Tress of the Emerald Sea

Tress is a girl living on an island in an emerald-green ocean. She was always curious about the outside world and enjoyed listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. One day, Charlie's father decides that Charlie needs a bride, and they go off to look for a princess to be his wife. Tress realizes she was in love with Charlie so she stows away on a ship and sets sail across the deadly, pirate-infested spore seas to look for Charlie who was captured by The Sorceress, making unexpected friends along the way.

Part One

The narrator introduces a young regular girl named Tress who grows up on an isolated island known as Diggen's Point (also dubbed as The Rock), which lies near Verdant Lunagrees, located in the middle of the Emerald Sea. Tress mostly sat there on the black saltstones waiting for sailors from their journey due to her desire for a cup collection. Following her cup collection, Tress goes up to the Duke's mansion to visit her close friend Charlie, the Duke's son. During her visit, Tress grew passionate with Charlie because of their hobbies: Charlie is more interested in telling stories similar to Tress's interest in the cup collection. As Tress tries to impress Charlie, she reluctantly leaves after noticing the Duke's disapproval. The next morning, Tress learned that the Duke was announcing to leave with his family for an arranged marriage with the royal princess. Before their departure, Charlie promises Tress that he will return unmarried and bring her the cup for her to cherish. A year passes and the Duke's family returns to Diggen's Point only to discover that Charlie is missing and replaced by his cousin Dirk. Feeling remorse and desperate, Tress learned from the Duke's servants that Charlie was exposed by his enraged father and the King sent him into the Midnight Seas where he was captured by The Sorceress. After two months of lethargically going about her daily tasks, Tress decides to go out and save Charlie on her own.

Part Two

Tress realizes that the only way to get to the Sorceress is to venture across the Crimson Sea and into the Midnight Seas. After two weeks of reconnaissance and researching, Tress and her parents: Lem and Ulba came up with a plan to help cover her escape along with their allies' help. Tress successfully enters on board the ship Oot's Dream posing as the inspector. While sailing across the Emerald Sea, Tress plans to visit the king's castle to learn more about Charlie's capture. While avoiding suspicion from the Captain, Tress is later tricked and locked up in the cage where she meets and befriends a talking rat named Huck. Huck reveals that the Oot's Dream is a smuggler's ship and the smugglers capture him during his journey to the Rock. The ship is then attacked and ambushed by the attack ship believing that it was a royal ship. Tress tries her attempt to halt the attack but fails causing the ship to be damaged beyond repair via sprout vines; the widespread sprout kills most of the smugglers in the process. Tress and Huck quickly escape the Oot's Dream collapse and carefully walk across the Emerald Sea heading towards the attack ship known as the Crow's Song. While climbing on board for fifteen minutes and avoiding sprout contamination, the Crow's Song is later revealed as the pirate ship led by the stout leader Captain Crow. Crow threatens to throw her overboard, but Tress proves herself useful as she scrubs the deck before falling asleep.

Part Three

While spending two days on the ship, Tress grew suspicious as she continuously scrubbed decks and loaded spore cannons. She later encounters Hoid who was revealed to have been mysteriously cursed by an unknown cause. While exploring the ship, Tress befriends members of the crew: the quartermaster Fort, the ship's carpenter Ann, a mysterious surgeon Dr. Ulaam, the helmswoman Salay, and multiple sailors named Doug. With Huck's infiltration and research, Tress realizes that Captain Crow is forcing her crew to become deadrunners by converting them into pirates in an attempt to rival the King's marshal. While heading north, Tress persuaded Crow causing her to sail east before striking her. Due to Crow's cruelty, Tress learns that the entire crew fears Crow's intimidation which prevents them from mutiny. Upon arriving at the Docks of Shimmersbay at night, Tress chooses to stay and help the crew for their kindness despite Huck's reluctance. Crow arrives and encourages Tress to leave. However, Tress confidently asks Crow about her duty as a sprouter which causes Crow to hire her as the crew. Tress is overwhelmed despite her conviction that she's doing right in accepting a post as a pirate.

