Running Close to the Wind
Published on 7. August 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
480 pages
978-1-5290-9972-0 (ISBN)
Description
Our Flag Means Death meets Six of Crows in Running Close to the Wind, a queer pirate adventure from the author of A Taste of Gold and Iron, Alexandra Rowland.
'Come for the irrepressible gremlin of a narrator, stay for the plot-relevant cake competitions! A whip-smart, hilarious and exuberant high seas romp' - Freya Marske, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Marvellous Light
Avra Helvaci, former field agent of the Arasti Ministry of Intelligence, has accidentally stolen the single most expensive secret in the world - and the only place to flee with a secret that big is the open sea.
To find a buyer with deep enough pockets, Avra must work with his on-again, off-again ex, the pirate Captain Teveri az-Haffar. Together, they will have to risk journeying to the isolated pirate republic of the Isles of Lost Souls.
The only things in their way?
A calculating new Arasti ambassador to the Isles . . .
Brother Julian, a beautiful, mysterious new member of the crew with secrets of his own . . .
. . . And the fact that they're sailing straight into sea-serpent breeding season and almost certain doom.
But if they can find a way to survive and sell the secret on the black market, they'll all be as wealthy as kings - and, more importantly, they'll be legends . . .
'Uproariously funny, exquisitely witty, brimming with buckling of swashes and scuttling of butts' - Premee Mohamed, Nebula Award-winning author of Beneath the Rising
'Come for the irrepressible gremlin of a narrator, stay for the plot-relevant cake competitions! A whip-smart, hilarious and exuberant high seas romp' - Freya Marske, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Marvellous Light
Avra Helvaci, former field agent of the Arasti Ministry of Intelligence, has accidentally stolen the single most expensive secret in the world - and the only place to flee with a secret that big is the open sea.
To find a buyer with deep enough pockets, Avra must work with his on-again, off-again ex, the pirate Captain Teveri az-Haffar. Together, they will have to risk journeying to the isolated pirate republic of the Isles of Lost Souls.
The only things in their way?
A calculating new Arasti ambassador to the Isles . . .
Brother Julian, a beautiful, mysterious new member of the crew with secrets of his own . . .
. . . And the fact that they're sailing straight into sea-serpent breeding season and almost certain doom.
But if they can find a way to survive and sell the secret on the black market, they'll all be as wealthy as kings - and, more importantly, they'll be legends . . .
'Uproariously funny, exquisitely witty, brimming with buckling of swashes and scuttling of butts' - Premee Mohamed, Nebula Award-winning author of Beneath the Rising
Reviews / Votes
Come for the irrepressible gremlin of a narrator, stay for the plot-relevant cake competitions! A whip-smart, hilarious and exuberant high seas romp -- Freya Marske, author of <i>A Marvellous Light</i> Simply a masterpiece. Uproariously funny, exquisitely witty, brimming with buckling of swashes and scuttling of butts, an adventure tale peppered with heartfelt moments and the power of friendship like so much grapeshot. Put me in a rowboat and tow me behind the ship if I tell a lie -- Premee Mohamed, author of <i>Beneath the Rising</i> I've never fallen so instantly in love with a story as with Running Close to the Wind by the inimitable Alexandra Rowland. Incredible fun, endearing characters, and a beautiful message wrapped in a sea-serpent bow -- Seth Haddon, author of <i>Reborn</i> A delightful romp. Fans of Our Flag Means Death are going to flock to this hilarious and unabashedly queer pirate adventure -- <i>Booklist</i>, Starred Review An incredibly horny book that is also silly and loving and wants to celebrate just how fun sexiness can be . . . an exuberant adventure that manages to combine humour with a strong sense of humanity and justice * SFX Magazine * Alexandra Rowland has written the ideal antidote to the past indeterminate number of awful years * LitHub * Humorous. . . . The characters and the world they inhabit are developed in striking detail. . . . Fans of Our Flag Means Death will want to check it out * Publishers Weekly * There simply wasn't a single dull moment in this story . . . One of the most hysterical and delightfully queer fantasy adventures you will ever have the pleasure of experiencing * Grimdark Magazine * Truly good fun * Kirkus Reviews * Will have readers laughing on every page * BookPage *More details
Edition
Main Market Ed
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pan Macmillan
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 194 mm
Width: 125 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
334 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5290-9972-0 (9781529099720)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Alexandra Rowland is the author of A Taste of Gold and Iron, Running Close to the Wind, A Conspiracy of Truths, A Choir of Lies and Some by Virtue Fall, as well as a Hugo Award-nominated podcaster (all sternly supervised by their feline quality control manager). They hold a degree in world literature, mythology and folklore from Truman State University.