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Seaborn Trilogy #2
Seaborn
Corina Lairsey has just clawed her way free from one controlling relationship when she finds herself in another--only this guy, Aleximor, has really gotten under her skin. Literally. A 400-year-old sorcerer who gathers the drowned dead off the ocean's floor for the King of the Seaborn, he's inside her head and is wearing her body like a wetsuit. Corina desperately schemes to regain control of her self, fighting against time as Aleximore trades pieces of her life away in exchange for power over the path between the worlds of the living and the dead . . . Kassandra is the King of the Seaborn's granddaughter. She comes from the sea, but has spent her whole life in exile on the surface, struggling to control frightening powers she barely understands. She declares war on her murderous grandfather and manipulates her family, friends, oceanic royalty, and the US Navy to aid her-- but Aleximore intends to use Kass to carry out his revenge against the entire Seaborn royal line. And she's also fallen in love--one more struggle for an already troubled soul.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 13, 2008
2 people are currently reading
613 people want to read
About the author
Chris Howard
83 books129 followersChris Howard is just a creative human with a pen and a paint brush, author of Seaborn (Juno Books, 2008), Salvage (Prime Books, 2013), Saltwater Witch (Lykeion, 2005), and a shelf-full of other books. My short stories and essays have appeared in various magazines and anthologies, including “Lost Dogs and Fireplace Archeology” in Fantasy Magazine and “How to Build Worlds Without Becoming the Minister for Tourism” in Now Write! Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror (Penguin, 2014). My story “The Mermaid Game” appeared in the Paula Guran edited anthology Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep (Prime, 2015), and “Hammers and Snails” was the Robert A. Heinlein Centennial Short Fiction Contest winner. I wrote and illustrated the comics Saltwater Witch and Salvage. My art has appeared on dozens of book covers, art cards, interior illustrations for publishers, authors, and Kickstarter projects. You can also find my art in Shimmer, BuzzyMag, various tabletop RPGs, and on the pages of books, blogs, and other interesting places.
Find out everything here: http://www.SaltwaterWitch.com
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Find out everything here: http://www.SaltwaterWitch.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 21, 2010
Seaborn is a unique fantasy; it's unlike anything else I've read. Chris Howard tells a compelling story of merpeople and of two women who struggle to become their own woman (or mermaid) in the face of opposition.
Our heroines are Corina Lairsey, a California girl who becomes possessed by a megalomaniacal merman while scuba-diving; and Lady Kassandra, an exiled princess of the Seaborn who is hatching a plan to overthrow her usurping grandfather. Howard does a great job with Corina's plight, vividly showing us Corina's terror at finding herself taken over by another being, her heartbreak and horror as her body is used to commit unspeakable acts of violence, and her struggle to free herself. Kassandra can be harder to get a grip on; her behavior and moods are a bit on the erratic side. There's a reason for that, though. Like Corina, Kassandra isn't alone in her head. She carries the voices of her ancestors within her, and their reactions occasionally land Kassandra in trouble. Seaborn follows these two women as they try to seize control of their own lives.
Howard does a fine job of describing the beauty and danger of the sea, and the culture of the Seaborn. Their society is largely based upon ancient Greece, as is their magic. Chris Howard clearly knows a great deal about ancient Greek mythology and occultism. There's a certain satisfaction, to a mythology buff like me, in reading a novel by someone who knows who Melinoe is, and in getting out my books after finishing Seaborn to see whether the character of Akaste is based on a real mythological figure. (Answer: She is.)
There are a few issues. There's a bit of head-hopping. I'm not talking about the shifting POV that Howard uses intentionally to show the battle for dominance inside Corina's head; that's done well. It's the random head-hopping that's the problem; for example, when the POV switches abruptly from Kassandra to a police officer.
Also, there's a fine line between "lush, descriptive prose" and "purple prose," and that line isn't in the same place for every reader. Some of the prose in Seaborn went over my "thin purple line," though this was mainly in the first scene (which is also where the most obvious head-hop occurs). There's some good stuff in that scene too, though. I loved the image of all the pathways to the sea revealing themselves to Kassandra in an attempt to beckon her home. Elsewhere in Seaborn, the prose is evocative, and strange in a way that serves to highlight the alien nature of the Seaborn's realm. I could almost smell the sea.
