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The Sky Pirate Chronicles #1
By Sea & Sky
With no magic, no brawn, and no pirate crew, Zala seeks to steal back the one treasure that matters to her most: her husband.
To succeed she needs a ship-and not just any ship, but the latest, secret invention by the Vaaji Empire. An airship.
Zala will have to use her wits to overcome scoundrels and nobles alike on her journey through the clouds.But if she's smart enough, she may just have what it takes to save her husband-and go down in history as the first sky pirate.
Delve into a pirate fantasy inspired by the West Indies, The Swahili Coast, and Arabia, where Zala will encounter ruthless raiders, arrogant aristocrats, and imperial secrets.
To succeed she needs a ship-and not just any ship, but the latest, secret invention by the Vaaji Empire. An airship.
Zala will have to use her wits to overcome scoundrels and nobles alike on her journey through the clouds.But if she's smart enough, she may just have what it takes to save her husband-and go down in history as the first sky pirate.
Delve into a pirate fantasy inspired by the West Indies, The Swahili Coast, and Arabia, where Zala will encounter ruthless raiders, arrogant aristocrats, and imperial secrets.
414 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 2020
51 people are currently reading
1556 people want to read
About the author
Antoine Bandele
24 books447 followersHOW I RATE
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Very Profound and/or Entertaining.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I enjoyed it.
⭐⭐⭐ It was okay.
⭐⭐ I didn't enjoy it.
⭐ I hated it.
ABOUT ME
ANTOINE BANDELE IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR IN AFRICAN LITERATURE.
He lives in Los Angeles, CA with his girlfriend, where he produces work on YouTube for his own channel and others, such as JustKiddingFilms, Fanalysis, and more. During the summer he is a camp counselor. Whenever he has the time he’s writing his debut series: Tales from Esowon.
SINCE 1990 ...
I've been a creative kid, whether writing stories, drawing comics, or directing home movies. I remember the first time I thought I was a "published" author. My father took my brother and I to an office supply store, where we got our books (which were made out of wide-ruled notebook paper) laminated and copied.
It felt so legit.
In elementary school, I kept filling out more notebooks with my stories. I was even brave enough to share those stories with friends during recess. The underside of the playground slide became my own library, but the only inventory was my books. They were stories about kung fu fighting teenagers who were stuck in their own dreams (still might develop that one day), or fan fiction covering my favorite franchises.
Growing up in Los Angeles, only a few miles from Hollywood, I started flirting with the film industry. This became my focus throughout my young adult years. I majored in Multimedia at California State University Northridge (though my diploma is still incomplete). That eventually got me on YouTube which (for most filmmakers in those early days) was the best place to archive and share your work. YouTube has turned into a different beast today, but I still seek out that sense of community it had among like-minded individuals.
If there is one thing that encompasses my life so far, one theme, it would be the pursuit of art. Whether I'm writing, drawing, editing or otherwise (though I really wish I had a talent for music), I've always been drawn to crafting art. That's all I'm really about when it comes right down to the bare bones, everything stripped away. I'm fueled by creating make-believe, letting my imagination take me to wonderful worlds filled with characters who speak to my inner muse.
So join me here on my small corner of the internet (a bit of an upgrade to the underside of a playground). I want to share my creativity with you.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Very Profound and/or Entertaining.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I enjoyed it.
⭐⭐⭐ It was okay.
⭐⭐ I didn't enjoy it.
⭐ I hated it.
ABOUT ME
ANTOINE BANDELE IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR IN AFRICAN LITERATURE.
He lives in Los Angeles, CA with his girlfriend, where he produces work on YouTube for his own channel and others, such as JustKiddingFilms, Fanalysis, and more. During the summer he is a camp counselor. Whenever he has the time he’s writing his debut series: Tales from Esowon.
SINCE 1990 ...
I've been a creative kid, whether writing stories, drawing comics, or directing home movies. I remember the first time I thought I was a "published" author. My father took my brother and I to an office supply store, where we got our books (which were made out of wide-ruled notebook paper) laminated and copied.
It felt so legit.
In elementary school, I kept filling out more notebooks with my stories. I was even brave enough to share those stories with friends during recess. The underside of the playground slide became my own library, but the only inventory was my books. They were stories about kung fu fighting teenagers who were stuck in their own dreams (still might develop that one day), or fan fiction covering my favorite franchises.
Growing up in Los Angeles, only a few miles from Hollywood, I started flirting with the film industry. This became my focus throughout my young adult years. I majored in Multimedia at California State University Northridge (though my diploma is still incomplete). That eventually got me on YouTube which (for most filmmakers in those early days) was the best place to archive and share your work. YouTube has turned into a different beast today, but I still seek out that sense of community it had among like-minded individuals.
If there is one thing that encompasses my life so far, one theme, it would be the pursuit of art. Whether I'm writing, drawing, editing or otherwise (though I really wish I had a talent for music), I've always been drawn to crafting art. That's all I'm really about when it comes right down to the bare bones, everything stripped away. I'm fueled by creating make-believe, letting my imagination take me to wonderful worlds filled with characters who speak to my inner muse.
So join me here on my small corner of the internet (a bit of an upgrade to the underside of a playground). I want to share my creativity with you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
July 6, 2020
*I read this as one of my #SPFBO entries this year*
I have to say, who doesn't love a good pirate romp? This is definitely heavily inspired by the West Indies and pirate-lifestyles, and it shows throughout with a diverse cast of characters very different from the likes of Pirates of the Carribbean etc. What I enjoyed most in this book was the authenticity to the pirating roots of the plot, and yet our main characters have been forced into a life of piracy to try and make ends meet.
This book follows Zala and her husband as two separate characters and viewpoints. They are a good pair and travel well together trying to earn enough to keep making the potion they need to control the spread of a disease. This disease is deadly and the potion is the only way to control it for some time. It's the root of their plot, and yet its also a bigger problem for many in this world.
Zala is probably the main PoV with her story being the easiest to connect to because she is trying to find her husband after they're separated. I enjoyed her plot as she was a quick-witted and sharp character and although she has some not so good ideas, she also has some solid moments which I liked.
The magic of this world is quite varied with people who are turning to stone and winged beings all part of the world. It's got a lot more hinted at too, and my guess is as the series continues we'd learn even more about this.
I definitely wish there had been a little more depth overall to the characters and their true motivation and past, but this is something I could overlook a little thanks to the action and intensity of the battles and the plot.
There's definitely a sense of 'us' and 'them' between the empire and the pirates, and the reader is firmly on the side of piracy and love. Even when the Empire brings out a new creation to stop the pirates you can't help but to root for Zala and co!
Overall I enjoyed this book and it was a very fun adventure. It is definitely one of the more pirate-focused fantasy books I've read and I liked the way it explores the lifestyle. I also liked that it clearly states the skin colour and origins of the main characters on cover and in the book and that it harks back to a time where pirates were notorious, but also plays with new technology such as airships.
3.5*s from me 7/10 overall for #SPFBO.
I have to say, who doesn't love a good pirate romp? This is definitely heavily inspired by the West Indies and pirate-lifestyles, and it shows throughout with a diverse cast of characters very different from the likes of Pirates of the Carribbean etc. What I enjoyed most in this book was the authenticity to the pirating roots of the plot, and yet our main characters have been forced into a life of piracy to try and make ends meet.
This book follows Zala and her husband as two separate characters and viewpoints. They are a good pair and travel well together trying to earn enough to keep making the potion they need to control the spread of a disease. This disease is deadly and the potion is the only way to control it for some time. It's the root of their plot, and yet its also a bigger problem for many in this world.
Zala is probably the main PoV with her story being the easiest to connect to because she is trying to find her husband after they're separated. I enjoyed her plot as she was a quick-witted and sharp character and although she has some not so good ideas, she also has some solid moments which I liked.
The magic of this world is quite varied with people who are turning to stone and winged beings all part of the world. It's got a lot more hinted at too, and my guess is as the series continues we'd learn even more about this.
I definitely wish there had been a little more depth overall to the characters and their true motivation and past, but this is something I could overlook a little thanks to the action and intensity of the battles and the plot.
There's definitely a sense of 'us' and 'them' between the empire and the pirates, and the reader is firmly on the side of piracy and love. Even when the Empire brings out a new creation to stop the pirates you can't help but to root for Zala and co!
Overall I enjoyed this book and it was a very fun adventure. It is definitely one of the more pirate-focused fantasy books I've read and I liked the way it explores the lifestyle. I also liked that it clearly states the skin colour and origins of the main characters on cover and in the book and that it harks back to a time where pirates were notorious, but also plays with new technology such as airships.
