Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea

by Rita Chang-Eppig

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

This story about a legendary Chinese female pirate is one of grit, determination, and courage — an adventure story for the ages that you won't soon forget.

A Good Morning America Buzz Pick

The dazzling historical novel about a legendary Chinese pirate queen, her fight to save her fleet from the forces allied against them, and the dangerous price of power.

As Recommended By
The TODAY Show * Washington Post * Goodreads * LitHub * Real Simple * Time * Popsugar * HuffPost * Los Angeles Times * Ms. Magazine * Book Riot * Elle.com * The Rumpus * Tor.com * Polygon * Debutiful * Electric Lit * Shondaland *

When Shek Yeung sees a Portuguese sailor slay her husband, a feared pirate, she knows she must act swiftly or die. Instead of mourning, Shek Yeung launches a new plan: immediately marrying her husband's second-in-command, and agreeing to bear him a son and heir, in order to retain power over her half of the fleet.

But as Shek Yeung vies for control over the army she knows she was born to lead, larger threats loom. The Chinese Emperor has charged a brutal, crafty nobleman with ridding the South China Seas of pirates, and the Europeans-tired of losing ships, men, and money to Shek Yeung's alliance-have new plans for the area. Even worse, Shek Yeung's cutthroat retributions create problems all their own. As Shek Yeung navigates new motherhood and the crises of leadership, she must decide how long she is willing to fight, and at what price, or risk losing her fleet, her new family, and even her life.

A book of salt and grit, blood and sweat, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea is an unmissable portrait of a woman who leads with the courage and ruthlessness of our darkest and most beloved heroes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781639734085
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	05/28/2024
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	313,218
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 5.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Rita Chang-Eppig received her MFA from NYU. Her stories have appeared in The Best American Short Stories 2021 (selected by Jesmyn Ward), McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, One Story, and many other places. She lives in California.

Editorial Reviews

For anyone who loves pirates, historical fiction, and a strong heroine force . . . Turn to this book for swashbuckling adventures written with immersive, lyrical prose.” —Qian Julie Wang, the TODAY Show

“A captivating portrait of legendary 19th-century pirate queen Shek Yeung . . . [A] lyrically written high-seas adventure.” —Time

“A brutal and joyful celebration of an often-overlooked historical figure.” —Shondaland, Best Books of Summer 2023

“The ambitious, suspenseful and kaleidoscopic adventure we all need this summer! In Chang-Eppig's capable hands, this is epic storytelling.” —Ms. Magazine, May 2023 Reads for the Rest of Us

“In this swashbuckling saga, the Chinese Emperor, colonial European forces and even the mythological sea goddess Ma-Zou attempt to thwart Shek Yeung's plans at every turn, and she must battle fiercely for the world she believes in.” —The Washington Post

“The strength of Chang-Eppig's book is the extensive research that colors it. Disparate historical events and details are woven into a continuous backdrop. The novel offers the pleasures of learning about the siege of Fort Zeelandia, coral houses in Taiwan and stilt houses in the Philippines, differences in junk construction, early grenades and smoke bombs, and the sea goddess Matsu.” —New York Times Book Review

“A rollicking 19th-century adventure on the South China Sea . . . The prose is lyrical and the plot is clever and serpentine, exploring questions of power, violence, gender, and fate. This is not to be missed.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Rita Chang-Eppig's sharp, gritty first novel, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea, takes readers on a high-seas adventure…This fascinating portrait of a woman determined to survive no matter the challenge will captivate readers' imaginations…Book clubs and solo readers alike should find much food for thought in this blend of high-stakes action and a complex character sketch of a fierce and wily leader.” —Shelf Awareness

“A lyrical tale of a legendary pirate queen and her struggle to maintain power in the South China Seas. Brimming with poetic language and vivid depictions of life in all its facets, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea is a full-blooded, moving account of a woman's conflict with her past, present and future as she fights to keep one of the only things that she has left-her fleet.” —Booktrib

