Saltswept (The Earthsalt Duology)
Saltswept is the debut novel of Edinburgh-based writer, Katalina Watt, and described as ‘Southeast Asian mythology meets High Seas heist’. The author speaks in interview about coming from two island nations – Britain and the Philippines – and it is the latter that has undoubtedly inspired this rich and magical fantasy world.
The story is told from three perspectives: Finlyr, a pirate with a troubled past who narrowly escapes death on the gallows; Ris, a farmer who has recently been widowed and is desperate to protect her specially gifted child; and Hanan, an acolyte at the local Temple, ambitious for promotion to the queen’s priestess. The first few chapters introduce each of the characters in media res, which was confusing at first. But don’t be daunted. The reader quickly becomes familiar with Watt’s style and soon finds their bearings. There is very little explanation but, through events as they unfold, this unique world starts to reveal its mysteries and dangers.
The plot is centred around the three main characters who soon find themselves on a perilous quest for treasure aboard Fin’s ship, the Saltswept, a quest sanctioned by the royal family but only as a way of fulfilling their own rapacious greed. The action starts on the mainland of Paranish, but we learn also about the surrounding smaller islands, an archipelago of contrasting locations linked by the vastness of the ocean. The travellers meet many supernatural challenges along the way, including undead sailors, a terrifying maelstrom, necromancy and the Adarna bird from Filipino mythology, a mystical colourful fowl that can magically heal but can also turn people to stone.
This is an exciting read for lovers of historical fantasy. It took me back to thrilling childhood tales set in the Golden Age of Piracy – here reimagined for an exciting and inventive new fictional world.
