Coffee and Thorn Book Tours
Sailing by Orion's Star
(The Constellation Trilogy Book 1)
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| About the Book |
In the 18th century West Indies, stories hold the ultimate power. Sailors spin yarns about pirates. Newspapers tell tales full of half-truths. Myths spread like whispered wildfire.
East India Company sailor Nicholas Jerome has no patience for pirates, determined to leave his father’s thieving past behind. After a convict and an enslaved woman escape his grasp with the aid of an aristocrat’s mysterious wife, he faces one last chance to save his career. Finding an unexpected home with a new crew, he gains a chosen younger brother in René Delacroix, the son of his wealthy captain and the grandson of Jamaica’s cruel governor.
But there’s a storm brewing in the Delacroix household. For René and his best friend Frantz, the Robin Hood tales about legendary pirate Ajani Danso and his famed female quartermaster are a lifeline amidst the governor’s abuse. Danso robs greedy merchants, frees slaves, and shelters queer sailors, inspiring the downtrodden across the New World.
When death and betrayal shatter the lives they knew, René and Jerome each face a choice: obey, or rebel.
A war for history’s favor begins, and as an uprising against colonialism erupts on the ocean, everyone must choose a story to believe in.
Sailing by Orion's Star is the origin story of The Constellation Trilogy, a familial epic spanning from 1695 to 1718. The trilogy pulls on the hidden threads of the past and uncovers the truth behind who pirates really were--people of color, poor sailors, desperate runaways, women, and queer people--an army of all nations who dared to fight for a better world.
Amazon link:
• Goodreads link:
• Genre: Historical fiction, slavery, pirates, LGBTQ
• Print length: 470 pages (137K words)
• Age range: This is an adult book, but would be suitable for young adults
• Trigger warnings: slavery, racism
• Amazon Rating: 5*
PRAISE FOR SAILING BY ORION’S STAR
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book was a WONDERFUL read. The characters, the history, the setting—all of it was masterfully done! I really think the core of this story though are the characters. They’re all so different and complicated, each with their own needs and wants that’s fleshed out with room to grow in the sequels. Amazon review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A pirate’s tale for a new generation, Sailing by Orion’s Star is jam packed with well developed characters and enough action to keep the story moving. It is set over a wide span of time, which is deftly handled. Indeed, it’s necessary for growth and change in the characters’ relationships. Some characters improve, some get worse with age, and some grow up. I was invested In their journey to a more diverse and inclusive society, all while attempting to put the main villain -the East India Company – in its proper place. Amazon review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
An exciting historical adventure about what we are—and aren’t—willing to give up for what we believe in. Beautifully researched and featuring multiple compelling found families, this book takes the usual stereotypes of pirates and flips them on their heads. A very enjoyable tale well told. Amazon review
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Katie is a librarian and activist by day, a writer of historical fiction by night, and a lover of musicals always. You can usually find her talking about Les Mis, pirates, Paris, and anything to do with The Phantom of the Opera. Her work focuses on queerness, challenging historical narratives, what makes up a family, and the space between grief and resilience.
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| My review |
If you are looking for a Pirates Of The Caribbean/Jack Sparrow/Errol Flynn romanticised story about the derring do of pirates in the early era of the Golden Age, then this might not be for you. This is more of the warts an' all type story, where the fictional pirates echo the truth of real pirates - let's be honest here, pirates were not nice people! The pirates of the late 1600s - early 1700s were the terrorists of that age, out for personal gain no matter how they got it. They were not freedom fighters or human rights defenders. And that, in this well crafted story, is made very plain.
What I liked:
The characters were believable and realistic, with their good intentions and marked flaws, as were the events depicted. The sailing detail was well done, the historical research equally as skillfully undertaken.
The plot was carefully thought out, also being realistic and believable. I liked the references to the stars, that was a nice, clever, touch, as the constellations were extremely important to sailors of the past, with their limited navigational abilities.
Slavery, indentured convicts, the cruelties of ordinary men and seafaring officers alike were well portrayed, as was the greed for power and profit, balanced with well-intentioned characters who went against the horrors of the time, but who had little hope of altering the way things were.
What I wasn't so keen on:
Present tense. Not the author's problem, but mine, I don't get on with present tense. I find I have to persevere to get into stories written in this style, but as with other books, once I had pressed on through a few chapters I started not to notice the style, and to enjoy the story for itself.
Personally, I would advise a new cover design. At first glance I would assume, from the cover's content, style and graphics, that this is a young adult tale, which it very much isn't. I would have the stars (in particular, Orion) as they should be, as an actual constellation hanging bright and dominant above the ship. There's no need for the almost cartoonish characters to be included - the ship and Orion, bold and simple, is all that is needed for an eye-catching dramatic effect.
On the whole, a good tale which is intriguing enough to steer a reader to the other stories in the series.
4 stars ****
COFFEE AND THORN PROMOTES QUALITY FICTION, FOCUSING ON WORK PUBLISHED INDEPENDENTLY OR THROUGH SMALL PUBLISHING HOUSES. WE WORK WITH LOVE. ALL PAYMENTS TO US GO DIRECTLY TO FUND EDUCATION FOR GIRLS FROM A SLUM COMMUNITY IN SIERRA LEONE.
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Website: https://helenhollick.net/
Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick
including
The SEA WITCH VOYAGES
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| If you liked Pirates Of The Caribbean? then you'll love the Sea Witch Voyages! Amazon: https://viewbook.at/SeaWitch |
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A prequel novella - how Jesamiah Acorne became a pirate COFFEE POT BOOK CLUB ANNUAL AWARD 2022  |
LATEST IN THE SERIES
GALLOWS WAKE VOYAGE 6
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| e-book or paperback https://mybook.to/GallowsWake |
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NON-FICTION
and a host of other historical fiction novels
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