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The Chronicles of Midvalen #1
Command The Tides
Enter Midvalen, a world of kings and kingdoms, princes and pretenders.
In the Kingdom of Miranov, Taya seems to have it all: she owns her own store, she’s engaged to be married to a handsome man, and she’s a success. But the truth is more complicated than anyone could guess. Her engagement is a sham, an agreement of convenience that she made with Darren so she can own land and he can get his mother off his back. She thinks things have become complicated when she realizes that she's fallen in love with him, something she never planned to do. But what's worse is discovering that her simple sailor boy is actually the crown prince of neighboring Sephria, and his usurping Uncle is trying to kill him.
When Darren shows up at her door, bleeding and fleeing assassins, Taya is drawn into a complicated mess of politics, fighting, and broken hearts. Her allegiances will be questioned, her love will find a new course, and she’ll do it all while trying to stay alive, save the day, and guard her heart.
In the Kingdom of Miranov, Taya seems to have it all: she owns her own store, she’s engaged to be married to a handsome man, and she’s a success. But the truth is more complicated than anyone could guess. Her engagement is a sham, an agreement of convenience that she made with Darren so she can own land and he can get his mother off his back. She thinks things have become complicated when she realizes that she's fallen in love with him, something she never planned to do. But what's worse is discovering that her simple sailor boy is actually the crown prince of neighboring Sephria, and his usurping Uncle is trying to kill him.
When Darren shows up at her door, bleeding and fleeing assassins, Taya is drawn into a complicated mess of politics, fighting, and broken hearts. Her allegiances will be questioned, her love will find a new course, and she’ll do it all while trying to stay alive, save the day, and guard her heart.
244 pages, Paperback
First published March 17, 2015
4 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Wren Handman
16 books44 followersWren Handman is a novelist and screenwriter living in soggy Vancouver, which gives her plenty of time to curl up in front of a computer.
She primarily writes young adult fiction and fantasy novels. In her screenwriting, her emphasis is on the real world with a touch of fantastical. She believes that what we see in media impacts how we see the world, and she hopes to make that view brighter.
She primarily writes young adult fiction and fantasy novels. In her screenwriting, her emphasis is on the real world with a touch of fantastical. She believes that what we see in media impacts how we see the world, and she hopes to make that view brighter.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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December 29, 2023Command the Tides was the second novel I ever wrote: it was my final project for my high school English class! It went through extensive editing before publication, of course, but it still reminds me of the young dreamer I was when I first started crafting long-form stories.
February 6, 2025
Taya is a seamstress who circumvents local laws by arranging a fake engagement with a local sailor in order to have her own land and business. The arrangement is working beautifully for them until Darrin shows up at her door with two strangers, bleeding half to death and muttering about kings and princesses. From there, her world is tossed on its head as she begins the adventure of a lifetime.
*****
This one took me a hot minute to get into. We're tossed into a world with its own systems, religious beliefs of various new gods and goddesses, and magic based on a coin system. There isn't a lot of explanation, but there are a lot of moving parts that took me some time to become invested in. However, by the time I had finished a third of the book, I was hooked.
I adored Taya in her strength, her weaknesses, and her stubborn temper. Darrin was the perfect contrast in how much of a seafaring dolt he was. Unaware of feelings, political machinations, or anything of the sort. Then we have Jereth, who was strong and purposeful, and a great contrast without it being obvious about his role in the story. I also loved how casual sapphic, bisexual and gay romances were woven in, but not ignored. It was a breath of fresh air to read a fantasy world with characters that I could identify with that weren't shoved to the side, hidden, or used.
From there, the actual story is fantastic. The pacing is steady, the nod to the coin system of calling on different gods is so interesting, and I can't wait to hear more about it in future novels. This was full of adventure, mouthy banter, and political intruige without being drawn out so long that it lost interest. If you love fantasy, magic and strong female leads, this one is for you.
*****
Thank you to the author, Wren Handman, for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****
This one took me a hot minute to get into. We're tossed into a world with its own systems, religious beliefs of various new gods and goddesses, and magic based on a coin system. There isn't a lot of explanation, but there are a lot of moving parts that took me some time to become invested in. However, by the time I had finished a third of the book, I was hooked.
I adored Taya in her strength, her weaknesses, and her stubborn temper. Darrin was the perfect contrast in how much of a seafaring dolt he was. Unaware of feelings, political machinations, or anything of the sort. Then we have Jereth, who was strong and purposeful, and a great contrast without it being obvious about his role in the story. I also loved how casual sapphic, bisexual and gay romances were woven in, but not ignored. It was a breath of fresh air to read a fantasy world with characters that I could identify with that weren't shoved to the side, hidden, or used.
