The Door on the Sea follows Elān, a young member of his community’s Longhouse of Service and Trade (“the school for everyone who wasn’t to be a warrior”), on an unexpected moon-long canoe journey to attempt to retrieve a mysterious weapon from the bottom of a bay. Elān must serve as captain to a group of predominantly warriors, some of whom don’t think he ought to be a captain, all the while relying on Raven (who claims to know where the weapon is but who is not exactly cooperative).

This is the first novel in the Raven and Eagle series which is inspired by the history, culture, and lore of the Tlingit Nation, of which the author is a member. Check out his website for more about the inspirations and context for the writing of this novel.

I enjoyed Elān’s growth over the course of the novel, his relationships with his crewmates, and the world-building. I feel the novel says a lot, particularly about tradition – who makes it, the dynamics it perpetuates, and how it can change – without ever feeling didactic. The pace was quick enough to feel exciting, and the lead characters – the members of Elān’s crew – were easy to cheer for without being one-dimensional or uncomplicated. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel & will look forward to continuing the series.

Content warnings: violence, injury detail, war, enslavement, colonisation, forcible confinement, mentions of cannibalism (nothing on-page)

Thank you to Rebellion / Solaris, NetGalley, & the author for providing me an ARC for me to review.

The star of this book — beyond the gorgeous cover — is the writing. The author’s skill as a storyteller is just … amazing. The world building is strong, with each village they visit in this hero’s quest having it’s own personality while still being an Aani village, with the same basic traditions and customs. The world feels whole and realized, lived in and more immersive. The story feels like a myth or a fairy tale, with adventure after adventure, bits of wisdom being handed out by sage teachers and every victory and loss treated like a lesson.

However, the characters themselves are so much a trope — the young hero, the grizzled warrior, the wise teacher, the abrasive doubter — that they never really develop as people. And while Elan has an arc, it’s more akin to a hero growing in strength and prestige. Elan does come across as an earnest and well meaning young man but … it’s my one nitpick with this book. I, personally, wanted Elan to be more a person and less an archetype. But that’s just me, and it’s the only reason this is a four and a half and not a five.

That said, if this author writes another book in this world — which, given how the book ends, seems to be likely — I will be right there to buy a copy. If you like kind heroes, strong friendships, an intricate and wonderful world with myths and stories, varied cultures and enemies both fearsome and heartbreaking, read this book! If you’re looking to add more diversity to your reading, read this book. This book makes me feel like a kid again in school, sitting and listening to the teacher tell us stories, and … that’s a great feeling to have.

Thank you so very much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!

Inspired by Tlingit Indigenous cosmology and philosophies, The Door on the Sea is a refreshing new take on the classic fantasy-adventure tale.

When Elān traps a foul-mouthed, thieving raven in a cupboard, he unwittingly finds himself a key player in a mission to save his people, the Aaní, from the race of shapeshifting invaders who have plagued them for generations.

Lacking a clear aptitude for warfare, Elān studies at the Longhouse of Service of Trade, destined for a quiet life of teaching and study, and chafes under the knowledge that his path has already been carved for him. Isolated with his studies, Elān longs for the camaraderie he observes between the trainees of the Longhouse of War and Diplomacy and nurtures a secret dream of becoming a warrior himself.

Tasked with captaining a crew of experienced warriors on a voyage to retrieve a mysterious weapon, bookish Elān must find a way to overcome his crew’s misgivings, his own self-doubt, and tradition itself, to write his own story and save his people.

With the feel of a well-loved fable, The Door on the Sea is a thoroughly enjoyable and propulsive read. The narrative is expressed through a charming third-person omniscient style, very reminiscent of traditional oral storytelling modes, and the narration skillfully draws the reader into Elān’s world and welcomes them as a member of the Aaní community.

The Door on the Sea is a story about stories, and more deeply than that, it’s about how stories have the power to limit and control us, as much as they may also mold and inspire. This theme is neatly supported by sub-themes of identity and belonging, as Russell explores the ways in which the stories we tell about ourselves and others come to shape our realities; informing values and prejudices alike.

With shades of Homer’s Odyssey and Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, the Door on the Sea aptly demonstrates both the power and universality of stories and is a decisive first installment in what is sure to be a future classic fantasy series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rebellion | Solaris for providing this digital reviewer copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Solaris for a copy of this arc, opinions all my own.

