Tress of the Emerald Sea: A Cosmere Novel

E. A. Solinas

Sailing the sea of spores

"While the rest of us were gaining weight and getting depressed during the Covid-19 lockdown, Brandon Sanderson was doing what he does best: churning out books. And the first of these four surprise books is “Tress of the Emerald Sea,” a Cosmere novel that mingles quirky fairy-tale quests for a true love with the rough’n’tumble life of a pirate. Sanderson gives us a extraordinarily ordinary heroine who stumbles and triumphs on her quest, along with a talking rat, seas of colorful spores, and the occasional zombie doctor. Tress is a seemingly ordinary girl on a small rocky island in the green spore sea – she collects teacups, washes windows, loves her family, and regularly meets with the local duke’s son, Charlie. When the duke realizes that his son is in love with a window-washing girl, he whisks the boy off the island to marry a princess. When the duke returns, he’s got a brand new heir with a new wife – and Charlie is nowhere to be seen. He’s been sent off to the realm of the Sorceress in the Midnight Sea, which means he’s effectively doomed. But Tress is determined to get him back, so she smuggles herself off the island… and finds herself the prisoner first of smugglers, and then a crew of pirates ruled by the bloodthirsty Captain Crow. She also acquires a talking rat friend, Huck, who becomes her best friend and ally, especially since he knows some things about the Sorceress. Though the situation isn’t ideal, Tress believes the ship can get her to the Sorceress, and manages to work her way into the crew. But her plans are complicated when she becomes friends with several of the pirates, and learns some disturbing facts about Crow. How can a simple window-washer girl defeat a pirate captain, sail the deadly Crimson and Midnight Seas, escape a dragon and defeat the terrible Sorceress – all while learning the true nature of spores and aethers? “Tress of the Emerald Sea” is one parts fairy tale, one part pirate adventure, and one part Cosmere story (especially since the narrator is none other than Hoid, who plays a pivotal role). And the world Sanderson conjures is a fascinating one, where twelve moons produce a steady downfall of spores that form whole seas that wooden ships can sail on. But, much like a mogwai, never expose them to water, or very bad things happen. Since Hoid is the one telling the tale, the entire story unfolds in a quirky, laid-back narrative style, reminiscent of William Goldman or a more modern fairy tale. It’s arch, snarky and very omniscient third-person (Tress’s hair is once described as an “eldritch horror” bent on “disintegrating reality, seeking the lives of virgins, and demanding a sacrifice of a hundred bottles of expensive conditioner”). The only major flaw, ironically, is that self-same snarky tone – it sometimes becomes kind of overbearing, especially during the more serious parts of the story, and sometimes it feels like Hoid is hijacking the story. It also has Sanderson’s exceptional world-building, especially in the idea of the spores, which will immediately erupt into SOMETHING – air, vines, crystals – upon contact with water. And while Sanderson weaves in elements of the Cosmere, creating a more science-fiction-y world, there are elements of magic included in it, such as Huck. No, I will not explain what is up with the rat, only that not all is as it seems… as you’d expect with a talking rat. Tress herself is an exceptional heroine – smart, resourceful, determined, good-hearted and practical, with a nimble brain and a love for collectible cups. Her relationship with Huck is very wholesome and sometimes heartwrenching, as are her friendships with other members of the crew – a seemingly-zombie doctor, an assistant cannonmaster who never successfully hits anything, a cheery deaf man with a writing board, and the deadly, nihilistic Captain Crow. There are also Dougs, but we don’t care about them. “Tress of the Emerald Sea” is a charming, well-paced story that is a little too suffused in Hoid for its own good. For those seeking a rollicking pirate adventure with some wild fantastical twists, this is a must-read. ["

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September 5, 2023 Verified Purchase

brianna jones-mattes

What a refreshing, delightful, wondrous story

"So Tress of the Emerald Sea has to have been the most unique and delightful book I have ever read. I smiled the entire way through. Absolutely everything about it was so very different than anything I've ever read, in such a joy inducing way. So surprising and, well, delightful. This book is the definition of wondrous and delightful. Everything was bright shinny and new to my mind. Warms one's heart. And you can't wait to see what happens next. Sanderson wanted to write a book for his wife. Something beautiful and interesting and well, delightful!! And he did just that. So very refreshing. It feels like you just took a dunk in a beautiful, crystal clear lake on a hot day, after all the drama and pressure of traditional romantasy and dark romance out there these days. What a precious book! There was love, and danger, and tense moments, and strange new worlds, and creatures and characters and magic and life lessons and so many heart felt moments with words to live by, written in ways you'd never think of, but still hit home. I'm so impressed. So when you need a break from the regular reads out there. And need something refreshing and beautiful. This is the book. ["

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June 28, 2025 Verified Purchase

J. M. Palmer

Delightfully fun to read with lots of twists and turns.

