Published: March 2025
Pages: 588
Summary
Captain Grey and his crew of sky pirates have a reputation for doing the impossible. From breaking into high-security military research facilities to conning the iCity elite—there isn’t a lock they can’t pick, a safe they can’t break, or a hidden treasure they can’t find. Until now.
Returning from a harrowing heist involving a neon battery and a trash chute, Grey and his crew are approached by Dalia, the immortal daughter of the infamous ArchGovernor—and she has an offer.
The job? Locate and steal the Stones of Indigo—seven fabled rocks invested with godlike power. The search for the first stone is a bonified treasure hunt, guided by an ancient map to a deadly, uncharted island that’s protected by a mysterious guardian. The score? One million credits per crew member, per stone. The catch? Well, that’s where things get a little complicated.
The stones don’t exist. They’re a myth. A bedtime story told to little pirates to make them believe that power and wealth are attainable if you just work hard enough.
And to make matters infinitely worse, Grey’s never trusted immortals, and Dalia’s definitely hiding something. Something bad. And if they don’t figure out what it is, it might cost them their lives.
My thoughts
This is a great debut novel that blends elements of science fiction, adventure, and magic. The story follows Captain Grey and his crew of sky pirates as they embark on a quest to find the legendary Stones of Indigo, relics said to possess godlike power.
The bulk of this book is the crew on a quest to seek out the first of the stones. This was pitched to me as Firefly meets Indiana Jones and I can definitely see where those references came from. There are the classic Indiana-styled puzzles that put the crew in tricky situations but with a science fiction edge involving technology and fantastical creatures.
It briefly made me think of if Voldemort’s horcruxes were the Infinity Stones. There’s no denying this is a classic storyline we’ve seen many times before (It’s a classic for a reason) but it was refreshing to see a different take on it. There’s much about the stones that are unknown so I anticipate that we’ll learn more as the series continues. But what we don’t know, the characters don’t know either and so we’re learning alongside them to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
The world-building is imaginative and immersive, I was definitely there with them in their ship and the places they end up. However it is a bit tricky to get your head around the world as a whole, and the political parties at play. I make that comment with a pinch of salt that more answers will come as we see the characters move through the plot, but I wish I understood the world our characters are playing in a bit more clearer.
The characters are engaging, each with their own unique personalities and motivations. Grey is a charismatic leader, while his crew are a strange but loyal bunch. The supporting characters are equally compelling, adding complexity to the story. We do get to see pieces of their background that made them who they are. My inner conflict finishing this book was that although I loved to read about their past, I didn’t enjoy fully the way we learn that information. It came in the form of big chunks of information which I felt disrupted the flow of the story at times. I would have liked for smaller nuggets of information in a more natural way that wove through the story, but that just may be my preference.
The plot is action-packed, our characters don’t get much time to just sit and take a breather, especially once the quest begins. The author’s writing style is fluid and descriptive, bringing the landscape and the scenes of action to life.
Being such a varied bunch of characters they’ve almost formed their own family in the sky. It didn’t fully scratch my itch for ‘found family’ as there seems to be a distance between our characters. I can’t put my finger on it but although they travel together and they protect one another during the moments that are needed, they are not there for each other mentally or emotionally. Almost like an invisible wall sits between them, they connect on the surface but not at a deeper level.
I think my favourite character of them all is Cello, so much so I rooted for him the entire way. I’m not sure if I was meant to or what that says about me but he was a refreshing character full of mystery. It will be good to read more about the supporting characters and delve deeper into their development as the story progresses.
The narrative is overall compelling and there’s lots of potential within this world and storyline.
Would I recommend?
Yes, this is an impressive debut novel, if you’ve ever longed for a science fiction Indiana Jones or want to a read your classic quest but with fancy swords and constant peril, check this out and see if it’s your jam!