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The Boiling Seas #1
The Blackbird and the Ghost
The Boiling Seas are the mariner’s bane – and the adventurer’s delight. The waters may be hot enough to warp wood and boil a hapless swimmer, but their scalding expanse is full of wonders. Strange islands lurk in the steamy mists, and stranger ruins hold ancient secrets, remnants of forgotten empires waiting for the bold… or lying in wait for the unwary.
On the Corpus Isles, gateway to the Boiling Seas, Tal Wenlock, the Blackbird, seeks a fortune of his own. The treasure he pursues could change the world – but he just wants to change a single life, and it’s not his own. To reach it, he’ll descend into the bowels of the earth and take ship on burning waters, brave dark streets and steal forbidden knowledge. He’ll lie, cheat, steal and fight – but he won’t get far alone. The ghosts of Tal’s past dog his every step – and one in particular keeps his knives sharp.
The Blackbird will need help to reach his goal… and he’ll need all his luck to get back home alive.
On the Corpus Isles, gateway to the Boiling Seas, Tal Wenlock, the Blackbird, seeks a fortune of his own. The treasure he pursues could change the world – but he just wants to change a single life, and it’s not his own. To reach it, he’ll descend into the bowels of the earth and take ship on burning waters, brave dark streets and steal forbidden knowledge. He’ll lie, cheat, steal and fight – but he won’t get far alone. The ghosts of Tal’s past dog his every step – and one in particular keeps his knives sharp.
The Blackbird will need help to reach his goal… and he’ll need all his luck to get back home alive.
- GenresFantasy
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2019
6 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Hûw Steer
15 books20 followersI’m an author and historian from London. I have an MA in Ancient History, specialising in the study of ancient science-fiction (yes, there is some!). I’ve been writing for some years now, have published several short stories and five novels, and am currently having several more rejected by agents and publishers.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 15, 2019
To read THE BLACKBIRD AND THE GHOST is to enter a world of heists and airships; of tottering cities and cryptic ruins of days gone by. Our hero, Tak Wenlock, is an antiquarian/adventurer along the likes of Indiana Jones with some Laura Croft thrown into the mix.
The writing is sleek, the characterization is nuanced, and the world is fleshed out well. My biggest issue was how long it took to arrive at the plot. I find that openings can get bogged down for a number of reasons. In this case, I think too much time was spent on the “arrival.” It would’ve been nice to jump into the action ASAP.
This book will appeal to fans of the “Thiefcraft” subgenre.
The writing is sleek, the characterization is nuanced, and the world is fleshed out well. My biggest issue was how long it took to arrive at the plot. I find that openings can get bogged down for a number of reasons. In this case, I think too much time was spent on the “arrival.” It would’ve been nice to jump into the action ASAP.
This book will appeal to fans of the “Thiefcraft” subgenre.
September 23, 2019
I stumbled upon this book because it is an entrant in this year’s SPFBO… I was looking through blurbs in the e-version yearly sale and this one caught my eye.
As I started reading a bit of nostalgia came over me. A little Young Indiana Jones in a fantasy world spiced with magic. Tal Wenlock travels to a distant string of islands to hunt down a lost magical scroll.
I have done a list review in awhile. Here goes:
The good.
Loved the premise. An old-fashioned archeological thief.
A setting that connected well with the story and built good conflict. The Boiling Seas is a fantastic concept. Magma is so close to the ocean floor that the sea’s temperature is scalding. Life in this island chain is dramatically different: harbors are protected by walls, boats’ hulls are made of metal, and the heat powers the energy of the towns.
The shifting timeline. Steer reveals the final showdown of the protagonist and the dastardly bad thief in the first chapter. A very good start that finds our hero breaking into a booby-trapped tomb in search of ancient treasure.
Tal Wenlock: With an internal monologue that gets to the heart of his moral compass, he is a man sort of on the run from responsibility, yet to a necessary quest. He picked up a needed partner along the way, a scholar who matches perfectly with his plundering skills.
