Rating: 4 Stars
Publication: May 7th, 2019
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Egalley
Diversity: PoC MC & Queer SC
Quick Summary:
In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas and they have one mandate; the East must never meet the West. When Terianas closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, she shares the Maarins most well guarded secrets so her friend might escape. A choice with devastating consequences. Marcus is the commander of a notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East, but even he has a secret he’ll do anything to protect. When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the West continent, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely and unwilling alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.
My Thoughts:
I found both Marcus and Terianas perspectives compelling. They were each dealing with their own guilt and wanting to protect the people they love, even if those people have turned their backs on them. They have more in common than they realize. I really enjoyed the complexities of their relationship and the enemies to allies banter they had going on. Despite being held against her will, Teriana is still fierce and sarcastic. I do find it funny that the summary says a pirate with a will of iron since thats not really the case. I was a little disappointed that Teriana was separated from her ship and her crew, but I enjoyed her relationships with some of the soldiers. As for Marcus, he's one of those flawed characters who has been made to do terrible things to survive, but is still capable of compassion. He's very intelligent and the way he strategizes was incredible. I also enjoyed his friendships with some of the soldiers.
I loved how the plot was filled with blackmail and meddling gods. The ocean journey was intense and very entertaining. It was so gripping I finished it in a couple days. I had a feeling early on that some of the gods wanted things to unfold the way they did. I thought Cassius made a pretty good villain since I understood his motivations while still thinking he was a despicable character. His son Titus really had me wondering what his true motivations were. The whole situation with Terianas best friend was messed up and I would have liked more time spent on that issue. This story has a pretty big romantic subplot which I didnt mind. I liked how it grew slowly over the course of the book and added some great conflict. I dont think having a steamy scene right after someone says they need a bath was very appealing though.
I thought the world was very interesting, but I wish we got to know more about some of my favorite elements like the gods, their guardians, and the different god marked powers. Im hoping we get to explore these elements in more depth when the rest of the series comes out. The way people can travel long distances in a short amount of time through crystal caves was also pretty awesome. I got some serious Roman vibes from Celendrial, especially with their names, dress, and conquest. The sea faring Maarin have very dark skin and blue eyes like the ocean they call home. Teriana herself wears braids. Some other representation was the romantic relationship between the two male soldiers that guard Teriana. The writing was easy to get lost in. It had a good mix of dialogue, action and self reflection from the characters. Im super happy I found another amazing book by a Canadian author.
I Have a Weakness For Pirate Books. Whats Yours?
*This book was received for an honest review
*My summaries are often a shortened version of the goodreads summary
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