The final issue is that, occasionally, a word or two of modern usage slips into the dialogue of characters who wouldn't be using it.
These small gripes aside, I thoroughly enjoyed Seaborn. As I mentioned before, it's unique, and never feels like a warmed-over version of anything else. It's for anyone who loves the sea, and anyone who likes stories about young women striving for independence and their own power.
Maps and family trees are available at Chris Howard's website. I only wish they'd been in the book!
Our heroines are Corina Lairsey, a California girl who becomes possessed by a megalomaniacal merman while scuba-diving; and Lady Kassandra, an exiled princess of the Seaborn who is hatching a plan to overthrow her usurping grandfather. Howard does a great job with Corina's plight, vividly showing us Corina's terror at finding herself taken over by another being, her heartbreak and horror as her body is used to commit unspeakable acts of violence, and her struggle to free herself. Kassandra can be harder to get a grip on; her behavior and moods are a bit on the erratic side. There's a reason for that, though. Like Corina, Kassandra isn't alone in her head. She carries the voices of her ancestors within her, and their reactions occasionally land Kassandra in trouble. Seaborn follows these two women as they try to seize control of their own lives.
Howard does a fine job of describing the beauty and danger of the sea, and the culture of the Seaborn. Their society is largely based upon ancient Greece, as is their magic. Chris Howard clearly knows a great deal about ancient Greek mythology and occultism. There's a certain satisfaction, to a mythology buff like me, in reading a novel by someone who knows who Melinoe is, and in getting out my books after finishing Seaborn to see whether the character of Akaste is based on a real mythological figure. (Answer: She is.)
There are a few issues. There's a bit of head-hopping. I'm not talking about the shifting POV that Howard uses intentionally to show the battle for dominance inside Corina's head; that's done well. It's the random head-hopping that's the problem; for example, when the POV switches abruptly from Kassandra to a police officer.
Also, there's a fine line between "lush, descriptive prose" and "purple prose," and that line isn't in the same place for every reader. Some of the prose in Seaborn went over my "thin purple line," though this was mainly in the first scene (which is also where the most obvious head-hop occurs). There's some good stuff in that scene too, though. I loved the image of all the pathways to the sea revealing themselves to Kassandra in an attempt to beckon her home. Elsewhere in Seaborn, the prose is evocative, and strange in a way that serves to highlight the alien nature of the Seaborn's realm. I could almost smell the sea.
The final issue is that, occasionally, a word or two of modern usage slips into the dialogue of characters who wouldn't be using it.
These small gripes aside, I thoroughly enjoyed Seaborn. As I mentioned before, it's unique, and never feels like a warmed-over version of anything else. It's for anyone who loves the sea, and anyone who likes stories about young women striving for independence and their own power.
Maps and family trees are available at Chris Howard's website. I only wish they'd been in the book!
March 27, 2009
It's strange, and sometimes really horrible and I'm happy I don't understand everything in some descriptions (english not being my mothertongue). It's like the sea , giving and taking, beautiful and horrible.
June 17, 2012
I really like this book and am loving the series.
February 3, 2013
Classification & Literary Class: It has been a lot easier to write reviews to books that I didn’t enjoy than to something that I seem generally in love with. Plain and simple, novels you don’t resonate with, lack that magical quality. Without it, you can pop the hood and analyze every little process effortlessly. But the story changes when you are confronted with a novel that has this quality, that is organic and whose magic you can never pinpoint or analyze. You get where I am going with this.
“Seaborn” is exactly that. Organic. Every element, idea, character and plot thread flow into each other until your senses are overwhelmed in the best possible way meant. Starting from the most obvious “Seaborn” is urban fantasy, but the way I think it should be. The core of the novel is the story itself that unfolds flawlessly in two entwining worlds and that is propelled by the characters’ strategies, unlike the current wave of titles with greater focus on a near to impossible relationship. “Seaborn” speaks about war and battles, where in the end it’s either everything or nothing. To top it off every line is delivered with above satisfactory prose. For me Howard’s writing evokes a resemblance to Nabokov’s style with unconventional imagery and originality.