The Ok:
Pacing: After an exciting opening scene, time backtracks to Tal’s voyage across the ocean. Steer does use this time on the ship to dole out some backstory, but I felt there needed to be a greater conflict to keep the tension going.
The Ghost: A one-dimensional character who I felt needed a bit more of a chance to be fleshed out. Motivation?
Overall, an exciting debut that promises more for the characters. The pieces are here.
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/09/21/th...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
As I started reading a bit of nostalgia came over me. A little Young Indiana Jones in a fantasy world spiced with magic. Tal Wenlock travels to a distant string of islands to hunt down a lost magical scroll.
I have done a list review in awhile. Here goes:
The good.
Loved the premise. An old-fashioned archeological thief.
A setting that connected well with the story and built good conflict. The Boiling Seas is a fantastic concept. Magma is so close to the ocean floor that the sea’s temperature is scalding. Life in this island chain is dramatically different: harbors are protected by walls, boats’ hulls are made of metal, and the heat powers the energy of the towns.
The shifting timeline. Steer reveals the final showdown of the protagonist and the dastardly bad thief in the first chapter. A very good start that finds our hero breaking into a booby-trapped tomb in search of ancient treasure.
Tal Wenlock: With an internal monologue that gets to the heart of his moral compass, he is a man sort of on the run from responsibility, yet to a necessary quest. He picked up a needed partner along the way, a scholar who matches perfectly with his plundering skills.
The Ok:
Pacing: After an exciting opening scene, time backtracks to Tal’s voyage across the ocean. Steer does use this time on the ship to dole out some backstory, but I felt there needed to be a greater conflict to keep the tension going.
The Ghost: A one-dimensional character who I felt needed a bit more of a chance to be fleshed out. Motivation?
Overall, an exciting debut that promises more for the characters. The pieces are here.
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/09/21/th...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
October 17, 2019
This book is kind of like Indiana Jones meets Earthsea. Tal Wenlock is a tomb-robber with magical powers. Sounds awesome, right?
It is.
But it's about to get even more awesome when I tell you that there are also sailing ships, boiling waves, ancient libraries, deep dark mines, and world-building that will make you stop and exclaim: "Yes! That's how you do it!"
In other words, this book is my dream come true.
I've got a thing for archaeology. (I'm kind of obsessed with Howard Carter and the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb.) I also love magic, stories of adventure, and far-off places. And clearly I've got a thing for books or I wouldn't be writing this blog.
This book has literally all those things and more! WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE? THIS IS LITERALLY MY DREAM BOOK. WAIT DID I ALSO MENTION THERE ARE AIRSHIPS???
OK. Deep breath. I'll try to settle down and talk about this book in more sensible terms.
Let's start at the very beginning.
Oh yeah, there might be some minor spoilers....
The beginning of this book is actually the end.
And talking about the way this book is structured is almost sending me into another geek out session, but I'll try to stay calm for the sake of my hapless, captive readers.
The story starts with Tal Wenlock--alias The Blackbird, famed tomb-raider--breaking into the tomb of his career. He's after an ancient scroll with magical properties, and no mission has ever been so important to him.
The prologue follows Tal as he breaks into the tomb and makes his way toward the sarcophagus of the king, avoiding one deadly trap after another in pursuit of his object. It's so intense and it's so boss that we're not even told his name until the very last sentence!
Then there's a sudden, totally unforeseen disaster, and then the chapter ends and we go back to three weeks before!
I can't even with this book. It's so freaking cool.
Because the whole time I'm reading from here on out, my mind keeps flashing back to that prologue and what happened at the end of it, and internally I'm screaming, but I'm also strangely invested in what's happening on the page in front of me right now, and I'm rooting for Tal so hard even though I know what lies at the end of his journey.
I'm hoping against hope that once we get there, once we return to that moment, there will be something I missed the first time around and it will all be all right after all. Man.
On the subject of rooting for Tal, he's definitely someone to root for. A thieving tomb-raider with a strong interest in history, a respect for the dead, and a love of thick books, I mean, what's not to love?
He's also very good at what he does, and his skills at everything from lock-picking to locating rare books to evading certain death are, to say the least, impressive.
