This was absolutely, wonderfully, delightful. I wasn't sure about it when I started, but Avra and company grew on me. Especially Avra. I found him borderline annoying at first, but he quickly morphed into endearing and hilarious. I laughed so much while reading and I absolutely did not want it to be over. I would have read a book twice as long quite happily.

The characters really shone in this one. Every one felt unique and real, even those with only small parts. The absolute unquestioned queernormativity of the world was delightful and made it all feel so warm and cozy. Even when everything and everyone was absolutely insane.

The world also felt very real and believable and cohesive, even with the giant turtles and the glowing horny sea serpents and ghosts and cake competitions. I definitely want to read more in this world and with these characters.

The sex jokes and innuendo were near constant, but there wasn't any actual sex on page which was actually really refreshing? I appreciate innuendo but on-page sex generally decreases my enjoyment of a story. This walked along the line of what I find too much for practically the entire book but never crossed it which was frankly impressive.

In among the hilarity and absolutely bonkers situations and constant stream of innuendo was a surprising amount of characters being philosophical. I think my favorite quote in the whole book (although that's really a tough call and I could also point to the whole entire book) was this from Avra:

----
"...Behind everybody's sanity mask is someone who is unalloyed batshit in one way or another. That is the truth of human nature, Baltakan." He polished off the last dregs of beer. "When I say 'one absolute madman,' that's not somebody less sane, because nobody's sane. That's just somebody who's decided that leaving his mask off gets him where he wants to be, which is usually somewhere really weird that nobody expects him to go." He paused. "Like the top of a wardrobe."
----

I had just the best time while reading this. Definitely one of my top books of the year and I will revisit when I need something comforting and uplifting to read.

The audiobook performance was also absolutely fantastic and was one of the best audiobooks I've listened to in a while. The characters had such unique and easily recognizeable voices that felt so authentic to who they were as characters. Avra's voice, including the frequent exclamations of "reeeee!" to express various emotions, was especially well-done.

*Thanks to tordotcom and RB Media for providing an early copy for review.

Alexandra Rowland has become a new favorite author between A Taste of Gold and Iron and Running Close to the Wind. Set in the same world as A Taste of Gold and Iron, this novel follows a ridiculous and supernaturally lucky former intelligence agent / poet on a pirate ship , the captain he has an on again-off again relationship with, and the monk they're both crushing on who's taken a very inconvenient vow of celibacy. It's a lot less serious than her first book, but I loved that about it. Big Our Flag Means Death vibes.

this was such a hilarious romp of a book, alexandra rowland you will always and forever be famous! these characters are wild, raunchy and so loving (in their own unique ways) you can't help but fall in love with them. rowland's writing never fails to amaze me with it's wittiness and humor that makes me giggle like a maniac in the bread aisle of the grocery store. fantasy is only done well by a true genius and alexandra rowland is definitely that genius.

Loved It, 4.5 stars

This was a really fun book! It is completely absurd, and definitely not for everyone though.

In Running Close to the Wind, we follow Avra, a self-professed flibertigibbet with magically good luck. He steals some state secrets on a whim from his country and then winds up on the ship of his ex, Teveri. Tev is a no-nonsense pirate captain, and they really REALLY struggle with Avra. Then there is a new crewmember as well, Brother Julian, a monk who has taken a vow of celibacy because his order swears off their favorite thing in the whole world. They work together to sell this secret, and absolute nonsense ensues.

The best part of this book are the characters and their interactions with each other. I ended up having a really good time with it, but it was a really rough start. Up til about 50%, I was considering DNFing because Avra is utterly nonsensical and so, painfully, horny. It is a very raunchy sense of humor, and it took me a while for it and the characterizations to grow on me. I feel like overall, my experience was was not unlike that of the relationship progression with Avra in the book. He was so very obnoxious but grew on me without my even noticing, and I was very fond of him by the end. I really loved the role that Julian played in Tev and Avra's relationship. The two of them are chronically terrible communicators, and Julian ends up bridging that communication gap, which was so believably sweet to see.

