Tress of the Emerald Sea: A Cosmere Novel (Secret Projects Book 1)
At Politics and Prose in Washington D.C., Joe and I noticed (but didn't have suitcase room to buy) an interesting-looking book by Brandon Sanderson, The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England. Back home, we noticed that was in fact Secret Projects Book 2, so I put a hold on Secret Projects Book 1, Tress of the Emerald Sea: A Cosmere Novel. It isn't clear the books are actually closely related, but I figured we might as well read them in order. Tress became available pretty quickly, and we both enjoyed it. Neither of us guessed who Huck the talking rat really was.
I look forward to reading more about Hoid, and the eventual book with Hoid's backstory.
Highlights:
- Huck hissing, while directing Tress, recreating a conversation between Captain Crow and Laggart: It’s a dramatic recreation.
- Tress looked toward Crow. And then, Tress took the singular step that separated her from people in most stories. The act, it might be said, that defined her as a hero. She did something so incredible, I can barely express its majesty. I should consider this more, Tress thought to herself, and not jump to conclusions.
- Hoid: Plus, every time I tried to say anything about my specific predicament, the curse would activate, driving me back and prompting me to do something monstrous, like wear socks with sandals.
- Hoid, about Tress: The entire ship was depending on her, but she knew as much about this as she did about weaponized vexillology. (Watch out for the solid-colored flags. They’ll getcha.)
- Tress didn’t understand that it is quite possible to be so bad at something it seems implausible. In these cases, it stands to reason that such a person is in fact quite competent-because it takes true competence to feign such spectacular incompetence. It’s called the transitive property of ineptitude, and is the explanation for anything you’ve seen me do wrong ever.
- Ann to Tress: Did you know cannonballs can bounce? It was the most lunatic thing. Still think I’m the only cadet in the militia who ever managed to shoot her own sergeant…when he was behind her…inside the barracks.
- Ulaam to Tress: Hoid is immortal, and I am nearly so.
- Dragon to Tress: I make it a point not to interfere too much in the workings of the society above. If you really have made the discoveries she mentioned, then by taking you, I’d be interrupting the planet’s technological progress. I’ll pick that as my excuse for letting you go.
- Dragon to Tress (and I have no idea who Cephandrius is): There is precisely one being I fear on this planet-and no, your friend Cephandrius doesn’t count.
- Plot twist (!): Huck the rat had returned to the place where he’d been created, as instructed by the Sorceress.
- Charlie: Uh. Board? Can you please let us talk to the people you’re showing us?
Board, happy to be of service: Video conferencing engaged!