The other characters are great too. Max is a scholarly young doctor and historian who, upon very slim persuasion, gets pulled into Tal's illegal quest for a mythic item. She doesn't fit the mold of the average sidekick, and for that she's way cool.
Mikhail is a seriously terrifying rival tomb-raider who I assume is the "ghost" of the title. I love the effect he has on Tal because it makes Tal himself more vulnerable and relatable as a character. He's a competent, thrill-seeking tomb-raider with serious survival skills, but he's not fearless. The idea of Mikhail stalking him makes Tal's hands shake.
Also, side note: I just love that Tal is a tomb-raider who also digs libraries, is super nice to people, and goes to therapy. He's a total boss but he's also kind of adorable.
Besides awesome characters, another thing this author does really well is world-building. All the places--the coastal town of Fort Malice with its wharf and maze-like streets, the chilling ruins of the Sydren Mines and the forbidding tomb on the island of The Palm--they all feel so vivid and real.
This story is richly painted: you can almost feel the salt wind on your face as Tal walks the streets of Fort Malice, hear the sinister velvet of Mikhail's voice, taste the stale air of the ancient tombs.
I felt like I was right there with Tal from start to finish, shadowing him on his quest for the scroll, because all the scenes, sights, and even Tal's private emotions had such immediacy to them.
Long story short:
Loved this book. Hope there's a sequel in the works. Send it my way.
It is.
But it's about to get even more awesome when I tell you that there are also sailing ships, boiling waves, ancient libraries, deep dark mines, and world-building that will make you stop and exclaim: "Yes! That's how you do it!"
In other words, this book is my dream come true.
I've got a thing for archaeology. (I'm kind of obsessed with Howard Carter and the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb.) I also love magic, stories of adventure, and far-off places. And clearly I've got a thing for books or I wouldn't be writing this blog.
This book has literally all those things and more! WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE? THIS IS LITERALLY MY DREAM BOOK. WAIT DID I ALSO MENTION THERE ARE AIRSHIPS???
OK. Deep breath. I'll try to settle down and talk about this book in more sensible terms.
Let's start at the very beginning.
Oh yeah, there might be some minor spoilers....
The beginning of this book is actually the end.
And talking about the way this book is structured is almost sending me into another geek out session, but I'll try to stay calm for the sake of my hapless, captive readers.
The story starts with Tal Wenlock--alias The Blackbird, famed tomb-raider--breaking into the tomb of his career. He's after an ancient scroll with magical properties, and no mission has ever been so important to him.
The prologue follows Tal as he breaks into the tomb and makes his way toward the sarcophagus of the king, avoiding one deadly trap after another in pursuit of his object. It's so intense and it's so boss that we're not even told his name until the very last sentence!
Then there's a sudden, totally unforeseen disaster, and then the chapter ends and we go back to three weeks before!
I can't even with this book. It's so freaking cool.
Because the whole time I'm reading from here on out, my mind keeps flashing back to that prologue and what happened at the end of it, and internally I'm screaming, but I'm also strangely invested in what's happening on the page in front of me right now, and I'm rooting for Tal so hard even though I know what lies at the end of his journey.
I'm hoping against hope that once we get there, once we return to that moment, there will be something I missed the first time around and it will all be all right after all. Man.
On the subject of rooting for Tal, he's definitely someone to root for. A thieving tomb-raider with a strong interest in history, a respect for the dead, and a love of thick books, I mean, what's not to love?
He's also very good at what he does, and his skills at everything from lock-picking to locating rare books to evading certain death are, to say the least, impressive.
The other characters are great too. Max is a scholarly young doctor and historian who, upon very slim persuasion, gets pulled into Tal's illegal quest for a mythic item. She doesn't fit the mold of the average sidekick, and for that she's way cool.
Mikhail is a seriously terrifying rival tomb-raider who I assume is the "ghost" of the title. I love the effect he has on Tal because it makes Tal himself more vulnerable and relatable as a character. He's a competent, thrill-seeking tomb-raider with serious survival skills, but he's not fearless. The idea of Mikhail stalking him makes Tal's hands shake.
