I read this for a book club and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the witty style, the little social commentary, and generally whimsical feel. Tress was a fun protagonist, and the worldbuilding was unique and interesting with just enough technical details about things like the spores and spore cannons to make it feel believable. I wasn't too crazy with the 'Hoid as an unreliable narrator' thing, but I understand that's a Sanderson staple.

It mentions YA but reads more like a tween book set in a high fantasy world.

3.5 stars ( )

I hadn't read any Sanderson before this, but I didn't feel like tackling another series at the moment, so I thought this would be a good place to start. I understand this isn't anything like his normal style of writing, but I liked it. He said that he wanted to write something with the feel of The Princess Bride if Buttercup had gone looking for Westley. It started a little slow, but things picked up once she got off her island. There was plenty of danger and adventure, but it was kept mild enough for younger readers. ( )

I went into this book having read all the (currently available) books in the Stormlight Archive plus Warbreaker. A part of me thinks I would have liked it more if I'd never read anything in the Cosmere before. I really liked it and it certainly wouldn't have been the same if Hoid wasn't the narrator. He's also integral to the plot so I don't know what this would have been like if it was a true standalone. That was one of the reasons Sanderson even wrote the book (to write a story fully as Hoid). I love(d) Hoid in the other books he's been in, but here... he was almost too much. I've always seen him as an interesting/mysterious side character and in this he somehow still is, but he's also the narrator. I just found it all incredibly distracting.

There are constant references to other things going on in the Cosmere which I found incredibly frustrating. I am incredibly interested in the lore of the Cosmere, but with easter eggs of knowledge I often felt left with many unanswered questions that I can't figure out until I read 50 more books (half of which haven't even been written yet). There was even a reference to lightweaving which just left me thinking... I'm just supposed to accept that Hoid and these other characters are just hopping around doing whatever all the time and I might never be told what's actually going on. This is a stand alone book, or it's supposed to be anyways. All of my favorite parts were about Tress and her world and the other characters and I wish it had just been that.

I don't know why I felt so strongly about it while reading this book, but not Warbreaker. Maybe it's because I went into Warbreaker hoping to learn more about Vivenna's background after reading the Stormlight Archive. Even then, I sort of remember feeling annoyed when it was over like... that's it? I know there's a sequel coming out for that at least... With the Stormlight Archive, it's always felt like a self-contained series even though I know it's technically a part of the Cosmere as a whole, I've never had an issue with it the same way I did here. I just wish that these books could exist in a set order, even if they're supposed to be "stand-alones" so that I could read them in a more coherent way. I don't even know if that's possible because he's writing them out of order and adding and changing details as he goes. Maybe it will happen someday...

ALL that being said, this was a very cute story and I liked it a lot. The plot and characters were all good. I just wish that it was either a true standalone or more clear about it's role in the Cosmere. I don't appreciate Hoid's wit when it comes to namedropping things all the time like we're supposed to know what he's talking about. On the one hand I guess it contributes to worldbuilding, but also it DOESN'T because he talks directly to us and makes assumptions about us as readers. He knows we come from a place with oceans made of water and a place that has laptops, etc. but then he'll assume we know what he's talking about when he mentions some group somewhere in the Cosmere or some lore about how the magic works or the Gods work... The Stormlight Archive may be long, but at least things are (mostly) explained. ( )

A lovely fairytale adventure, written in the vein of The Princess Bride.
Could be YA, but classified as Adult Fiction in my public library.

Tress is on a quest to save the one she loves, escaping from her very strange home island into the wider, even stranger world. Tress is an innocent, but very intelligent older teen, who jumps from one crazy situation into the next, building up friendships and skills along the way.

A satisfying, empowering fantasy adventure ride, with pirates, a dragon, wizard, sorceress and even a rat and zombie thrown in! The science in the worldbuilding takes some time to understand. ( )

anything this guy writes is entertaining and fun to read.
looking forward to the next secret! ( )

Tress is a whimsical tale about a girl’s search and rescue mission for her lost love. It was a sweet story that felt very much like the Princess Bride (Interestingly, the author notes in his postscript that he was actually attempting to write a book like that. So yay me for picking up on it and a success by the author!)

