Synopsis
Armed with his father's knife, a riddling notebook, and a bracelet with a green stone, Astreya sails south with an adventurous fisherman, hoping that in the world beyond, he can find his father and discover the mystery of his enigmatic gifts. They voyage to a village where all the inhabitants have met a grisly end, and fearing this may be the work of the legendary sailors cursed to sail forever, they dare the open ocean. The journey is dangerous, and Astreya must navigate through betrayal and an escape from slavery before he finds companions he can learn to trust: Gar, an itinerant painter, and his assistant, Lindey, who can take care of herself with the occasional shrewd blow from her quarterstaff. Astreya is just imagining a new destiny with Lindey when an unknown man from the past alters the course of his life, forcing Astreya out to the sea again.
Praise for Astreya, The Voyage South
“Hamilton has an intuitive grasp of story… Astreya is a work of great power, insight, and ferocious imagination… I recommend it unreservedly.” – Spider Robinson, Nebula and Three-time Hugo Award Winner, Recipient of the Heinlein Lifetime Achievement Award
"…a trilogy that will fascinate all those who have the sea in their blood and yearn for those days of sail. This is a sailor's yarn brilliantly told… I could not put this book down." – Commander David Newing, LVO, Royal Navy retired.
Similar to this book
Story Elements
Setting
| Geography: | Northern Europe, Scandinavia |
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| Realism: | Consistent with real world, no magic, no unachieved science |
| Setting Type: | Pastoral (rural & small towns) |
| Time Period: | Dark Ages (400CE - 999CE) |
Main Character
| Age: | Young Adult |
|---|---|
| Gender: | Male |
| Race: | Caucasian European |
| Religion: | Irrelevant |
| Sexual Preference: | Heterosexual |
Styles & Themes
| Humor: | Serious |
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| Inspires Reader to Feel: | Nostalgic/Happy |
| Mysteries & Puzzles: | Modest mystery element(s) to story |
| Pacing: | Time to savor, deliberate |
| Physical Action: | Minor and occasional action |
| Political/Social Commentary: | Politics play a minor role |
| Romance: | Minor romance, not a significant story driver |
| Genre | Science Fiction |
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About the author
Seymour Hamilton
SEYMOUR HAMILTON is the author of The Hippies Who Meant It The Laughing Princess, and The Astreya Trilogy. The Hippies Who Meant It (2015) tells the story of young Americans and Canadians who dropped out of the mainstream, armed themselves with optimism, naiveté and a little weed, and homesteaded in rural Nova Scotia during the 1960s. The Laughing Princess (Acedrex Publishing, 2014), illustrated by Shirley MacKenzie, is a collection of 12 interrelated fairy stories about dragons, involving magic, poetry and pirates. Inspired by a voyage by traditional schooner to the south coast of Newfoundland, The Astreya Trilogy (Cortero Press, 2011) chronicles the adventures of Astreya, a young man searching for his identity and his father’s mysterious past. The trilogy is an adventure and love story. The three books are: The Voyage South, The Men of the Sea and The Wanderer’s Curse. Hamilton holds a PhD in English and has taught at Canadian universities including Acadia, Simon Fraser, and the Universities of Calgary and Ottawa. He has worked as a writer, editor and communications officer for the public and private sectors. He lives with his wife Katherine in Chelsea, Quebec. Visit www.seymourhamilton.com