Also, side note: I just love that Tal is a tomb-raider who also digs libraries, is super nice to people, and goes to therapy. He's a total boss but he's also kind of adorable.
Besides awesome characters, another thing this author does really well is world-building. All the places--the coastal town of Fort Malice with its wharf and maze-like streets, the chilling ruins of the Sydren Mines and the forbidding tomb on the island of The Palm--they all feel so vivid and real.
This story is richly painted: you can almost feel the salt wind on your face as Tal walks the streets of Fort Malice, hear the sinister velvet of Mikhail's voice, taste the stale air of the ancient tombs.
I felt like I was right there with Tal from start to finish, shadowing him on his quest for the scroll, because all the scenes, sights, and even Tal's private emotions had such immediacy to them.
Long story short:
Loved this book. Hope there's a sequel in the works. Send it my way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2019
I thought this was an excellent fantasy novel (and it's a genre that often struggles to pique my interest, broad as it is). Tal is a very compelling character and the setting is rich, imaginative, and exquisitely described. There is immense potential for further exploration of this world and I am very much looking forward to discovering more of it in future adventures.
Besides this, the plot is engrossing and easy to follow - the decision to open the book with the climactic sequence is interesting and highly effective. Despite partially revealing the book's conclusion right at the very beginning, the story is still absorbing and it's not easy to predict what's going to happen next.
If you like steamy ports, sea voyages, dusty libraries, dark mines, archaeology, thievery, or just well-written and original novels with enthralling stories and interesting characters, then this book is definitely for you. A fantastic debut!
Besides this, the plot is engrossing and easy to follow - the decision to open the book with the climactic sequence is interesting and highly effective. Despite partially revealing the book's conclusion right at the very beginning, the story is still absorbing and it's not easy to predict what's going to happen next.
If you like steamy ports, sea voyages, dusty libraries, dark mines, archaeology, thievery, or just well-written and original novels with enthralling stories and interesting characters, then this book is definitely for you. A fantastic debut!
September 19, 2020
Like reading an RPG quest!
I really enjoyed The Blackbird and the Ghost. It felt like I was playing through a quest you’d find in an Elder Scrolls game while I read. Action, adventure, and a good bit of humor mixed in for good measure. Tal is a really likeable character—snarky and sassy, smart, and cunning. Magic, thievery, history, tomb raiding…and boiling seas! I felt like I should be leveling up and picking perks as I read! Hûw Steer has created a vivid fantasy world, full of adventure on every page. I’m eagerly anticipating the next volume…and my next reading quest!
I really enjoyed The Blackbird and the Ghost. It felt like I was playing through a quest you’d find in an Elder Scrolls game while I read. Action, adventure, and a good bit of humor mixed in for good measure. Tal is a really likeable character—snarky and sassy, smart, and cunning. Magic, thievery, history, tomb raiding…and boiling seas! I felt like I should be leveling up and picking perks as I read! Hûw Steer has created a vivid fantasy world, full of adventure on every page. I’m eagerly anticipating the next volume…and my next reading quest!
June 16, 2019
Very enjoyable read, snared from the first pages, "boys own" tale, look forward to the next adventure.!!!!
Very enjoyable read, snared from the first pages, "boys own" tale, look forward to the next adventure. New film hero?!!!!!
Very enjoyable read, snared from the first pages, "boys own" tale, look forward to the next adventure. New film hero?!!!!!
October 6, 2025
I really enjoyed this adventure and am looking forward to the next installment. Well paced, a relatable protagonist and an interesting world with a lot of magic still to explore. The only knock on it was the confusion of Max's pronouns, but I'm sure that will be remedied at some point.
June 7, 2019
This is one epic fantasy book! Tal Wenlock and his adventures make a really compelling story.
Tal is a very unique character. He is different from most tomb raiders, more interested in the history of an artefact than the artefact itself. I find his past quite interesting.
I loved the descriptions in this book. The tomb, the traps, the port, the sea…the little details were perfect, and it was very easy to picture the story.
The characters are also intriguing, and make you want to know more about them. The plot twists are excellent.