3.5*s from me 7/10 overall for #SPFBO.
August 18, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so when I saw that the audio version was available on NetGalley... I was intrigued. I mean, this book has a 4 star rating on Goodreads so this pirate book might be good. Yeah, no, this rating is filled with lies. The synopsis sounded great because sky pirates? Heck yeah, I'm into that.
Yet, I felt nothing for anyone in this book. In it, you will meet Zala who was ehh okay. Not my favorite person in the entire book world. She is trying to find her way to her husband because they were separated. Throughout the book, there are so many action packed battles or fights.. that did absolutely nothing for me. I feel like I zoned out for so much of this book.. but have no fear - it's on Kindle Unlimited.
Other than that, I got to the end of the book without even knowing it. I think I might've sat with my headphones still in my ears for about 5 minutes before I realized that the audiobook was over. Even though it had potential to be a good book.. this just did nothing for me. I'm sure the second book might make more sense but I have no desire to dive into that.
Okay, so when I saw that the audio version was available on NetGalley... I was intrigued. I mean, this book has a 4 star rating on Goodreads so this pirate book might be good. Yeah, no, this rating is filled with lies. The synopsis sounded great because sky pirates? Heck yeah, I'm into that.
Yet, I felt nothing for anyone in this book. In it, you will meet Zala who was ehh okay. Not my favorite person in the entire book world. She is trying to find her way to her husband because they were separated. Throughout the book, there are so many action packed battles or fights.. that did absolutely nothing for me. I feel like I zoned out for so much of this book.. but have no fear - it's on Kindle Unlimited.
Other than that, I got to the end of the book without even knowing it. I think I might've sat with my headphones still in my ears for about 5 minutes before I realized that the audiobook was over. Even though it had potential to be a good book.. this just did nothing for me. I'm sure the second book might make more sense but I have no desire to dive into that.
October 31, 2020
I am reading and following manga since 2008. And my most favorite is "One Piece" a Japanese comic based on a fantasy world where Pirates rule the world. So when I saw "By Sea & Sky: An Esowon Story" I was very excited. I am happy that I got its copy in exchange for an honest review.
"By Sea & Sky" is my second audiobook from Netgalley honest review copies. I was glad that I waited for app updates because, by the time I started this book, the forward/backward option started working.
The book belongs to "The Sky Pirate Chronicles", a fantasy world. Our two major characters are Karim and Zala. Karim was from the Vaji empire and was stationed on the first-ever sky Shop built by Vaji Empire. They were given tasks to prove the ability of the ship. On their voyage, they apprehended some notorious pirates, one of the key prisoner was Zalani, Zala's husband. Zala and her husband joined pirates to make some quick money so that they can buy the required ingredients for remedies for Zalani's cursed disease. But in that process, they got separated. Zala with 3-4 other members from her crew was stranded on a lone island. Read the book to know whether she was able to reunite with her husband or not.
The plot and storyline have good potential but the portrayal was shallow. The author had sprinkled every bit of things he had in mind for this fantasy. Many of those bits were used or referred to just one time. For the first book in the series, it would be too much for a reader to attach so deeply. I was expecting more details if possible for a few topics.
Coming to characters, though Zala might be the protagonist of the story, I found Karim more interesting. Zala's character was part selfish and filled with folly. Usually, in this kind of book, the author portrays such that the reader gets attached to one side either pirate or marine. But here the author has used an unbiased approach, when I was listening to Karim's part I wanted marine to win, and when I was listening to Zala I wanted pirate to outsmart.
Coming to the audio book, the narrator has done a good job, voice modulation and tone were proper. In many places, background music is also given.
Overall an okay book still deserves 3 out 5.
"By Sea & Sky" is my second audiobook from Netgalley honest review copies. I was glad that I waited for app updates because, by the time I started this book, the forward/backward option started working.
The book belongs to "The Sky Pirate Chronicles", a fantasy world. Our two major characters are Karim and Zala. Karim was from the Vaji empire and was stationed on the first-ever sky Shop built by Vaji Empire. They were given tasks to prove the ability of the ship. On their voyage, they apprehended some notorious pirates, one of the key prisoner was Zalani, Zala's husband. Zala and her husband joined pirates to make some quick money so that they can buy the required ingredients for remedies for Zalani's cursed disease. But in that process, they got separated. Zala with 3-4 other members from her crew was stranded on a lone island. Read the book to know whether she was able to reunite with her husband or not.
The plot and storyline have good potential but the portrayal was shallow. The author had sprinkled every bit of things he had in mind for this fantasy. Many of those bits were used or referred to just one time. For the first book in the series, it would be too much for a reader to attach so deeply. I was expecting more details if possible for a few topics.
Coming to characters, though Zala might be the protagonist of the story, I found Karim more interesting. Zala's character was part selfish and filled with folly. Usually, in this kind of book, the author portrays such that the reader gets attached to one side either pirate or marine. But here the author has used an unbiased approach, when I was listening to Karim's part I wanted marine to win, and when I was listening to Zala I wanted pirate to outsmart.
Coming to the audio book, the narrator has done a good job, voice modulation and tone were proper. In many places, background music is also given.
Overall an okay book still deserves 3 out 5.
August 12, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley for a coppy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
By Sea & Sky follows the story of two main characters - a female pirate named Zala, and Karim, an officer of the Empire. It was a character-driven story with a lot of action and battle scenes, inspired by the West Indies. Unfortunately, I really didn't enjoy it. Let me tell you why.
The characters:
For a character-driven story, the character work is very important. Here, sadly, I found it not nearly good enough. All the characters felt one-dimensional, with little-to-none depth behind their motivation and goals. Zala is written to be smart by making every other pirate (except her friends, which are few) being incompetent and stupid. Both the pirates' and the soldiers' captains (and crews for the most part) had the same feel about them (even though the pirates were forcibly shown as the "good guys" ). I really didn't care for any character and their fate.
The plot:
It's a bit generous to call it plot, but whatever. The story initially started with a rather long battle scene as means to introduce Zala and the pirates, and after that jumped to another one, and one after that. I really don't think that's an ideal way to introduce the characters, as the reader doesn't care for them at all at that point. It might work in other medium such as manga or comic-books, but very rarely (if ever) in books. The whole story was basically "the pirates vs the evil empire" and nothing more.
The prose:
The book wasn't actually badly written, I found the action-scenes to be rather well handeled. However, as I didn't really care for the participants in them, I found them hardly holding my attention.
The audiobook:
I read this one as an audiobook and that was actually the best part about it - the narrator did a good job handling the different accents and making them sound authentic. If it wasn't for the audiobook quality, I don't think I would've finished it..
By Sea & Sky follows the story of two main characters - a female pirate named Zala, and Karim, an officer of the Empire. It was a character-driven story with a lot of action and battle scenes, inspired by the West Indies. Unfortunately, I really didn't enjoy it. Let me tell you why.
The characters:
For a character-driven story, the character work is very important. Here, sadly, I found it not nearly good enough. All the characters felt one-dimensional, with little-to-none depth behind their motivation and goals. Zala is written to be smart by making every other pirate (except her friends, which are few) being incompetent and stupid. Both the pirates' and the soldiers' captains (and crews for the most part) had the same feel about them (even though the pirates were forcibly shown as the "good guys" ). I really didn't care for any character and their fate.
The plot:
It's a bit generous to call it plot, but whatever. The story initially started with a rather long battle scene as means to introduce Zala and the pirates, and after that jumped to another one, and one after that. I really don't think that's an ideal way to introduce the characters, as the reader doesn't care for them at all at that point. It might work in other medium such as manga or comic-books, but very rarely (if ever) in books. The whole story was basically "the pirates vs the evil empire" and nothing more.
The prose:
The book wasn't actually badly written, I found the action-scenes to be rather well handeled. However, as I didn't really care for the participants in them, I found them hardly holding my attention.
The audiobook:
I read this one as an audiobook and that was actually the best part about it - the narrator did a good job handling the different accents and making them sound authentic. If it wasn't for the audiobook quality, I don't think I would've finished it..
August 17, 2020
Ugh.
My rating is based on my enjoyment which was close to non-existent while listening to the audio. I wanted to like this book but unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. My biggest issue was that I never cared for anyone in this story. I liked the idea of having a married couple as our main characters but we had no backstory, nothing to make us really care (other than him being sick) and that felt lazy.
