The Sea Watch (Shadows of the Apt, #6) in Beyond Reality

Oct 10, 2024 Kathi rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 52-book-club-2024-challenge, fantasy

6.5/10
It probably didn’t help that I had some long pauses while reading this book, so it took me 2 weeks. My biggest complaint was the sheer number & variety of new kinden the author introduced. Yes, very creative & appropriate given that the story takes place largely underwater, so obviously, different sorts of people would have evolved to live & thrive there, but I sometimes felt like the author was just showing off how inventive he could be. I assume these kinden will continue to play a role ...more

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Oct 04, 2024 Natalie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

This entry in the Shadows of the Apt series was enormously creative. Tchaikovsky continues to expand the kinden world and explore new areas and new characters while broadening our understanding of key characters and their growth. There were a few sections where the writing wasn't as strong, I think because the author was so focused on creative, complex world building.
This book centers on Stenwold Maker, the War Master and lecturer at Collegium. We learn that pirates have been attacking ships mor This entry in the Shadows of the Apt series was enormously creative. Tchaikovsky continues to expand the kinden world and explore new areas and new characters while broadening our understanding of key characters and their growth. There were a few sections where the writing wasn't as strong, I think because the author was so focused on creative, complex world building.
This book centers on Stenwold Maker, the War Master and lecturer at Collegium. We learn that pirates have been attacking ships more heavily, cutting deeply into merchant profits. Renes Failwright, a merchant, seeks help from Stenwold but Sten feels this is outside of his pervue. However, after some thought, he decides to look into the matter. Meanwhile, Failwright is brutally murdered and disappears. Sten agrees to meet with Teornis, of the Aldenrael family, on a barge at sea, to come to an agreement about the reach of the pirates. Sten's lover, Arianna comes too, as well as several Mantis Kinden.
During the meeting, a giant octopus, Arkeuthys, drags Sten, his helper Lazlo, and Teornis down into the ocean. As he is taken, Danaen the Mantis, whips out her sword, killing several including Arianna.
Sten, Laszlo, and Teornis awaken inside a sea kinden world, ruled by the jealous, angry Claeon. We also meet Rosander, a leader of one faction who dreams of going ashore and ruling the land, Mandir, head of the Hot Stations which is somewhat a factory, and Nemoctes, leader of the Pelagists, a group of wandering sea kinden. The three land kinden are put in prison where they meet Paladrya, a former lover of Claeon and tutor to his nephew, Aradocles whom she smuggled to land to protect him years ago. Enemies of Claeon want to find Aradocles and bring him back to rule in his uncle's place.
We learn that the Sea kinden have adapted well to living in the sea, but they are fragmented into several groups, are poorly led, and have little technology. Their homes are built by the Archetoi, who use found items to build and build according to their will. Other groups include the Kerebroi (primarily rulers), the Onychoi (known as people of the claw, often warriors), the Polypoi (wanderers), the Medusoi (people who travel the sea), the Gastroi (the farmers and low level workers), and the Echinoi (group who survive by periodically attacking the settlements). Many believe that the land is a dangerous and deadly place. Also, many just accept life as they have made it, instead of seeking change.
Sten and Laszlo flounder about, feeling weak and disoriented in this new place. They are helped by Wys and Phyllis, who are bold and somewhat independent. Teornis on the other hand, works quickly to ally himself to Claeon, claiming he will help Claeon to get his own way. It was very interesting to see various land kinden try to adapt to new situations.
Sten meets an enchantress under the sea, Lyess, who tries to put a love spell on him and control him for selfish purposes. But Sten agrees to search for Aradocles to help Paladrya and Nemoctes. Meanwhile, Teornis promises to hunt down Aradocles for Claeon. Sten brings with him a small group of sea kinden to help, who find themselves lost in the land kinden world.
When Sten and Teornis get to land, they go to an out of the way city, Princep Salmae, where Sten's student Salma had set up a base. The city is full of Roach and Spider kinden, both of whom are scavengers and con artists. Aradocles is hiding in the castle, helping the woman formerly known as Grief in Chains, now the Monarch. When Sten gets to him and explains the problems in the sea, Aradocles agrees to go fight for his place as leader. We discover that a prominent assembly man, Helmess Broiler, has been working with some sea kinden to undermine Collegium. Also, a wasp leader, Aagon, is investigating Princep.
Sten calls for a meeting with Rosander, after confronting Broiler about his duplicity. Sten cleverly takes Rosander in an airship and shows him how vast the land is, to show that Rosander's plan to take the land is futile given the realities. Then Sten decides to accompany Aradocles undersea where the opposition quickly crumbles. (view spoiler).
In the end, Sten confronts the spider-Aldenrael family and threatens the destruction of their fleet if they do not back away from Collegium. Sten is really in his element negotiating with various leaders, to bring them to reason or change their course.
The strength of this book is the variety of personalities and methods of adapting to their environments. Some kinden work with living creatures under the sea. And some sea kinden have art to create intricate decorative gold and paper creations. Lyess, though obsessed and misled, brings in elements of magic. While a few good characters die in the various clashes, we do see the crooked and selfish leaders getting their just desserts. And there are hints of things to come. ...more

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Jun 28, 2016 Katy rated it liked it · review of another edition

In this installment of the series we are introduced to a new set of people & new dangers. Nice interlude.

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Nov 30, 2010 Jason rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2011, e-books

Let me start by saying that I was very disappointed with this book...for a little while anyways. That being said, Adrian Tchaikovsky has quickly become a favorite Author of mine, and I really am anxious to devour more. I was disappointed with this book because I loved the last one, The Scarab Path so much. Che and Thralic are my favorite characters in this series and they play no part in this novel. However, Tchaikovsky has made this novel all about Stenwold,and Teornis to a smaller degree. Sten ...more

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Jun 11, 2013 Cody rated it really liked it

The Sea Watch is like going back to the first book in the series when it comes to inventiveness and worldbuilding. Suddenly Tchaikovsky takes us into an entirely new part of the world and the reader gets to see all sorts of new kinden and environments. I love the insect/crustacean/arachnid totems that the author has going on in this series. Like I've said before, he may not have the writing of Wolfe or Erikson, but Tchaikovsky has written a fun series.

This book is also a breath of fresh air beca ...more

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