I found this book very relaxing and easy to understand. It’s a great read, not too complicated but mysterious enough to keep you wondering, “what’s next?” It’s a whole new world to dive into, and I’m grateful for it!
The end of the story hints at a sequel, and I’m hoping to read it as soon as it comes out! This book is a real page-turner, so you should definitely read it.
Click here to read the full review.
Tal is a very unique character. He is different from most tomb raiders, more interested in the history of an artefact than the artefact itself. I find his past quite interesting.
I loved the descriptions in this book. The tomb, the traps, the port, the sea…the little details were perfect, and it was very easy to picture the story.
The characters are also intriguing, and make you want to know more about them. The plot twists are excellent.
I found this book very relaxing and easy to understand. It’s a great read, not too complicated but mysterious enough to keep you wondering, “what’s next?” It’s a whole new world to dive into, and I’m grateful for it!
The end of the story hints at a sequel, and I’m hoping to read it as soon as it comes out! This book is a real page-turner, so you should definitely read it.
Click here to read the full review.
September 8, 2019
Good book
I enjoyed the story. The characters are interesting and loveable. I look forward to seeing a sequel where the Blackbird explores his magic a bit more. Features minimal violence and no sexual activity, suitable for most readers.
I enjoyed the story. The characters are interesting and loveable. I look forward to seeing a sequel where the Blackbird explores his magic a bit more. Features minimal violence and no sexual activity, suitable for most readers.
Read
September 28, 2019This is a short fantasy book with steampunk elements. The story follows a quest embarked upon by the curious (in all senses) and roguish Tal. He's after an item that he believes will help someone close to him, and he's prepared to go to great lengths to get it.
I loved the descriptions of this intriguing world. There's magic, but it doesn't drown out the characters, and the worldbuilding felt consistent and plausible. It's clear that more adventures are planned.
The plot was straightforward and easy to follow. For my tastes, it was a bit *too* straightforward a progression. Tal's one specific enemy was clearly the bad guy (from Tal's perspective, of course). Pretty much everyone else was helpful, friendly and supportive to Tal on his quest—no double-crossing or back-stabbing, or even different priorities—which to my mind removed tension that could have made this book a real page-turner.
Towards the end of the book, I got an impression that the writing was rushed—there was a tendency towards "explaininess" I hadn't noticed in earlier chapters, plus a few typos. (Specifically, at least 3 references to the female character Max as "he/him" which had me scratching my head).
Overall, a fun light read.
I loved the descriptions of this intriguing world. There's magic, but it doesn't drown out the characters, and the worldbuilding felt consistent and plausible. It's clear that more adventures are planned.
The plot was straightforward and easy to follow. For my tastes, it was a bit *too* straightforward a progression. Tal's one specific enemy was clearly the bad guy (from Tal's perspective, of course). Pretty much everyone else was helpful, friendly and supportive to Tal on his quest—no double-crossing or back-stabbing, or even different priorities—which to my mind removed tension that could have made this book a real page-turner.
Towards the end of the book, I got an impression that the writing was rushed—there was a tendency towards "explaininess" I hadn't noticed in earlier chapters, plus a few typos. (Specifically, at least 3 references to the female character Max as "he/him" which had me scratching my head).
Overall, a fun light read.
September 3, 2022
Indiana Jones meets Locke Lamora by way of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser in a rollicking adventure yarn, complete with boiling seas, sunken palaces, and more than just a little magic.
I tell you right now, were I reading again for this year's SPFBO, The Blackbird And The Ghost would be stiff competition indeed for the likes of Chasing Graves (Ben Galley) and Seraphina’s Lament (Sarah Chorn) as my top choice. It's a fun adventure novel, full of imagination, with some fantastic historical and archaeological aspects. Hûw Steer hits that perfect mix of history, world-building, setting, characters, and action in a book that is over far too soon.
The story opens with a bit of tomb raiding that is as intense as it is exciting. There are traps, puzzles, and dangerous miscues for Tal Wenlock to face, and he does it with charm and humor. It leaves the reader hanging on the threat of blood and betrayal, but finding out how he got there is so enjoyable you almost resent having to come back around and resolve the cliffhanger.
