Author: Zoraida Cordova
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Description:
A storm is coming...
The ocean is a vicious place. Deeper and darker than Tristan could have imagined. Beneath its calm blue surface, an ancient battle is churning —and no one is safe.
In the quest for the Sea Throne, Tristan has already watched one good friend die. Now he must lead the rest on a dangerous voyage in search of the trident that will make him king. But while Tristan chases his destiny, the dark forces racing against him are getting stronger, and the sea witch of his nightmares is getting closer.
Battling sea dragons and savage creatures of the deep, Tristan needs his friends' support. But they each have their secrets, and a betrayal will force Tristan to choose between his crown and his best friend Layla — the only girl he's ever loved.
Why did you focus on the theme of betrayal?
When
I was writing THE SAVAGE BLUE I didn't set out to write about betrayal.
It wasn't something I set out to focus on. However, I hope that through
these experiences and betrayals Tristan is able to grow stronger, both
physically and mentally.
In
BOOK 1, Tristan is a playboy. He opens the book explaining how he did a
terrible thing--he kissed another girl while he had a girlfriend, and
this girlfriend walked in on him. This act of betrayal isn't something
he set out to do. He was unhappy and acting out (not to mention a bit
intoxicated because merpeople can't handle human alcohol). This is not
to say it's an excuse or that he should be forgiven Maddy (his
ex). In fact, because he betrayed Maddy, it makes his quest that much
harder. After seeing the hurt he caused, he's more careful with his
interactions with girls. Especially now that he's trying to be a better
guy for Layla.
Now,
in SAVAGE BLUE, Tristan continues his journey to be king. He's learning
from his very human mistakes and is focusing on the supernatural aspect
of his life. He's surrounded himself with friends whom he believes are
on his side. They've faught side by side with him and he is putting his
life in their hands. Being the good natured and trusting guy he is, he's
not prepared to get stabbed in the back. It was a tough decision
because as a fan of my characters, I want them all to have a cuddling
session. But as the writer, well, muahahahaha. Betrayal is something we
all go through, be it human of merman. And the reason it happens is
because we have faith and we open our hearts to others. Sometimes, and
everyone has their reasons, that person we trust breaks their promise,
breaks our heart, or in Tristan's case, tries to kill him.
The
question is then how do we move on? Do we become bitter and vengeful?
Or do we grow and become more wary of those we trust with the very
breakable parts of ourselves? For Tristan, he has to grow stronger if he
wants to meet his goal in THE VAST AND BRUTAL SEA.
Thanks for having me, Stephanie!
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today and sharing some insight into your writing of the series Zoraida!
The Savage Blue is the second book in a young adult fantasy series that continues to follow main character Tristan - a teenage merman - as he searches for the Sea Throne and the trident that will make him king. On top of this mission, he must lead his people in a deadly war against those that will stop at nothing to make sure he doesn't reach the throne. Then there's Layla - Tristan's best friend since childhood and the only girl he's ever truly loved. But a deep betrayal will cause Tristan to choose between Layla and his place on the Sea Throne. Will they reach the trident before it's too late? Will Tristan be forced to lose another dear friend in the fierce battle that's raging beneath the ocean's waves?
This was a great second installment in a fast paced and exciting fantasy adventure series. We see Tristan's character grow and mature more in this book, as he deals with the loss of a good friend and must lead his people on a dangerous quest to find the trident. Tristan is a great main character, with his sense of humor and sarcasm, along with his deep loyalty to his family, his friends, and his people - all of these qualities make him a realistic and enjoyable lead. Not many books, especially in this genre, have a guy as the main character, so that gives the series an edge over other books out there right now. I like Tristan's insight and his outlook on things refreshing. The plot was interesting and I loved learning more about the Sea Throne, the trident, and the history of the merfolk. The author really did a good job with the descriptions and backstory behind the plot, which I feel made it more complex and layered. The writing was well done with a great pace and effortless flow to the book. There were a great mix of genres in the novel, including action, fantasy, adventure, and romance. The romantic part of the book is a great addition, but it doesn't overshadow the main plot line of the book. I thought it does a good job at making the plot more believable and realistic - especially with the problems that Tristan encounters. It shows that even though he's a merman and trying to find the trident, he still has to deal with normal teenage problems. I found Tristan's inner dialogue and the conversations between characters to be witty and fun, and it felt natural - not forced or awkward, which made the story all the more believable for me. Overall, this was a great second book in a fun and interesting YA fantasy series. I definitely recommend it for fans of the genre or those looking for a fun series about mermaid mythology.
I haven't read this series yet -- not always a fan of mermaids, but this sounds well-done and original! Thanks so much for stopping by! Jen @ YA Romantics
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