This felt very different from the Steelheart or Mistborn books that I have read by the author so may not be your cup if you are looking for mystery and adventure. It’s nice to see an author try different things though and I think this was probably a lovely gift for his wife. The artwork on both the cover and inside was beautiful, just wishing there was more! I would have loved to see Ulaam and the Crimson sea! ( )

Tress has spent her life on a tiny island in the Verdant Sea, but when her true love is kidnapped by a sorceress, she hatches a plan to rescue him.

This story gives off definite Princess Bride vibes, so I wasn't surprised to see it mentioned as inspiration in the Author's Note. It's a fun romp with pirates and a dragon, but I couldn't get past the magic system. Usually I am able to suspend disbelief and accept whatever magic system Sanderson gives us, but for some reason, seas made of spores is where I draw the line. Your mileage may vary, but I was thrown out of the story any time the mechanics of the whole spores vs. water system was mentioned. (Sanderson himself gives a tongue-in-cheek nod to those of us bothered by this sort of thing: "You must not be very much fun at parties.") Recommended for Sanderson fans, but I don't think it's a natural starting point for those unfamiliar with his work, unless the description really sings to you. ( )

What a magical and whimsical book- i loved every second of it! This book made me laugh out loud, it was hilarious- which was unexpected and wonderful coming from Brandon Sanderson! Highly recommend to anyone who wants a good read! ( )

A+ (One of my favorites).

A window washer goes to sea to rescue her boyfriend. High-seas adventure, fantasy worldbuilding, and heaps of whimsy. Even though the bones of the story are standard fairytale stuff, it's a weird, completely unique book. The only negative feeling I have about it is a little frustration that, since it's very tied-in to several Cosmere series, it's not particularly suited to give as a gift.

(May 2024) ( )

This had TJ Klune vibes all over it. I enjoyed the story and the main character that you just had to cheer for her. I also didn't see it that the rat was actually Charles. Cute twist I didn't see coming. Maybe it was because I listened to it, but I feel like the ship just kind of went on and on. Overall, it was a great story and I toyed back and forth whether this was 3.5 or 4 starts. Maybe 3.75. It was enjoyable and I glad I listened to it. But I like TJ Klune better. This did feel like woman power and a great story that your life experiences change you as a person. Even in the beginning when she was hesitant about leaving the rock. But in the end, she couldn't go back there because she wasn't the same person. Maybe some day I'll sit down and read this. But I think this is YA or if it's not, it could be. There was also some cute humor thrown in here, again, really reminding me of TJ Klune. ( )

questa bella favola di Sanderson non delude
AMBIENTAZIONE:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐(da isolana non poteva che essere questa la mia valutazione)

TRAMA E SPOILER:
il principe viene rapito
la fanciulla va a salvarlo

(già da solo, questo ribaltamento vale la lettura)
( )

This feels like cozy fantasy done well. There are stakes and perils but you feel like you're in safe hands the entire time. This was my first Sanderson book and I liked it quite a bit, but it wasn't what I was expecting from him - and maybe that's just this book. ( )

I enjoyed this a little bit more than Yumi but did get a bit bogged down in the middle. As usual I enjoy Sanderson's books but without ever being wowed by them. ( )

I had fun with this book. I was expecting it to be more of a YA book when I picked it up, but (even though there is no adult content) it didn't have the tone of a YA book. It was very whimsical and light, which—after reading the author's note at the end—appears to have been the intention. There is the potential for the book to have turned dark in several places, and I'm very glad it did not. It remained a lighthearted and fun book, and I appreciated that.

The plot itself is straightforward, and I can sum it up by paraphrasing Sanderson's end notes, without any spoilers: what if, in The Princess Bride, Buttercup had sailed off to rescue Westley instead of giving him up for dead? This book explores that, and the result—as you might expect—is an adventure story of adventure, pirates, and true love.

I enjoyed all of the characters in the book. Even the antagonists were fun. (Plus, I especially liked the dragon.) I'm curious how I will eventually feel after reading other books in Sanderson's Cosmere universe, since I'm told there are Easter eggs in this book for fans of the extended universe. However, this one can be easily read as a standalone without any confusion.