As for getting there, it involves a steelship journey across the boiling seas, which could be a story all on its own, through the massive gates of the Corpus Isles. It takes us across a familiar sort of fantasy village, deep into the mines, and high atop a scholarly tower. We meet Tal's arch-nemesis, who is menacing enough as a man and ever more chilling with his unusual magical talents. We also meet a senior healer in the tower who comes to be Tal's mentor/accomplice, and the friendly banter between the two of them keeps much of the story moving.
While the promise of its blurb seemed too good to be true, The Blackbird And The Ghost delivered on everything I wanted and left me wanting more. If, like me, you're the kind of reader who roots for the thieves and the adventurers, putting treasure and quests above saving the world, then you're going to enjoy this.ml
I tell you right now, were I reading again for this year's SPFBO, The Blackbird And The Ghost would be stiff competition indeed for the likes of Chasing Graves (Ben Galley) and Seraphina’s Lament (Sarah Chorn) as my top choice. It's a fun adventure novel, full of imagination, with some fantastic historical and archaeological aspects. Hûw Steer hits that perfect mix of history, world-building, setting, characters, and action in a book that is over far too soon.
The story opens with a bit of tomb raiding that is as intense as it is exciting. There are traps, puzzles, and dangerous miscues for Tal Wenlock to face, and he does it with charm and humor. It leaves the reader hanging on the threat of blood and betrayal, but finding out how he got there is so enjoyable you almost resent having to come back around and resolve the cliffhanger.
As for getting there, it involves a steelship journey across the boiling seas, which could be a story all on its own, through the massive gates of the Corpus Isles. It takes us across a familiar sort of fantasy village, deep into the mines, and high atop a scholarly tower. We meet Tal's arch-nemesis, who is menacing enough as a man and ever more chilling with his unusual magical talents. We also meet a senior healer in the tower who comes to be Tal's mentor/accomplice, and the friendly banter between the two of them keeps much of the story moving.
While the promise of its blurb seemed too good to be true, The Blackbird And The Ghost delivered on everything I wanted and left me wanting more. If, like me, you're the kind of reader who roots for the thieves and the adventurers, putting treasure and quests above saving the world, then you're going to enjoy this.ml
September 22, 2023
An excellent and entirely unexpected book, Steer's debut novel is an Indiana-Jones-like story with elegant fantasy elements and a splash of magic thrown in too. It was a fast-paced book, with good development of Tal and his relationships with the other characters, while exploring a world of developed history and hidden secrets. The story itself is structured effectively, and is quite light and whimsical (which, after a number of high-stake books, I sorely needed). My one complaint would be that the book would have probably benefited from a longer final act, and (avoiding spoilers) the sections involving The Lantern seemed a bit easy for Tal with no real push-back from the scholars.
Overall, the book is an interesting, fast and light fantasy story with great characters and lots of cool elements that I can't wait to explore in the next installment!
Overall, the book is an interesting, fast and light fantasy story with great characters and lots of cool elements that I can't wait to explore in the next installment!
May 14, 2023
Excellent Tabletop Vibes
Out of the gate, il say that it maybe needs a wee polish, but that was my only issue and it never once stopped me from enjoying it.
Great intro, classic d&d style tomb raiding stuff, and whilst I am not usually a fan of books that start at the end and then "three weeks later" me, this one ticks so many of my boxes that I let it slide.
And I'm glad I did! I found a well told, fast paced tabletop campaign of a story, with the requisite intrigue, great characters, fun worldbuilding and neat magic.
An excellent debut from an author who writes exactly what I like, I'll be checking out Hûw's other work! Recommended to fans of the genre.
Out of the gate, il say that it maybe needs a wee polish, but that was my only issue and it never once stopped me from enjoying it.
Great intro, classic d&d style tomb raiding stuff, and whilst I am not usually a fan of books that start at the end and then "three weeks later" me, this one ticks so many of my boxes that I let it slide.
