Ship of Smoke and Steel

By: Django Wexler

Narrated by: Catherine Ho

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Ship of Smoke and Steel is the launch of Django Wexler's cinematic, action-packed epic fantasy Wells of Sorcery trilogy.

In the lower wards of Kahnzoka, the great port city of the Blessed Empire, 18-year-old ward boss Isoka enforces the will of her criminal masters with the power of Melos, the Well of Combat. The money she collects goes to keep her little sister living in comfort, far from the bloody streets they grew up on. When Isoka's magic is discovered by the government, she's arrested and brought to the Emperor's spymaster, who sends her on an impossible mission: Steal Soliton, a legendary ghost ship - a ship from which no one has ever returned. If she fails, her sister’s life is forfeit.

On board Soliton, nothing is as simple as it seems. Isoka tries to get close to the ship's mysterious captain, but to do it, she must become part of the brutal crew and join their endless battles against twisted creatures. She doesn't expect to have to contend with feelings for a charismatic fighter who shares her combat magic, or for a fearless princess who wields an even darker power.

©2019 Django Wexler (P)2019 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

“Truly epic, fierce, and exhilarating, Ship of Smoke and Steel will capture you and lock you away. With magical combat sequences fit for the big screen, the action is almost as breathtaking as the intrigue.” (Morgan Rhodes, New York Times best-selling author of the Falling Kingdoms series)

Loved It

Great Book! Great Narrator! I found this book because I liked another book read by this narrator. And now I have a new author to read! I would definitely recommend this audio book!

AMAZING! MUST READ!

Best book I've read in a LONG time! Utterly captivating. Very well written women characters, lovely lesbian romance that feels natural alongside the action. A bit dark, mentions of rape and child abuse as backstory.

I personally loved the narration as well. Voice fit perfectly with a good range for all the different characters.

Really great

This is the first Wexler book I have listened to on audible. It is very engaging and the woman reading it has a very smooth voice that draws you in. Some of the battle sequences drag on a little bit, but maybe they work better on the page and not as audio. Overall a really good audiobook, highly recommend.

A Gripping Saga Begins

The Emperor of The Blessed Empire’s spy master kidnaps an 18 yr old ward boss Isoka when he learns of her magical combat powers. Using her sister as ransom he sends her on legendary ghost ship to steal it for the Emperor. She must join the crews in their fight for survival against the creatures on board. She’s joins a fellow combat talent and a mysterious princess as part of a team. Surprised by the attraction to the fearless princess she begins to plot to steal the ship. Sweet romance and thriller.

Hang in there with this one

I almost returned because it took Awhile to grab my interest, but I recommend you hang in there. It gets much better and you’ll be happy you stick with it.

Escape From NY + Clash of Titans + Last Airbender

Okay, bear with me on this, I know that’s a weird title, but this unique fantasy has themes from each of these movies. Isoka is an anti-hero who gets her hands all kinds of dirty to survive. Like Snake Pliskin, her special skills get her conscripted into an impossible mission, only her time clock isn’t based on poison and the promise of an antidote if she succeeds; instead, Isoka has a year to enter a ghost ship and return or her sister dies. Thus, it’s into the breach she goes, only instead of crazed gangs in a sealed off, and lawless, New York city, she encounters factions within a metal ship so enormous, it might as well be the size of NY. Like Pliskin, Isoka gathers a few allies (or possibly frenemies) as she defeats gangs and monsters, and becomes a legend.

The Clash of Titans part has to do with the monsters and magic setting, and the idea of gods (or in this case angels & ghosts of dubious intention) occasionally helping out for unfathomable reasons. Like Perseus, or perhaps Hercules, Isoka must battle huge ocean-based, mutant monsters, giving parts of this a pulpy, B movie feel.

There is a definite Asian feeling, ala Last Air Bender, with the Empire/Imperialists, robes, and Samurai-like armor that comes with the various magic Wells. There’s even a Well of fire users. The war of nations theme from The Last Airbender is also teased, and the ghost ship has a collection of nationalities in its sacrificial crew. Finally, while much of the setting feels medieval or like Feudal Japan with magic, there are telescopes, lights, and the huge metal ghost-ship that feel a little steampunk, a lot anime, and also like a post-apocalypse horror-mystery (…and we’re back to Escape From New York vibes).

But, this is no derivative bit of fan fiction fluff. There are some fabulously unique characters, a fresh magic-system, and multiple mysteries to complement the main story of Isoka/Pliskin as she darkly, determinedly pursues her mission… so she can return to save her sister and kill the baddie who stupidly tasked her with the impossible. There are references to abuse, Pliskin level violence, and only made up profanity of the Blessed’s Rotting Balls variety. LGBTQ themes are organic and not over-played and relationships never go beyond kisses and fade to black interludes. The narration is excellent, although I recommend 1.3x or more. I could have used more humor and snark, Fair warning, however: most of the plots and mysteries are left unresolved and await resolution further in the trilogy. I liked this so much, I am immediately moving on to book 2.

Good but Hard to Listen To

Seems like such an interesting story, good characters and world, but the pauses in the narration between paragraphs is absolutely killing me. The narrator is wonderful otherwise and I want to continue listening but I keep thinking the app is crashing or something. They really need to edit those gaps.

l love the story it was wonderful

I thank the author of making this story. It was wonderful, a lot of mystery and loving characters.

The editing ruins it :(

I REALLY would love to finish the story. it's genuinely interesting and very original. unfortunately, the reviews about the weird pauses are spot on. I can't finish it.

Love this universe!!

I’m really impressed with Wexler. I started listening to Netherwings and loved it so much that I dove head first into the world of Asoka and Tori. I love that magic comes from different “wells” and I really like the idea that some magic users are born better than others, adept vs. talent. I like following a reluctant hero with a heart. I do want to know more though. I want more history for the ship, I want to know Jack’s origin story as well as Zarun’s (I don’t know how to spell it cuz I listened, didn’t read, lol). I’m excited to start another trilogy by Django Wexler and I would not be sorry to hear more from this particular universe.