And since listening to a never-ending-action-packed book where I don't care about the characters is not an enjoyable way to pass the time, it's no wonder I wanted to quit many times. But I didn't because I was curious enough to see what the ending was going to be like. I wanted Zala to be reunited with her husband and spoiler alert --> Sooo that was disappointing and I clearly won't be reading the sequel.
I feel like there was no character development or world-building and that's so important to me. If you want to read an adventure book about pirates against an Empire, maybe this is for you but if you're like me and want to feel for the characters, you should probably find something else to read. If you like YA where the story happens mostly on sea and islands, I recently read Fable which was great.
(Thank you for letting me listen and review an ARC via Netgalley)
My rating is based on my enjoyment which was close to non-existent while listening to the audio. I wanted to like this book but unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. My biggest issue was that I never cared for anyone in this story. I liked the idea of having a married couple as our main characters but we had no backstory, nothing to make us really care (other than him being sick) and that felt lazy.
And since listening to a never-ending-action-packed book where I don't care about the characters is not an enjoyable way to pass the time, it's no wonder I wanted to quit many times. But I didn't because I was curious enough to see what the ending was going to be like. I wanted Zala to be reunited with her husband and spoiler alert --> Sooo that was disappointing and I clearly won't be reading the sequel.
I feel like there was no character development or world-building and that's so important to me. If you want to read an adventure book about pirates against an Empire, maybe this is for you but if you're like me and want to feel for the characters, you should probably find something else to read. If you like YA where the story happens mostly on sea and islands, I recently read Fable which was great.
(Thank you for letting me listen and review an ARC via Netgalley)
June 21, 2020
I really enjoyed just sitting back and listening to Zala and Karim's tale. And I liked that the story immediately opens with some action. I immediately felt like I was on the ship in the middle of battle. In the audio version it's easy to picture what's happening because you hear the crowd yelling and swords clashing. Pirate novels usually aren't my things but this was very entertaining. The world building was pretty strong. There's a lot of African/Caribbean mythology that's weaved in effortlessly.
I received an arc from the author in exchange for an honest review.
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
I received an arc from the author in exchange for an honest review.
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
August 17, 2020
I'm sorry, but this wasn't for me. Sky pirates do sound really awesome, but the action sequences were difficult for me to follow (maybe if I read instead of listened it would be clearer) and the plot in between I found boring. It seemed like the whole point was Zala trying to rescue Jilani and also steal something from the other guys (don't know who they are exactly) that may help with stone skin?
Zala wanted to be a leader but she's not good at persuading people to follow her and her temper gets the better of her often. Karim also wants to be a leader and is better at it, he just struggles with his lazy, cowardly captain stopping him. They had parallels, I just would have liked more backstory so that I could relate to them.
The ending was kind of a bummer, nothing is resolved and you have to read the next book to see what happens. I think this has potential, but it lacked world building and the characters felt a bit one dimensional to me.
I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Zala wanted to be a leader but she's not good at persuading people to follow her and her temper gets the better of her often. Karim also wants to be a leader and is better at it, he just struggles with his lazy, cowardly captain stopping him. They had parallels, I just would have liked more backstory so that I could relate to them.
The ending was kind of a bummer, nothing is resolved and you have to read the next book to see what happens. I think this has potential, but it lacked world building and the characters felt a bit one dimensional to me.
I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
July 27, 2020
By Sea & Sky is an action packed, character rich, West Indies inspired pirate fantasy. The world of Esowon is fully realised with a hyper-focus upon how the characters interact with the established rules of the world. The pacing is relentless, at times it felt like I was reading a pirate tale in the vein of Mad Max: Fury Road, which is great... in theory. The speed of the story was both thrilling and exhausting. There were moments where I felt fully invested in the action taking place and the plight of the characters and others where I felt like the story needed a moment to breathe so that I could get to know the characters on a deeper level. The writing excelled in both the dialogue and atmosphere, however the overall plot, and ultimately the character work, did not have enough catharsis for me. There are some book series that really benefit from reading the series as a whole and I think this is likely to be one of them.
The audiobook production was well done. I enjoyed the narrator's interpretation of the characters, as well as the use of accents. I would have preferred a bit more differentiation between the character voices though. It took me a while to recognise which characters were speaking when it wasn't signified by the text, which distracted me from the scenes taking place as and when they were happening. And, due the the fast-paced nature of the story I did feel like I was often having to play catch-up. I loved the use of sound effects at the beginning of each chapter, it reminded me a lot of Graphic Audio and really helped to emphasise the setting and atmosphere. Production choices like these can really do a lot to enhance a story and I love that I've seen more and more audio productions experimenting with the form like this.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bandele Books for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.
The audiobook production was well done. I enjoyed the narrator's interpretation of the characters, as well as the use of accents. I would have preferred a bit more differentiation between the character voices though. It took me a while to recognise which characters were speaking when it wasn't signified by the text, which distracted me from the scenes taking place as and when they were happening. And, due the the fast-paced nature of the story I did feel like I was often having to play catch-up. I loved the use of sound effects at the beginning of each chapter, it reminded me a lot of Graphic Audio and really helped to emphasise the setting and atmosphere. Production choices like these can really do a lot to enhance a story and I love that I've seen more and more audio productions experimenting with the form like this.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bandele Books for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.
October 10, 2020
DNF. Was struggling through it.
I enjoyed the diverse accents and characters and the setting was interesting but I listened to a few hours, did not enjoy and felt like it was going no where.
I enjoyed the diverse accents and characters and the setting was interesting but I listened to a few hours, did not enjoy and felt like it was going no where.
dnf
August 8, 2020*Received a review copy*
DNFed at 56%
I was looking forward to getting stuck in, being that I've never read a pirate fantasy I was ready to expand my horizons. The book promised characters of African/ Caribbean decent, and that's what really got me interested in the first place. African pirates? How could you not give it a go? The world has lots of promise, unfortunately the world building just didn't quite do it for me. There were mentions of people and creature who seemed to be important, gauging from the responses of the character's when they were mentioned, but no explanation was given as to who they were or why they were in fact so important to this world. Even the religion felt glossed over.
This is a book that was easy to listen to and I may go back at some point to finish. The points I've mentioned may in fact be resolved later on, but at this time I just don't feel invested enough in the story or characters to complete it.
DNFed at 56%
I was looking forward to getting stuck in, being that I've never read a pirate fantasy I was ready to expand my horizons. The book promised characters of African/ Caribbean decent, and that's what really got me interested in the first place. African pirates? How could you not give it a go? The world has lots of promise, unfortunately the world building just didn't quite do it for me. There were mentions of people and creature who seemed to be important, gauging from the responses of the character's when they were mentioned, but no explanation was given as to who they were or why they were in fact so important to this world. Even the religion felt glossed over.
This is a book that was easy to listen to and I may go back at some point to finish. The points I've mentioned may in fact be resolved later on, but at this time I just don't feel invested enough in the story or characters to complete it.
September 11, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
By Sea & Sky is a sci-fi fantasy that has pirates and adventure through Zala and her husband in their pirate fights and flying ships.
By Sea & Sky was an interesting read and I really enjoyed the pirates and magic in the world. It was quite fascinating to read and see the way Zala tries to find her husband after they are separated. I think that Zala was a strong character and was a sharp character.
I rated this three stars enjoying the plot and character development. While I liked the way Zala was witty and a strong and sharp character, there definitely were some parts that were not that great when it came to her as a character. She was determined and had a lot of good pointers when it came to being a women surrounded by pirates and mostly men in general, there were just some moments that were okay.
The plot and character depth overall I felt could have been better and more developed to show what they were motivated to do but I found that the fighting and battles and the intense action made up for that.
This was definitely an interesting read and it was definitely a fun adventure to read about.
Thank you again to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
By Sea & Sky is a sci-fi fantasy that has pirates and adventure through Zala and her husband in their pirate fights and flying ships.
By Sea & Sky was an interesting read and I really enjoyed the pirates and magic in the world. It was quite fascinating to read and see the way Zala tries to find her husband after they are separated. I think that Zala was a strong character and was a sharp character.
I rated this three stars enjoying the plot and character development. While I liked the way Zala was witty and a strong and sharp character, there definitely were some parts that were not that great when it came to her as a character. She was determined and had a lot of good pointers when it came to being a women surrounded by pirates and mostly men in general, there were just some moments that were okay.
The plot and character depth overall I felt could have been better and more developed to show what they were motivated to do but I found that the fighting and battles and the intense action made up for that.
