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Sign up todayDeep as the Sky, Red as the Sea
A Novel
Narrator
Emily Woo Zeller
This audiobook uses AI narration.
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Length
10 hours 40 minutes
Language
English
Bookseller recommendation
“Who doesn't like pirates and who doesn't love a Pirate Queen?! ”
— Jayne • Mystery to Me
Bookseller recommendation
“An epic, sometimes brutal portrait of Shek Yeung, a legendary Chinese pirate queen who makes impossible choices to maintain both power and safety. Fusing fantastical and historical elements, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea bends genres and took me on a high seas adventure. For fans of Outlawed and She Who Became the Sun/em>, this story is sure to make waves!”
— Kassie • The Novel Neighbor
For listeners of Outlawed, Piranesi, and The Night Tiger, a riveting, roaring adventure novel about a legendary Chinese pirate queen, her fight to save her fleet from the forces allied against them, and the dangerous price of power
When Shek Yeung sees a Portuguese sailor slay her husband, a feared pirate, she knows she must act swiftly or die. Instead of mourning, Shek Yeung launches a new plan: immediately marrying her husband’s second-in-command, and agreeing to bear him a son and heir, in order to retain power over her half of the fleet.
But as Shek Yeung vies for control over the army she knows she was born to lead, larger threats loom. The Chinese Emperor has charged a brutal, crafty nobleman with ridding the South China Seas of pirates, and the Europeans—tired of losing ships, men, and money to Shek Yeung’s alliance—have new plans for the area. Even worse, Shek Yeung’s cutthroat retributions create problems all their own. As Shek Yeung navigates new motherhood and the crises of leadership, she must decide how long she is willing to fight, and at what price, or risk losing her fleet, her new family, and even her life.
A book of salt and grit, blood and sweat, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea is an unmissable portrait of a woman who leads with the courage and ruthlessness of our darkest and most beloved heroes.
Rita Chang-Eppig received her MFA from New York University. Her stories have appeared in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Conjunctions, Clarkesworld, One Story, Virginia Quarterly Review, The Best American Short Stories 2021 (selected by Jesmyn Ward), and elsewhere. She has received fellowships from the Rona Jaffe Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and the Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies at San Jose State University. She lives in California.
Emily Woo Zeller is an Audie and Earphones Award–winning narrator, voice-over artist, actor, dancer, and choreographer. AudioFile magazine named her one of the Best Voices of 2013. Her voice-over career includes work in animated film and television in Southeast Asia.
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Reviews
“A refreshingly vivid adventure tale.”
“[An] epic adventure story that dabbles with magical realism.”
“In this swashbuckling saga, the Chinese Emperor, colonial European forces, and even the mythological sea goddess Ma-Zou attempt to thwart Shek Yeung’s plans at every turn, and she must battle fiercely for the world she believes in.”
“A debut novel inspired by the legendary career of one of history’s most successful pirates…with many moments of real lyrical beauty.”
“A pirate queen, a mother, a ruthless killer, and a loyal friend…an unforgettable heroine whose journey will keep readers hooked from beginning to end.”
“Paints a complex portrait of one of history’s most powerful women. A gorgeous, vivid adventure.”
“A riveting, heart-pounding exploration of ambition, grit, and…the fiery, magnetic Shek Yeung.”
“[The] Chinese pirate queen…is one of the best characters of the year. Deep as the Sky…feels cinematic in every sense of the word.”
“[A] blend of high-stakes action and a complex character sketch of a fierce and wily leader.”
“Author Chang-Eppig fearlessly helms this seafaring debut with grand, sprawling prose. Perfect for fans of historical fiction, pirates, and strong female protagonists.”
“A rollicking nineteenth-century adventure on the South China Sea…The plot is clever and serpentine, exploring questions of power, violence, gender, and fate. This is not to be missed.”
“Gritty…A lyrically written high-seas adventure."”
“Emily Woo Zeller…giv[es] life to a multitude of unique characters. She accomplishes this with an energetic delivery and strong character work that make Shek Yeung’s story worthy of listeners’ attention.”
“A feared pirate queen juggling motherhood and murder? Aye!”
“A hold-onto-your-seat ode to an unforgettable woman.”
“Her adventures will make you want to take up the sword and learn to sail.”
"A clever story that explores gender roles, power, and even love.”
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