Characters & Depth: Since I mentioned that “Seaborn” is virtually flawless, the characters must be top notch as well. The strong heroine in urban fantasy usually has some issues like anger management, inferiority complex or daddy issues, which make them brass, fast to strike and totally primal to a point. They don’t think before they act. Kassandra is has people inside her head, real voices. She can never be sure, when one of them will pop up and take her body for a spin and she doesn’t get along with her family much, but she is the embodiment of a Machiavellian character. Poseidon’s Wreath pretty much makes her all powerful underwater and a strategic genius. An emergency arises and she is already scheming how to evade it. But here is the best part about her. She has to remain sane. Kassandra is trying to be as human as possible, fighting for control with the previous bearers in her head and not blowing things up.
Virtually every character is as fleshed out and controversial as Kassandra is. I loved the Corina-Aleximor possession, since both characters are complete opposites starting from the most obvious, their species and moving towards the personality differences. During the whole novel though I saw immense character growth. Aleximor showed a strange form of kindness or at least something similar, while Corina was adapting to the new situation and found enough strength to reclaim power over her own body. I can keep going on, but it is pointless. Chris Howard has gone as far as giving the past bearers their own distinctive pasts and personalities that later on help Kassandra piecing the whole puzzle together.
Worldbuilding & Believability: Probably what hooked me most before I discovered the merits of the story itself was the world building. This world has everything from incredible magic over water and other forces, to the rich history and the lore and culture. The world of the seaborn is based on Greek mythology and most of the names sound Ancient Greek as well as certain terms. Being cursed by Zeus these people have left their island and created their own society below the waves, divided into 9 houses with their own artificial sun. They have their own undead army and magic taboos. It all makes perfect logic and I never doubted a thing. Most intriguing I found the hereditary passing of magic talents, which ‘bleed’ from an elder to a blood relative of a new generation. And these talents use water mainly, but we do have necromancy, clairvoyance and fire magic underwater, which is also pretty well justified. I am not sure what is researched and what is fictitious, but whatever aspect Chris Howard touched, he raised the bar quite high.
The Verdict: I am not sure how Juno got their hands on this novel, but they landed quite the gold mine at least for urban fantasy readers. I may sound extreme, but here goes: This is a must-read, must-have and worshipped. This mythology junkie is more than satisfied and begs people to buy more than one copy as soon as possible. If I am correct, after several generations a first issue of this will be quite valuable.
“Seaborn” is exactly that. Organic. Every element, idea, character and plot thread flow into each other until your senses are overwhelmed in the best possible way meant. Starting from the most obvious “Seaborn” is urban fantasy, but the way I think it should be. The core of the novel is the story itself that unfolds flawlessly in two entwining worlds and that is propelled by the characters’ strategies, unlike the current wave of titles with greater focus on a near to impossible relationship. “Seaborn” speaks about war and battles, where in the end it’s either everything or nothing. To top it off every line is delivered with above satisfactory prose. For me Howard’s writing evokes a resemblance to Nabokov’s style with unconventional imagery and originality.
Characters & Depth: Since I mentioned that “Seaborn” is virtually flawless, the characters must be top notch as well. The strong heroine in urban fantasy usually has some issues like anger management, inferiority complex or daddy issues, which make them brass, fast to strike and totally primal to a point. They don’t think before they act. Kassandra is has people inside her head, real voices. She can never be sure, when one of them will pop up and take her body for a spin and she doesn’t get along with her family much, but she is the embodiment of a Machiavellian character. Poseidon’s Wreath pretty much makes her all powerful underwater and a strategic genius. An emergency arises and she is already scheming how to evade it. But here is the best part about her. She has to remain sane. Kassandra is trying to be as human as possible, fighting for control with the previous bearers in her head and not blowing things up.