This was definitely an interesting read and it was definitely a fun adventure to read about.
Thank you again to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
October 16, 2020
I first heard about Antoine Bandele when his book, The Kishi, started getting some positive reviews among bloggers I follow. I’m always looking for unique and especially non-western settings (either creative secondary worlds or worlds inspired by non-western real world places and peoples), and it seemed like Bandele was an author working to provide those sorts of worlds. I haven’t managed to read The Kishi yet, but I knew I wanted to make sure Bandele was on my reading list for Self-Published Fantasy Month.
When I picked up By Sea & Sky I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I knew it was going to feature pirates. That was about it. But as the story progressed I was introduced to a wonderful, quirky cast of characters. The world itself was also interesting and engaging. But I also ended up finding interesting characters where I least expected them.
I love strong worldbuilding in my fantasy. I want to feel like the world the characters live in is active and changing. I want to have a sense that what I’m seeing is merely one story among many playing out in this world. The world itself needs to be deep and immersive. By Sea & Sky delivers on all those points. It feels immersive. There is a larger world behind what the characters are experiencing. There are histories to be explored, religions that come into play, and a strong feeling that this is very much a living canvas. I loved this aspect of the book. I also enjoyed not only the characters but how Bandele excels at character perspective. There are two main viewpoint characters, Zala, a somewhat reluctant pirate and Karim, an up-and-coming officer in the Vaaji navy. When we’re in Zala’s viewpoints, her side of the story makes perfect sense and you cheer for her. Yet the exact some thing is true when we’re seeing things from Karim’s perspective. Other authors try to achieve this same thing, but I don’t know that many succeed to the same extent that Bandele does. The best example of this sort of character perspective is probably the Elder Empire series by Will Wight, and he achieves this by writing two separate books. Regardless of who else does it well, if you enjoy books that show you multiple perspectives of a conflict, and it feels like both sides are right, then you’re going to find a lot to like in By Sea & Sky. To round out all of this, Bandele’s writing is often sharp and concise. This is a well written novel and the prose helps to keep the action moving along. The finale of the novel was tense and compelling.
While there was plenty I enjoyed in the novel, a few things took my out of the action from time to time. The first is simply that, while I loved the multiple character perspectives, I tended to find Karim’s story much more interesting than Zala’s. This isn’t a criticism so much as my own preferences. Yet in many ways the book feels like it wants to be Zala’s story, and so I found myself wondering if I was supposed to prefer Karim, or if I was missing something about the novel. Perhaps the most frustrating element of this was that I often found myself putting the novel down when the viewpoint switched from Karim to Zala. This meant that I ended up reading the novel in fits and starts. I’m not prepared to say that Zala as a character didn’t work for me, because I feel like she’s still a very well crafted character. I think it’s more that Karim has a tantalizing backstory that we aren’t given much information on. I feel like he’s in some way supposed to be the antagonist of the novel, but to me his story just feels more mysterious and interesting.
Even though I was much more engaged with one side of the story than the other, By Sea & Sky was an enjoyable read. You may have quite a different experience with the characters than I did, so I’d say this one is worth your time. This is especially true if you enjoy deep worldbuilding and non-western settings.
7/10
3.5/5 stars.
5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – It was ok, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing
When I picked up By Sea & Sky I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I knew it was going to feature pirates. That was about it. But as the story progressed I was introduced to a wonderful, quirky cast of characters. The world itself was also interesting and engaging. But I also ended up finding interesting characters where I least expected them.
I love strong worldbuilding in my fantasy. I want to feel like the world the characters live in is active and changing. I want to have a sense that what I’m seeing is merely one story among many playing out in this world. The world itself needs to be deep and immersive. By Sea & Sky delivers on all those points. It feels immersive. There is a larger world behind what the characters are experiencing. There are histories to be explored, religions that come into play, and a strong feeling that this is very much a living canvas. I loved this aspect of the book. I also enjoyed not only the characters but how Bandele excels at character perspective. There are two main viewpoint characters, Zala, a somewhat reluctant pirate and Karim, an up-and-coming officer in the Vaaji navy. When we’re in Zala’s viewpoints, her side of the story makes perfect sense and you cheer for her. Yet the exact some thing is true when we’re seeing things from Karim’s perspective. Other authors try to achieve this same thing, but I don’t know that many succeed to the same extent that Bandele does. The best example of this sort of character perspective is probably the Elder Empire series by Will Wight, and he achieves this by writing two separate books. Regardless of who else does it well, if you enjoy books that show you multiple perspectives of a conflict, and it feels like both sides are right, then you’re going to find a lot to like in By Sea & Sky. To round out all of this, Bandele’s writing is often sharp and concise. This is a well written novel and the prose helps to keep the action moving along. The finale of the novel was tense and compelling.
While there was plenty I enjoyed in the novel, a few things took my out of the action from time to time. The first is simply that, while I loved the multiple character perspectives, I tended to find Karim’s story much more interesting than Zala’s. This isn’t a criticism so much as my own preferences. Yet in many ways the book feels like it wants to be Zala’s story, and so I found myself wondering if I was supposed to prefer Karim, or if I was missing something about the novel. Perhaps the most frustrating element of this was that I often found myself putting the novel down when the viewpoint switched from Karim to Zala. This meant that I ended up reading the novel in fits and starts. I’m not prepared to say that Zala as a character didn’t work for me, because I feel like she’s still a very well crafted character. I think it’s more that Karim has a tantalizing backstory that we aren’t given much information on. I feel like he’s in some way supposed to be the antagonist of the novel, but to me his story just feels more mysterious and interesting.
Even though I was much more engaged with one side of the story than the other, By Sea & Sky was an enjoyable read. You may have quite a different experience with the characters than I did, so I’d say this one is worth your time. This is especially true if you enjoy deep worldbuilding and non-western settings.
7/10
3.5/5 stars.
5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – It was ok, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing
September 10, 2020
I loved the premise of this book - an ownvoices Caribbean inspired pirate fantasy - but unfortunately it didn’t live up to expectations. I was honestly just bored: the characters didn’t give me any reason to root for them, the romance was lacklustre (I was so keen for a story about a married couple, only for them to act like they barely knew each other and then get separated for plot reasons), and the world-building felt a bit like throwing a bunch of ideas at the wall and seeing what stuck (there were lots of different fantasy races, but I didn’t get why any of them mattered). Even the plot didn’t work for me since I didn’t get why the pirates hated the empire so much (beyond all empires being evil).
I will however note that the audiobook narrator was excellent and had fantastic voices for all of the different characters, as well as a generally smooth reading voice.
Note: I own a copy of this book on Kindle, but also received a copy of the audiobook via NetGalley for review.
I will however note that the audiobook narrator was excellent and had fantastic voices for all of the different characters, as well as a generally smooth reading voice.
Note: I own a copy of this book on Kindle, but also received a copy of the audiobook via NetGalley for review.
June 23, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It does mess with your expectations a bit, considering that the blurb leads us to believe that Zala will be a captain, which she technically isn't, but it was still a great read. The representation in this was great, all of our main characters are POC, which isn't something you see often
Worldbuilding
The worldbuilding is where this book is slightly lacking. It takes quite a while to figure out what exactly stone-skins are, especially because it is presented as a disease and in other books it is almost presented as a superpower. We also don't fully understand all of the rivalries and wars that are mentioned, but those will likely get explained in the rest of this trilogy.
Characters
I really liked all of the characters in this, even Karim, who is set up to become the "villain" in the rest of the books. My personal favorite was Shomari, his flirting with Fon was so cute, and what is there not ro love about a killer cat? Zala is an interesting character, and I hope to see her rise to captain in the later books, as she can grow a lot more. I do wish we had seen a bit more of the relationship between her and Jelani so that we could understand her drive to save him, but it wasn't a huge thing,
Plot
The plot in this wasn't exactly fast moving, but I was entertained the entire time. It does take a long time for the events mentioned in the blurb to happen, Jelani wasn't kidnapped until 50%, but it was just as interesting before that. It left off in a good place to start a second book from, but wasn't s college cliffhanger.
Overall
I've been enjoying pirate books lately, and this met the standard of any of the others I've read. It was entertaining, had good representation, and interesting characters. I would definitely recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Worldbuilding
The worldbuilding is where this book is slightly lacking. It takes quite a while to figure out what exactly stone-skins are, especially because it is presented as a disease and in other books it is almost presented as a superpower. We also don't fully understand all of the rivalries and wars that are mentioned, but those will likely get explained in the rest of this trilogy.
