Raves for The Celestial Seas
“A dazzling re-imagining of Moby Dick but in the endless expanse of space, The Celestial Seas is a sci-fi tour de force that keeps you in awe at its creativity. Between cosmic whalers and epic space battles, it’s a profound mediation on how questions of existence and belonging will forever haunt us as humans, whether we are sailing the seven seas or cruising among the stars one day.” – Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New-York-Times-bestselling author of Iron Widow
“Brilliantly inventive, The Celestial Seas launches us into a world like no other. If spacefaring whalers aren’t enough to keep readers turning the page, the beguiling cast of characters, romance, daring adventures, and perfectly executed twists absolutely will. What an unforgettable ride.” – Angela Montoya, award-winning and critically acclaimed author of A Cruel Thirst
“A powerful, serenading debut, The Celestial Seas is a space opera hit. This queer sci-fi retelling of Moby Dick in space is an exhilarating adventure that’ll leave readers yearning to voyage into the depths of the stars. With a riveting and fun assemble cast, Chan’s Ishara stands out among them as a fierce heroine worthy of her retribution. Cinematic, subversive, and epic!” – Sandra Proudman, author of Salvación
“With an endearing and rag-tag crew, T.A. Chan’s debut The Celestial Seas celebrates a coming-of-age story complete with found family and the all-too-real conflicts of living with survivor’s guilt in a delightful space-romp retelling of Moby Dick. Full of heart, an endearing queer love triangle, and whales in space, this story will appeal to fans of space epics and girls in STEM kicking butt and taking charge.” – Cassandra Newbould, author of Climate of Chaos
“An action-packed, heartfelt adventure, The Celestial Seas is a cosmic riptide of vengeance, grief, love, and hope that drags you in and refuses to let go. A glorious disaster of a captain, Ishara is reckless, scrappy, and utterly fearless. Her ragtag crew may not buy the myth she’s chasing, but they believe in the legend she’s becoming — and so will you. T.A. Chan is a bright new voice in character-driven sci-fi!” – J.S. Dewes, author of The Last Watch and Rubicon
“A heartwrenching tale of hope after loss, life beyond vengeance, and the neverending search for belonging. Dare to brave The Celestial Seas, and let yourself be swept away by its tides—you won’t regret it!” – Francesca Tacchi, author of Let the Mountain Be My Grave
“The Celestial Seas is a clever, heartfelt sci-fi retelling of Moby Dick, and an excellent story, period. Chan’s worldbuilding feels wonderfully fresh, with its realistic multiculturalism and richly described interstellar vessels (her background as an aerospace engineer truly shines here). This book is epic—brace yourself.” – Kemi Ashing-Giwa, author of The King Must Die and A Splinter in the Sky
“The Celestial Seas harpooned my heart from the first sentence and didn’t let me go until the hunt was over. Chan expertly crafts a high-stakes tale of revenge, complete with head-spinning space battles, inventive world-building, and a misfit crew that will go to the ends of the universe for their captain. A truly innovative Moby Dick retelling that captures the madness and drive of the original.” – A.D. Sui, Nebula-winning author of The Dragonfly Gambit and The Iron Garden Sutra
“Wholly original, with sharp worldbuilding and smart futuristic tech, The Celestial Seas kept me guessing throughout a high-seas adventure in space while staying grounded in an emotionally resonant exploration on identity, found family, and what it means to belong when home is worlds away. Highly recommend!” – Sierra Branham, author of Love Galaxy
“The Celestial Seas is an action-packed thrill ride with stellar worldbuilding and a wonderfully flawed protagonist. This is YA Sci-Fi at its finest.” – Jess Aragon, author of The Demon Star
“You had me at Space Whales! But Chan’s beautifully gripping exploration of lost identity and missing memories stole my heart. Gorgeous prose and gritty world building threw me into a starry sea with Ish and her crew and kept me right on the edge of my seat to the very last page. Difficult themes of trust, displacement, and betrayal are perfectly balanced with the warmth of found family and friendship and driven by delicious revenge. Perfect for fans of Six of Crows and Battlestar Galactica!“ – Katharine J. Adams, author of Tonight, I Burn
* “A spacefaring teenage ship captain travels the cosmos seeking vengeance in Chan’s exhilarating Moby-Dick-inspired debut…Readers will be swept up by this enthralling and emotional interstellar adventure that capitalizes on the complexity and gut-wrenching atmosphere of the inspiration material, set here against the backdrop of a uniquely built world rendered in Ishara’s steadfast first-person POV.“ – Publishers Weekly, starred review
* “…this science-fiction retelling of the epic Moby Dick advances at a lull-free quick clip, delivering detailed worldbuilding laden with hard science, inventive jargon, fun future tech, and relatable characters that engage in zingy, sarcastic banter. Both character- and plot-driven, the story is woven with themes of self-awareness, forgiveness, acceptance, letting go of trauma, survival, loyalty, and trust…Thought-provoking and relevant, with insightful plays on the themes of the whaling classic, this is an exciting and engaging first purchase for high school and public libraries.” – School Library Journal, starred review
“Based on Moby Dick but charting new territory, this is a story of facing mistakes and finding the good (and bad) in oneself and others…As a character, Ishara breathes new life into the story of a driven captain with a singular quest…Ishara’s humanity shines through in her attempts to grapple with her past traumas and her relationships with the ones she loves. A worthy debut offering a cosmic tale of found family and space ventures.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Ishara’s first-person narrative frankly deals with the crushing weight of survivor’s guilt, the compulsive need to act, and the yearning to belong. Having come from a different star system, she battles with an internalized worthlessness and, consequently, an Ahab-like drive to hunt down her own symbolic white whale: belonging…Yet the bonds Ishara now enjoys shine: “if you’re heading toward the edge of insanity,” her first mate tells her, “I’ll be there with you.” Chan beautifully contrasts their softly burgeoning romance with breath-stealing battle sequences, gruesome deaths, and g-force heavy gunship maneuvers in this impressively imagined world of space mercs, scavengers, and pirates. An exhilarating spacefaring adventure.” – Shelf Awareness
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