Virtually every character is as fleshed out and controversial as Kassandra is. I loved the Corina-Aleximor possession, since both characters are complete opposites starting from the most obvious, their species and moving towards the personality differences. During the whole novel though I saw immense character growth. Aleximor showed a strange form of kindness or at least something similar, while Corina was adapting to the new situation and found enough strength to reclaim power over her own body. I can keep going on, but it is pointless. Chris Howard has gone as far as giving the past bearers their own distinctive pasts and personalities that later on help Kassandra piecing the whole puzzle together.
Worldbuilding & Believability: Probably what hooked me most before I discovered the merits of the story itself was the world building. This world has everything from incredible magic over water and other forces, to the rich history and the lore and culture. The world of the seaborn is based on Greek mythology and most of the names sound Ancient Greek as well as certain terms. Being cursed by Zeus these people have left their island and created their own society below the waves, divided into 9 houses with their own artificial sun. They have their own undead army and magic taboos. It all makes perfect logic and I never doubted a thing. Most intriguing I found the hereditary passing of magic talents, which ‘bleed’ from an elder to a blood relative of a new generation. And these talents use water mainly, but we do have necromancy, clairvoyance and fire magic underwater, which is also pretty well justified. I am not sure what is researched and what is fictitious, but whatever aspect Chris Howard touched, he raised the bar quite high.
The Verdict: I am not sure how Juno got their hands on this novel, but they landed quite the gold mine at least for urban fantasy readers. I may sound extreme, but here goes: This is a must-read, must-have and worshipped. This mythology junkie is more than satisfied and begs people to buy more than one copy as soon as possible. If I am correct, after several generations a first issue of this will be quite valuable.
January 24, 2009
Seaborn has taught me a valuable lesson: never underestimate Juno Books. For some reason I had assumed that Juno Books was a publisher of romance novels with a genre twist, but the reality is that Juno Books is not that much different from any other publisher of fantasy, except that they publish novels with strong female leads. And Seaborn certainly has a cast of strong female leads.
Seaborn follows Kassandra, the granddaughter of the current King of the Seaborn and the Wreath-wearer, a person of extraordinary power. King Tharsaleos is a murderer and Kassandra wants revenge not only for the House of Rexenor, but for her family as well. As she gears up for war, she has to learn to control her newfound power. Then there is Corina, a California native who loves to scuba dive, but unwittingly releases Aleximor, last of an ancient line of seaborn sorcerers with the power to control the dead who was imprisoned by the Seaborn royalty. The problem, however, is that Corina has released Aleximor within her, and he's taken over, imprisoning Corina within her own mind. And Aleximor is also on a path to revenge. When his path crosses with Kassandra's, will they work together and will they become enemies?
Chris Howard is someone I will be paying close attention to from this day forward. As a debut novel Seaborn succeeds where many others in the same class have not. It puts together a fascinating new world (within our own), drawing from Greek mythology and developing that into its own unique fantasy creation. Interesting too is that Howard has brought together two separate views of this fantasy world as a junction between the world as we know it and the world as Kassandra knows it. Corina is our outside connection, pulling us into the complexities and strangeness of theSeaborn as she is pulled into it. We are able to share our learning experience with her as her imprisonment draws her deeper into the Seaborn mythos.
Not all of Howard's novel is centered on worldbuilding, though. Seaborn is an action-packed fantasy thriller with a touch of the macabre. My expectation of the slightly flowery romantic fantasy (the literary romance, not the genre) was shattered by Howard's unrestrained presentation of the darker aspects of his world. Kassandra is not a perfect being with untold power; she's flawed and struggles against factors that might drive most of us insane. Aleximor , likewise, is a cunning, twisted individual whose passions for the macabre offer to the reader a gruesome (though not overboard) visual of death and reanimation. Corina, who is perhaps the most sympathetic character of the novel, is the odd-girl-out, being the only one who is "normal" by our standards. Her development throughout the novel keeps this fantasy world connected to ours (this feat is also maintained through Kassandra, who does interact with ussurfacers).
