Review by Booklist Review
Carpenter's debut is a high fantasy by way of Master and Commander, a thrilling adventure at sea. Enid, The Marquise d'Tancreville, has fled her homeland and the threat of execution by the revolutionary mobs and new theocratic government. She has escaped by ship, aiming to offer her extensive skills at magic to the fighting forces of a neighboring country, Albion, no friend to the new government of her homeland. She is saved from near capture by the crew of a small ship of the Albion navy and is convinced to join their crew as a replacement for their own slain magic wielder. Soon, she finds herself a vital part of the crew as they embark on a daring adventure to retrieve a stolen warship. The narrative is woven through with lovingly described depictions of life at sea and an intriguing magic system is teased out over the course of the book. A swashbuckling story of magic and naval intrigue that will leave readers ready for the next book in the proposed series. Perfect for fans of Shannon Chakraborty's The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (2023).
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Taking a page from the classic naval novels of C.S. Forrester and Alexander Kent, debut novelist Carpenter opens his Tides of Magic series by tossing a mage and a commander into a series of entertaining nautical escapades in a fantasy setting reminiscent of the French Revolution. Enid, Marquise d'Tancreville, flees the Theocratic Republic that now rules her homeland. Aiding her escape, Capt. Rue Nath of Albion offers Enid the post of mage aboard his ship, the Alarum. A successful commander responsible for the daring capture of many enemy vessels, Nath has a harder time navigating the political waters of the Admiralty. Carpenter supplies all the required elements--witty banter, swashbuckling action, dramatic speeches, wild weather--and throws in a dash of magic to spice up the briny brew. The two leads display enough vulnerability and flaws to keep readers from being too certain of their victories. Carpenter's off to a promising start. Agent: Caitlin Blasdell, Liza Dawson Assoc. (July)
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Review by Library Journal Review
DEBUT Marquese Enid d'Tancreville's escape from her revolution- and religion-torn country is about to be scuttled by an advancing warship, but rescue comes in the unexpected form of a tiny ship captained by too-brave-for-his-own-good Lieutenant Rue Nath. The ensuing skirmish costs Nath his ship's mage. This presents Enid with a dilemma: should she continue her own journey to Albion as she runs from her enemy? Or should she become the new mage and face the enemy with the ship's cannons behind her? Enid chooses to fight alongside Nath's crew, who will follow their captain to hell--and may yet have to. VERDICT There's plenty to savor in this first book in the "Tides of Magic" trilogy for fans of Patrick O'Brian's "Aubrey/Maturin" novels, readers seeking a new fantasy to fill the void left by the end of Naomi Novik's "Temeraire" series, lovers of Our Flag Means Death, those looking for a less-cozy take on Rebecca Thorne's Can't Spell Treason Without Tea, and anyone who'd like to rehash the Napoleonic Wars with a compelling narrative, great characters, swashbuckling derring-do, and epic, heartbreaking betrayals.--Marlene Harris
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