Review: Black Sails to Sunward by Sheila Jenné
Black Sails to Sunward is set in a future where Mars has been terraformed, populated, and divided into a rigid class system. When Earth and Mars go to war, Lucy enlists in the Martian Imperial Navy, and as luck would have it she finds herself aboard the same spaceship as her ex-best friend, Moira.
Years ago, class differences ruined Lucy and Moira’s friendship and budding romance. Now class divides the ship, leading to mutiny, piracy, and Lucy being forced to question her loyalty to the Martian Empire.
This is book 1 of the Imperial Mars trilogy. Books 2 and 3 have yet to be published.
Review
I rated Black Sails to Sunward 3.75 out of 5 stars. I found myself truly impressed by some aspects, but disappointed in others. While some things felt inadequate or underwhelming, there was nothing about this book that was bad or that I actively disliked.
Plot
One of the biggest strengths of Black Sails to Sunward is the plot. Apart from just being a really fun and interesting story, it is also well structured, cohesive, and well paced. The stakes are real and personal to the protagonist, often involving moral dilemmas and/or a struggle between what Lucy wants and what she feels is her duty or the morally right thing to do. Overall, an engaging read.
Characters & Relationships
I had trouble connecting with Lucy. Sometimes it’s unclear what she actually believes, unclear to what extent she is learning things, unlearning things, or growing as a character.
But the main problem is a lack of emotion. There are parts of this book where things that should have some emotional impact on Lucy (at least in my opinion) simply don’t, and other times where she has an emotional reaction, but it’s not conveyed very well.
A combination of Lucy being difficult to connect with and not much being shown of the other characters or Lucy’s relationship with them made it difficult for me to understand or care about the romance or other relationships.
Worldbuilding & Setting
This was probably my favourite part of Black Sails to Sunward. A great deal of thought seems to have gone into both the scientific/technological aspects of this book, as well as the more social side of worldbuilding.
In particular, I like the thought that was put into gravity or lack thereof. Different planets have different gravity, and while there are places that have artificial gravity, most of the story takes place without it. The author took the time to work out everything from what kinds of food people would eat in space to how sword fighting works without gravity. I also found the concept of people becoming “space-bound” intriguing.
I enjoyed the part that takes place on Venus and the contrast between a fully terraformed Mars and the beginnings of a long project to make Venus habitable. While the protagonist is initially only familiar with Martian society and culture, we do get a bit of insight into that side of Earth and Venus, enough of an insight to see some similarities and differences to Mars.
There isn’t a lot of detail about the history of Mars, but there is enough to explain their class system and why Martians don’t use electricity. The class system and lack of electricity give Mars a kind of 18th or 19th century vibe, which has the fun effect of making the opening chapter feel kind of like a Jane Austen novel, but gay, and also on Mars.
Themes
Class is a major theme in Black Sails to Sunward, being at the core of the main conflicts and character motivations. This book delves into discussions of how immoral and corrupt systems, like the class structure of the Navy, can change people and how difficult it is for individuals to change these systems.
Related to class and the broader theme of individual vs system is this distinction between being a good person and doing good. Being a good person has a lot to do with virtues: duty, loyalty, honesty, etc. But these don’t always translate to doing the right thing.
All of these themes are complex and nuanced. They’re inextricably woven together, but most importantly, they are inextricably woven into the plot. They’re not abstract or theoretical, instead having concrete effects on the events of the story.
The early chapters seemed to suggest that gender would be a theme. Mars is ruled by a gender neutral Emprex aka Their Majesty. But what really caught my attention is the line: Gender, like clean laundry, was a luxury the Navy expected you to do without. Navy personnel are collectively called “men” and referred to as “Mr” or “Sir” regardless of gender. There wasn’t any commentary on this, but that may change in future books.
Writing
Mostly, the writing is just okay. Dialogue flows naturally, always has a point, and never feels out of place or out of character. Description and narrative convey what is happening, and generally give the reader enough to picture scenes and setting.
As with character, the writing lacks emotion, which may have contributed to my inability to connect with the protagonist. However, I understand that emotional writing is both subjective and a skill that takes a lot of work.
My only other note is that there are a few instances of things being clarified or reiterated where I felt they were adequately conveyed through subtext and context.
Conclusion
Black Sails to Sunward is interesting and original in its plot and worldbuilding. While reading it I found myself constantly curious about the world and invested in the outcome of conflicts, external and internal. I look forward to reading the rest of this trilogy.
Trigger/Content Warnings:
Physical violence
Suicide
Mention of rape
Minor alcohol use
Sexual content (not very explicit)