I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A man shipwrecked and rescued finds himself on not only a different world, but a different time altogether in author A.G. Rivett’s novel “The Seaborne”. 

The Synopsis

Seaborne. The word echoes in Dermot’s mind. Washed up from who knows where, with no people to belong to, no clan to speak for him: aa man alone in the world. If this man lives, what will he turn out to be? What might he bring among the Islanders?

John had not dreamed that anywhere in the North Atlantic could be this remote. There must be someone, if not here, then not far away, who even if they didn’t speak English would at least recognise it.

John Finlay, engineer, is running away from his failed business, his failed relationship and his debts. He runs away to sea. Dermot, pulling a body, barely alive, from the water, has never seen anyone so strangely dressed. His Celtic island knows nothing of debt or of engineering. And John, waking among a people who cannot understand his language, struggles to accept that he has been carried across time and into another world.

From this starting point, tensions build between cultures and outlooks, and focus on Shinane, the blacksmith’s daughter, who is looking for something beyond. John and Dermot find themselves stretched to their limits. It is a matter of survival, or transformation. Choice is key – and not only for John, Dermot and Shinane: the whole community finds itself caught up in conflict over The Seaborne.

The Review

This was such an engaging read. The author does a great job of creating a breathtaking world that draws the reader in and populates it with characters that keep the reader invested throughout. 

The interesting concept of how society has evolved and the ways in which people choose to live are thoroughly showcased throughout the narrative. The thing that fascinates me as a reader is how John’s mentality and way of life from his own time and the way of life he learns to have while in this new world is interesting to see, both in their similarities and differences. In the end, is it not true that the past and the future both have their ups and downs, and can impact the present? 

The Verdict

A powerful, memorable, and evenly paced read, author A.G. Rivett has masterfully told a brilliant tale of a man outside of his own time, and the community impacted by his appearance, both good and bad. Fueled by culture, romance, questions of morality, and advancements in technology, mentality, and society, the novel does an excellent job of creating a thought-provoking narrative that will keep readers wanting more. Be sure to grab your copy of “The Seaborne” today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Andrew (A.G.) Rivett was born in London. He has lived in England, Nigeria, Scotland (where The Seaborne was drafted) and now in Wales.

The inspiration for The Seaborne, his debut novel, came twenty years ago on holiday in Ireland, at which time he wrote some opening chapters, relics of which remain in the published book. The Seaborne, the first book of the planned Island trilogy, was published in November 2019.