#BookReview: Voyage of the Lanternfish

by Craig Boyack

Book Blurb:

An honorable man is mistaken for his disreputable father. Now he’s pushed into a political scheme to start a war that will spread across multiple kingdoms. James Cuttler’s fiancé is being held captive to ensure he goes through with the plan.

He soon decides his skills are at sea and procures a ship to wage war upon those who disrupted his simple life. He can’t do it alone, so he recruits a band of cutthroats to help him. But first, they need guns and munitions to outfit the ship properly. Deception and trickery will only get them so far. Eventually, they’re going to have to engage the enemy.

James’ goals aren’t necessarily the same as his crew. It’s a delicate balancing act to collect enough loot to keep his crew happy, while guiding them back to rescue the girl.

Voyage of the Lanternfish is filled with adventure, magic, and monsters. Lots of monsters. Hoist the colors and come along for the ride.

My Review:

I bought and read this book back in January and somehow managed to forget to review it until now, six months later, lol. So, here my review is, at last. It says a lot that even after all this time, I still remember this book and its characters clearly, which is one reason I mention my little episode of forgetfulness now.

I’ve read other books by this author and love his easy style, sense of humour, and vivid imagination. He has a way with words. And Voyage of the Lanternfish certainly didn’t disappoint. We have kidnapping, piracy on the high seas, swashbuckling adventure and mayhem, and unforgettable characters and creatures. By far my favourite from this book are the root monsters with their incredibly expressive ‘I,I,I,I’s’. (Trust me, once you read it, you’ll know what I mean.)

If you’re a fan of magical realism and/or fantasy fiction, you’re sure to love this book. According to my GoodReads record, I read this in 24 hours. It would have been in one sitting if not for life intruding. This book gives you excellent world building and characterisation, along with fast-paced action and a rip-roaring plot line. The story will stay with me for a long time, and this is one of those books I’ll find myself re-reading (and not just because of my poor memory, lol). I cannot recommend Voyage of the Lanternfish highly enough. It gets a solid five stars from me.


NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

Sales Links:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Voyage-Lanternfish-C-S-Boyack-ebook/dp/B07MP8V633/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Voyage-Lanternfish-C-S-Boyack-ebook/dp/B07MP8V633/

22 Comments on “#BookReview: Voyage of the Lanternfish

  1. A well-deserved FIVE stars, Harmony! Thanks for sharing your review. I loved this book!

  2. I enjoyed this book. I am another huge fan of the root monsters. I think they could be made into a toy or one of those “Pop” characters I see everywhere. I most definitely would have a collection.

  3. I loved this novel, too, and can’t wait for the sequel. The root monsters stole my heart. Great review, Harmony. Nicely done, Craig.

    • Thanks, Staci. Eagerly awaiting the next book. And I’ll try to remember to review that one in a timely manner! Ha ha 😊

  4. Good books never leave you. It says a lot when an author writes such a fantasical story it still resonates strongly even after months have passed.I loved this one too!

    Awesome review, Harmony, and congrats to Craig.

    • Thanks, Mae. Yep, if I still remember it, the book has to be special, lol! 😊

  5. Wow! Glad you enjoyed the book. I’ll figure out a way to share this on Entertaining Stories and try to drive some traffic back. I’m working on a sequel to this story now, called HMS Lanternfish.