Master and Commander meets Sarah J Maas in a seafaring adventure of duty, love, magic, and a princess’s quest to protect her kingdom on her own terms. After a lifetime of training, seventeen-year-old Princess Nile Greysik, a lieutenant on the prestigious Ashing navy flagship, sails into battle with one vital mission—and fails. Barred from the sea and facing a political marriage, Nile masquerades … political marriage, Nile masquerades as a common sailor on the first ship she can find. With a cowardly captain, incompetent crew, and a cruel, too-handsome first officer intent on making her life a living hell, Nile must hide her identity while trying to turn the sorry frigate battleworthy. Worse, a terrifying and forbidden magic now tingles in Nile’s blood. If anyone catches wind of who Nile is or what she can do, her life is over.
But when disaster threatens the ship, Nile may have no choice but to unleash the truth that will curse her future.
AIR AND ASH is the thrilling first installment of the TIDES series. Recommended for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Tamora Pierce, and David Weber.
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Air and Ash is the beginning of a series of fighting sails and magic. A really different form of Elemenal magic I’ve never seen before. The storyline is in itself very unique. The author uses incredible world building with a solid plot like. She deftly flows the action while building the characters we can clearly identify with. I really could not put this book down. The final pages leaves you with an incredible cliffhanger of an ending that demands the reading of the next book in the series.
I have both versions audio and e-book. I enjoyed being able to go between the two versions. Loved this book, this is the first book by Alex Lidell I’ve read or listened to but it won’t be the last.
I hope they keep the same narrator she has wonderful voices she does for it.
This audiobook was given to me for free at my request from the publisher or author or narrator and I provided this unbiased voluntary review.
Alex is one of my favourite authors so I’m not surprised that I loved this book. I just find her fantasy writing so incredible with the characters and worlds she creates. I really enjoyed seeing Nile take actions into her own hands to try and help her brother. Nile is a strong, solid female lead. She has her flaws but I enjoy seeing characters with flaws as they make them more realistic. I’m excited to read on with this series and slightly mad at myself that I’ve taken so long to read it.
Audiobook review: Air and Ash is an interesting YA story involving a sea loving princess and her journey to independence and discovery of air magic. I enjoyed this story and the characters but was slightly disappointed that it ended as quickly as it did and on a cliffhanger. The characters are likable and believable and the storyline is entertaining. The narrator did a nice job as well! I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Air and Ash: TIDES Book 1 Kindle Edition
by Alex Lidell
I received an eARC from Booksprout and the author. I am opting to leave an honest and fair review.
Ms. Lidell has created yet another wonderful world and a strong, three dimensonal heroine in Nile.
With a feel of a fairy tale and a sense of the Heroine’s Journey (very different from the male counterpart described by Joseph Campbell) in Air and Ash.
Nile is a Naval officer in the League’s combined fleet. She is also a Princess. When her ship is lost, and she makes it home in one piece, her life is ripped from the path she intended to follow. Instead, her father and her mother (who believes women should not only not serve in the military, but should be home bound and producing little ones and finding their measure there) have plotted to marry her off. When Nile discovers this and finds only one way to avoid this, she sets sail on another ship, and the adventure begins
The story is told from Nile’s point of view. The language that Ms. Lidell graces us with in this series, drips with Nautical Lingo. This sets the mood and the reality of the sea. Nile’s POV is filled in and made 3D with the steady sea lingo. Thank Goodness for Word Wise, because the verbiage is so accurate I was running to look up a word or saying!. The anchoring (snarfle!) of Nile’s steady voice works best when she is commenting on the difference of life on the lower ship vs her flag ship experience. For example, the discussion of discipline, in the form of lashing. In her own mind she manages to accept the swift and harshe discipline because at sea, there is no other choice. There is no way to permanently imprison them, and no way to fine someone on a ship
Nile isn’t the only strong and deep character swimming in this at sea tail. Domenic and even the captain who uses his power to protect his family and his fellow countrymen.
The battle scenes, both hand to hand and ship to ship, are handled deftly. In fact, these battles are more exciting and reviting than an Erroll Flynn pirate movies. These battles allow Nile and the other characters a place to shine, and also give Ms. Lidell a chance to grab her readers by the throat as she uses the beautiful language of the sea to create poetry.
The Book Nerd was swept away with this gorgeous book and story – one that truly deserves a hardback treatment and perhaps a Netflix or Hulu treatment.
5 stars out of 5
https://smile.amazon.com/Air-Ash-TIDES-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01N17H7DG
The style, world building, and characters in this book are without fault (well, the characters definitely have their faults, but that’s what made me love them so much). Amazing!!
Great series, can’t wait for the next book
When Nile Greysik fails to complete a vital mission as a result of a naval battle, she’s then instructed by her father, the Ashing king, to marry a foreign prince and give up her naval career. She runs instead and enlists on the first ship she finds, keeping her identity a secret, but finding it hard to hide her training as a naval officer on this ship run by a greedy captain, shoddy, lazy crewmen, and a strict but undeniably appealing first officer. There are a number of adventures at sea and then the added complication of Nile’s Gift making an appearance, magic that she has to learn to control before it kills her. I really liked Nile and Dominic and the story was fast paced and thrilling. My only complaint is that it ended rather abruptly. Once I realized I was at the end, I concluded that it was a good breaking off point, but it is definitely not a stand alone story. Luckily I had already purchased the next book in the series, War and Wind, so I can continue to enjoy the adventure.
Very will written. Draws you in immediately
Had hopes based on the blurbs. Turned out to be a disapointment TO ME.
Very derivative. Predictable.
I liked the book but am unable to find the2nd book to reed.
Pretty good book with a strong female lead. It’s more appropriate for YA readers than adults though. My main disappointment with this book is that it’s a cliffhanger! Come on writers, if you can’t write a complete story, in my opinion, give it up. I resent that there isn’t a disclaimer about this not being a complete novel.
Air and Ash was one of my favorite reads this year! I even went back and re-read sections and I kept re-visiting scenes in my mind for weeks afterwards. The characters were colorful, the magic and adventure was suspenseful, and the romantic bits made my heart flutter. Well done, Alex Lidell! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
I loved this book, the characters are wonderful and the story is full of action and adventure. An awesome high sea series!