If it isn't obvious at this point, I enjoyed Seaborn a great deal. The novel isn't perfect, as most debuts never are. Some of the names can be a pain in the butt to pronounce. I assume they are based on Greek mythology of some sort and unfortunately my Greek mythology is wholly insignificant to have caught all the references. Also, the ending did feel a bit rushed to me, although perhaps that has more to do with the fact that I enjoy a lot of description for scenes involving battles and the like. Regardless, the novel kept me entertained from start to finish and even snatched me up in the first few pages, which is something a lot of novels have failed to do for me in recent years. Seaborn never felt like a chore and often times surprised me in its presentation--Kassandra, especially.
I look forward to reading more of Howard's work in the future. If Seaborn is what Howard can churn out as a debut, I suspect this may be the beginning of a long and fruitful writing career, with even greater novels finding their way into our libraries, personal and otherwise.
Seaborn follows Kassandra, the granddaughter of the current King of the Seaborn and the Wreath-wearer, a person of extraordinary power. King Tharsaleos is a murderer and Kassandra wants revenge not only for the House of Rexenor, but for her family as well. As she gears up for war, she has to learn to control her newfound power. Then there is Corina, a California native who loves to scuba dive, but unwittingly releases Aleximor, last of an ancient line of seaborn sorcerers with the power to control the dead who was imprisoned by the Seaborn royalty. The problem, however, is that Corina has released Aleximor within her, and he's taken over, imprisoning Corina within her own mind. And Aleximor is also on a path to revenge. When his path crosses with Kassandra's, will they work together and will they become enemies?
Chris Howard is someone I will be paying close attention to from this day forward. As a debut novel Seaborn succeeds where many others in the same class have not. It puts together a fascinating new world (within our own), drawing from Greek mythology and developing that into its own unique fantasy creation. Interesting too is that Howard has brought together two separate views of this fantasy world as a junction between the world as we know it and the world as Kassandra knows it. Corina is our outside connection, pulling us into the complexities and strangeness of theSeaborn as she is pulled into it. We are able to share our learning experience with her as her imprisonment draws her deeper into the Seaborn mythos.
Not all of Howard's novel is centered on worldbuilding, though. Seaborn is an action-packed fantasy thriller with a touch of the macabre. My expectation of the slightly flowery romantic fantasy (the literary romance, not the genre) was shattered by Howard's unrestrained presentation of the darker aspects of his world. Kassandra is not a perfect being with untold power; she's flawed and struggles against factors that might drive most of us insane. Aleximor , likewise, is a cunning, twisted individual whose passions for the macabre offer to the reader a gruesome (though not overboard) visual of death and reanimation. Corina, who is perhaps the most sympathetic character of the novel, is the odd-girl-out, being the only one who is "normal" by our standards. Her development throughout the novel keeps this fantasy world connected to ours (this feat is also maintained through Kassandra, who does interact with ussurfacers).
If it isn't obvious at this point, I enjoyed Seaborn a great deal. The novel isn't perfect, as most debuts never are. Some of the names can be a pain in the butt to pronounce. I assume they are based on Greek mythology of some sort and unfortunately my Greek mythology is wholly insignificant to have caught all the references. Also, the ending did feel a bit rushed to me, although perhaps that has more to do with the fact that I enjoy a lot of description for scenes involving battles and the like. Regardless, the novel kept me entertained from start to finish and even snatched me up in the first few pages, which is something a lot of novels have failed to do for me in recent years. Seaborn never felt like a chore and often times surprised me in its presentation--Kassandra, especially.
I look forward to reading more of Howard's work in the future. If Seaborn is what Howard can churn out as a debut, I suspect this may be the beginning of a long and fruitful writing career, with even greater novels finding their way into our libraries, personal and otherwise.
April 27, 2009
These days it’s not often that I find a book that is unique. Often, when I read I think this reminds me of … another story, but that thought never crossed my mind once whilst reading Seaborn by Chris Howard. Those other books that reminded me of something else were good stories, I enjoyed them, but the uniqueness of Seaborn makes this book stand out from the rest.
Also, it was obvious to me that the author knows his world extremely well. He should, he created it, but often authors unknowingly let their readers see the cracks in their planning. This is not the case with Seaborn and the author’s knowledge shone from every page, every sentence. Knowing that made me relax and not struggle with the details. I was ready to believe! I accepted the world wholeheartedly and when a reader does that it makes the reading experience so much better. This together with realistic, strong characters and an intriguing plot makes Seaborn an interesting book.