And I'm glad I did! I found a well told, fast paced tabletop campaign of a story, with the requisite intrigue, great characters, fun worldbuilding and neat magic.
An excellent debut from an author who writes exactly what I like, I'll be checking out Hûw's other work! Recommended to fans of the genre.
July 31, 2021
A decent Tomb Raider fantasy story, but lots of spelling-out of the protagonist's motivations and thought processes. Too much telling, not enough showing. It's also apparent supporting character Maximillian was originally male, there are a lot of editing errors where pronouns haven't been corrected.
Still an enjoyable, short read.
Still an enjoyable, short read.
May 16, 2023
I enjoyed this one. It starts with a riddle in a tomb and ends with the promise of a new adventure. It's light, well paced and exciting.
More of this please!
More of this please!
December 4, 2023
2.5 rounded down to 2.
Setting:
This book takes place in an archipelago where the waters are constantly boiling making travel difficult and dangerous. Magic exists. An elemental based system that is uncommon but not extraordinarily so.
Character:
Tal: Our main character and sole POV is Tal Wenlock, an Indian Jones type interested in history who likes to go wandering around ancient ruins and taking the shiny things. This behavior is somewhat justified by the fact he's doing this to fund treatment for his sister's long term illness.
Plot:
Tal is on the hunt for an ancient magic scroll. Supposedly the scroll contains healing magic capable of curing any wound or illness. Tal wants to use that magic to save his sister's life. He'll do anything to find the scroll but will he be able to when some people think the scroll is naught but a myth. Yes he will find it. Then he will be stabbed and lose it.
My Thoughts:
Now I know what you're thinking. Why would I spoil the book like that? I didn't. Steer did. Tal finding the scroll, getting stabbed, and losing the scroll is literally the prologue. We then jump three weeks into the past and spend 90% of the book trying to get back to that point.
I cannot fathom why Steer chose to make this scene the prologue. I understand the idea of wanting to start with a cool scene of Tal in his element, moving through some forgotten ruin and dodging traps but the problem with this is that then spending virtually the entire rest of the novel watching Tal try to find out where the thing we already know he finds is… well it's just not that interesting. Oh Tal is reading a book to try and find out where the tomb might be. I already know he's gonna figure out where it is so can we skip this part? It also leaves the reader waiting on a cliffhanger the entire time we watch Tal try to find the thing. Is he gonna bleed out in the ruin? Will there be a heroic rescue? Does he have some trick up his sleeve to survive? Will he just muscle through the pain and limp back to safety? Be good and watch him talk to a scholar about where the artifact might be for another couple chapters and then maybe you can find out.
On a different note, for a series called The Boiling Seas there's very little boiling sea actually involved. There are a few boat trips but any possible danger is fairly quickly hand waved away with the explanation of special boats and various other invented technologies to completely mitigate the most interesting part of the world building. Also the vast majority of the book is spent on land.
As a final complaint, the second half of the book introduces a character named Maximilian. Max is a woman who explains her parents wanted a boy and couldn't be bothered to come up with a girl's name so she got stuck with a boy's name instead. That's all fine. The problem is that Steer doesn't consistently use feminine pronouns for Max which makes reading sections involving her confusing. Like this section:
Opening the door, Tal saw Maximillian sprawled back in his chair, uncharacteristically lax. Around her papers were strewn in great heaps, books stacked high. The scholar's eyes were closed, and on his chest lay the stolen journal. At Tal's entrance she opened her eyes, revealing a gaze both tired and triumphant.
In less than one paragraph we have Max referred to with masculine pronouns, feminine pronouns, masculine again, then back to feminine. It is at this point I feel it necessary to state that at no point is there any indication that Max is transgender or non-binary or gender fluid or anything like that which might justify this. As far as this text shows Max is a cisgender female who simply has a masculine name because her parents suck.
It's not a bad book and I don't regret reading it but I do find it somewhat tough to recommend.
Setting:
This book takes place in an archipelago where the waters are constantly boiling making travel difficult and dangerous. Magic exists. An elemental based system that is uncommon but not extraordinarily so.