I really enjoyed the folklore aspect of this book, but I just didn't enjoy this as much as I think I could have. Maybe this YA isn't for me, or I am just not in the right place to pick this up. I enjoyed the writing style, I think Russell is talented but the story lacked for me.

** Thank you to Rebellion | Solaris, Netgallery, and Caskey Russel for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. **

Elān is made for the sheets (of paper) and not for the streets!

Or that is how the story begins. Elān is more interested in stories, knowledge, and books than he is in becoming a mighty warrior like his grandfather. He's never fit in and is seemingly trying to find his place among his tribe and in the world. But when he catches a foul-mouthed, cantankerous raven stealing his salmon, he traps him in a cupboard. Raven tells Elān where he can find a powerful weapon lost at sea by the Koosh invaders. When elder Ixt catches wind of this, he sends Elān, mouthy Raven, and a group of misfit warriors to retrieve the weapon and save his people.

Elān and his crewmates face a perilous journey against the sea, cannibalistic giants, and the Koosh invaders. Constantly compared to his warrior grandfather and crippled with self-doubt, Elān must figure out who he wants to be and earn the crew's respect. Along the way he learns that all he ever needed to be was exactly himself.

Overall: How do you critique a story that feels like it has always been? This book is unique in that the story feels like one that has been passed down from generation to generation. It was touching to read that this is a story he developed for his kids, as it felt like one of those stories you are told by your parents after you've been tucked in tight for the night. "Please, one more chapter!"

Recommended: for anyone! Literally, everyone should read this book.

Feels like: an Indigenous version of the Odyssey- only way better!

Gripes: None! Well, I could have used a little more Raven, who is now one of my all-time favorite characters!

Rating: 5/5- Perfection, no notes!

Note to the author: This is my advanced PLEA for the second installment of this story!

If you are not use to Native storytelling this book might seem to be oddly formatted. I found it to be a wonderful YA book exploring Tlingit mythologies. My only regret is that I read the book and did not get the audio. I would have loved to hear the names of the characters spoken. I will admit that after a while Raven got a bit annoying, however after reading the epilogue and see that this was a story written for the authors children the character of Raven made much more sense. FYI the holes in the sky were creepy AF.

A very fun story that touches on a mythology that I was wholly unfamiliar with. I was thoroughly entertained as I read and learned!

Okay, hear me out here. Take a Western-style quest fantasy in the vein of Terry Brooks' Sword of Shannara or Eddings' The Belgariad. The standard "Chosen One, Quest Object, Evil One," doorstop fantasy that is supposedly derivative of The Lord of the Rings, but isn't really. (Not enough constructed language geeking for one thing. Too much Monomyth for another.)

Skin it. Stretch the hide over a frame built on Tlingit culture and folklore--and you will have something possibly resembling The Door in the Sea. (As long as you remember to stick in the elements that are actually judging the conventions of said doorstop fantasy, the constant obnoxiousness of the raven, and the continuous kvetching about a. the raven being rude b. the protagonist Elān being a book eater c. the raven getting mad because he can dish it but not take it d. Elān not being a warrior e. the raven not doing his job f. Elān wanting to be a warrior and then feeling conflicted about wanting to be a warrior g. the raven existing and breathing the same air as the crew.)

Elān is a young man in training to be a teacher. His grandfather was a famous warrior, and this is one of the reasons why the elder Ixt has Elān lead the expedition to locate the Quest Object. (That, and the raven tried to bribe Elān with the Quest Object after he gets caught trying to steal salmon.) There are of course a number of problems with this from the beginning:

- Elān has a lackadaisical personality that does not lend itself to authority positions.
- Warriors as may be implied by the term "bookeater" do not think very well of teachers or other members of the Longhouse of Service and Trade.
- The raven won't do his job, which is translating. This is a very serious problem, since one of the party members is a wolf, and no on speaks wolf. (Fortunately, the wolf understands their language. So they are at least able to communicate somewhat.)
- Several members of the crew spend a lot of time trying to get Elān to step down as the expedition leader.
- Elān's inexperience leads to damage to the canoe, almost getting captured and other events.

