Title: The Revenge of Captain Vessia
Author: Leslie Allen
Publication Date: October 4, 2024
Genres: Fantasy
Representation: Transgender, Lesbian
A vampire pirate queen, her (mostly) queer crew, and transgender princess.
Swashbuckling action, vampire mayhem and bloodshed, and moments of queer romance.
A historical fantasy, some vampire horror, and deep threads of a political thriller that weaponizes religion.
Yes, The Revenge of Captain Vessia really is all of those things (and more), but thanks to the strength of her character and the depth of her themes, Leslie Allen makes it all work. This is a truly immersive work of fantasy, one in which you'll easily find yourself fully invested, wrapped up in the characters and their world. Part of what makes it so powerful is how it begins, as we see young Claire Vessia captured by the navy, mistaken for command when she was barely crew, tortured and beaten, and then cruelly toyed with by a woman who promises freedom . . . but with a terrible price. We know how badly she was wronged, we see how deplorably she was treated, and we understand why she holds a grudge that drives her forward.
And yet, at the same time, we see what a strong, capable captain she becomes when she owns the charge of piracy, rising above her abuser to build a crew that's like family. Allen juxtaposes motives and emotions aplenty here, forcing the reader to confront the good and the bad of our pirate captain, especially under the gaze of Princess Moira. This isn't grimdark - there's still hope, still love, still promise - but it's unsettlingly honest about the horrible things we can do even in the name of something good.
If I were to have one complaint about the book, it's that I would have liked to read more perspectives, just to understand how the deliberate construction of an entire faith was orchestrated to bring an empire to the brink of ruin. It's fascinating stuff, and makes for some big 'ah-hah' moments near the end, but it also makes the villains very one-sided. For a story that's so deep and diverse, I would have liked to see a little more humanity amongst Moira's people.
That small quibble aside, this was a fantastic read. There's an early lull between Vessia escaping the noose to Moira coming on scene around the 25% mark, but from there on out, it's a fast-paced, emotional, exciting, compelling read to the finish. I freely admit, I stalled in that lull, putting the book down for a bit, but when I got back to it and encountered Moira, I finished the whole damned thing in a day.
Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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