"This was an absolute delight from start to finish. Brandon Sanderson has written a fantasy tale in a whimsical, often hilarious voice that sparkles with subtle cleverness. Nearly every sentence carries a wink, a twist, or a turn of phrase that makes you smile, and it gives the whole book a warm, playful tone that is just plain fun to read. The plot is full of surprises—plenty of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, it veered in a new and exciting direction, making the journey feel fresh the whole way through. The heart of the story, though, is the found family. The characters are fantastic: layered, wounded, funny, and flawed. Each of them grows in meaningful ways, and it’s not only the heroine who shines—everyone gets moments of depth and transformation that make them feel real and memorable. Though Sanderson may not have intended it as such, this book is a wonderful example of cozy fantasy. The stakes are real, the world is strange and sometimes dangerous, but the atmosphere carries a strong undercurrent of warmth and hope. By the end, the emotions land beautifully, leaving you with that satisfied, comforted feeling you want from the very best stories. Honestly, I can’t think of anything else to say except that this book was practically flawless. Five stars, easily. ["

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September 28, 2025 Verified Purchase

melanie (meltotheany / jtotheimin)

5/5

"The first of brandon sanderson’s secret cosmere projects was everything for me. This story is truly unlike any other that brandon has created before, for so many reasons, but mostly because it reads like a fairytale! This is inspired by The Princess Bride, which I actually have never read before, but it didn't hinder my reading experience whatsoever! And just seeing some long time favorites from the cosmere world, and some cameos and name drops that I was not prepared for, felt like coming home - even if this setting is one that I would have never anticipated! But… dare I say, because I know this is a keyword everyone is looking for these days… this was cozy fantasy perfection! You do not need to read any other book in the cosmere to read this story, but you will miss out on so many easter eggs throughout and i am not sure if not having that appreciation will hinder your reading experience - so here is a little warning, in case! To put this very briefly, this is a story about a girl who leaves the only home she has ever known to brave a very strange ocean, in a very different cosmere world, with a very sweet pirate crew (for the most part), for love. Because at the end of all my favorite types of stories, it’s always for love and it’s always worth it. But I so quickly fell in love with Tress and her teacups and her story. Also, if you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you will know how much I adore a questing storyline and this book delivered that and more so! I also feel like every cosmere series has such a perfect and different found family, yet you always feel like you are a part of that family as well, and it’s so beautiful each time, but this one was extra close to my heart. I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on the second secret project, because the bar has just been set so very high for me. (plus howard lyon is one of my favorite magic the gathering artist so it was extra perfect for me!) I also have a very soft spot for the character who narrates this story… and to keep being secretive… I loved the whimsy of this story extra, too! muhahahahah! I predict this will probably make my best of 2023 list, because my heart overflows more and more each time i think about this story. It just felt so warm and cozy and was filled with so much light and hope - and that’s exactly what I want to be reading in my life right now. ["

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April 25, 2024 Verified Purchase

SarinaC

Lighthearted, easy read

"First Sanderson book I've read. I'll be honest, I found it hard to get into. The style is what I'd consider sci-fi fantasy, not deep fantasy. It's very lighthearted, clean, sometimes trying too hard to be funny, young adult fiction (ya know, it reminded me of The Pirates of the Caribbean). I enjoyed the idea of the spore world. Once I could track what was happening and who was narrating the book, I enjoyed it. (It was jarring at first to encounter a nameless narrator; It came across as Sanderson personally adding narration to his story. But eventually the story caught up with itself.) I was also caught off guard by the modern technology mentioned. Again, not really a fantasy world like I was expecting or hoping for. Nevertheless, it was a fun read and I will likely try out more Sanderson books. ["

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January 14, 2026 Verified Purchase