The plot is very slow to start, which also annoyed me a bit at first, but the pure ridiculousness really grew on me. We just follow the escapades of a pirate ship for much of it, and it doesn't necessarily feel like there is a ton of direction. However, once that starts to firm up, I became quite invested. I loved the pirate haven so much! The crew and the townspeople were just absolutely delightful side characters. I also really loved the cake contest! It wasn't what I thought it would be, but it was so much fun. The part I didn't love about the pacing was that it ends rather abruptly and it is sort of an open-ended ending.

Overall, this was a lot of fun, and I ended up really loving it! It probably would be a 5 star rating if it didn’t take half the book for me to be on board with it.

Thank you so much to Tor and Netgalley for an eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Man! This was amazing and hilarious. It’s a ride from start to finish, in a mix of Our Flag Means Death with The Great British Bake Off—all wrapped up in a beautifully diverse package.

Avra, a former field agent and spy, accidentally stumbles upon the most expensive secret in the world. With no safe harbor on land, he turns to the open sea, seeking the help of his on-again, off-again ex, Captain Teveri. The reunion is far from warm, but necessity drives them to form a plan: sell the secret in the pirate republic of the Isles of Lost Souls and reap the profits.

Rowland's character work shines brightly, particularly in the complex and often frustrating Avra. He’s a character who balances on the knife-edge of delightful and irritating, yet his charm gradually grows on you, much like a particularly persistent fungus. I adored the silly Avra and the broody Captain Teveri. Adding to the mix is the gorgeous Brother Julian whose vow of celibacy adds layers of complexity to the very horny duo's relationship.

Rowland’s writing is sharp and witty, infusing the narrative with humor that ranges from laugh-out-loud moments to more subtle, clever banter. Despite the comedic elements, there are also profound moments of character growth and introspection. The evolving relationship between Avra, Teveri, and Julian is particularly satisfying, moving towards a surprisingly healthy and balanced trio by the end of the book.

There is also a calculating Arasti ambassador hot on Avra’s trail, the perilous threat of sea serpents, glowing dogs, and a cake competition that all add to this amazing story. There's never a dull moment! One of the standout aspects of this novel is its incredible diversity. The characters are richly varied, and their interactions are marked by a refreshing inclusivity. This diversity isn’t just window dressing; it’s integral to the story.

Running Close to the Wind is a joyous romp through high seas, featuring unforgettable characters and a narrative that’s both heartwarming and hilarious. Thanks to the publisher for the copy. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.

Sometimes you just click and sometimes you don't. This was slow going for me. I just couldn't get sucked into the story. I put it down for a while and tried to give it a break. I really think my struggles in this read are a me problem. The next time I'm feeling the pull for an ocean adventure I'll be picking this up again because it deserves another try.

I DNF'd this pretty early on, but I think it's a personal problem and I'd recommend this to others.

I'm generally a fan of a silly/goofy or comedic tone in books. However, I think that the silly, goofy energy has to be matched at least somewhat equally by the other characters or the world as a whole. In this book, I felt like Avra acted comedic in a way no one else did. Rather than coming off as comedy, this came off to me as him not taking anything seriously. This made him unlikable to both me and the characters in the books.

I think readers who generally enjoy this tone of writing should give this book a try. It has all the makings of a fun and engaging fantasy romp.

Alexandra Rowland’s novel “Running Close to the Wind” is subtitled “A Queer Pirate Fantasy Adventure!” which encapsulates their book pretty well. However, I’ll add that reading this book is the most silly, bawdy, over-the-top experience! I don’t believe I’ve literally laughed out loud so many times while listening to an audiobook.