There were times in the story where the conflict seemed to get resolved too easily, but in a way that ultimately didn't matter. (Tress also thinks about this exact fact at the end of the book, in a way that was not quite 4th-wall-breaking, but I appreciated nonetheless.) For this book, somehow it didn't matter that the challenge was not always a difficult one. What mattered was not so much how hard the obstacles were to overcome, but who was willing to pitch in and help get there. The journey was the point of the story, and that journey was a fun one. ( )

What a delight! I love the premise of a Princess Bride story where Buttercup searches for Westley and instead of believing he’s dead. What follows is a wild pirate adventure where Tress discovers her own strength and ingenuity as she travels on the seas of spores.

“Enjoy memories, yes, but don't be a slave to who you wish you once had been.”

“Even small actions have consequences. And while we can often choose our actions, we rarely get to choose our consequences.”

“That is one of the great mistakes people make: assuming that someone who does menial work does not like thinking. Physical labor is great for the mind, as it leaves all kinds of time to consider the world. Other work, like accounting or scribing, demands little of the body—but siphons energy from the mind.

If you wish to become a storyteller, here is a hint: sell your labor, but not your mind. Give me ten hours a day scrubbing a deck, and oh the stories I could imagine. Give me ten hours adding sums, and all you’ll have me imagining at the end is a warm bed and a thought-free evening.” ( )

109000

Tress is a commoner, a window-washer living on a remote island in the 12 seas, who falls in love with the rather dull Charlie, a Duke’s son. Tress stows away on a pirate ship to rescue him when Charlie is captured by the Sorceress in the dreaded Midnight Sea. She meets a crew of pirates including the deaf Fort, a talking rat called Huck, and the frightening Captain Crow. Tress also learns to survive seas made of dangerous spores.

The story starts off sweet and whimsical, but I must confess I tired of the odd humour after a while. The narrator was revealed part way through the novel to be Hoid, some sort of mysterious transgalactic creature, who seems to be held in great affection by other readers who have met him in previous books. Not having done so myself I just found him to be an irritating imbecile, and kept waiting for a great reveal to explain his presence and his powers, which never really happened. There was also the slightly odd mesh of fantasy and sci-fi, a jolting shift from dragons and pirate ships to iPads and laptops.

Tress was a likeable character who rose to the challenges before her. The romance was very vanilla, and I felt like an adult reading a child’s story. A pleasant enough story spoilt by an obtrusive, conscious narration specialising in kookie Dad jokes. ( )

Great book. Wonderful story. Loved the world and characters. ( )

Tress has only known life on the Rock, an island in the Verdant Sea. But when she hears that Charlie, the man she loves, has been taken captive by the Sorceress in the Midnight Sea, she is determined to rescue him. She manages to board a merchant ship, which is soon attacked by pirates; however, Tress is determined not to let either blood-thirsty outlaws or deadly spores stand in her way.

I picked up Tress of the Emerald Sea not only because of the intriguing synopsis (I love heroines that don't need to be rescued but instead do the rescuing themselves), but also because I was curious to see how much Brandon Sanderson's writing had improved since I read Elantris shortly after it was first published. While this standalone is certainly an improvement, I still can't say that this was a resounding success for me. The world building is exquisite, as you'd expect from Sanderson, and there is no doubt that Tress and the officers on the Crow's Song are wonderful creations, whose character developments really resonated with me, especially Tress's; however, I had trouble with Hoid's narration when he brings himself into the story or passes comment on the events. Hoid (for those who don't know) is a recurring character in the Cosmere universe, according to the author's postscript, with a voice that I felt owed a lot to Terry Pratchett. Not all of Terry Pratchett's books are my cup of tea: I don't like books where the author feels that every second paragraph or so must contain a gag, funny play on words or pun, which gets rather unfunny after a while – I always feel that the author is trying too hard. The same is true for Hoid, unfortunately, which is why I found certain passages in the book grating. Taken together with an uneven pace, I sadly can't award this book more than four stars. ( )

I love the concept of the spore seas - particularly the imagery of Tress carefully pacing her way across the Emerald Sea. But I'm steadily finding YA less enchanting. ( )

What an absolutely amazing book! Tress goes off in search of the guy she loves after he is taken by an evil sorceress. This book has everything: adventure, romance, swashbuckling on the high seas (or spores), and a loveable cast of characters that keep you entertained from the very first word. I've never been one for pirate stories or sci-fi. But I am all in for this one.