Part Four

Now hired as the new Sprouter, Crow gave Tress the key to the sprouter's cabin to continue her work. While discussing with Fort and Ann, Tress secretly swaps the entire cannonballs that contain Zephyr spores to prevent casualties. Tress tries to reason with Fort about her rescue. However, Fort explains that the Sorceress will curse anyone who ventures there similar to Hoid. It is revealed that Hoid's curse prevented him from speaking about his conditions, which Tress believed he might find Charlie. Instead, Hoid left a clue for Tress, allowing her to find a Midnight Spore hidden under the bed, much to Huck's horror. The Crow's Song spotted the merchant ship nearby and fired it. The crew was surprised the cannons didn't damage and decided to raid it only then did the merchant ship fire their captives. Tress successfully rebuilds the ship's hull using the Roseite crystals she saw from Oot's Dream. Crow threatens the enemy and reveals her true nature when she shoots herself causing the tendril vine to react as it grows out of her face. Ulaam informs Tress that Crow is a spore eater, a host that gestates a rogue verdant essence that protects her from harm, explaining her motivations. Just as Hoid arrives, Tress tries to ask Hoid about the Sorceress and then can decode that a familiar or talking animal might be able to mediate a discussion of the curse. Tress confronts Huck about being a familiar and the Sorceress by which Huck pleads with Tress for her safety. Salay arrives to interrogate Tress and suspects her as the King's Mask during which Tress tries to act reasonably. Salay reveals she is planning a secret meeting to overthrow Crow from her title. Due to Huck's refusal to spy on Crow, Tress uses the Midnight Spore to sneak into Crow's office and read her journal. Tress discovers that Crow is planning to venture into the Crimson Sea to find the dragon named Xisisrefliel who can cure her illness right until Huck severs her connection to the spore. Tress quickly joins up with Fort, and Ann with Salay reveal Tress as the King's Mask despite their agreement. Tress brings out the deadrunner cannonballs and explains how Crow wanted to bind them to her will for piracy. The groups decided to persuade Crow to travel to Crimson Sea and choose Tress to do it. Tress convinced Crow to continue her travel. Crow reluctantly agrees if her crew accepts her decisions. Tress discusses Ulaam about Crow's plans to venture into the Crimson Seas and learns that Xisis can cure Crow if he finds a servant capable of maintaining spores.

Part Five

Three days later, Tress orchestrates her plan to leave the ship and continue her mission to rescue Charlie. Crow, however, reveals Tress' motive and goads for her compassion. Crow goads Tress and reveals the dangers of the Crimson and Midnight that may lead to certain death. With Huck's comfort, Tress decided to defend herself against Crow's effort. Tress looks through her predecessor's schematics and invents a flare gun that summons the spores. Huck informs Tress about the Sorceress' liar and the dangers she is unprepared for her journey. To confront the Sorceress, Tress must surpass all three trials: the Midnight Essences, giant golden statues, and a fortified tower. As Tress tested the flare, she quickly overcame her fear by touching the vines despite Huck's concern. While sailing towards the Crimson Sea, Tress grew more supportive of the crew for their problems: Ann for her aiming accuracy, Fort for his cooking, and Salay for her confidence. As the two rainstorms approach the ship, Tress uses the spore mixed with the water barrel that creates a giant sporadic tree preventing the Crimson spikes from penetrating them. Tress, Fort, Ann, and Salay discuss their plan to remove Crow only to discover that Crow exposes their schemes via midnight spores. Crow's cannon master, Laggart, ambushed them and shot Salay forcing them to meet up with Crow. Crow quickly outmaneuvered them with her wits. Crow injures both Fort and Salay in the process while holding Tress captive. Crow then apprehends Tress as they venture into the dragon's lair. Tress and Crow encounter the Dragon Xisis for the first time. After learning from Hoid's words, Tress outsmarts Crow by switching places and counter-argues for servitude. Tress convinces the dragon that she is willing to confront the sorceress on her mission to save Charlie. Convinced, Xisis apprehends Crow for further research on curing her and decides to free Tress for his pardon while offering her repayment. While reuniting the crew, Tress asks the dragon for three small things as parting gifts for Ann, Fort, and Salay. With Crow removed, the crew chose Tress as their captain and supported her mission to venture into the Midnight Sea.

