Fathomfolk

Hardcover, 448 pages

English language

Published Feb. 29, 2024 by Orbit.

ISBN:: 978-0-356-52239-5

(1 review)

Welcome to Tiankawi – shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that's how it first appears. But in the semi-flooded city, humans are, quite literally, on top: peering down from shining towers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk – sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas – who live in the polluted waters below.

For half-siren Mira, promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to help her downtrodden people. But if earning the trust and respect of her human colleagues wasn't hard enough, everything Mira has worked towards is put in jeopardy when Nami, a know-it-all water dragon and fathomfolk princess – is exiled to the city, under Mira’s watch. When extremists sabotage a city festival, violence erupts, as does the clampdown on fathomfolk rights. Both Nami and Mira must decide if the cost of change is worth paying, …

Welcome to Tiankawi – shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that's how it first appears. But in the semi-flooded city, humans are, quite literally, on top: peering down from shining towers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk – sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas – who live in the polluted waters below.

For half-siren Mira, promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to help her downtrodden people. But if earning the trust and respect of her human colleagues wasn't hard enough, everything Mira has worked towards is put in jeopardy when Nami, a know-it-all water dragon and fathomfolk princess – is exiled to the city, under Mira’s watch. When extremists sabotage a city festival, violence erupts, as does the clampdown on fathomfolk rights. Both Nami and Mira must decide if the cost of change is worth paying, or if Tiankawi should be left to drown.

3 editions

enne📚 reviewed Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan

4 stars

Fathomfolk is the first book in a fantasy politics duology, set in a partially flooded city where humans and magical sea creatures called fathomfolk (sirens and sea witches and kelpies) try to live together in the city of Tiankawi. It's a story about rebellion, power dynamics, and exploitation.

I quite enjoyed all the various perspectives in this book. There's Mira the half-siren captain of the guard, who is trying to make it in the human world but gets disdained as the airquotes diversity candidate. There's Nami the rebellious dragon child who gets exiled to Tiankawi and gets caught up in the currents of rebellion there. Finally, there's Cordelia the sea witch who is mostly out for herself, making bargains and pulling strings.

The ending sets up quite a bit for the final book in terms of large scale changes and future plot hooks that will need to be dealt with, …

Fathomfolk is the first book in a fantasy politics duology, set in a partially flooded city where humans and magical sea creatures called fathomfolk (sirens and sea witches and kelpies) try to live together in the city of Tiankawi. It's a story about rebellion, power dynamics, and exploitation.

I quite enjoyed all the various perspectives in this book. There's Mira the half-siren captain of the guard, who is trying to make it in the human world but gets disdained as the airquotes diversity candidate. There's Nami the rebellious dragon child who gets exiled to Tiankawi and gets caught up in the currents of rebellion there. Finally, there's Cordelia the sea witch who is mostly out for herself, making bargains and pulling strings.

The ending sets up quite a bit for the final book in terms of large scale changes and future plot hooks that will need to be dealt with, and I'm very curious to see how everything will shake out.

I have some more spoilerly rambling thoughts in this post.