The Quest Object in this novel is a deadly weapon belonging to the shapeshifting Koosh. This weapon, called a dzanti, ended up at the bottom of a bay, and the crew has been sent to retrieve it. Retrieving this weapon may be the only way that Elān's people will be able to defend themselves from the Koosh, who are beginning to invade the islands and mainland.

What draws the attention the most with this work is the narrative style. The narrator is very much a capital N Narrator and is almost a character in their own right. The Narrator tells the story in a slightly rambling fashion with the occasional side trip to explain things. (I would call it "As You Know, Bob, but the Reader is actually Bob here, and this Reader genuinely did not know.) The general feel here is that you are settled down somewhere, listening to this storyteller.

This is a solid epic fantasy with a lot of thoughtful things to say beneath the surface. (Mostly about "warrior" cultures that don't approve of intellectualism. And how intellectuals from warrior cultures don't quite approve of themselves either. Elān wants to be a warrior--because he doesn't want to be a teacher. Yet for him, there's only those two options: be disappointing or being disappointed.) I am looking forward to seeing where this story goes.

This review was based on a galley received from NetGalley.

3,5 Stars

J’ai refermé ce livre avec l’impression d’avoir écouté un très vieux conte, transmis de génération en génération, mais raconté pour la première fois rien qu’à moi.
The Door on the Sea est une fantasy comme j’en lis rarement : à la fois profondément enracinée dans la culture tlingit et ouverte sur un imaginaire vaste, puissant, empreint de poésie.

Tout commence avec un corbeau enfermé dans une armoire – et oui, déjà là, j’étais conquis. Elān, le protagoniste, est un conteur, un homme de mots et de mémoire, pas un guerrier. Pourtant, c’est lui qui devra mener une embarcation improbable dans une guerre qui le dépasse, contre les Koosh, des métamorphes mystérieux et cruels. Aux côtés d’un ours, d’un loup et du fameux corbeau bavard (que j’ai adoré), Elān apprend autant sur le monde que sur lui-même.

La plume de Caskey Russell m’a surpris : on sent l’héritage de la tradition orale, mais aussi une poésie naturelle, une rythmique presque musicale. Ce n’est pas une fantasy de divertissement, pas d'explosions ou de scènes spectaculaires – c’est une petite épopée qui prend son temps, qui laisse la mer vous parler, qui construit un monde à coups de légendes et de silences.
Ce n’est pas un roman pour ceux qui veulent de l’action à chaque page – c’est une lecture pour ceux qui aiment écouter le monde respirer.

Je suis curieux de voir où cette saga nous mènera.

Je vous le recommande si vous aimez la fantasy lente, riche, aux accents mythologiques.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I was a bit apprehensive of this one starting out, the narration style is somewhat unusual but it does fit the story being told and acknowledges oral storytelling traditions. I felt this style made it a little harder to establish a connection with the characters but overall this was a well paced read and I enjoyed it. I also personally really liked the detail giving to seafaring!

I love the idea of this book, however the raven character is so incredibly off-putting (going above and beyond the typical trickster archetype), and the writing style makes me think this is meant more for YA readers which I don't particularly enjoy.

3.5 stars

I had a lot of fun with the folklore and cultural roots of this story. It really feels like the kind of story passed down through generations, and reads like a grandparent speaking to a child as they tell the story. It was very unique and had a lot of charm that touched me. I do think the story is fairly surface level and I would have loved to see it dig into some further depths, but I don't think that detracts from its enjoyment and originality.

I would love to see more from this author in the future and follow along as they reach new heights with their craft.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the arc. I knew within the first chapter this book wouldn’t be to my taste. I hated the type of narration. It felt so juvenile, but be aware that this is a very personal complaint. I’m sure there are many others who would enjoy this book, but unfortunately I’m not one of them.

A trickster narrator never fails to disappoint, and I was instantly enchanted by this tale of an indigenous communities quest to preserve their community from the interests of deadly invaders. However, the story is incredibly slow to start, such that by the time I felt fully swept up in the magic the book was more than 70% complete. I wish the action had kicked off earlier in the plot, and that the beginning had been less concerned with tedious explanations of how boats work. I loved the vision of a modern Áani community evolved without the oppression of white supremacy, and enjoyed learning about Elān's society and customs. I also loved the heavy influence of indigenous arctic mythology and storytelling traditions. Overall a good read that could be made great with speedier pacing.

