Carried by the Tides by Erika Tracy

World-Building: Great
Characterization: Awesome
Plot: Smooth and well-paced

This novella is an excellent story about loss, anger, and oppression. It's a story about a young warlock testing and expanding his power in an environment of desperation. It's an excellent, well told tale that kept me entertained for a day, and when I finished I wanted to go back in for more. I wanted to find out what happened after it, or even before it, and to explore this alternate history that had been so naturally developed in the tale.

It focuses on a young boy, Vladimir, who somehow ended up a refugee in a harbor in England. A journalist noticed him in the harbor and decides to help him. What unfolds is the story of why Vladimir was forced to leave his town and end up in England and how he deals with and shares his memories.

It's a sad book, there's no denying it, but it does provide a hope and awesomeness throughout.

I particularly liked the way that magic developed and was revealed gradually in the story. It felt very natural and it was as if we were discovering it along with the characters. If the story had been a tiny bit longer I would have given it an Awesome rating for World-Building. As it was, it was just long enough to give us a tantalizing picture or window into the world and make us want to read more!

I bought this story from LuLu and I went with the hard copy - although there is an e-copy option if you have an e-reader. The delivery was fast, the quality is excellent, and I'm glad I got the hard copy as that will make it easier for me to read it again and again even while I'm away from my computer or on the bus, etc.

I would highly recommend this tale to lovers of fantasy. It explores magic, while at the same time exploring very human emotions and very real losses. It's also got a historical element which wins brownie points with me as I love history and alternate-history and historical fantasy! :D