A stellar introduction into the world of Brandon Sanderson. ( )

love a good Hoid story

Spoilering most of the review for people who still haven't finished Secret Project #1 (which I see we've title revealed on here), but very generally: I found it delightful, with a sweetness that perfectly counters my listen of the Greenbone saga, ha. Brandon says this takes inspiration from [b:The Princess Bride|21787|The Princess Bride|William Goldman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327903636l/21787._SY75_.jpg|992628] as well as [b:Good Omens|12067|Good Omens The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch|Terry Pratchett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615552073l/12067._SY75_.jpg|4110990] for what he was aiming for re: tone. I've read neither but have seen adaptations of both, and I feel he accomplished this.

In terms of broader Cosmere spoilers, this one works as a standalone, though there are definite easter eggs/references to other worlds (think of this like, Black Panther: an entry that works on its own but you can find the broader connections to the bigger universe if you look/are in the know). Not obnoxious enough for a casual or new fan, but plenty of tantalizing details for speculation and theorycrafting!

On to book specific thoughts:
Tress is a delightful heroine who really takes agency into actively steering her plot. Something needs doing? Time to think on how to move forward!

It's also really fun having Hoid as narrator, as we've had him in bits and pieces but here he really gets to shine as a storyteller- a little bit smug, but fully self-aware enough to poke fun at himself in his cursed phase.

Because I don't keep up with the minutiae of Words of Brandon, I am not familiar with what the aethers are/have been hinted as, so it was fun to be introduced to them here. I'm reminded of [b:The Dragonriders of Pern|61942|The Dragonriders of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern, #1-3)|Anne McCaffrey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348984331l/61942._SY75_.jpg|6614581]'s Threads that fall to the planet, though these have a variety of interactions with water which is fascinating. I'm reminded I should reread [b:Elantris|68427|Elantris (Elantris, #1)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1475740953l/68427._SY75_.jpg|2908871] as it's been a while and I don't remember everything going on with aons, but they're specifically used by some characters here.

After I clicked post, I realized another thing that reminded me of Pern- characters who are more technologically advanced than others being perceived as magicians when really, it's a spaceship y'all. .

The illustrations by Howard Lyon are gorgeous, and I can't wait to see them in physical form. I need to figure out how to zoom in my apps as finger pinching merely changed font size, but I"ll figure it out (or open the PDF version on my desktop).

I'm pleased with the first secret project so far, and look forward to what's essentially collective kickstarter book club discussions :) ( )

2.5 or 3/5

What a sad day. When this book gets only three stars, and it is supposed to be comparable to Princess Bride.

Tress of the Emerald Sea is marketed as young adult, but it reads very middle grade. I am a fan of middle grade, so this wasn't an issue for me, but it's a lot more juvenile than I was expecting.

World building was super cool. I really liked the way that the spores worked, and it would have been cool to see how they function on land and how different cultures view them.

Characters were super lacking. Everyone was fun enough to be around, they just felt underdeveloped. Motivations were pretty thin. All of the villains felt like cartoon villains, too. Except maybe Crow, I thought Crow was pretty cool.

Sometimes this just dragged. I liked the writing style, but it lacked tension and consequences. As soon as a problem came up, it was insta solved. So it mostly felt boring. There were some really well-written passages, but the conflict was moot.

Also, this is hardly a spoiler, but I thought it was so dumb that Tress stayed on the boat. I feel like the book would've been more exciting if she left. The first time she's offered leave, she hardly knows anyone. She has this mission to save Charlie, and she's seen the politics on the ship. Idk, I just wish it wouldn't have been the boat the whole time. I kind of expected she'd whirlwind through different places, gaining different companions and all that kind of adventuring stuff. Being at sea never felt like an adventure, at least the way it was written where they never really came across anything or anyone.

I have heard that Sanderson is an excellent writer. I did enjoy this book well enough. I think the issue with Tress of the Emerald Sea is that Sanderson is trying to imitate the style of Princess Bride. He can swing, but he does miss. ( )