Fantasy Book Critic managed to get his hands on a working copy of the next novel in Robert V.S. Redick‘s first trilogy, The Chathrand Voyage. And it’s pretty bloody… well, pretty!
The stunning artwork is provided by Les Edwards, better known as the 2008 World Fantasy Award-winning artist Edward Miller (Scott Lynch, Ian Cameron Esslemont, Steven Erikson, etc).
He also has a synopsis for The Rats and the Ruling Sea, which picks up where the first volume, The Red Wolf Conspiracy left off:
Thasha’s wedding is hours away. It is a wedding that will both fulfill the promise of a mad god’s return and see her murdered. Pazel has thwarted the sorcerer who would bring back the god but both sides now face deadlock. Can Thasha be saved? Can the war between two Empires be stopped?
The Rats and the Ruling Sea is, once again, focused on the giant ancient ship The Chathrand, but now she must brave the terrors of the uncharted seas including massive storms, ship-swallowing whirlpools and lands forgotten by the Northern world, all the time involved in a vicious running battle with a ship nearly her match…
Robert Redick’s new novel takes the reader further into the labyrinthine plots and betrayals that have underscored the trilogy from the beginning. Along the way, we will learn more about the Ixchel as they fight for survival against the Chathrand’s rats, discover more about the true motives of the conspirators, live with Thasha and Pazel as they face death & deceit, and journey with The Chathrand as it sails into the infamous Ruling Sea…
This is yet another reminder that I still need to give Redick’s first novel a chance, the trilogy seems right up my alley.
There’s nothing wrong with the picture itself, but it makes for a terrible bookcover. It looks like the front cover of a sailing manual or something. Hardly inspires excitement or interest…or at least I don’t think it does. Can’t see many people seeing that cover and thinking “Whoah, this looks interesting.”
The first novel is alright, nothing special. Has some interesting elements but the story degenerates into a rather standard stop-the-bad-guy-before-he-does-something-bad scenario. A wasted opportunity.
I hung out with Robert this weekend quite a lot and I have to say he is one of the nicest guys — and super smart. He reminded me a lot of Steve Erikson, actually. I’m looking forward to reading his book.
Oh, and I love that cover. :) But that’s just me.
Me too, I like that cover. But then, I like sea stories, so…
I’m reading “The Red Wolf Conspiracy” and enjoying it very much :-)
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