our memories?"
Ishara is the captain of the Dorado, which is a whaling ship. She's set on getting revenge to track down and destroy Ballena, a whale that's killed people on the Essex and she's the sole survivor. She struggles with memory loss, but has a crew who is dedicated to her.
The world building is interesting and vast, and so is the slang. As I kept reading, the unique vocabulary would flow easily once I learned the definitions. It's pretty amazing to come up with new slang and how our brain quickly adjusts!
The book is Moby Dick, but make it sci-fi, and it is absolutely fantastic. It really dives deep into what drives people and what gives them a sense of purpose. A fast paced, adventurous found family that will keep you invested in the characters and rooting for them.
I received an ARC from the author, my opinions are my own.
Ishara is the captain of the Dorado, which is a whaling ship. She's set on getting revenge to track down and destroy Ballena, a whale that's killed people on the Essex and she's the sole survivor. She struggles with memory loss, but has a crew who is dedicated to her.
The world building is interesting and vast, and so is the slang. As I kept reading, the unique vocabulary would flow easily once I learned the definitions. It's pretty amazing to come up with new slang and how our brain quickly adjusts!
The book is Moby Dick, but make it sci-fi, and it is absolutely fantastic. It really dives deep into what drives people and what gives them a sense of purpose. A fast paced, adventurous found family that will keep you invested in the characters and rooting for them.
I received an ARC from the author, my opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
2026
Goodreads giveaway winner
A solid 5 out of 5 stars
I easily could have finished reading this all in one setting! It was so addictive! Unfortunately I kept getting interrupted but no matter what I was doing my mind was set in this story. Ishara is very likable and so tortured and sad but she has determination and is spunky! The whole start of the story made me think of Firefly, which is a total bonus because I loved that show. Quinn was a perfect match for Ishara. And Augustus, I won't give any spoilers away, but Augustus was so brave and cunning and simply a heartbreakingly sweet man. Honestly if you like intrigue and space odysseys, and danger, and heroes, you'll love this book!
Goodreads giveaway winner
A solid 5 out of 5 stars
I easily could have finished reading this all in one setting! It was so addictive! Unfortunately I kept getting interrupted but no matter what I was doing my mind was set in this story. Ishara is very likable and so tortured and sad but she has determination and is spunky! The whole start of the story made me think of Firefly, which is a total bonus because I loved that show. Quinn was a perfect match for Ishara. And Augustus, I won't give any spoilers away, but Augustus was so brave and cunning and simply a heartbreakingly sweet man. Honestly if you like intrigue and space odysseys, and danger, and heroes, you'll love this book!
November 5, 2025
A bingeable DELIGHT. The setting is so gritty and immersive, with some super fun sci-fi tech. The way the backstory is doled out is superbly done, and the romance arc is handled so well — realistic, messy, SAD, heartwarming. I love each and every character, but Leo deserves his own prequel series, just saying.
My "official" blurb:
"An action-packed, heartfelt adventure, THE CELESTIAL SEAS is a cosmic riptide of vengeance, grief, love, and hope that drags you in and refuses to let go. A glorious disaster of a captain, Ishara is reckless, scrappy, and utterly fearless. Her ragtag crew may not buy the myth she’s chasing, but they believe in the legend she's becoming -- and so will you. T.A. Chan is a bright new voice in character-driven sci-fi."
My "official" blurb:
"An action-packed, heartfelt adventure, THE CELESTIAL SEAS is a cosmic riptide of vengeance, grief, love, and hope that drags you in and refuses to let go. A glorious disaster of a captain, Ishara is reckless, scrappy, and utterly fearless. Her ragtag crew may not buy the myth she’s chasing, but they believe in the legend she's becoming -- and so will you. T.A. Chan is a bright new voice in character-driven sci-fi."
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hi! Obviously I'm a little biased being the author of the book and all that so please don't mind me... *slides a 5-star rating in*
More importantly, here's a list of all the trigger warnings I can think of for THE CELESTIAL SEAS:
More importantly, here's a list of all the trigger warnings I can think of for THE CELESTIAL SEAS:
October 1, 2025
The Celestial Seas is a clever, heartfelt sci-fi retelling of Moby Dick, and an excellent retelling, period. Chan’s worldbuilding feels wonderfully fresh, with its realistic multiculturalism and richly described interstellar vessels (Chan’s background as an aerospace engineer truly shines here). This book is epic.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Oh, I ADORED this. It's my exact kind of weird and everything I love about YA scifi. A retelling of Moby Dick, but in space, it's about a girl desperate to hunt down the killer mechanical whale that took out her entire crew. An event she barely has a memory of. It's heart wrenching and a complete thrill to read. I can not say enough good things about it.
October 23, 2025
The Celestial Seas takes you on the kind of high-seas swashbuckling adventure I’ve always loved, but puts it IN SPACE with SPACE WHALES. Do I even need to say more?? Also the futuristic tech is so well done. One my favorite elements in SFF is really good worldbuilding, it can make or break a book for me and the worldbuilding in The Celestial Seas delivered.
The main character Ishara was my favorite kind of messy but lovable MC and the queer romance was adorable. Thematically, this books explores identity, found family, and what it means to belong when home is worlds away. It’s the kind of book I wish I could go back in time and give to my younger self. I highly recommend!
The main character Ishara was my favorite kind of messy but lovable MC and the queer romance was adorable. Thematically, this books explores identity, found family, and what it means to belong when home is worlds away. It’s the kind of book I wish I could go back in time and give to my younger self. I highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Space whales! Chan writes science like magic.
December 30, 2025
I got the arc version of the book from yallfest and really enjoyed it, even if I have a predisposition to male MCs. Also why is it always the golden boys, first Griffin, then Cooper, and now Augustus :[ it is very well written.
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