Characters
I really liked all of the characters in this, even Karim, who is set up to become the "villain" in the rest of the books. My personal favorite was Shomari, his flirting with Fon was so cute, and what is there not ro love about a killer cat? Zala is an interesting character, and I hope to see her rise to captain in the later books, as she can grow a lot more. I do wish we had seen a bit more of the relationship between her and Jelani so that we could understand her drive to save him, but it wasn't a huge thing,
Plot
The plot in this wasn't exactly fast moving, but I was entertained the entire time. It does take a long time for the events mentioned in the blurb to happen, Jelani wasn't kidnapped until 50%, but it was just as interesting before that. It left off in a good place to start a second book from, but wasn't s college cliffhanger.
Overall
I've been enjoying pirate books lately, and this met the standard of any of the others I've read. It was entertaining, had good representation, and interesting characters. I would definitely recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
July 24, 2021
A fantasy pirate adventure with magic and airships a whole cast of diverse characters? Yes please!
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's very fast paced from start to finish, and there's always some new conflict the characters have to deal with in addition to the bigger, overarching conflict of the story. Zala and Karim are our main POV characters, and while they are on opposing sides, I sympathized with both of them and was eager to learn more about each of them. I did wish that some of the characters' backgrounds and the magic had been fleshed out a little more or explained more. The focus is definitely more on the plot and the excitement of everything that's happening, which is fine, but there are lots of hints of a wider, complex fantasy world and I wanted to see more of that. Hopefully we'll get to explore those things in greater depth in the next book.
I listened to this one on audioboook and that version is so fun, with atmospheric sound effects that help you feel more immersed in the story and an excellent performance in narration by John Rogers. I'd highly recommend that version if you enjoy audiobooks.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's very fast paced from start to finish, and there's always some new conflict the characters have to deal with in addition to the bigger, overarching conflict of the story. Zala and Karim are our main POV characters, and while they are on opposing sides, I sympathized with both of them and was eager to learn more about each of them. I did wish that some of the characters' backgrounds and the magic had been fleshed out a little more or explained more. The focus is definitely more on the plot and the excitement of everything that's happening, which is fine, but there are lots of hints of a wider, complex fantasy world and I wanted to see more of that. Hopefully we'll get to explore those things in greater depth in the next book.
I listened to this one on audioboook and that version is so fun, with atmospheric sound effects that help you feel more immersed in the story and an excellent performance in narration by John Rogers. I'd highly recommend that version if you enjoy audiobooks.
July 21, 2023
Sadly By Sea & Sky was a DNF for me. I had high hopes for this - I loved that we had an older protagonist who was already married, and the skyship was super intriguing. Unfortunately, I made it halfway through and just didn't care much about Zala or anything going on in the story. It was very action-oriented, but I didn't get the connection to the characters that I wanted. If you are a more action-oriented reader, want an established, older MC, or really like airships, this might well work better for you than it did for me. 2.5 stars.
Thanks to Bandele Books and Netgalley for an audioARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Bandele Books and Netgalley for an audioARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. A solid pirate story, By Sea & Sky takes the reader through pirate battles, betting schemes, and maneuvers for power. While the characters themselves could use a little more depth, I found myself glad that I read this book. I loved the original world and the different fantasy races, and would enjoy diving into this universe again.
December 28, 2020
By Sea and Sky is a self-published fantasy series featuring pirates and airships. The synopsis really sells this book. It is the story of a husband and wife team who are seeking money as pirates to cure Jelani, the husband. The second perspective is that of Karim, whose desire is to be captain of the new airships and gain fame and glory for the Vaaj Empire. Sprinkled in between are fantastical characters such as Shomari, a pakka- cat like being and Fon an aziza (think fairy/elf). Unfortunately, the plot falls flat and I want to be forgiving as it has great potential to be a fun adventure story. The author takes time to use Patois from the Caribbean and link both African and Arabic cultures. But I think there wasn't enough attention to drawing vivid characters whilst keeping the action going. The characters tended to be passive especially Zala. The other bugbear is that the plot relies heavily on convenient events to propel the story. And often these events logic and were often use to explore the background to the story. This tended to pull the reader out of the story. I often felt I could picture the thinking process of the author.
I wish I could recommend but there are too many weakness in this book to root for it, other than its premise and the use of differing languages. I really hope the next installment shows improvement in writing style and tighter plotting.
I wish I could recommend but there are too many weakness in this book to root for it, other than its premise and the use of differing languages. I really hope the next installment shows improvement in writing style and tighter plotting.
July 22, 2020
This book had been on my radar for a while, so I leapt at the chance to try out the audiobook through netgalley and I'm glad that I did as I felt that the narrator really brought the story to life.
The book is fantastic, I was sold as soon as Pirates were mentioned and this is one of the most entertaining pirate romps that I've read in a while. That this book draws it's inspiration from West Indie/Swahili/Arabian, and that makes for a new, refreshing world, and I adored the world-building here and was instantly absorbed an would have happily spent many more hours in this world. The characters weren't quite as developed I felt, although Zala was incredible and I love books with strong female characters, and she stood out not just for her presence and personality, but because she was so wonderfully real and human. She made mistakes, had setbacks and kept going, was swayed by her emotions and her head, and I just couldn't get enough of her as a character.
This was a fun book that kept me on my toes, and had a wonderful blend of action and quieter moments, and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a non-western based fantasy, and anyone who loves Pirates and wants an entertaining, refreshing take on them. I will certainly be checking out the author's other work.
The book is fantastic, I was sold as soon as Pirates were mentioned and this is one of the most entertaining pirate romps that I've read in a while. That this book draws it's inspiration from West Indie/Swahili/Arabian, and that makes for a new, refreshing world, and I adored the world-building here and was instantly absorbed an would have happily spent many more hours in this world. The characters weren't quite as developed I felt, although Zala was incredible and I love books with strong female characters, and she stood out not just for her presence and personality, but because she was so wonderfully real and human. She made mistakes, had setbacks and kept going, was swayed by her emotions and her head, and I just couldn't get enough of her as a character.
This was a fun book that kept me on my toes, and had a wonderful blend of action and quieter moments, and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a non-western based fantasy, and anyone who loves Pirates and wants an entertaining, refreshing take on them. I will certainly be checking out the author's other work.
February 12, 2020
Zala and her husband Jelani are pirates on a ship named the Titan. Then on one day they are attacked by the Vaaji's new airship. Jelani is captured separating the two and Zala is willing to do anything to get her husband back. Meanwhile Karim is serving as an officer on the airship as they test out it's abilities on it's first mission. After the the captain of the airship is injured Karim has to take over responsibility and complete the mission.
I really enjoyed this book. It has a large and very rich world with great characters. Everything is described well making it very easy to visualize what's going on, especially anytime people are fighting. Though the action is great some of the best moments in the book happens when it slows down and focuses on the characters relationship, emotions, and thoughts. It also leans on African culture and mythology, I found myself looking stuff up a lot and learning quite a bit which was very fun.
I would say this is a must read, especially if you're into fantasy and adventure. This is definitely one of the best books I've read in the past couple of years.
I really enjoyed this book. It has a large and very rich world with great characters. Everything is described well making it very easy to visualize what's going on, especially anytime people are fighting. Though the action is great some of the best moments in the book happens when it slows down and focuses on the characters relationship, emotions, and thoughts. It also leans on African culture and mythology, I found myself looking stuff up a lot and learning quite a bit which was very fun.
I would say this is a must read, especially if you're into fantasy and adventure. This is definitely one of the best books I've read in the past couple of years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2024
4.5⭐️
This was a good read! Characters had their flaws and their reasons. You could see both sides.
Definitely interested in reading the next book in the series!
This was a good read! Characters had their flaws and their reasons. You could see both sides.
Definitely interested in reading the next book in the series!
August 21, 2020
More on Chill and read
This is not like any other Pirate story you have read before! This is a pirate fantasy inspired by the West Indies, The Swahili Coast, and Arabia, full of sea, sky and magic!
Zala and Jelani are part of a pirate ship crew out of desperation. Jelani is a sea whisperer and every time he uses his power in a certain way, he turns more into stone skin. Zala, who loves her husband more than anything, is trying to find an antidote for his condition. So even when their crew is in the midst of a battle, she is out in the search of ingredients of the potion that will give Jelani his skin back as well as his life. Because, as his skin turns to stone, his life slips away. Until a day their pirate ship is being attached by an airship. Then everything goes downhill. Some of the pirates find themselves out in the sea or at a nearby island. Some others are held captive by the airship. Their captain is gone and they need to find a way to go back to Kidogo without being attacked by other pirates or the navy.