Character:
Tal: Our main character and sole POV is Tal Wenlock, an Indian Jones type interested in history who likes to go wandering around ancient ruins and taking the shiny things. This behavior is somewhat justified by the fact he's doing this to fund treatment for his sister's long term illness.
Plot:
Tal is on the hunt for an ancient magic scroll. Supposedly the scroll contains healing magic capable of curing any wound or illness. Tal wants to use that magic to save his sister's life. He'll do anything to find the scroll but will he be able to when some people think the scroll is naught but a myth. Yes he will find it. Then he will be stabbed and lose it.
My Thoughts:
Now I know what you're thinking. Why would I spoil the book like that? I didn't. Steer did. Tal finding the scroll, getting stabbed, and losing the scroll is literally the prologue. We then jump three weeks into the past and spend 90% of the book trying to get back to that point.
I cannot fathom why Steer chose to make this scene the prologue. I understand the idea of wanting to start with a cool scene of Tal in his element, moving through some forgotten ruin and dodging traps but the problem with this is that then spending virtually the entire rest of the novel watching Tal try to find out where the thing we already know he finds is… well it's just not that interesting. Oh Tal is reading a book to try and find out where the tomb might be. I already know he's gonna figure out where it is so can we skip this part? It also leaves the reader waiting on a cliffhanger the entire time we watch Tal try to find the thing. Is he gonna bleed out in the ruin? Will there be a heroic rescue? Does he have some trick up his sleeve to survive? Will he just muscle through the pain and limp back to safety? Be good and watch him talk to a scholar about where the artifact might be for another couple chapters and then maybe you can find out.
On a different note, for a series called The Boiling Seas there's very little boiling sea actually involved. There are a few boat trips but any possible danger is fairly quickly hand waved away with the explanation of special boats and various other invented technologies to completely mitigate the most interesting part of the world building. Also the vast majority of the book is spent on land.
As a final complaint, the second half of the book introduces a character named Maximilian. Max is a woman who explains her parents wanted a boy and couldn't be bothered to come up with a girl's name so she got stuck with a boy's name instead. That's all fine. The problem is that Steer doesn't consistently use feminine pronouns for Max which makes reading sections involving her confusing. Like this section:
Opening the door, Tal saw Maximillian sprawled back in his chair, uncharacteristically lax. Around her papers were strewn in great heaps, books stacked high. The scholar's eyes were closed, and on his chest lay the stolen journal. At Tal's entrance she opened her eyes, revealing a gaze both tired and triumphant.
In less than one paragraph we have Max referred to with masculine pronouns, feminine pronouns, masculine again, then back to feminine. It is at this point I feel it necessary to state that at no point is there any indication that Max is transgender or non-binary or gender fluid or anything like that which might justify this. As far as this text shows Max is a cisgender female who simply has a masculine name because her parents suck.
It's not a bad book and I don't regret reading it but I do find it somewhat tough to recommend.
October 8, 2020
I've been waiting for more than a year for Steer to write his sequel to this book. Hopefully a Goodreads review will motivate him to finish it up!
I'll confess, the first time I read this book I was perhaps too critical of the way that the protagonist discovered his magical talent. But you know what? That isn't what stuck with me over the past 14 months. The enduring legacy of this book is a likable main character and a fascinating, well-paced world exposition.
I find myself wondering when we will find out more about the Boiling Seas and the mysterious artifacts hinted at in the first book. I want to follow Tal along his hero's journey and character development.
This was an excellent start to a series, in a genre where first novels are all but impossible to get right. I'm certain that the author won't disappoint with the next installment - so please get it written!
I'll confess, the first time I read this book I was perhaps too critical of the way that the protagonist discovered his magical talent. But you know what? That isn't what stuck with me over the past 14 months. The enduring legacy of this book is a likable main character and a fascinating, well-paced world exposition.
I find myself wondering when we will find out more about the Boiling Seas and the mysterious artifacts hinted at in the first book. I want to follow Tal along his hero's journey and character development.
This was an excellent start to a series, in a genre where first novels are all but impossible to get right. I'm certain that the author won't disappoint with the next installment - so please get it written!
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