Jenny Jaybles reviewed Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
Adorable
5 stars
This book is so damn adorable. It's sweet and whimsical.
403 pages
English language
Published April 10, 2023
1 New York Times Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us deeper into the Cosmere universe with a rollicking, riveting tale that will appeal to fans of The Princess Bride.
The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death? Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson
The Cosmere
The Stormlight Archive The Way of Kings Words …
1 New York Times Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us deeper into the Cosmere universe with a rollicking, riveting tale that will appeal to fans of The Princess Bride.
The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death? Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson
The Cosmere
The Stormlight Archive The Way of Kings Words of Radiance Edgedancer (Novella) Oathbringer Dawnshard (Novella) Rhythm of War
Mistborn: The Original Trilogy Mistborn The Well of Ascension The Hero of Ages
Mistborn: The Wax and Wayne series Alloy of Law Shadows of Self Bands of Mourning The Lost Metal
Collection Arcanum Unbounded
Other Cosmere novels Elantris Warbreaker Tress and the Emerald Sea (forthcoming) Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (forthcoming) The Sunlit Man (forthcoming)
The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians The Scrivener's Bones The Knights of Crystallia The Shattered Lens The Dark Talent Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians (co-authored with Janci Patterson)
The Rithmatist series The Rithmatist Other novels Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England (forthcoming) Other books by Brandon Sanderson
The Reckoners Steelheart Firefight Calamity Skyward Skyward Starsight Cytonic Review Praise for Brandon Sanderson “Epic in every sense.” ―The Guardian on The Way of Kings “Brandon Sanderson’s reputation is finally as big as his novels.” ―The New York Times on Words of Radiance “If you’re a fan of fantasy and haven’t read the Mistborn trilogy yet, you have no excuses.” ―Forbes on Mistborn “A fresh view of how a world can grow, building new dimensions into the best of the old. Sanderson continues to show that he is one of the best authors in the genre.” ―Library Journal (starred review) on The Alloy of Law “Sanderson’s fresh ideas on the source and employment of magic are both arresting and original […] Think brisk. Think fun. Enjoy.” ―Kirkus, on The Alloy of Law “Mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters…Sanderson is a writer to watch.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Elantris About the Author Brandon Sanderson grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He lives in Utah with his wife and children and teaches creative writing at Brigham Young University. He is the author of such bestsellers as the Mistborn® trilogy and its sequels, The Alloy of Law , Shadows of Self , and The Bands of Mourning ; the Stormlight Archive novels The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance ; and other novels, including The Rithmatist , Steelheart, and Skyward. In 2013, he won a Hugo Award for Best Novella for The Emperor's Soul , set in the world of his acclaimed first novel, Elantris. Additionally, he was chosen to complete Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time® sequence.
This book is so damn adorable. It's sweet and whimsical.
There is nothing wrong with this book, but there is nothing especially interesting or memorable about it either. It feels like it was written as a side project, which it was. It does get extra consideration since, like all Sanderson fantasy, it has a well thought out magic system instead of one that evolves to fit whatever corner the author writes themself into.
This was a really fun, short novel. A bit of a romantic adventure, but with classic Sanderson world-building and quirky characters. You can certainly see some of the covid influences, from the fear of airborne spores to tablet communication devices. The plot is straightforward and told in an interesting style with a whimsical narrator that talks to the reader and frequently drops fascinating Cosmere links or foreshadows story events. Overall this was a good book and a great start to the year of Sanderson.
For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/01/book-review-tress-of-emerald-sea-by.html