Karim is second in command in one of the empire’s ships. As a matter of fact, this ship is rather special, as it is the empire’s first airship! It’s their first mission in the new craft and they are still testing its abilities. Karim is trying to prove his worth and deep inside he knows he is destined for greatness. Only that, the right people must recognize his value. When they have a go on a pirate ship and their captain is injured, Karim becomes acting captain and does his best to complete the mission. His way of thinking is different than his captain’s but his crew respect him as they respect hierarchy so they follow his lead.
The story follows Zala and Karim and we get to see each side of the story. Each one of them has their own reason and their own motives, even though the are on opposite sides, I can understand where each one stands and I respect them for what they are doing and the decisions they make. We don’t get to see much of the the character development, but we start to get to know them and the code they live by.
I was glad to see a story that does not evolve around European pirates. The different cultures that inspired the story give a colorful tone and the language is so different than what we’ve used to. Sure, pirates love rum and so do these pirates, but the words they use for everything is so new and exotic that brings a new fresh view of the theme.
The world building is not an easy one. The fact that everything is dashed with unknown words, or at least words that are so unlike I could think or have heard of, given they don’t come from a western language, made it a bit more difficult to understand. The fact however that there were magical or inhuman creatures really caught my attention and made it easier for me to absorb the different meanings.
I really enjoyed listening to this audio book. The narration is a charm! John Rogers makes his voice sound as if he is actually from somewhere in the Swahili Coast! It really lightens up the whole story! It was very easy to recognize the characters, as for every one of them there was a different tone in the narrator’s voice. One of my favorite things in audiobooks is the emotions that go into the narration that can help create a more vivid picture of the story. This part was greatly depicted while listening to “By Sea & Sky”. I could feel like I was part of the fight. I became one with the crew and part of the ship! It was an amazing experience! I highly recommend it!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bandele Books for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.
This is not like any other Pirate story you have read before! This is a pirate fantasy inspired by the West Indies, The Swahili Coast, and Arabia, full of sea, sky and magic!
Zala and Jelani are part of a pirate ship crew out of desperation. Jelani is a sea whisperer and every time he uses his power in a certain way, he turns more into stone skin. Zala, who loves her husband more than anything, is trying to find an antidote for his condition. So even when their crew is in the midst of a battle, she is out in the search of ingredients of the potion that will give Jelani his skin back as well as his life. Because, as his skin turns to stone, his life slips away. Until a day their pirate ship is being attached by an airship. Then everything goes downhill. Some of the pirates find themselves out in the sea or at a nearby island. Some others are held captive by the airship. Their captain is gone and they need to find a way to go back to Kidogo without being attacked by other pirates or the navy.
Karim is second in command in one of the empire’s ships. As a matter of fact, this ship is rather special, as it is the empire’s first airship! It’s their first mission in the new craft and they are still testing its abilities. Karim is trying to prove his worth and deep inside he knows he is destined for greatness. Only that, the right people must recognize his value. When they have a go on a pirate ship and their captain is injured, Karim becomes acting captain and does his best to complete the mission. His way of thinking is different than his captain’s but his crew respect him as they respect hierarchy so they follow his lead.
The story follows Zala and Karim and we get to see each side of the story. Each one of them has their own reason and their own motives, even though the are on opposite sides, I can understand where each one stands and I respect them for what they are doing and the decisions they make. We don’t get to see much of the the character development, but we start to get to know them and the code they live by.
I was glad to see a story that does not evolve around European pirates. The different cultures that inspired the story give a colorful tone and the language is so different than what we’ve used to. Sure, pirates love rum and so do these pirates, but the words they use for everything is so new and exotic that brings a new fresh view of the theme.
The world building is not an easy one. The fact that everything is dashed with unknown words, or at least words that are so unlike I could think or have heard of, given they don’t come from a western language, made it a bit more difficult to understand. The fact however that there were magical or inhuman creatures really caught my attention and made it easier for me to absorb the different meanings.
I really enjoyed listening to this audio book. The narration is a charm! John Rogers makes his voice sound as if he is actually from somewhere in the Swahili Coast! It really lightens up the whole story! It was very easy to recognize the characters, as for every one of them there was a different tone in the narrator’s voice. One of my favorite things in audiobooks is the emotions that go into the narration that can help create a more vivid picture of the story. This part was greatly depicted while listening to “By Sea & Sky”. I could feel like I was part of the fight. I became one with the crew and part of the ship! It was an amazing experience! I highly recommend it!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bandele Books for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.
June 21, 2020
“Resolved, Zala angled her sword straight toward the dark figures, relaxing her muscles into a fight-ready stance.”
4/5 stars
I had the awesome opportunity to read this book early and I’m so happy that this book is finally here!
This book is about Zala, whose on a mission to save her husband, Jelani. And to do so, she’s going to need an airship like no one’s ever seen and become a pirate like no one’s ever seen.
Starting with the world-building, I think it gets harder to make original worlds that feel like their own, especially in fantasy. I think making left field choices and following through with them is the best way to solve this problem. This book does that, a lot. I mean- sky pirate, ya know?
The world is incredibly well-developed full of depth, history, and color. I don’t know too much about the history and culture of the West Indie/Swahili/Arabian, but from what I do know, it’s clear that this world holds a lot of inspiration and love for all these regions has to offer.
I was overall really impressed with the world despite my initial struggle with understanding it. Some of the creatures were hard to remember because the book uses names I’ve never heard before. All the characters like Fon, who weren’t just human were really cool, but I did have to consult google often until I got the hang of it.
As for the characters, I definitely could have used a bit more development for many of the characters, but Zala is honestly incredible. Not to be all “she isn’t like other girls”, but she is honestly really different than other protagonists! She makes honest mistakes, messes up, and keeps going. She’s complicated, which makes her super compelling to read and also kind of unpredictable? In some ways, at least. She carries this book for me and I couldn’t be happier about that.
The story of this book is also really exciting. It gives me a really mixed bag of vibes. Like yes, it’s pirates, but contrasted with empire air crafts, whoch low key gave me Fire Nation Airship vibes? Just in terms of what this world could look like. Actually, in general, this is a world that I would live to see adapted into an animated show like Avatar: The Last Airbender, just to be able to capture this particular aesthetic.
In any case, the story is quite the adventure that surprised me at every turn. Just the writing really kept turning my head, its such a unique voice that it makes the story intereating completely separate from what’s actually going on. It’s an impressive combination.
The last thing I want to mention is that this book is technically the first in its series, but is far from the only story set in this world. The author has a list of all the works, but also a recommended reading order. Consider checking that out.
TL;DR: An inventive, exciting fantasy series that is as entertaining as it is enlightening. I can’t recommend enough!
E-galley provided by Author in exchange for an honest review. All quotations and opinions are based off an uncorrected proof.
4/5 stars
I had the awesome opportunity to read this book early and I’m so happy that this book is finally here!
This book is about Zala, whose on a mission to save her husband, Jelani. And to do so, she’s going to need an airship like no one’s ever seen and become a pirate like no one’s ever seen.
Starting with the world-building, I think it gets harder to make original worlds that feel like their own, especially in fantasy. I think making left field choices and following through with them is the best way to solve this problem. This book does that, a lot. I mean- sky pirate, ya know?
The world is incredibly well-developed full of depth, history, and color. I don’t know too much about the history and culture of the West Indie/Swahili/Arabian, but from what I do know, it’s clear that this world holds a lot of inspiration and love for all these regions has to offer.
I was overall really impressed with the world despite my initial struggle with understanding it. Some of the creatures were hard to remember because the book uses names I’ve never heard before. All the characters like Fon, who weren’t just human were really cool, but I did have to consult google often until I got the hang of it.
As for the characters, I definitely could have used a bit more development for many of the characters, but Zala is honestly incredible. Not to be all “she isn’t like other girls”, but she is honestly really different than other protagonists! She makes honest mistakes, messes up, and keeps going. She’s complicated, which makes her super compelling to read and also kind of unpredictable? In some ways, at least. She carries this book for me and I couldn’t be happier about that.
