Scan barcode
tadhgerman's review against another edition
4.0
The best thing about this book is the expansion of the world and getting to enjoy a bit of a smaller adventure where it is Stenwold who keeps being damseled for a change. Some interesting new characters are introduced but honestly learning about the sea kinden and their strange world was the most interesting thing to me. It's not my favourite book in the series but I had a fun time reading it and it sets up some things nicely that will return later.
awoodalla's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
christinajl_gb's review against another edition
5.0
Superb, equally as good as his previous five books!!
tornadical's review
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
hallucigenia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
strombolibones's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
hhinorth's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ariaslibrary's review
4.0
‘When history began, when the Seven Families arose. We were driven into the sea, and only the beasts of the sea saved us. We found our paths. We built. We journeyed. We lived within our hosts. We dwelt in shadow. We are greater now than ever we were when your people drove us into the waves. We have never forgotten, though. Always we have the Littoralists to remind us, telling the old tales. I wouldn’t care so much, landsman, for it’s all history to me, but my warriors are restless and the Edmir has promised me my war.’
“The Sea Watch” is the sixth instalment in the Shadows of the Apt series and what a journey. Pirates. Politics. Myths made real. Returning the rightful heir to the throne. This was a recipe for an adventure and I love every second of it.
Picking up directly after the end of Scarab Path, instead of Che, this time we follow Stenwold in Collegium. Stenwold has been a professor, a spymaster, a warmaster and now he must face the greatest challenge yet, politics. The search for a new speaker continues and Stenwold notoriety proves to either be a curse or a blessing. With Tsen arriving seeking their allegedly stolen plans, tensions with Vekk rise. Stenwold proves himself to be a statesman when he cleverly manages both the Ant City states.
‘Besides,’ Stenwold added, ‘Tsen may be small, but it’s clear you make up for it in artifice. You may find that profits you more in trade than ever it did in self-defence. Perhaps you, also, would like to send a message to your city and its court.’
‘And if they say no?’
‘You disappoint me. The Vekken have already worked that one out,’ Stenwold said. He felt absolutely merciless in taking all the deeply held tenets of Ant-kinden society and twisting them in his hands. ‘What do you think will happen, if you say no but the Vekken say yes?’
Politics aside, the sea merchants bring forward an issue of increased piracy. They’ve been complaining for a while now but Collegium has been busy with the tenuous peace with the Empire, the even more tenuous peace with the other city states, preparing an army for the eventual invading army, recovering from their losses and selecting another Speaker of the Assembly. So when the sea merchants pressed the issue, Stenwold snapped and it was beautiful.
‘However, the Assembly has always been deplored by the merchants of this town for interfering in their business. Not seven years ago, there was a motion concerning the workhouses in Helleron, and whether a clean-handed magnate of Collegium could deal with such institutions, could even own shares in them. It was then firmly stated: the business of a merchant is his own. A year before the war came a motion to ban shares in slaving concerns, for as we outlaw slavery within our city, should our merchants be free to invest in the flesh trade beyond? It was again firmly stated, although hotly contested, that the business of a merchant is his own. Therefore I say to you, Master Failwright, that the business of a merchant is his own. If this Assembly may not dampen his profits, neither may it blow upon the embers of his losses.’
But when the claims prove true, Stenwold finds himself on the sea, with a crew of legendary pirates as they seek to unravel the mystery behind the recent thefts. What follows is a journey that shakes his beliefs and forces him to go on a journey into uncharted waters. Adrian Tchaikovskty went hard with his worldbuilding and this instalment is quite possibly my second favourite after Dragonfly Falling. The way Stenwold was able to handle himself throughout the book was magnificent and it bodes down to one of his beliefs.
‘Our strength is in our friends, in those who will give of themselves to keep us free.’