There were two storylines for most of the book and, naturally, they converge later in the story. However, I particularly liked Corina’s thread. It was a bit gory in parts, some unthinkable things happen (well, obviously not that unthinkable because the author thought of them :) ), but this side of the story was so good that I just wanted to know more. I was obsessed with what was happening and I wasn’t disappointed with how things turned out in the end either.
My only criticism is that the author over described some things. This is just a personal preference as I’m a reader who prefers the nitty gritty without the cream on top. I’m not interested in the design on the women’s dresses or how they their hair. I make up those details myself. Whilst I wouldn’t say the author went way over the top, and I’ve read plenty of books where too much detail ruins the story altogether because it distracts from the plot, I’m sure there will be a lot of readers who will enjoy the book exactly how it is. Some readers will say it enhances the world, so this isn’t a big criticism from me.
I’ve been known to skip whole chapters if they are battle scenes. I honestly find them so boring that if they go on and on I seriously consider not finishing the book. However, the battle in Seaborn was a battle with a difference and because of that it kept my interest. If you know me well, then you’ll know there is no bigger praise I could give a book!
I highly recommend this book.
Also, it was obvious to me that the author knows his world extremely well. He should, he created it, but often authors unknowingly let their readers see the cracks in their planning. This is not the case with Seaborn and the author’s knowledge shone from every page, every sentence. Knowing that made me relax and not struggle with the details. I was ready to believe! I accepted the world wholeheartedly and when a reader does that it makes the reading experience so much better. This together with realistic, strong characters and an intriguing plot makes Seaborn an interesting book.
There were two storylines for most of the book and, naturally, they converge later in the story. However, I particularly liked Corina’s thread. It was a bit gory in parts, some unthinkable things happen (well, obviously not that unthinkable because the author thought of them :) ), but this side of the story was so good that I just wanted to know more. I was obsessed with what was happening and I wasn’t disappointed with how things turned out in the end either.
My only criticism is that the author over described some things. This is just a personal preference as I’m a reader who prefers the nitty gritty without the cream on top. I’m not interested in the design on the women’s dresses or how they their hair. I make up those details myself. Whilst I wouldn’t say the author went way over the top, and I’ve read plenty of books where too much detail ruins the story altogether because it distracts from the plot, I’m sure there will be a lot of readers who will enjoy the book exactly how it is. Some readers will say it enhances the world, so this isn’t a big criticism from me.
I’ve been known to skip whole chapters if they are battle scenes. I honestly find them so boring that if they go on and on I seriously consider not finishing the book. However, the battle in Seaborn was a battle with a difference and because of that it kept my interest. If you know me well, then you’ll know there is no bigger praise I could give a book!
I highly recommend this book.
November 24, 2013
This book goes a step in the right direction by focusing more on the magical underwater world and less on the mundane. Kassandra is in a situation that no sane person should envy. Having limited power over the ocean sounds great right. Well the catch is that you have to wear a crown sorry I mean wreath that has the bonus of having the previous wearers souls embedded within always ready to give advice. Well taking the crown and choosing a successor will immediately kill you and then be sent to wreathe itself rather than join your loved ones in a blissful afterlife. Another catch is that souls within wreathe never shut up. They are always in your head intruding upon every moment voicing their opinions on how they act accordingly and even delete memories they think intrude upon the directive. There moments that felt truly disturbed when Kassandra was muttering to long dead people whose time and viewpoints were very outdated. Corina was an interesting secondary protagonist that hoped would succeed in getting her body back I was happy when she did. The relationship that Kassandra has with her adopted sisters felt the most genuine and made me wish I had sisters like them. The funniest moment was when the head body guard that best friends with Kassandras dead mother simply stated that she found making sandwiches the most awful dish to make I never got why she hated it so much but it was so amusing reading her ridiculous horror at the prospect of making mankind's most easy meal to make.