The story of this book is also really exciting. It gives me a really mixed bag of vibes. Like yes, it’s pirates, but contrasted with empire air crafts, whoch low key gave me Fire Nation Airship vibes? Just in terms of what this world could look like. Actually, in general, this is a world that I would live to see adapted into an animated show like Avatar: The Last Airbender, just to be able to capture this particular aesthetic.
In any case, the story is quite the adventure that surprised me at every turn. Just the writing really kept turning my head, its such a unique voice that it makes the story intereating completely separate from what’s actually going on. It’s an impressive combination.
The last thing I want to mention is that this book is technically the first in its series, but is far from the only story set in this world. The author has a list of all the works, but also a recommended reading order. Consider checking that out.
TL;DR: An inventive, exciting fantasy series that is as entertaining as it is enlightening. I can’t recommend enough!
E-galley provided by Author in exchange for an honest review. All quotations and opinions are based off an uncorrected proof.
June 25, 2020
I really enjoyed this unique fantasy novel. It's so rare to find a fantasy story that isn't set somewhere reminiscent of Europe, but this setting bears not the slightest resemblance to it. I grew up in East Africa, so when I read the blurb and saw that part of the setting was inspired by the Swahili coast, I was immediately intrigued. I could hardly wait to start the book, and I wasn't disappointed. It was really fun to see fantasy terms that were based on Swahili words, and to meet characters that don't look or act European. Actually, the characters' races was another of my favorite parts of the story. I can only think of a few other fantasies I've read that had non-white characters, and none at all in which none of the characters were white. (And why should we assume by default that people would have white skin in a totally different world, anyway?) A variety of human cultures and magical beings were represented, all of them distinct and well-developed. There were enough details about history, geography, government, and religion to make for some great worldbuilding without bogging the story down with them.
My personal preference is for more emphasis on characters' interpersonal relationships and less nonstop action, so some of the battle scenes seemed to drag on a bit, but that's just me. The story opens with a particularly long battle sequence, and while I might otherwise have been tempted to put the book down after a chapter or two of fighting, the lead character kept me turning pages. Her love and loyalty toward her husband, and her determination to get the ingredients for the medicine he desperately needs even when surrounded by battling pirates, make her a relatable character whom I couldn't help but care about.
The book could have used a better edit, with grammar and punctuation errors sprinkled throughout. But I'm an obsessive-compulsive proofreader, so these things jump out at me. The errors weren't bad enough that they'd be likely to bother most people. Overall, I recommend By Sea and Sky to anyone who likes action and adventure or fantasy in a refreshingly unique setting. (And I suggest flipping to the end of the book first to see a great drawing of the three main characters, if you want to be able to picture them clearly as you go adventuring with them.)
My personal preference is for more emphasis on characters' interpersonal relationships and less nonstop action, so some of the battle scenes seemed to drag on a bit, but that's just me. The story opens with a particularly long battle sequence, and while I might otherwise have been tempted to put the book down after a chapter or two of fighting, the lead character kept me turning pages. Her love and loyalty toward her husband, and her determination to get the ingredients for the medicine he desperately needs even when surrounded by battling pirates, make her a relatable character whom I couldn't help but care about.
The book could have used a better edit, with grammar and punctuation errors sprinkled throughout. But I'm an obsessive-compulsive proofreader, so these things jump out at me. The errors weren't bad enough that they'd be likely to bother most people. Overall, I recommend By Sea and Sky to anyone who likes action and adventure or fantasy in a refreshingly unique setting. (And I suggest flipping to the end of the book first to see a great drawing of the three main characters, if you want to be able to picture them clearly as you go adventuring with them.)
September 22, 2020
4.25 stars.
By Sea and Sky is an enjoyable read that has some amazing characters that you are rooting for. The story follows a group of pirates who have to save some of their own as well as chasing a new weapon.
Zala is a great lead character, and I loved reading about her. She is well written and was leaping off the page from the beginning. I also enjoyed reading from the point of view of the rest of the cast, however Zala was easily my favourite.
In terms of plotting, I think this is where the story falls a little. It is an action packed start, but since we have no real connection with the characters, I think some of the tension is lost - we are meant to be rooting for these characters without any real reason other than they are the main characters. However, this is not the case once we get to know them a bit better and so the action scenes have a lot more oomph and tension later in the story. Although I was gripped for 98% of the book, there are places in the middle where it loses its way and get a bit bogged down. Although I fell out of the story in these parts, I was still drawn straight back in.
One final comment is the world building - whilst a great mix of modern technology with older elements (swords instead of guns, airships and pirate ships) I do think that some of the explanation was lacking and this may create issues in later instalments as to the characters and what can be achieved in the world. That being said it is still a brilliant read.
A great cast of characters and an intriguing plot makes for a brilliant and exhilarating story. Of course we have the cliff hanger at the end which means I will most likely be getting the sequel (although this is a trilogy!)
Many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for sending me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
By Sea and Sky is an enjoyable read that has some amazing characters that you are rooting for. The story follows a group of pirates who have to save some of their own as well as chasing a new weapon.
Zala is a great lead character, and I loved reading about her. She is well written and was leaping off the page from the beginning. I also enjoyed reading from the point of view of the rest of the cast, however Zala was easily my favourite.
In terms of plotting, I think this is where the story falls a little. It is an action packed start, but since we have no real connection with the characters, I think some of the tension is lost - we are meant to be rooting for these characters without any real reason other than they are the main characters. However, this is not the case once we get to know them a bit better and so the action scenes have a lot more oomph and tension later in the story. Although I was gripped for 98% of the book, there are places in the middle where it loses its way and get a bit bogged down. Although I fell out of the story in these parts, I was still drawn straight back in.
One final comment is the world building - whilst a great mix of modern technology with older elements (swords instead of guns, airships and pirate ships) I do think that some of the explanation was lacking and this may create issues in later instalments as to the characters and what can be achieved in the world. That being said it is still a brilliant read.
A great cast of characters and an intriguing plot makes for a brilliant and exhilarating story. Of course we have the cliff hanger at the end which means I will most likely be getting the sequel (although this is a trilogy!)
Many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for sending me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
August 4, 2020
I enjoyed this as someone who rarely reads fantasy - 4.0 stars
I will start by saying that I don't read much fantasy so I don't know how original this was but for someone who stays away from the genre I had a good time.
Zala is a pirate trying to survive and scavenge enough supplies to treat her husband’s terminal illness. Karim is second in command of the empire's newest skyship. If he can capture the wayward pirates, he may be able to become captain. By Sea and Sky follows these two characters and their conflicting goals in an exciting world with characters you enjoy spending time with.
The best part of this book is the way that Bandele is his character work and explaining already developed friendships. I really enjoyed just hanging out with this pirate gang when we were in Zala's perspective. Karim also has important friends, but his perspective felt more focused on achieving his goal of successfully complete the empires mission. I kind of liked this contrast but I did sometimes get confused about who certain people were in his chapters.
I also enjoyed that we were given small chunks of information about the world and the magic system. It was enough for it to be interesting but not overbearing. There is definitely more to be explored in this world and I am excited about it.
The only reason this isn’t five stars is that the pacing and plot could have been more focused. I think it gets better after
I will start by saying that I don't read much fantasy so I don't know how original this was but for someone who stays away from the genre I had a good time.
Zala is a pirate trying to survive and scavenge enough supplies to treat her husband’s terminal illness. Karim is second in command of the empire's newest skyship. If he can capture the wayward pirates, he may be able to become captain. By Sea and Sky follows these two characters and their conflicting goals in an exciting world with characters you enjoy spending time with.
The best part of this book is the way that Bandele is his character work and explaining already developed friendships. I really enjoyed just hanging out with this pirate gang when we were in Zala's perspective. Karim also has important friends, but his perspective felt more focused on achieving his goal of successfully complete the empires mission. I kind of liked this contrast but I did sometimes get confused about who certain people were in his chapters.
I also enjoyed that we were given small chunks of information about the world and the magic system. It was enough for it to be interesting but not overbearing. There is definitely more to be explored in this world and I am excited about it.
The only reason this isn’t five stars is that the pacing and plot could have been more focused. I think it gets better after
September 7, 2020
As soon as I saw the words “pirates” and “fantasy’ used to describe the same book, I knew I had to pick up By Sea and Sky. I was delighted when Bandele delivered distinct cultures and characters in his work. It would not have been a true pirate story without a mess of nations, characters, and cultures.
I loved the characters in this story. Even though there were many to keep track of, I never had trouble remembering them. I loved that each character had their own personality and impact on the story. It’s not often that I come across such a wide range of backstories and motivations in a group of characters that aren’t necessarily on the same side. Looking back, I’m actually surprised I wasn’t overwhelmed by the number of important characters. I think Bandele did a great job of making some people immediately important and letting you learn about others later.
