The ocean is a force of nature that plays an important role in nearly every fantasy book. In the real world, the ocean holds many mysteries, which makes it the perfect subject for fantasy authors to incorporate oceanic elements into their stories. The vastness of the ocean allows for many different types of stories. As an illustration, an author could write a story inspired by the stormy sea, which would be about the tumultuous relationship between pirates and mermaids. On the other hand, an author can write a book inspired by calm, crystal clear waters where divers are searching for a rare magical object. Ultimately there is no limit to the unique stories that the ocean can inspire in Fantasy Books.
In honor of World Ocean Day, here is a list of 6 fantasy book recommendations that are ocean themed.
Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford
Crown of Coral and Pearl follows a young girl named Nor on a dangerous conquest to help protect her ocean village. The village of Varenia is not only exploited by the Kingdom of Ilara for its pearls, which are becoming rarer and rarer by the day; the Kingdom also exploits the village of Varenia by having one of the most beautiful maidens marry the prince of Ilara – a practice that has been going on for decades. Nor is denied the opportunity to be the prince’s wife because of a thin scar running down her face. Nor is an outcast because both the Kingdom and her village only accepted perfection. However, when Zadie, Nor’s twin sister, is chosen and then mysteriously injured, Nor must hide her scar and take Zadie’s place. Nor is thrown into treacherous courtly politics and must deal with her future husband, who is not what he seems… Ultimately Nor must fight to save her ocean village from the exploitation of the land.
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
To Kill a Kingdom is a dark retelling of “The Little Mermaid,” following Lira, who is the princess of sirens and prides herself on being the most deadly of all of them. However, when Lira kills one of her own kind, her mother takes away her voice and turns her into a human, a species that she loathes. In order to turn back into a siren, Lira must kill the human Prince Elian and deliver his heart to her mother before the Winter Solstice.
Although Elian may be heir to a powerful kingdom, his true calling lies in the sea. Elian spends most of his time on ships pursuing his passion, killing sirens. One day she rescues a woman drowning in the sea who carries herself with a royal air; Elian cannot help but be fascinated. She promises to help Elian with his siren issues, but can she truly be trusted? To Kill a Kingdom encapsulates the danger and ruthlessness of the ocean, along with those who may reside in it.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
Amina al-Sirafi has lived quite a life. She has lived successfully as a pirate on the Indian Ocean, dodging those who were out to get her, which include multiple husbands, a demon, disgruntled merchant princes, and rouges. She plans to retire and live out the rest of her life peacefully with her family. However, when her former crewman’s ostentatiously wealthy mother tracks her down, Amina cannot deny the opportunity to gain fame and a new fortune. Amina and her crew must find her comrade’s daughter, who has seemingly disappeared. As Amina begins her journey, she finds there is more to this disappearance than she was led to believe… Amina al-Sirafi is a charming and delightfully unexpected main character navigating her final escapade on the wild ocean – an escapade that does not go as expected.
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
House of Salt and Sorrows follows a girl trying to understand the string of deaths that have played her family. Annaleigh lives in Highmoor, her family’s dark and mysterious manner by the sea. Her father, lord of the manor, once had 12 daughters but one by one, they are dying. Four sisters have died, each more gruesomely than the last: by sickness, by falling, by drowning, and finally by slipping. Once Annaleigh becomes haunted by the ghosts, she begins to think their deaths were not an accident.
One night her remaining sisters begin sneaking out to go to a mysterious ball. Will the ball hold the key to her deceased sisters’ demises, or will it cause Annaleigh to join them in death? House of Salt and Sorrows retells the classic tale of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” combining it with a dark and foreboding oceanic landscape that will set your teeth on edge.
Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
Simi is a Mami Wata, also known as a mermaid, that collects the souls of those who have died in the ocean and sends their souls home. However, Simi soon comes across a boy who has been thrown overboard and is alive. Instead of leaving him to die, Simi saves him, going against the rules that she’s supposed to live by. As a result of her actions, all the Mami Wata are in danger. Simi Must make amends to the cruel and eternal Gods who have given her so much. However, as Simi begins her journey, she worries about the boy who knows too much. Skin of the Sea is a brilliant combination of African folklore and “The Little Mermaid” that creates a gripping and intense story.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Mina’s people believe that the Sea God has turned against them, causing devastating storms and creating horrific war. Out of fear and desperation, the village chooses the most beautiful maiden to throw into the sea to appease the Sea God as his bride. The Village believes that the storms will only stop when the ‘true bride’ is given to the sea; who may that be? Many villagers believe it is Shim Cheong, who is also Mina’s brother’s beloved. When Shim Cheong is to be sacrificed, Mina takes her place and is swept into the oceanic Spiritual Realm. Only, when she arrives, Mina discovers that the Sea God has been asleep for years. She must find a way to wake him up fast because humans cannot survive in the spiritual world for long.
Based upon the classic Korean story of “The Tale of Shim Cheong,” The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea creates a striking new version of the story that is perfect for fans of fantasy.
Ultimately, each of the authors listed above created a distinctive and addicting book, exemplifying that the ocean is ripe with inspiration for writers who look to it. Even if multiple authors write about similar topics, the outcomes can be vastly different. Although these are certainly not the only fantasy books about the ocean, these are some that stand out among the crowd for their success and for their unique stories.
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