Part Six

Tress introduces Huck to the entire crew and promotes him as her valet. She also revealed the Midnight spores that help them sever the monsters controlled by the Sorceress. However, Huck secretly uses Hoid to sabotage the ships' food supplies due to his paranoia which causes Tress to distrust him. With Huck caged and the arrival of the Midnight Sea imminent, Tress felt unsure about her goal of defeating the Sorceress and discussed Ulaam the situation with her concerns with the crew. Ulaam reveals that Hoid's magic has the advantage of outmatching the Sorceress' magic. After learning about Hoid's powers, Tress plans to take Hoid to the Sorcess's lair by venturing alone at Midnight and decides to take Huck with him for his expertise despite the crews' concerns. As Tress tries to test her theory of taking control of the Midnight Essences, the Essences ambush her and counteract her attempts. Just when the creature looks as if it is about to attack her, Huck orders it to stop and take them to the Sorceress. With Tress now held captive by the creatures, Huck admits that he lied about his motivation and he mostly belonged to the Sorceress. They arrived at the island with Huck able to surpasses the entire security system while meeting up the Sorceress. The Sorceress remained unimpressed with Tress' motives but instead she release Charlie in exchange for two cups. However, Tress grew suspicious on Charlie's personality and why Sorceress changed her mind so quickly. Tress returns and realizes that the Sorceress had cursed Charlie and transformed into a rat which Tress realizes that Huck is Charlie the entire time. Tress finds out that Huck stammered whenever she tried to get him to talk about the island, because he was cursed. She realizes that the only way to break the curse would be for her to come to the island, but Charlie still tried to keep her away without Tress' knowledge. As Tress and Charlie embraces their heartfelt reunion, the Crow's Song crew attack the island much to their surprise. Meanwhile, Fort successfully take control on the Midnight Essence and persuaded them for their aid. Tress manages to communicate Fort due the Sorceress's hacking his board and instruct him and Salay to bring Hoid to the tower before being held captive by Sorceress' magic. Ann successfully taken out the guard with Laggart's support. As Tress distracts the Sorceress, Huck dashes off to open the door allowing Fort and Salay to bring Hoid inside. When the Sorceress attempted to curse Tress, Hoid, now free from the curse, steps in and halts the Sorceress forcing her to surrender. Hoid admitted that he allowed Sorceress, reveal her name as Riina, to curse him as part of the bet. As Riina releases Tress, Tress orders her to leave Lumar for all the trouble she has caused. Riina reluctantly departed her planet while the entire crew celebrates their victory. Before she left, Riina explained she cannot undone the curse once the terms are made. However, Hoid reveal that he can change the parameters of Charlie's curse based on the runes.

Epilogue

Five months later, Tress, Charlie, and her crew arrive at the Rock aboard with the new ship named Two Cups following their pardon from the king. Tress presented the duke with the writ they had gotten from the king, changing the law so people could leave the island. She and Charlie sailed off with her family and the rest of the old crew of Crow's Song, with Charlie, now cured thanks to Hoid's adjustments to the curse, so that he only had to return Tress back to her home.

