The Weathermaid's Mate

1793; as King Louis XVI is executed in Paris and stormclouds of war gather over Europe, Great Britain is in the grip of its own curious revolution. The ancient art of weathercraft, long shrouded in secrecy, has come to the public eye, and in this age of experiment, women who possess the power of controlling the wind are now coerced into employing that power where it will be of most use: aboard ships of the Royal Navy. The first weathermaid sent to sea is seventeen-year-old Rebecca Hawkley; a shy, bookish young lady who dreams of nothing more than returning to her former life of countryside walks and society balls. But Rebecca is pursued by a monstrous creature; a predator that means to destroy her at all costs. As the ensuing chase takes her to London, Corunna and the streets of Naples, the mysteries of her magic are slowly revealed; yet when the hunt reaches its climax at the bloody siege of Toulon, a sacrifice must be made for Rebecca's survival. And suddenly her fate lies in the hands of the man she has come to trust more than any other: the weathermaid's mate... Epic in scope, blending the classic sea stories of CS Forester and Patrick O'Brian with the period fantasy of Susanna Clarke and Naomi Novik, and brimming at every turn with wry humour and authentic period detail, The Weathermaid's Mate is both a swashbuckling historical adventure with a strong supernatural twist, and a parable of populism and upheaval for our own troubled times. PRAISE FOR IAN RICHARDS FROM AMAZON CUSTOMERS "Very funny, and at times quite moving." "Makes the reader feel present in decades past... a stunning and brilliant read." "The characters are fascinating and wonderfully written."