I was so eager to read "The door on the sea". Tinglit inspired fantasy? Sign me in, the more diversity there is in fantasy releases, the happier I am. This book was, then, not an exception, even when I struggled a little with it. It felt very much inspired by oral tradition, with uses of narraties tools that work differently in written form (like breaking the fourth wall and adressing the spectator/reader to add information). It pulled me out of the story a few times, but still, it wasn't enough to pull me completely out.

We follow our main character, Elān, as he met Raven and is send on somewhat of quest : retrieve an object in the sea, fallen from enemy's hand. With a crew, he sent on his adventure even though he is no warrior.
The plot is quite straighforward, from point A to point B without sidetracking. There are a few challenges of course, pain and shift in direction, but overall it stays on track. In the same spirit, I would have liked to be more inside the character's head, the feel like I was under his skin, but I understand it wasn't this kind of story.

All in all an enjoyable read, familiar and yet standing apart thanks to its inspiration and worldbuilding. I'm curious to read the next one!

Interesting story of adventure on the high seas from an indigenous perspective. I loved the cranky talking raven. I would interested in a future book by the author with a bit more depth of character and plot twists. Thank you to the author. Thank you #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This is not my kind of books but I was drawn to it by the beautiful artwork on the cover and what it represent. I am really interested in First Nations / Indigenous stories and that is why I decided to read this book. Although I'm not a fan of fantasy and adventures book, I did enjoy reading this one. I liked the connections with Indigenous legends and the names. I also enjoyed the writing, the story is interesting and the characters have interesting development. And I also liked when the reader is being talked to. So all in all, I appreciate reading this book and I thank Rebellion | Solaris for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own

I absolutely loved this one. From the very first scene, when Elān captures a salmon-stealing raven in his cupboard, I was hooked. What starts as a quirky moment unfolds into an unforgettable adventure steeped in myth, belonging, and transformation.

Elān is a storyteller, not a warrior, and watching him rise to the challenge felt deeply rewarding. The crew he gathers includes a bear-cousin, a massive wolf, and an irreverent raven, and they quickly become more than companions: by the end, they felt like old friends.

The prose captures the mist and salt of storm-torn seas, making every scene vivid and alive. The stakes deepen as alliances shift, giants appear, and shapeshifters haunt the edges of the world. But it's the quieter moments that stay with you: moments where Elān grapples with belonging and identity.

If you're drawn to folklore-rich fantasy with a beating heart, this is a book you won't forget. It's a reminder that stories have the power to save worlds—and ourselves.

Quick very high level summary.
Elan is a storyteller, who is tasked with saving his people from shapeshifting invaders called Koosh. He captains a crew misfits, a human with bear-like qualities, a wolf, and a foul-mouthed raven. This unlikely crew are searching for a missing weapon that might aid them in defeating the Koosh.

My Take.
I wanted so much to be swept up and immersed in this story but alas it lacked an emotional connection for me. What I did enjoy was the amazing story telling feeling. The writing is well done for the most part but there are times when it just felt disconnected or awkward. I think this book would be so much better in audio. Where it could showcase its true storytelling feel. Overall a good read with an interesting story. I will be listening to the audio version when it is released.

THANK YOU NetGalley and Solaris Books for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Take a fairy tale, set it inside a sweeping epic fantasy, steep it in Tlingit indigenous lore and tradition, and the result is The Door on the Sea. I was delighted to encounter shapeshifters, a mismatched crew of explorers, a rude raven, plenty of exciting action, and a touching coming-of-age element. Main character, young Elān, is secretly thrilled (but nonetheless apprehensive) as he is challenged to lead a quest that could mean the life or death of his entire world. It's obvious he has the brilliant mind of a story-teller, but he must prove to himself that he also has the soul of a warrior. This is only the first installment of the journey and I am anxious to find out what is next for our crew!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and very much felt like I was listening to one of Elān's own tales as it might be woven out loud. Though I spent the duration at the edge of my seat, swept up in the story, it lacked much of an emotional connection for me. This may have been because of that same narrative style that I liked so much, that stayed true to the story-teller feel. Still, sometimes it irked me that I wasn't feeling all the feels.
I would recommend this read to anyone in the mood for that fairy tale style, or those looking for a fresh fantasy world they've never experienced before. I WILL be anxious for more from Caskey Russell.
4 easy stars from me.