From there, the actual story is fantastic. The pacing is steady, the nod to the coin system of calling on different gods is so interesting, and I can't wait to hear more about it in future novels. This was full of adventure, mouthy banter, and political intruige without being drawn out so long that it lost interest. If you love fantasy, magic and strong female leads, this one is for you.
*****
Thank you to the author, Wren Handman, for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 20, 2015
This book deals with a political uprising in a fictional land. The author did a great job at creating a society with their own religious and social customs.
Taya is a woman who has an idea of how her life should go. She owns her own shop, she has a strong religious belief, she is conveniently engaged to a sailor who has women in every port. She hopes that one day he will see the gem that she is and make their arrangement permanent, not one of convenience.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. I would recommend this book to older readers, New Adult and above. While the intimacy is not detailed, it fades to black. The main character and others have both homo/hetero relationships. There is also swearing.
Taya is a woman who has an idea of how her life should go. She owns her own shop, she has a strong religious belief, she is conveniently engaged to a sailor who has women in every port. She hopes that one day he will see the gem that she is and make their arrangement permanent, not one of convenience.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. I would recommend this book to older readers, New Adult and above. While the intimacy is not detailed, it fades to black. The main character and others have both homo/hetero relationships. There is also swearing.
April 15, 2016
YES! IT'S HERE! IT'S LIVE!
Ahem.
Welcome, one and all, to Midvalen. A world of princes, seamstresses and assassins, with a fascinating backdrop of mythology that we don't learn enough of (!! patience, patience).. because this is only book one.
In COMMAND THE TIDES, first of the Chronicles of Midvalen series and set in Miranov, we meet Taya, a devout yet rebellious girl. She has managed to circumvent her society's requirement that only married couples prosper and own property. How? She's found herself a fiancé.. one who needed his own way to escape a mother's nagging that he marry. And so they came together to satisfy the expectations of those around them -- for Taya, a husband means she can open a shop of her own and prove herself as a successful businesswoman, and Darren can reassure his own family that their line will continue.. eventually. But he isn't just an ordinary man. Darren's a sailor, his soul bound to the sea, and upon returning to port, and to Taya, bears newly learned secrets that put everything at risk : the only livelihood Darren's ever known and wanted, Taya's independence, and her heart -- for she has found herself in love with her sailor, despite their agreed upon ruse. But as they race to right a wrong done years before, and return a Kingdom to the rule of it's rightful heir, she might also lose her life. Or worse.. Darren might lose his.
Full of action, betrayal, romance, political machinations and suspense, COMMAND THE TIDES is not to be missed! Handman might also surprise readers with how she's concluded the first installment of her series. And she will certainly have them wanting more. For as the beautiful map at the beginning of the book shows, there's more than just Miranov to explore!
Ahem.
Welcome, one and all, to Midvalen. A world of princes, seamstresses and assassins, with a fascinating backdrop of mythology that we don't learn enough of (!! patience, patience).. because this is only book one.
In COMMAND THE TIDES, first of the Chronicles of Midvalen series and set in Miranov, we meet Taya, a devout yet rebellious girl. She has managed to circumvent her society's requirement that only married couples prosper and own property. How? She's found herself a fiancé.. one who needed his own way to escape a mother's nagging that he marry. And so they came together to satisfy the expectations of those around them -- for Taya, a husband means she can open a shop of her own and prove herself as a successful businesswoman, and Darren can reassure his own family that their line will continue.. eventually. But he isn't just an ordinary man. Darren's a sailor, his soul bound to the sea, and upon returning to port, and to Taya, bears newly learned secrets that put everything at risk : the only livelihood Darren's ever known and wanted, Taya's independence, and her heart -- for she has found herself in love with her sailor, despite their agreed upon ruse. But as they race to right a wrong done years before, and return a Kingdom to the rule of it's rightful heir, she might also lose her life. Or worse.. Darren might lose his.
Full of action, betrayal, romance, political machinations and suspense, COMMAND THE TIDES is not to be missed! Handman might also surprise readers with how she's concluded the first installment of her series. And she will certainly have them wanting more. For as the beautiful map at the beginning of the book shows, there's more than just Miranov to explore!
November 29, 2020
I found Command the Tides a lot of fun. The characters were lovable and engaging. Their wishes and desires go against the mores of their times, and how they manage to work out the issues is both fun and in depth.
The is intrigue, action, love and politics. How could it get any better?
I will follow this authour and look for more. I think Wren Handman is going to get better and better as time goes on.
