New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns to the world of The Narrows with Saint, a captivating prequel to Fable and Namesake.
As a boy, Elias learned the hard way what happens when you don't heed the old tales.
Nine years after his lack of superstition got his father killed, he's grown into a young man of piety, with a deep reverence for the hallowed sea and her fickle favor. As stories of the fisherman's son who has managed to escape the most deadly of storms spreads from port to port, his devotion to the myths and creeds has given him the reputation of the luckiest bastard to sail the Narrows.
Now, he's mere days away from getting everything his father ever dreamed for him: a ship of his own, a crew, and a license that names him as one of the first Narrows-born traders. But when a young dredger from the Unnamed Sea with more than one secret crosses his path, Elias' faith will be tested like never before. The greater the pull he feels toward her, the farther he drifts from the things he's spent the last three years working for.
He is dangerously close to repeating his mistakes and he's seen first hand how vicious the jealous sea can be. If he's going to survive her retribution, he will have to decide which he wants more, the love of the girl who could change their shifting world, or the sacred beliefs that earned him the name that he's known for—Saint.
New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns to the world of The Narrows with Saint, a captivating prequel to Fable and Namesake.
As a boy, Elias learned the hard way what happens when you don't heed the old tales.
Nine years after his lack of superstition got his father killed, he's grown into a young man of piety, with a deep reverence for the hallowed sea and her fickle favor. As stories of the fisherman's son who has managed to escape the most deadly of storms spreads from port to port, his devotion to the myths and creeds has given him the reputation of the luckiest bastard to sail the Narrows.
Now, he's mere days away from getting everything his father ever dreamed for him: a ship of his own, a crew, and a license that names him as one of the first Narrows-born traders. But when a young dredger from the Unnamed Sea with more than one secret crosses his path, Elias' faith will be tested like never before. The greater the pull he feels toward her, the farther he drifts from the things he's spent the last three years working for.
He is dangerously close to repeating his mistakes and he's seen first hand how vicious the jealous sea can be. If he's going to survive her retribution, he will have to decide which he wants more, the love of the girl who could change their shifting world, or the sacred beliefs that earned him the name that he's known for—Saint.
Critiques-
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October 1, 2022
A prequel to the Fable duology. Elias is a fisherman's son whose fearlessness and ability to survive deadly storms as the helmsman of an old, decrepit ship have earned him the moniker of Saint and a fierce reputation. But this facade hides the young man's guilt over his father's death and determination to make something of himself as the first Narrows-born trader. Isolde is a gem sage on the run from her mother, the most powerful gem merchant of the Unnamed Sea. There doesn't seem to exist a place far enough from her mother's influence--until she finds herself joining the diminished crew of a ship out of the Narrows, one whose helmsman may just have what it takes to help her escape. As Isolde's and Saint's lives intersect and their attraction grows, the two become immersed in a game of power and love in which the future of the Narrows lies in their hands. This novel follows the parents of Fable, the series' protagonist, showing the intersection of their budding love story with elements of the worldbuilding that lead to the growth of the Narrows. It's a slow-moving, immersive story with less action and more rich, poetic prose that beautifully underscores the two main characters' strengths, weaknesses, and beliefs. Both blue-eyed Saint and red-haired Isolde have olive skin. Returning and new readers alike will find much to love in this absorbing tale. (Fantasy. 12-18)COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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November 1, 2022
Grades 7-10 Isolde, the daughter of a fearsome trade magnate in the Unnamed Sea, makes a daring escape after she steals her mother's prized possession. A gem sage, someone who can find real gemstones by humming magic resonance, she's wanted by a number of merchants and pirates across the waters. Meanwhile, Saint, once called Elias, and his best friend, Clove, are illegal traders eyeing a legitimate license and a ship of their own. They just have to dodge other traders, legal and illegal, while they wait for their proper papers. Isolde and Saint cross paths at the trading hub, where she realizes he's smuggling gemstones, and he realizes she's about to be sold into slavery. What follows is a daring, swashbuckling adventure, complete with--no matter how hard they try to resist--a heaping helping of romance. While it's not immediately clear that there are two narrators, this fast-paced prequel to the Fable series gets going right away. The language is thick with in-world slang, so readers may benefit from a familiarity with the other series installments.COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Booklist
"...a daring, swashbuckling adventure, complete with--no matter how hard they try to resist--a heaping helping of romance."
- Kirkus "...Rich, poetic prose that beautifully underscores the two main characters' strengths, weaknesses, and beliefs...Returning and new readers alike will find much to love in this absorbing tale."
- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "A vividly drawn maritime setting, dramatic sea dives and daring rescues, not one but two formidable villains, and a swoony romance make this a treat for seafarers and landlubbers alike."
- Kirkus "A dark maritime fantasy...immersive...and rich in sensory details. For readers who can't get enough of strong female protagonists..."
- Shea Ernshaw, New York Times bestselling author of The Wicked Deep "The salty sea and the promise of something hidden in its depths, had me reading this book at a furious pace. You don't simply read Fable, you are ensnared by it. This is Adrienne Young's best work of storytelling yet!"
- Publishers Weekly Young (The Girl the Sea Gave Back) blends adventure and intrigue in this lush nautical duology opener, crafting a flinty world in which danger lurks at every turn."
