Synopsis:
The world can sustain the needs of many, but the greed of a few can destroy it for all.
In a life steeped in peril, the Brune family has thrived on the knife’s edge. Renowned for their smuggling and bounty exploits, Konar and Karliah’s parents command both respect and fear. Comfortable yet haunted, the family faces the constant threat of perilous assignments, leaving scars that even a parent’s protective embrace can’t heal.
Still, Konar dreams of scholarly pursuits, and Karliah sees the world as something ripe for the taking. When the emperor dangles an irresistible offer—a job to end their dangerous pursuits forever—the Brunes seize the chance. But there’s a catch: the item in question is little more than a myth, deemed impossible to find.
As the family embarks on the voyage of a lifetime, their bonds are tested like never before. Locating and securing the prize will require sacrifices beyond measure, and when your family is in the business of pirating, trust is the greatest myth of all.
From the Depths is a prequel novella that takes place roughly a thousand years prior to the events in Of Thieves and Shadows—volume one in the epic fantasy series, The Heart of Quinaria.
Review:
*I read this novella as part the judging group The Secret Scribes for the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS). The following review is strictly my personal thoughts, as each novella will be reviewed by two judges to be as objective as possible.*
From the Depths is a character-driven pirate adventure with a lot of heart-pounding tension on the high seas (and land, and a cave) mixed with a lot of family drama.
As a prequel novella of a larger series, some knowledge/worldbuilding might be lost on some readers new to the series, but there was never a moment where something was overly confusing. Be it a quick explanation of a term or just natural gleaning from the prose around the lore. There is also a handy glossary in the back with quite a lot of world detail. Having not read the main series yet, I quite liked this world, especially the Brune family. I mean pirates and a giant sea serpent! I also found the priestess character to be very enthralling and I wanted to learn a lot more about that sect Amma was a part of at one time. There are some really cool animals and creatures, too.
Speaking of the cast, I found it very interesting that this story is told through the eyes of Konar and Karliah, the children of the pirates. And I mean children. Konar is around 12 and Karliah is 9. Both siblings were well-developed and mostly sounded/read like their ages (although there were a number of times where I wish they didn’t sound older, but not enough to dissuade my enjoyment). I quite liked Karliah’s childlike mischief and ingenuity, she was just a fun character to follow. Captain Brineheart, aka Appa (the papa of the Brunes), was a great pirate: leaping over to another ship in battle, always pouring over a map, thinking about gold, etc. Amma, the mama of the clan, was a lush, and their bickering was a pleasant surprise and source of good family drama. I quite liked this portrayal, even though it definitely messed up the kids… The other sailors were good foils for the Brunes, especially Gerosa, a feline (perhaps?) like character that harbors an intense hatred for Konar.
The plot surrounding the McGuffin, I mean the scroll, was interesting and I wanted to know more. I wonder if this scroll plays into the main series much more? Which if it does, is a great way for current readers to see its finding, but as a standalone novella with no knowledge of Quinaria, it can be somewhat disappointing. There was a surprising (positive) amount of action, especially when the pirate family was on the sea. I will say, while the climax was action-packed and great, I was slightly put off by how it played out and I think that stems from it being compressed. I wish there was a few additional scenes to build up to the climax. Also, the epilogue stylistic choice didn’t work for me. There is nothing wrong with it technically, just wasn’t a fan. And talking prose, this prose is excellent. It is smooth, clean, and descriptive.
For a story that is only 160 pages, I found From the Depths to be an enjoyable read. I’ve already had Bethany’s Of Thieves and Shadows on my TBR for a long time now, but getting to read a little part of this world, I am even more interested!
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