I was especially surprised by the two POVs Bandele choose to write his story from. Zala is the primary main character, and the second POV is from her enemy, Karim. I expected to hate Karim and root against him, but that was far from the truth! I sympathized with his desire to claim his rightful position as captain. While he was the “bad guy” of this story, I suspect his role will become more complex as the series continues.
The most prominent part of By Sea and Sky was the action, which fell flat for me. The story starts with a fight scene, and there are continuous conflict and action until about halfway through the book. This might appeal to some readers, but I found the extended fights tedious. I didn’t know or care about the characters at that point so it didn’t matter what happened. To me, it felt like the story didn’t really start until almost halfway through the book--but it was worth the wait.
More reviews at Word Wilderness
I loved the characters in this story. Even though there were many to keep track of, I never had trouble remembering them. I loved that each character had their own personality and impact on the story. It’s not often that I come across such a wide range of backstories and motivations in a group of characters that aren’t necessarily on the same side. Looking back, I’m actually surprised I wasn’t overwhelmed by the number of important characters. I think Bandele did a great job of making some people immediately important and letting you learn about others later.
I was especially surprised by the two POVs Bandele choose to write his story from. Zala is the primary main character, and the second POV is from her enemy, Karim. I expected to hate Karim and root against him, but that was far from the truth! I sympathized with his desire to claim his rightful position as captain. While he was the “bad guy” of this story, I suspect his role will become more complex as the series continues.
The most prominent part of By Sea and Sky was the action, which fell flat for me. The story starts with a fight scene, and there are continuous conflict and action until about halfway through the book. This might appeal to some readers, but I found the extended fights tedious. I didn’t know or care about the characters at that point so it didn’t matter what happened. To me, it felt like the story didn’t really start until almost halfway through the book--but it was worth the wait.
More reviews at Word Wilderness
June 23, 2020
Disclaimer: I received an e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: By Sea & Sky
Author: Antoine Bandele
Book Series: The Sky Pirate Chronicles Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: pirates, romance, rescue, revenge
Publication Date: June 19, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, kidnapping TW, romance)
Publisher: Bandele Books
Pages: 414
Synopsis: With no magic, no brawn, and no pirate crew, Zala seeks to steal back the one treasure that matters to her most: her husband.
To succeed she needs a ship—and not just any ship, but the latest, secret invention by the Vaaji Empire. An airship.
Zala will have to use her wits to overcome scoundrels and nobles alike on her journey through the clouds.
But if she's smart enough, she may just have what it takes to save her husband—and go down in history as the first sky pirate.
Delve into a pirate fantasy inspired by the West Indies, The Swahili Coast, and Arabia, where Zala will encounter ruthless raiders, arrogant aristocrats, and imperial secrets.
Review: Overall, this was a great read! The book had some great character development and I really liked how Karim was set up in this book. The book had an intriguing plot as well and the book was amazing for people, like me, who crave more pirate books!
However, I thought that the world building could have been built up a little bit more and that the plot could have been built up better. The plot and pacing made the book really slow and I think it could have been done a bit better if things happened sooner in the novel.
Verdict: A great pirate read!
Book: By Sea & Sky
Author: Antoine Bandele
Book Series: The Sky Pirate Chronicles Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: pirates, romance, rescue, revenge
Publication Date: June 19, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, kidnapping TW, romance)
Publisher: Bandele Books
Pages: 414
Synopsis: With no magic, no brawn, and no pirate crew, Zala seeks to steal back the one treasure that matters to her most: her husband.
To succeed she needs a ship—and not just any ship, but the latest, secret invention by the Vaaji Empire. An airship.
Zala will have to use her wits to overcome scoundrels and nobles alike on her journey through the clouds.
But if she's smart enough, she may just have what it takes to save her husband—and go down in history as the first sky pirate.
Delve into a pirate fantasy inspired by the West Indies, The Swahili Coast, and Arabia, where Zala will encounter ruthless raiders, arrogant aristocrats, and imperial secrets.
Review: Overall, this was a great read! The book had some great character development and I really liked how Karim was set up in this book. The book had an intriguing plot as well and the book was amazing for people, like me, who crave more pirate books!
However, I thought that the world building could have been built up a little bit more and that the plot could have been built up better. The plot and pacing made the book really slow and I think it could have been done a bit better if things happened sooner in the novel.
Verdict: A great pirate read!
May 28, 2020
I originally read another book by the author (The Kishi) and I was thrilled when he offered me a copy of this one for review.
This tale is full of everything it promises. There are pirate battles on sea and in the air. There is a cast of characters filled with supernatural beings that feel embedded into the world. There are real connections between the characters that make you feel for them and a loyalty among the crew that is heart-warming.
Probably the most intriguing part of this story is how it made me empathize with both Zala and Karim. They're on opposing sides that are functionally at war with each other. And yet I couldn't figure out who I actually wanted to come out on top. They both suffer under captains that don't understand how to lead and show their own leadership skills. They both make mistakes and have to deal with the fallout.
The ending pirate vs. navy battle (because of course it had to end that way) made me genuinely nervous. I couldn't tell who would survive, or if they would survive intact. Major things happened with major consequences that gave everything weight. If they said "let's do this big magic thing" that big magic thing could have major negative outcomes for the wielder. It made every decision important and necessary.
The mix of cultures are also there. The lands are fantasy versions, but the inspirations are obvious. While I'm in no place to gauge the accuracy of the rep, I definitely felt transported to another place.
For anyone looking for pirate books, fantasy books, or pirate fantasy books, this is a great pick!!
This tale is full of everything it promises. There are pirate battles on sea and in the air. There is a cast of characters filled with supernatural beings that feel embedded into the world. There are real connections between the characters that make you feel for them and a loyalty among the crew that is heart-warming.
Probably the most intriguing part of this story is how it made me empathize with both Zala and Karim. They're on opposing sides that are functionally at war with each other. And yet I couldn't figure out who I actually wanted to come out on top. They both suffer under captains that don't understand how to lead and show their own leadership skills. They both make mistakes and have to deal with the fallout.
The ending pirate vs. navy battle (because of course it had to end that way) made me genuinely nervous. I couldn't tell who would survive, or if they would survive intact. Major things happened with major consequences that gave everything weight. If they said "let's do this big magic thing" that big magic thing could have major negative outcomes for the wielder. It made every decision important and necessary.
The mix of cultures are also there. The lands are fantasy versions, but the inspirations are obvious. While I'm in no place to gauge the accuracy of the rep, I definitely felt transported to another place.
For anyone looking for pirate books, fantasy books, or pirate fantasy books, this is a great pick!!
July 4, 2020
Set in a world with idyllic islands, magical beings, and warring factions, By Sea and Sky is a fantasy tale that is gripping, tender, adventurous, and exciting all at once. Zala, a pirate out of desperation; and Karim, desperate to prove his worth, go head to head in heated battles. It is hard to pick a side in this story, Bandele has us rooting for both sides in this carefully woven tale. Beset by the same shortcomings and determination, Zala and Karim seek to lead their people and accomplish their missions. Unfortunately for them, those missions are mutually exclusive.
By Sea and Sky is a delightful tale of pirates and magic and Bandele brings us a truly fresh story. His cast of characters are strong, diverse, balanced, and well thought out. I am especially impressed by this author’s commitment to this world. A pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book ensures that you hear the story in your head the way he heard it in his, and that is commendable. A glossary of terms at the end helps you keep all the foreign words straight in your head. That said, I didn’t need this tool because the context in which in foreign word or phrase is used easily implies it’s meaning.
My only disappointment is that Zala and Karim’s stories were not wrapped up in the end, instead, we are left wanting more, but in a good way. I am looking forward to the second installment of this tale.
By Sea and Sky is a delightful tale of pirates and magic and Bandele brings us a truly fresh story. His cast of characters are strong, diverse, balanced, and well thought out. I am especially impressed by this author’s commitment to this world. A pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book ensures that you hear the story in your head the way he heard it in his, and that is commendable. A glossary of terms at the end helps you keep all the foreign words straight in your head. That said, I didn’t need this tool because the context in which in foreign word or phrase is used easily implies it’s meaning.
My only disappointment is that Zala and Karim’s stories were not wrapped up in the end, instead, we are left wanting more, but in a good way. I am looking forward to the second installment of this tale.
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