Series: The Vampires of Dumas #1
Release date: May 6th 2025
Publisher: Solaris Books
Pages: 384
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy to review
Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Synopsis
Morgane grew up at sea, daughter of the fierce pirate captain of the Vengeance, raised to follow in her footsteps as scourge of the Four Chains Trading Company. But when Anna-Marie is mortally wounded in battle, she confesses to Morgane that she is not her mother.
Review
The Vengeance is a swashbuckling fantasy adventure that follows Morgane, daughter of the pirate captain Anna-Marie. Her ship is the Vengeance and they are known to attack and destroy ships from the Four Chains Trading Company at any opportunity. When Morgane’s mother is fatally wounded during one such attack, she reveals the truth to Morgane – she is not her mother but her aunt. This sets Morgane on a quest to France, to find her real family and what happened to them. What Morgane finds will be darker and more dangerous than she ever thought possible.
This was such a fun read. This is my first book from Emma Newman and I thought it was a really entertaining story. The plot is intriguing, though I do think the pacing was a little uneven at times. The story felt well written and Newman did an excellent job of bringing the sights and sounds of historical France to life. I really enjoyed the parts of the book that were set on the ship as they were detailed and well researched.
Our main character Morgane is a strong female pirate and she’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in (or punch someone in the face). I thought she was a terrific protagonist and I loved the way she ruffled feathers, questioned the ruling classes and completely disregarded etiquette. The romance in the story is also well developed and I liked the way the relationship progressed without taking over the main story arc. I am very much looking forward to seeing where Newman takes Morgane and her pirate gang in book two. Overall I thought The Vengeance was a compelling fantasy tale so if you’re looking for a story that features a strong female character, that’s full of mystery and has a hint of vampires and werewolves, this is one you don’t want to miss.
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