“The fascinating heroine of Chang-Eppig's dazzling debut is inspired by the real-life adventures of Shek Yeung, a badass Chinese pirate who commanded a powerful fleet on the South China Sea in the 19th century . . . Chang-Eppig's elegant prose flows nicely throughout this carefully plotted saga, which expertly weaves pointed commentary about gender roles, poverty, and colonization into swashbuckling adventure.” —Library Journal

“This heart-pounding high-seas adventure is also the moving story of a girl with no options who finds a way to survive, and the costs and consequences of that survival. Shek Yeung - a pirate queen, a mother, a ruthless killer and a loyal friend - is an unforgettable heroine whose journey will keep readers hooked from beginning to end.” —Anna North, New York Times bestselling author of OUTLAWED

“A powerful, gripping and vivid portrayal of one of history's most fascinating women, and the knife edge she had to walk to survive.” —Samantha Shannon, New York Times bestselling author of THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE and A DAY OF FALLEN NIGHT

“With prose as rich and elegant as it is fierce, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea, paints a complex portrait of one of history's most powerful women... A gorgeous vivid adventure.” —Erika Swyler, bestselling author of THE BOOK OF SPECULATION and LIGHT FROM OTHER STARS

“A riveting, heart-pounding exploration of ambition, grit, and ... the fiery, magnetic Shek Yeung.” —Kirstin Chen, New York Times bestselling author of COUNTERFEIT

“Suspenseful... Y'all had me at the words 'pirate queen.'” —R.O. Kwon, Electric Literature's 62 Books By Women of Color to Read in 2023

“Rita Chang Eppig is such a daring, thrilling writer. DEEP AS THE SKY, RED AS THE SEA sets a whole new bar for words like swashbuckling and adventure, recasting their assumptions while giving us all the big moments: Seafaring battles, swords and family intrigue, tales of love and revenge. It's all here. And in Shek Yeung, Chang-Eppig has given us a heroine for the ages. This is the start of a big career.” —John Freeman, author of How to Read a Novelist

“It is the year of lady pirates and outlaws, friends! You'll get no complaints from me, and with Rita Chang-Eppig's debut, it's definitely *Lizzo Voice* Bad Bitch O'Clock… It's refreshing to see not only a mixed-gender crew but also a woman with a complicated relationship to motherhood, her intended place in the world, and her ambitions. Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea is a non-stop adventure with danger at every turn, and Shek Yeung is forced to make decisions to ensure her survival. But she remains ruthless throughout, and her adventures will make you want to take up the sword and learn to sail.” —Tor.com

“A pirate queen's adventures in the South China Seas, based on the life of an actual early 19th-century icon—I'm sold a hundred times over on this debut.” —Julia Fine, author of THE UPSTAIRS HOUSE in Chicago Review of Books' 17 Most Anticipated Books of 2023

“A refreshingly vivid adventure tale, perfect for long days by the ocean's edge.” —Elle.com, The 39 Best New Books to Read in Summer 2023

“Epic yet intimate, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea brings to life the pirate queen Shek Yeung. Rita Chang-Eppig charts the journey of a brilliant and brave heroine who fights for the survival of her fleet-and her family's-against a fascinating historical backdrop. A stunning debut.” —Vanessa Hua, bestselling author of FORBIDDEN CITY

“A dazzling feat of storytelling.” —Clare Beams, author of THE ILLNESS LESSON

“Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea is a riveting and moving story of a real woman and legend. The woman at the center of this struggles with what sensitive and adventurous women have struggled with always: the choice between love and leadership; a life focused on family and friends or a life that looks outward to politics and society. This is richly researched historical fiction with lush mythology and all the excitement and intrigue of action and suspense.” —Tiphanie Yanique, award-winning author of LAND OF LOVE AND DROWNING and MONSTER IN THE MIDDLE

“Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea is a stunning novel filled with adventure, intrigue, and stirring contemplations of what it means to endure in a world of scarcity and violence. Chang-Eppig combines the scope and lyricism of Gabriel García Márquez with the propulsive storytelling of Susanna Clarke. This is an epic novel with the intimacy of a portrait, a literary adventure not to be missed.” —Seth Fried, author of THE MUNICIPALISTS

“Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea is a gripping, powerful portrait of a woman on the high seas who is as ferocious as she is human, determined to survive. Brimming with adventure and intrigue, passion and prophecy, fierce battles and moving moments of grace, this novel captures us on a pirate ship and does not let go until long after we've turned the radiant final page.” —Carolina De Robertis, award-winning author of CANTORAS

“A hold-onto-your-seat ode to an unforgettable woman.” —Real Simple, Best Books of 2023

“A clever story that explores gender roles, power and even love.” —Huffington Post

“Chang-Eppig's debut novel is a thriller from the first page-reading this book is like watching a pirate battle come to life! The perfect blend of action and historical fiction, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea is a thriller from the very first page! Rita Chang-Eppig brings Chinese pirate Shek Yeung to life in such vivid detail that you can't help but feel like you're fighting alongside this ruthless warrior. The story is so gripping you won't want it to stop, but you'll be dying to know how it ends. A must-read for anyone who loves a historical thriller!” —Southern Bookseller Review

From the Publisher

★ 04/24/2023

Chang-Eppig debuts with a rollicking 19th-century adventure on the South China Sea. During a botched raid on a Portuguese merchant ship, pirate Cheng Yat, captain of the Red Banner Fleet, is killed by sailors who “had come prepared for war.” In the aftermath, his wife, Shek Yeung, fears for her standing among her fellow outlaws. Cheung Po, Yat’s adopted son, is the fleet’s legal heir, and Yeung worries Po may take the opportunity to wrest control away from her. She convinces Po to marry her and agrees to bear him a son, believing their alliance is the only way to ensure the fleet’s survival. Meanwhile, rumors circulate that the emperor has brought in a specialist to extinguish the threat of piracy. What follows is a bold and bloody showdown between the government and the pirate queen. The prose is lyrical (“Typhoons and cannonballs cared nothing for the complicated little folded cranes of feeling that beat their wings in the heart”) and the plot is clever and serpentine, exploring questions of power, violence, gender, and fate. This is not to be missed. (June)

Publishers Weekly

A riveting, heart-pounding exploration of ambition, grit, and…the fiery, magnetic Shek Yeung.”

New York Times bestselling author Kirstin Chen

Shek Yeung—a pirate queen, a mother, a ruthless killer, and a loyal friend—is an unforgettable heroine whose journey will keep readers hooked from beginning to end.”

New York Times bestselling author Anna North

2023-03-28
A debut novel inspired by the legendary career of one of history’s most successful pirates.

This story begins with the heroine watching her husband die during a failed attack on a Portuguese ship. Cheng Yat’s death is both a personal and professional problem for Shek Yeung. He freed her from her life as a sex slave to make her a pirate, and upon his death she's surprised to realize she loves him. Her more pressing concern, though, is that Cheng Yat has left his ships to his male protégé, Cheung Po. She commands her own junks and her own men, but the Red Banner Fleet cannot survive divided. The character Shek Yeung is based on a real historical figure, a woman who survived sea battles with both the Qing Empire and the East India Company during the early 19th century. In making Shek Yeung her heroine, Chang-Eppig didn’t have to commit herself to writing a story that conforms with the basic contours of this real-life pirate queen’s life, but that’s what she’s chosen. At the same time, it seems like the author doesn’t want to commit to writing historical fiction. Chang-Eppig is a serious writer, and there are many moments of real lyrical beauty in this novel. While it might be anachronistic to expect a pirate queen to spend a lot of time in introspection, Shek Yeung never quite emerges as a fully formed character—and, given that the story is told from her point of view, the other characters are flat and opaque, as well. It’s no surprise that the author devotes a lot of this book to sea battles, political machinations, and the logistics of running a vast criminal enterprise, but any reader primarily interested in those elements of the story may be best served by nonfiction, while those looking for a rich story may have trouble caring about these details without a three-dimensional, compelling protagonist.

Shek Yeung is a fascinating figure, but Chang-Eppig doesn’t quite know what to do with her.

Kirkus Reviews