Book Review: Voyage of the Lanternfish by C. S. Boyack #FantasyAdventure #PirateAdventure

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For the new year, I’m going to be adding a variety of posts, including sharing book reviews. With the amount of books I read a year, why not? 😀

I still haven’t finalized the format. Most likely it will be something I do on a monthly basis with reviews of the books I’ve read during the month.

But to get started, I’m doing a stand alone review. I finished Voyage of the Lanternfish by C. S. Boyack last night and am still thinking about the highly imaginative world the author created. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this story. I’ve read a number of Craig’s books, but this one rocks the boat! Heehee. Pun intended.

Book cover for Voyage of the Lanternfish by author, C. S. Boyack, shows bow of old clipper ship with glowing lanternfish headFirst the Blurb:
An honorable man is mistaken for his disreputable father. Now he’s pushed into a political scheme to start a war that will spread across multiple kingdoms. James Cuttler’s fiancé is being held captive to ensure he goes through with the plan.

He soon decides his skills are at sea and procures a ship to wage war upon those who disrupted his simple life. He can’t do it alone, so he recruits a band of cutthroats to help him. But first, they need guns and munitions to outfit the ship properly. Deception and trickery will only get them so far. Eventually, they’re going to have to engage the enemy.

James’ goals aren’t necessarily the same as his crew. It’s a delicate balancing act to collect enough loot to keep his crew happy, while guiding them back to rescue the girl.

Voyage of the Lanternfish is filled with adventure, magic, and monsters. Lots of monsters. Hoist the colors and come along for the ride.

MY 5-STAR REVIEW:
What a rollicking, magical, high-octane, deftly plotted adventure! Remember when Dorothy steps from her black-and-white world into the Land of Oz for the first time? That explosion of color, wonder, and delight is equivalent to what the reader experiences in Voyage of the Lanternfish.

Wow, where to begin? I won’t reiterate the plot (just hop up and read the blurb), but I will say you’re in for a treat with this story of pirates, high-sea adventure, a diverse cast of characters and plenty of bizarre creatures. Where else will you encounter root monsters, an anvil bird, Fu dogs, owlcats, and a moving reef? And those are just some of the imaginative beings Boyack introduces with his latest release. I developed a special fondness for the root monsters with their unwavering loyalty, nightly story-telling sessions, rabid delight in receiving names, and atrocious mangling of language. Of special note: You can’t read this book and not appreciate the cleverness of “I I I I”

Trust me. 🙂

The cast is every bit as colorful as the creatures and extremely diverse in backgrounds. They each have such strong personalities, it’s hard to choose a favorite. Even secondary characters and third level characters get plenty of moments to shine. The battle scenes involving mortars, guns, and claiming ships are perfectly executed. I was dazzled and glued to the pages.

I have read several books by this author but this one is in a league of its own. Hop aboard and set sail. You won’t be disappointed!

Gang, go forth and ONE CLICK. This isn’t just a adventure story, but one that builds on character relationships, too. You won’t regret setting sail!

59 thoughts on “Book Review: Voyage of the Lanternfish by C. S. Boyack #FantasyAdventure #PirateAdventure”

  1. Craig never disappoints, and while I haven’t finished this one yet, I’m impressed with what I’ve read so far. (I, too, am a huge fan of the root monsters.) Wishing him much success with this. Great review, Mae.

    Liked by 4 people

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    • Priscilla, I want to start a root monsters fan club! 😀

      The character relationships were another attraction for me. Craig really developed some interesting pirates to populate his boat. It’s a lot of fun!

      Liked by 1 person

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  5. I completely agree with your review, Mae! The characters with all their special little quirks and magic were quite colorful. Craig did an excellent job of world-building with this fantasy! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

    Liked by 2 people

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    • The way Craig described Serang, I could so perfectly see her actions. I still recall visions of her in the rigging, practicing with her glaive, and summoning her Fu dogs. Mal was superb as well. So many excellent characters in this tale!

      Liked by 2 people

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  16. Great review Mae:) This is one I can’t wait to read and have enjoyed other stories too by this author. I’m happy you are posting your reviews here. I know I’m going to enjoy your reccomendations.

    Liked by 2 people

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  19. Yay! I’m delighted to see posting your reviews. Mae. Thank you! Bravo, Craig! What an absolutely game-changing review. I’ve loved many of Craig’s books and this one promises to be just as awesome. Let me at it.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • LOL! You’re going to love this one, Soon. All of Craig’s stuff is great, but this one is my favorite to date. So much adventure and fun!

      And yeah, I decided it was time I should start posting reviews. I’m not really sure why I never took that step in the past, but as much as I read, I think it will be fun 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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