• Tress: The story's main protagonist and heroine. Her actual name is Glorf, which she considers to be a very unfortunate name. Everyone in the story calls her tress, after her unruly hair. She is fond of cups and has a small collection (courtesy of Charlie and his many expeditions as the duke’s son) which she carries around everywhere she goes.
• Captain Crow: The ruthless ship captain of the Crow's Song. She has a symbiotic relationship with Verdant Spores ( a condition colloquially known as being a “spore eater”) in which the spores protect her from harm in exchange for increasing amounts of water. This condition is fatal, but she has already lived past her expiration date, making her nihilistic and overconfident, and therefore dangerous.
• The Sorceress/Riina: the main antagonist of the story. She came to Lumar because she believed to be the most vulnerable planet in the Cosmere. She then cursed anyone she met, making hers a very feared name indeed. In the story we meet two people she cursed, one being Hoid (expanded upon in Hoid’s entry) and the other being Charlie (expanded upon in Charlie’s entry)
• Ann: The ship's carpenter. She loves guns, but has horrendous aim, to the point of comedy.
• Salay:The ship’s helmswoman. Her goal is to find her father.
• Fort: A deaf quartermaster who uses a Nathian board for translation. He was the first member of the crew to be nice to Tress.
• Charlie: The Duke's son. He is most fond of stories and adventures. He is Tress' love interest. His curse from Riina turned him into a rat.
• Ulaam: A Kandra from Scadrial who was called to Lumar by Hoid (presumably before Hoid got cursed). After seeing Hoid’s state, Ulaam chose to remain with Hoid to keep an eye on him. He now spends his days as the ship’s surgeon.
• Hoid: A Worldhopper and storyteller, the narrator of this story. Known as Wit, the Drifter, Cephandrius and a myriad other names, Hoid is known have a major role in the overarching story of the Cosmere. He appears in every Cosmere book, nudging the main characters in the right direction. This was not one of his brightest moments, as he was pretty much incapacitated for most of the story due to Riina’s curse, which made him lose his Wits. He wasn’t even capable of forming coherent sentences. In rare moments of lucidity he still tried to help tress and nudge her in the right direction.

The story takes place on the planet Lumar, a desolate world with twelve massive geostationary moons. These moons continuously pour spores, which conglomerate into twelve distinct 'seas.' Each of these seas is characterized by a different color, based on which type of spore it's made out of (e.g., verdant, zephyr, and midnight, among others). The dry, sand-like spores act somewhat like typical water seas, making them sailable, due to the fact that fluidization occurs. This is described as a sea-wide churning, bubbling motion caused by large quantities of air being expelled from vents on the sea floors. This air periodically stops in events called "stills," which halt all ship movement and cause the spores to act solid (in this state, it is possible to walk on them).

The spores making up the seas are treacherous, as coming into contact with water causes most types to explode with growth (midnight spores behave uniquely in this regard). Even the smallest quantity of water causes intense and rapid sprouting, meaning that even a few inhaled spores leads to death.

None of the shards have ever settled on Lumar and the religion system is based on the twelve moons.

In spring 2022, Brandon Sanderson announced a Kickstarter campaign of "Secret Projects" to publish four secret and brand-new novels written during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign reached its goal within a day, and accumulated a total of $41.7 million.[1][2] Tress of the Emerald Sea is the first of the Secret Projects and is part of Sanderson's fictional Cosmere universe.[1] The novel is inspired by William Goldman’s 1973 novel The Princess Bride and is narrated by Hoid, a recurring character who had appeared in multiple Cosmere series novels and whom Sanderson always wanted to have a book centered on.[3][4]

Kickstarter campaign backers received premium editions of the novel published by Dragonsteel Entertainment on January 1, 2023 and a standard hardback edition published by Tor Books was officially released on April 4, 2023.[1][5]

Kirkus Reviews called the novel "a fantasy adventure with a sometimes-biting wit", and praising it for the engrossing worldbuilding, appealing characters and sense of humor.[6]

Lyndsey Luther of Tor.com called the novel "fascinating and completely unlike anything I’ve seen in any other fantasy novel". She described the novel as "a fairy-tale Cosmere adventure filled with fun characters" and said "Sanderson’s gift for creating unique settings really shines".[7]

David Wiley of Open Letters Review praised the novel for its "punchy pacing, witty humor, vibrant characters, and fascinating magic systems", yet he criticized the narrative and too many Cosmere-related subtleties added to the plot.[8]