Tress of the Emerald Sea – Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Dragonsteel Books
Pages: 400
Release Date: January 1, 2023

#1 New York Times Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us deeper into the Cosmere universe with a rollicking, riveting tale that will appeal to fans of The Princess Bride.

The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death? 

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We’re starting The Year of Sanderson/2023 with a BANG! Tress of the Emerald Sea is a magical The Princess Bride-esque tale about love, friendship, and adventure.

I loved every second of Tress of the Emerald Sea. It’s whimsical, playful, and fun without losing Sanderson’s signature world building, magic system, and character development. The story starts up simple enough: Tress loves a boy so much she’s willing to sacrifice everything to save him. Thus, thrusting an innocent Tress into an unforgiving and mysterious world.

While Sanderson did say that Tress of the Emerald Sea can be read as a standalone, however to get the full enjoyment out of the novel and the Cosmere, it’s best to have read most of Sanderson’s backlog.

Overall, Tress of the Emerald Sea is classic Sanderson but with a whimsical twist.

Now, this story begs the question… what is the context of Tress of the Emerald Sea? Who is Hoid telling the story to? When is he telling the story? 

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Have you read Tress of the Emerald Sea? What did you think?