July 16, 2008
Chris Howard takes urban fantasy where it doesn't usually tread: underwater.
Even the underwater world has its own kingdom. Kassandra Alkimides, a member of Seaborn royalty, has been exiled to the surface for most of her life, but she's coming down to wage war on her grandfather. Meanwhile, Corina Lairsey is scuba-diving when she's grabbed and taken over by a Seaborn sorcerer.
I can't elaborate on the plot as I had a lot of trouble with this novel. It isn't bad – just isn't my kind of thing, so my attention and concentration were scattered. I would've given up but I persevered, though I don't have much to show for it.
But it goes without saying that Chris Howard is to be applauded for Seaborn's unique (or at least rare) in urban fantasy setting of the sea. Though I don't know if the term is mentioned, it is some form of mermaid novel. So this will suit readers who've had enough of vampires, shifters, witches, psychics, fae and whatnot. Originality is the key selling point here, as is Mr Howard's startling array of talents: not only an author, but quite an artist too. Some people just hog all the good stuff ;-)
Even the underwater world has its own kingdom. Kassandra Alkimides, a member of Seaborn royalty, has been exiled to the surface for most of her life, but she's coming down to wage war on her grandfather. Meanwhile, Corina Lairsey is scuba-diving when she's grabbed and taken over by a Seaborn sorcerer.
I can't elaborate on the plot as I had a lot of trouble with this novel. It isn't bad – just isn't my kind of thing, so my attention and concentration were scattered. I would've given up but I persevered, though I don't have much to show for it.
But it goes without saying that Chris Howard is to be applauded for Seaborn's unique (or at least rare) in urban fantasy setting of the sea. Though I don't know if the term is mentioned, it is some form of mermaid novel. So this will suit readers who've had enough of vampires, shifters, witches, psychics, fae and whatnot. Originality is the key selling point here, as is Mr Howard's startling array of talents: not only an author, but quite an artist too. Some people just hog all the good stuff ;-)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2017
Disclaimer: Definitely read Saltwater Witch by Chris Howard before you read this one; it sets up some much needed back story. I can see how reading this one first would be confusing to the point of destroying all enjoyment.
But... After reading Saltwater Witch, this book is AMAZING. The world Howard has created is complex and consistent, and his storytelling abilities are excellent. The drama and suspense build at an appropriate pace, and he throws in the best kinds of surprises (the kind you didn't see coming, but looking back, you could have seen them coming).
It even ends well. I can't wait to read more by Chris Howard.
[received via GoodReads First Reads giveaway]
But... After reading Saltwater Witch, this book is AMAZING. The world Howard has created is complex and consistent, and his storytelling abilities are excellent. The drama and suspense build at an appropriate pace, and he throws in the best kinds of surprises (the kind you didn't see coming, but looking back, you could have seen them coming).
It even ends well. I can't wait to read more by Chris Howard.
[received via GoodReads First Reads giveaway]
March 20, 2010
I went in expecting an urban fantasy along the lines of Rachel Caine's "Weather Warden" books and found something comparable to Mark Teppo's "Lightbreaker." "Seaborn" presents a vividly-imagined, densely-packed world of undersea magic that is deeply grounded in a gritty portrayal of Greek mythology--specifically focusing on the oceans.
Complex characters populate a world of Byzantine undersea politics fueled by power that passes from one generation to the next in ways that are unpredictable and strange. The heir to a throne, exiled to Nebraska, returns to claim her own. A sorcerer locked away for hundreds of years possesses a modern diver and the two grow more alike and yet more apart in their hatred. A host of minor characters play out their own dramas against the conflict between these major players.
Oh, and there's undersea knights riding around on orcas. Which is just plain cool.
Complex characters populate a world of Byzantine undersea politics fueled by power that passes from one generation to the next in ways that are unpredictable and strange. The heir to a throne, exiled to Nebraska, returns to claim her own. A sorcerer locked away for hundreds of years possesses a modern diver and the two grow more alike and yet more apart in their hatred. A host of minor characters play out their own dramas against the conflict between these major players.
Oh, and there's undersea knights riding around on orcas. Which is just plain cool.
