Review by Booklist Review
Chakraborty, best-selling author of the widely acclaimed Daevabad Trilogy, here begins a new series that follows the high-seas adventures of an unusually tall, middle-aged, Muslim pirate captain with a bad knee and a gold tooth. When the mother of a late crewmate interrupts Amina al-Sirafi's retirement, intent on hiring the captain to rescue her kidnapped granddaughter, Amina agrees, even though that means leaving her own beloved daughter behind. The reward is sizable, but more importantly, Amina feels responsible for that crewmate's death and has secretly been itching to return to the Indian Ocean. Amina gets the old gang back together, but the rescue operation becomes more and more dangerous as she crosses paths with magical artifacts, sea monsters, and an evil sorcerer. This exhilarating tale is told by Amina to a scribe, combining the captain's entertaining snark with lovely, descriptive prose. At about the three-quarter mark, readers will feel like the story is heading towards its natural conclusion but will be delighted by the extra, fantasy-filled pages and fresh conflict in the true final act. This pirate fantasy set in the medieval Middle East will appeal to a wide range of readers, just as Chakraborty's books have in the past.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A legendary pirate embarks on one last caper in this entertaining 12th-century historical fantasy from Chakraborty (City of Brass, written as S.A. Chakraborty). Years of dangerous seafaring earned Amina Al-Sirafi a reputation as a fearsome pirate captain, but everything changed when she gave birth to her daughter, Marjana, and quietly left bandit life behind her. Then Salima, the mother of a former crewmate, flushes her out of hiding and offers her a million-dinar deal to retrieve Salima's granddaughter, who was kidnapped by the sorcerer Falco Palamenestra. Amina can't refuse the temptation to return to the sea and secure Marjana's financial future. She recruits her old crew to help her, and together they uncover Falco's real motives. Too late they realize that their foe has powers beyond their capacity to fight, but Salima leaves Amina no choice but to press on despite the odds when she threatens Marjana's life. If readers are not won over by the playful plot twists and thrilling action sequences, they will fall for the charmingly crooked cast and dry humor. This swashbuckling adventure is sure to delight. Agent: Jennifer Azantian, Azantian Literary Agency. (Mar.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Amina al-Sirafi is a legend: as one of the Indian Ocean's most infamous pirates, she has out battled and outlasted rogues, merchants, and even faced down (okay, also married) a demon. So settling into her home with her family, living the rest of her years in quiet, should have been the easiest thing to do. But legends last, and when a wealthy woman tracks Amina down to make an offer--recover a kidnapped child for an easy fortune--Amina decides that one last escapade with her crew and a fortune are worth coming out of retirement. Amina, however, discovers that there is a lot more to the girl's disappearance than she has been told, and her quest involves scholarly texts, dangerous talismans, and power-seeking sorcerers. All told, the search for one last chance at glory could truly be her last. Chakraborty creates a world of high stakes and action, enhanced by its excellent representation of Southwest Asian and North African culture, as well as its challenge to gender roles. VERDICT An energetic start to a pirate fantasy trilogy, filled with magic, mayhem, and self-reflection. Fans of Jenn Lyons's storytelling will want to pick up Chakraborty's ("Daevabad Trilogy") new series.--Kristi Chadwick
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Review by School Library Journal Review
After years of domestic life, former pirate Amina Al-Sirafi makes an unforgettable return to the high seas in this swashbuckling fantasy adventure set on the Indian Ocean. Framed as a tale spun by the storied nakhuda (captain) to a scribe named Jamal, the narrative delightfully employs a conspiratorial air to keep the plot moving at a breakneck pace. When the wealthy mother of one of Amina's former crew members arrives at her door, begging (and then threatening) Amina to help discreetly return her missing granddaughter, Amina realizes that for as much as she does not want to leave her own mother and young daughter, Marjana, at home, the call to adventure is more tempting than she'd like to admit. Amina reassembles her motley old crew, including paranoid Mistress of Poisons Dalila and goodhearted first-mate Tinbu, then sets off on a mission that is much more than she bargained for, including magic-wielding adversaries, powerful artifacts, fearsome sea monsters, and former lovers. Amina is Muslim, and her crew represents a diverse mix of religions and identities. Prior knowledge of Chakraborty's "Daevabad" trilogy is not necessary to enjoy this novel, though a familiar face hints that this first in a new series is set in the same rich world. Swear words befitting a pirate captain, scenes of gore, and descriptions of off-page sex scenes are included. VERDICT Mature teens who can't get enough of Leigh Bardugo and V.E. Schwab will devour this fast-paced fantasy adventure and will eagerly await the next installments.--Andrew Eliopulos
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A middle-aged mother in medieval Oman is convinced to return to her former career--piracy--in the first of an epic fantasy series. A decade ago, nakhudha (shipmaster) Amina al-Sirafi abandoned the criminal seafaring life on the Indian Ocean after a terrible incident involving Raksh, the demonic husband she unwittingly married, and Asif, a member of her crew. But her quiet life with her half-human daughter, Marjana, in a remote, dilapidated mountain home is disrupted by a visit from Asif's wealthy mother, who persuades, guilt-trips, and eventually threatens Amina into returning to her ship and reuniting her crew. She offers Amina an incredible sum to rescue Asif's teenage daughter, Dunya, apparently kidnapped by Falco Palamenestra, a Frankish (i.e., Italian) ex-Crusader with an unhealthy interest in magical artifacts. Thus begins a wild adventure in pursuit of Dunya, Falco, and a mysterious and incredibly dangerous magical treasure known as the Moon of Saba. Fans of Chakraborty's Daevabad books will appreciate an incident late in the novel that confirms that this series is set in the same universe, albeit several centuries earlier; however, that knowledge is not necessary to enjoy this story. Over the past few years, several social media threads have lamented the lack of middle-aged mothers as fantasy heroes, arguing that they would make for great protagonists: They're fierce and seasoned but forced to confront the conflicting needs of their familial, personal, professional, and social responsibilities, circumstances that many men--particularly not your young, inexperienced hero or your grizzled loner veteran--would not face. Chakraborty has clearly leaped to answer the call, and to very good effect. Amina exists in a society where women are expected to stay home and tend to family. She's tried that life: She loves Marjana and would do anything to keep her safe. But once she goes forth again, Amina remembers how much she loves the sea and risking everything in search of adventure and profit. Balancing those two loves has the potential to tear her apart and will no doubt serve as a major point of tension in upcoming installments. Sheer joy, with quirky characters, spooky monsters, sprightly banter, and swashbuckling that puts Sindbad to shame. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