The is intrigue, action, love and politics. How could it get any better?
I will follow this authour and look for more. I think Wren Handman is going to get better and better as time goes on.
February 22, 2025
Thanks to the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This romantasy is a light and breezy read, with relaxed sexual appetites, queer characters, and some clever ideas of a magic system worked through gods-bestowed coins.
There are some interesting cultures developed in the story, centered around a rocky, coastal region in a world sealed off by a great mist from everything beyond. It is a pantheistic world with a range of deities worshipped in various ways, and who can be felt along the edges of the story as influential forces that might be entreated to intervene.
However, the worldbuilding is somewhat undercut by inconsistent language throughout, sometimes feeling otherworldly, and other times distractingly modern, such as in dialogue and in names like King Stieve (sorry, I could not take him seriously), as well as several clichés.
The characters are equally breezy and a visual feast for bisexual readers. Their characterization is light, suitable for a pantomime or soap opera, though it did mean that the tension and drama of some scenes felt rote. I never had any doubt the the good guys would succeed and the bad guys would be punished because the narrative conventions demanded it, moreso than any enduring merit of certain characters' temperaments or skills. A couple notable exceptions to this were [spoilers!] Taya's blessing from Ashua during the siege on the duke's stronghold and Rion's whirlwind defence of Kathrick, both of which were highlights of the story.
The protagonist was an easy-going and sexually free woman, which meant she had saucy encounters with many people over the course of the story, even though her "official love interest" isn't really confirmed until the 80% mark. In general, I found her characterization a bit inconsistent, but perhaps the author intended her to be finding herself throughout the story. If this is a case of an unreliable narrator being dishonest with herself that might account for her waffling of romantic affection vs platonic attachment and independence vs desire to be chosen.
There were also several inconsistencies and errors in the text (a moonlight scene that turned to a sunset partway through, many typos in the text, inconsistent naming like House Ram becoming House Night at one point), but I assume these will be corrected before the official release.
Overall, it was a fun romp in the romantasy genre and will probably be greatly enjoyed by queer romantasy readers.
This romantasy is a light and breezy read, with relaxed sexual appetites, queer characters, and some clever ideas of a magic system worked through gods-bestowed coins.
There are some interesting cultures developed in the story, centered around a rocky, coastal region in a world sealed off by a great mist from everything beyond. It is a pantheistic world with a range of deities worshipped in various ways, and who can be felt along the edges of the story as influential forces that might be entreated to intervene.
However, the worldbuilding is somewhat undercut by inconsistent language throughout, sometimes feeling otherworldly, and other times distractingly modern, such as in dialogue and in names like King Stieve (sorry, I could not take him seriously), as well as several clichés.
The characters are equally breezy and a visual feast for bisexual readers. Their characterization is light, suitable for a pantomime or soap opera, though it did mean that the tension and drama of some scenes felt rote. I never had any doubt the the good guys would succeed and the bad guys would be punished because the narrative conventions demanded it, moreso than any enduring merit of certain characters' temperaments or skills. A couple notable exceptions to this were [spoilers!] Taya's blessing from Ashua during the siege on the duke's stronghold and Rion's whirlwind defence of Kathrick, both of which were highlights of the story.
The protagonist was an easy-going and sexually free woman, which meant she had saucy encounters with many people over the course of the story, even though her "official love interest" isn't really confirmed until the 80% mark. In general, I found her characterization a bit inconsistent, but perhaps the author intended her to be finding herself throughout the story. If this is a case of an unreliable narrator being dishonest with herself that might account for her waffling of romantic affection vs platonic attachment and independence vs desire to be chosen.
There were also several inconsistencies and errors in the text (a moonlight scene that turned to a sunset partway through, many typos in the text, inconsistent naming like House Ram becoming House Night at one point), but I assume these will be corrected before the official release.
Overall, it was a fun romp in the romantasy genre and will probably be greatly enjoyed by queer romantasy readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2025
This was such a good Romantacy adventure! I loved Taya and the relationships in the story were so well thought out and at times, a rollercoaster! Its rare a book has me in tears.
Definitely my favourite read of this year so far!
Definitely my favourite read of this year so far!
May 22, 2025
short and simple for a fantasy book, but with a fast-moving plot, this local author Handman really accomplished a lot of good in this story.
February 2, 2015
This is a great start to an exciting fantasy series! It's got swords, the sea, intrigue...and some really interesting gender roles! For instance, women are the ones to "corrupt" innocent men, and they certainly get along quite nicely when alone together...;) Lots of fun, must read!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews