The Ghost Walker

by K. Seo

An unlikely crew, an unusual quest, and an unforgettable beginning.

After her younger sister Odelia is kidnapped into marriage with the ruthless Duke of Brey on her sixteenth birthday, tavern owner Sabina Turner vows to do anything to get her back.

Stowing away on one of the first ships she sees, she walks right into the clutches of The Ghost Walker, the most notorious pirate the Kingdom of Brey has seen in decades. He offers to help her for a price—one that Sabina might not be able to afford.

Caught between the stark reality of her death and the possibility of not keeping her promise, Sabina agrees—a decision that unravels her painful past, drives her determined present, and threatens her peaceful future.

The thrilling first novel in “The Silver Tongue Trilogy,” The Ghost Walker is page-turning, exciting, and perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, and Marissa Meyer.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2020

About the author

Thank you for visiting my page!

My name is Keri Seo—or K. Seo for my published name.

I have been an English as a Foreign Language teacher in South Korea for the past seven years. I live here with my husband and our two cats, Hwani and Chai.

When I'm not writing, I enjoy playing video games, reading novels and webtoons, crocheting, and playing DanceDanceRevolution.

My current trilogy, The Silver Tongue Trilogy, will be released from October-December 2020. Please check it out below!

Reviews

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from ARC copy. // No spoilers.

This is a perfectly well-rounded start to a suspenseful and entertaining young adult series. I would definitely recommend it to any adventurous spirits looking for a fun (yet not lacking depth) and engaging journey (and I love a good pirate story!).

My first impressions were wary, as the story starts us off meeting two sisters, and I was a bit worried about the initial comparison between them: one tomboyish “renegade” vs. the young, carefree beauty. However, as the characters develop these stereotypes are somewhat broken down, and I must say, I myself am partial to a story of two sisters (I was reminded ever so slightly of Frozen with the initial dynamic between them).

Portrayed as a strong, determined, yet sensitive and complicated female lead, Sabina’s character development, and the character development in general throughout the story, is steady and leaves much to be discovered with each little plot twist. I found myself reacting naturally to the characters (whether it be in disgust, admiration, or attraction) and am left wanting to find out more about each of them.

The plot is well-structured and not overly predictable, with just the right amount of turns to keep the reader engaged and surprised. This is by no means a boring read. There was never a moment I felt the story dragging on or spending too much time/description on a specific setting or event. The suspense is satisfactory without being overwhelming. There is tension, there is fear, there is heartbreak (perhaps not in the way you might expect!), there is humor, and there is hope. I am looking forward to the rest of the trilogy!

[Violet Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read.

TW: sexual assault (implied and obvious though not detailed)

Sabina's sister gets taken from her by a Duke who comes bearing a contract saying their father signed Odelia over to marriage when she was of age.

But Sabina won't have it, and is determined to rescue her sister from the clutches of the Duke.

She finds unlikely allies in a pirate crew who agree to help her for a price, gold.

Together they sail the high seas, forming bonds, stealing money, and getting ever closer to the palace where Odelia waits to be rescued.

Overall this was good. There were many times I felt the dialogue and/or its tags didn't fit well with the scene.

I'm also not sure I liked the minor romance between Sabina and Mathias. He's very egotistical. He's also very rough, not seeming to care the few times he hurts Sabina and unapologetically looks on her when she bathes or changes (this particular instance happens twice that I remember). She's never fully naked in these scenes but the implication is there.

Mathias just rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn't seem to like him, even when he was being helpful.

I would have liked Sabina's past fleshed out a little more. She seemed surprised when the Duke had that contract for her sister, assuming it had to be forged. But was it? Mathias called her father a murderer, so what kind of man was he really?

It's also implied that she was the lover/abused by a Navy captain named Javier. What's the history there? How did this come to be? How did she get away?

There's definitely more that can be expounded upon that hopefully is addressed in the second book. And despite all this I did enjoy the overall story and could see myself reading the next installment.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Content warnings: slavery, sexual assault (implied), kidnapping

A young woman must join forces with a notorious - and handsome - pirate and his crew so that she can return back to her homeland to save her sister. Tavern owners Sabina and her sister Odelia have made a decent life of themselves after their parents died and their uncle stole their fortune. On Sabina’s sixteenth birthday, the Duke of Brey arrives, claiming she was betrothed to him by their father.

Ghost Walker is the first in a trilogy, and after enjoying this first episode, I’m looking forward to reading the rest.

After seeing her sister snatched out of her hands, Sabina sets out to get her back. A friendly teenage boy called Samuel helps her sneak aboard a ship. There she meets the charismatic Captain Mathias, who turns out to be the infamous Ghost Walker pirate.

In a less talented writer's hands, Mathias could have been an annoying lecherous jerkass. Instead, he comes across as cocky but genuine and decent at heart. Seo has a gift with characterization- it’s not easy making well-rounded interesting characters in a fantasy setting. Sabina is a great protagonist who you want to hug. Even the bad guys come across as having more depth than a stereotypical villain.

There are enough decent plot threads and elements of drama to make a gripping trilogy. While I’m looking forward to part two, part one works well as a novel in it’s own right. There’s a lovely mix of action and conversations that paint a clear picture of the Kingdom of Brey and its inhabitants. The published copy includes a map, which is a feature I always love in novels like this.

If I have one negative of this book, it is with the inclusion of a young slave. While she is portrayed sympathetically and given agency, I still wish the one person of color wasn't a slave. I hope that she gets freedom and her own storyline in follow-up novels.

If you like fantasy and pirates, then you’ll enjoy this novel.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I would like to state that I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity and honor in being able to read this book. When I received this book I began reading it at once. I really enjoy the authors writing style, pulls you into the book from the very beginning and you don't want to put the book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat reading from cover to cover. All the characters are very well portrayed thought out. When you are finished you wish you weren't. A most wonderful read and I highly recommend this book.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel has everything you'd expect from a pirate adventure: a plucky main character, daring heists, knife fights, a handsome but sassy pirate captain, and more. Sabina is a gripping character that any reader would have a hard time not rooting for. Her dedication to family and her good heart make her powerful and her chemistry with the Captian of the ship provides countless moments of hilarity and joy. The cast of main characters and the vibrant landscape will leave you reluctant to leave their world behind when the book is through.

I truly enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read the sequels!

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just brilliant!
First, let me say the cover illustration by Soyeon Seo was brilliant! Believe it or not the contents behind that cover were just as brilliant! This was a wonderful first book to the trilogy Sabina is going to save her sister Odelia who has been kidnapped by the Duke of Brey. Caught as a stowaway by The Ghost Walker she makes a deal that she may not be able to pay, but she needs this pirate's help. There is so much action in this piece I enjoyed the twists in this one too. I am looking forward to the next books to see where the author is going to take their characters. I highly recommend this well-crafted piece. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5