September 23, 2014
Seaborn is a unique fantasy; it’s unlike anything else I’ve read. Chris Howard tells a compelling story of merpeople and of two women who struggle to become their own woman (or mermaid) in the face of opposition.
Our heroines are Corina Lairsey, a California girl who becomes possessed by a megalomaniacal merman while scuba-diving, and Lady Kassandra, an exiled princess of the Seaborn who is hatching a plan to overthrow her usurping grandfather. Howard does a great job with Corina’s plight, vividly showing us Corina’s terror at finding herself taken over by another being, her heartbreak and horror as her body is used to commit unspeakable acts of violence, and her struggle to free herself. Kassandra can be harder to get a grip on; her behavior and moods are a bit on the erratic side. There’s a reason for that, though — like Corina, Kassandra ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Our heroines are Corina Lairsey, a California girl who becomes possessed by a megalomaniacal merman while scuba-diving, and Lady Kassandra, an exiled princess of the Seaborn who is hatching a plan to overthrow her usurping grandfather. Howard does a great job with Corina’s plight, vividly showing us Corina’s terror at finding herself taken over by another being, her heartbreak and horror as her body is used to commit unspeakable acts of violence, and her struggle to free herself. Kassandra can be harder to get a grip on; her behavior and moods are a bit on the erratic side. There’s a reason for that, though — like Corina, Kassandra ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
January 21, 2011
An epic contemporary fantasy with a really varied, fascinating cast. The story follows several interweaving plotlines all to do with the feuding Seaborn (mermaid) families who are in line for the throne. Kassandra, a Seaborn brought up as a human, is the granddaughter of the current evil King and plots to overthrow him. But there are many other enemies in the waters, amongst which an ancient spirit who has managed to possess the body of a human woman.
The world building is great, seamlessly blending a contemporary setting with mermaid culture and traditions. I enjoyed the explanation of how magic passes through the Seaborn families as well, bleeding from a parent to a child.
Even better, I also enjoyed the language; Howard often uses an unusual turn of phrase or image that really captures a moment in a unique way.
Recommended for fans of contemporary fantasy
The world building is great, seamlessly blending a contemporary setting with mermaid culture and traditions. I enjoyed the explanation of how magic passes through the Seaborn families as well, bleeding from a parent to a child.
Even better, I also enjoyed the language; Howard often uses an unusual turn of phrase or image that really captures a moment in a unique way.
Recommended for fans of contemporary fantasy
May 29, 2011
Let me preface this review by saying I didn't know it was book number 2 in a series, so perhaps my complaints would be invalidated by reading book number 1.
With that being said, I quit reading after about chapter 5. While things are supposed to be mysterious so that you can be "led" into the book, this was just too mysterious and weird. I enjoy fantasy. This one was just not understandable. It was seriously fragmented. The plot jumped around between characters with no lead-in or explanation for why they were there.
With that being said, I quit reading after about chapter 5. While things are supposed to be mysterious so that you can be "led" into the book, this was just too mysterious and weird. I enjoy fantasy. This one was just not understandable. It was seriously fragmented. The plot jumped around between characters with no lead-in or explanation for why they were there.
June 13, 2011
Very convoluted and confusing. Also, I would like to talk to the author about his use of descriptive dialog. Sometimes, you CAN be too poetic. It was really hard to get through this book, in fact, I only made it half way through. Call your editor, Howard, ream him/her out, because they did a horrible job guiding you on how to keep each perspective and storyline clear.
This is not going to get a full review from me, because I didn't finish it.
This is not going to get a full review from me, because I didn't finish it.
March 20, 2009
I had a bit of a hard time getting into this story, but I enjoyed the style and originality of the setting and I'd happily try a second book from this author.
Here's my full review.
Here's my full review.
July 2, 2013
This was a great read. It is well written and I couldn't put it down. It was dark and entrancing, deviating from the traditional paranormal fictions of vampires, weres, and shifters by placing under the sea and giving a twist to merfolk.
September 17, 2016
I was glad to read this. It was good. I plan to read more from this author in the future. It's a great read and I was just fascinated by the way it was written.
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