Book Review – The Black Ship
Books, Review | amberdrake | November 26, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Author: Diana Pharaoh Francis
Publisher: Roc
Binding: Paperback
Publication Date: November 2008
The Black Ship is the second of Diana Pharaoh Francis’ Crosspointe novels. I was happy to re-visit Crosspointe, the land we discovered in The Cipher, and to meet new characters and catch glimpses of old ones. With a rather unique and restrictive magic system that in turn creates a caste system the author has created a refreshing world that entertains and illuminates at the same time. It has the atmosphere and feel of a steampunk novel with more of a magical bent.
Crosspointe is a large port city that is protected from the wild magic outside their borders by a magical barrier they call the Pale. The reason the residents of Crosspointe need that protection is that sylveth, the manifestation of the wild magic, can turn anything it touches into mindless creatures whose only drive is to feed. People, inanimate objects, all can become these spawn. The sylveth can also change people and animals in smaller ways. It can turn an ordinary person into something more or just something different and there is no way to gauge what will happen when you touch sylveth. Not only does it affect the people and object in the sea, it affects the sea floor. Because this makes the sea so volatile, ships must hire Pilots, those special people who have the ability to sense everything about the sea and to feel its changes as they happen.
Thorn is a Pilot. Despite the normal demand for Pilots, Thorn’s guild has blocked his path to getting a job on a merchant ship. So he ends up on what seems, at first, to be the most cursed ship he has ever heard of. The Eidolon, named after a natural disaster, painted black from aft to stern, manned by sailors known for their history of surviving shipwrecks and a captain who is rumored to be only barely sane after the disappearance of his girlfriend; seems to be a doomed ship. Can Thorn help Captain Plusby deliver his expensive and magical cargo without wrecking the ship or being taken over by Jutra pirates? I found The Black Ship to be an engaging story in an interesting setting. I did find some areas where I would have liked to see more development. Thorn’s initial journey to the Eidolon was a perfect opportunity to expand the world Francis has created. She takes the time to divulge a bit of insight into the main character and somewhat into that of some of the secondary characters, but that is all. The reader could have been treated to some interesting world building during their mundane trip across country, but all we get are the conditions of the road and the weather – no geography or biology or even political character. Additionally, I would have liked to learn more about Fitch. He was one of the most interestingly inscrutable characters of the story and just a few more little tidbits might have given the tale a bit more spice and maybe a touch of humor. That is not to say that the book was dull. Not at all; it was a quick and engaging read that kept my interest despite my wish for a bit more. And I truly liked her characters and would like to see what is next for them.
If you liked The Cipher, you will enjoy The Black Ship. While it is not a direct sequel and can be read as a stand alone, you will see some of the characters you met in The Cipher, though the main characters are completely new to the reader. Plus, this book is set almost entirely at sea so aficionados of all things briny will enjoy that as well. There is plenty of magic and mayhem and a curiously fascinating cat. While I felt that there could have been some more interest added to the beginning, I would still recommend this to those who enjoy magical adventures.
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