Tour: Sailing by Orion’s Star

By Katie Crabb

June 16 – 19

If you would be interested in joining this tour as a reviewer, please contact us using the SIGN-UP FORM at the end of the page.

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Sailing-Orions-Star-Constellation-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B09VMNYKM2/
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61344377-sailing-by-orion-s-star
Genre: Historical fiction, slavery, pirates, LGBTQ
Print length: 470 pages (137K words)
Age range: This is an adult book, but would be suitable for young adults
Trigger warnings: slavery, racism
Formats available for the Tour: all standard electronic formats (sorry, no paperbacks)
Amazon Rating: 5*

About Sailing by Orion’s Star

In the 18th century West Indies, stories hold the ultimate power. Sailors spin yarns about pirates. Newspapers tell tales full of half-truths. Myths spread like whispered wildfire.

East India Company sailor Nicholas Jerome has no patience for pirates, determined to leave his father’s thieving past behind. After a convict and an enslaved woman escape his grasp with the aid of an aristocrat’s mysterious wife, he faces one last chance to save his career. Finding an unexpected home with a new crew, he gains a chosen younger brother in René Delacroix, the son of his wealthy captain and the grandson of Jamaica’s cruel governor.

But there’s a storm brewing in the Delacroix household. For René and his best friend Frantz, the Robin Hood tales about legendary pirate Ajani Danso and his famed female quartermaster are a lifeline amidst the governor’s abuse. Danso robs greedy merchants, frees slaves, and shelters queer sailors, inspiring the downtrodden across the New World.

When death and betrayal shatter the lives they knew, René and Jerome each face a choice: obey, or rebel.

A war for history’s favor begins, and as an uprising against colonialism erupts on the ocean, everyone must choose a story to believe in.

Sailing by Orion’s Star is the origin story of The Constellation Trilogy, a familial epic spanning from 1695 to 1718. The trilogy pulls on the hidden threads of the past and uncovers the truth behind who pirates really were–people of color, poor sailors, desperate runaways, women, and queer people–an army of all nations who dared to fight for a better world.

Praise for Sailing by Orion’s Star

This book was a WONDERFUL read. The characters, the history, the setting—all of it was masterfully done! I really think the core of this story though are the characters. They’re all so different and complicated, each with their own needs and wants that’s fleshed out with room to grow in the sequels. Amazon review

A pirate’s tale for a new generation, Sailing by Orion’s Star is jam packed with well developed characters and enough action to keep the story moving. It is set over a wide span of time, which is deftly handled. Indeed, it’s necessary for growth and change in the characters’ relationships. Some characters improve, some get worse with age, and some grow up. I was invested In their journey to a more diverse and inclusive society, all while attempting to put the main villain -the East India Company – in its proper place.Amazon review

An exciting historical adventure about what we are—and aren’t—willing to give up for what we believe in. Beautifully researched and featuring multiple compelling found families, this book takes the usual stereotypes of pirates and flips them on their heads. A very enjoyable tale well told. Amazon review

aBOUT THE AUTHOR

Katie is a librarian and activist by day, a writer of historical fiction by night, and a lover of musicals always. You can usually find her talking about Les Mis, pirates, Paris, and anything to do with The Phantom of the Opera. Her work focuses on queerness, challenging historical narratives, what makes up a family, and the space between grief and resilience.