THE FOREVER SEA Explores the Magic and Mysteries of Nature
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Joshua Phillip Johnson’s THE FOREVER SEA is the first book in a new environmental epic fantasy series set in a world where ships kept afloat by magical hearthfires sail an infinite grass sea. Published on January 19 by DAW, this debut novel has been greeted with glowing praise, including rave reviews from Library Journal (“Johnson’s beautiful coming-of-age saga touches on subjects of conservation, water rights, morality, and relationships…. The book’s setting and plot are so original as to be a breath of fresh air to the fantasy genre”) and Publishers Weekly (“Lush descriptions of plant life abound… When combined with the exceptional protagonist and themes of embracing the unknown, [THE FOREVER SEA] calls to mind Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea series. With a good balance of grit and tenderness, this entertaining story makes a nice addition to the growing hopepunk subgenre.”)
In this Behind the Pages Igloo feature, Joshua Phillip Johnson shares, “THE FOREVER SEA is my prairie anthem, a story that pays tribute to the tallgrass prairies that once covered much of North America. In writing this story of sailors living on an endless grass sea, harvesting fields of sun-drenched big bluestem and racing away from mysterious pirates, I wondered how their relationship with the environment—theirs and ours, too—might be different. What might happen if we could find again the magic and mystery of our natural world? I’m so excited for readers to set sail on the Forever Sea with me.”
Leah Spann, Associate Editor, DAW, comments, “From the moment THE FOREVER SEA crossed my desk, I was enraptured by the lush, magical world Josh has created and the complex questions it poses about humanity’s relationship with nature. Stepping into the narrative of THE FOREVER SEA is like watching a Miyazaki film unfold on the page from the flora and fauna of its endless grass seas to its intriguing and unique magic system to its bold heroine, Kindred Greyreach, whose curiosity and courage propel her to places she could never have imagined. It has been a pleasure to work with Josh on this book, and I know that readers will find so much to love in this stunning debut.”