Title: By Sea & Sky
Series: The Sky Pirate Chronicles, #1
Pages: 414
Genre: Action/Adventure, Fantasy
Date Published: June 19, 2020
Publisher: Bandele Books
Format: Audio
Source: Netgalley
Synopsis:
The sickness was severe…
…and there was one known potion that could save him.
Was piracy the only chance they had?
Zala wasn’t skilled with a sword. She wasn’t blessed with magic. But she knew the Sapphire Seas well. Plundering and raiding was an art of its own, and she got by on her wits.
Yet she was running out of time. She needed the big score to save her husband.
What was her next move?
Before she even knew it…
…the game changed.
High above them, off the coast of the Ibabi Isles, a strange airship was headed their way. Zala had never seen anything like it. The battle was imminent.
And she was going to need more than her bag of tricks.
You’ll love this adventure inspired by the West Indies, The Swahili Coast, and Arabia, because Zala will encounter ruthless raiders, arrogant aristocrats, and imperial secrets. It will keep you turning the pages.
Review
There were a few characters that I really liked, especially Zala, and so that had me staying with the book despite my issues with it. It isn't that the story is bad, because the concept behind it is pretty fascinating actually, I love myself a good sky pirate story. But it was written in a way that made everything drag on, even the scenes that were supposed to be exciting. I'm over here, trying to sympathize with a character but at the same time I'm falling asleep because the story is drawing out and just not keeping my attention.
I don't think I can blame John Rogers, the audio narrator, because honestly I think the story itself lacked depth and clarity. There is only so much someone can do to with a world that felt so one dimensional. I thought his portrayal of the different characters was done acceptably.
As for the end... the thing is, I don't mind cliff hangers, and the book absolutely ended on one. I get their point, to make the reader go back for more. But I just don't care what happens to anyone in this series... and I almost feel bad about it. What this story needs is a good content editor. It has a cool plot and the characters have potential, but it is just... boring.