For all that Running Close to the Wind is incredibly ribald, it’s worth noting that the book is not actually open door. While hardly PG, I would still file it in the “cozy fantasy” genre. The novel features a number of adventures (or perhaps more accurately termed, shenanigans), but the plot takes a backseat to the characters— it’s really the friendship of the three MCs that steals the show. Though the absurd sexual innuendo comes close!

If you’re looking for some good queer rollicking fun, I highly recommend you check out this audiobook. Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for the advance copy. And please tell me that there will be a sequel, because I am ready!

I think this book had more dialogue in it than any other book I've ever read. This felt like as if bunch of quips and chaotic mewling got dressed up in a trench coat and decided to be a book. The plot was tissue paper thin, the characters a bit over-the-top, and the dialogue a bit repetitive at times, and yet I had a fantastic time reading it.

One of the biggest mysteries carried over from A Taste of Gold and Iron was their secret ship magic. How do the Arasti sail all year round, while every other nation is grounded for 5 to 6 weeks a year? This tale endeavours to answer that question, and it does, but in the weirdest and most roundabout way

There is an underlying plot for sure, but much of the story focuses on Avra and how much he really wants attention, specifically Tev's attention. Much of his jokes are crass and sexual in nature, but there is no spice whatsoever. There is a note of polyamory, and I enjoyed seeing the navigation of those relationships, but it very much leaves readers on the "will they, won't they" side of things. In the end though, we do see Avra figure out how to be a good friend and a mewling simp, rather than just the latter, and we find a cast of characters who put up with him because he is genuinely a good and loyal person.

I will say though, this book is funny as hell. I enjoyed the chaotic quips, the stupid songs, and the silly banter. It all was so easy to read and it made me laugh out loud very often. However, we cannot get by on quips alone, and there were points in the book where I asked myself, "Where on earth is this going?" It felt like a long book where nothing much was getting done, outside of a few side quests, but in the end it all came together well and that's either very masterful, or everything else was simply an Avra-shaped distraction.

All in all, a fun time, but not necessarily a productive time. Very much a fantasy book of good dumb fun and comedic dialogue, and a huge switch in tone from A Taste of Gold and Iron. I'd definitely say, if you're looking for the political intrigue and solemn tones of book 1, this is not the place to look (though Avra is very good at politics when he wants to be).

Rep: queer normative world; non-binary gay MC, gay MC, pan MC, polyamorous relationship, sapphic secondary character

TW: death of an animal (not dog), violence, bullying, sexual content, death; mentions murder, cults, classism.

Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Tordotcom via Tor Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

I've enjoyed Alexandra Rowland's other works; however, this one wasn't a favorite for me. Humor is excellent within a book but this felt like a bitch much at times. Also, I wasn't very found of the main character which set me up for failure from the start. I'm interested to see if Rowland continues to expand on this world.

In 'Running Close to the Wind' Alexandra Rowland delivers the literary equivalent of the horny chaos goblin memes. This book is ridiculous. The characters are over the top, the plot is riddled with drama, and the banter is completely bonkers. And I am totally here for it. Somewhere amongst all of the bread stealing possums, thrown rocks, and spooky dildos Rowland manages to craft a heartfelt found family and a book that gives us all the feels. It was absolutely delightful.

Avra Helvaçi has a problem. Maybe. Possibly. He has stolen a secret, a secret so important that nations would kill to keep it and it could change the balance of power between ship captains and the government. Avra is also exceptionally lucky, divinely so. And despite having stolen a dangerous secret, Avra’s luck has brought him to The Running Sun, the ship of his sometimes lover, Captain Teveri az-H?aff?r.

Teveri hates Avra. They also probably like him. Maybe even love him. Avra is a ridiculous, needy creature who seems to exhaust Tev’s patience just by existing. But Avra’s luck has saved The Running Sun before and they need saving now. A lean season has left Tev struggling to pay the crew and their reputation among the other captains is foundering. Thankfully, The Running Sun’s new crew member, a celibate but devastatingly attractive cleric called Julian, might be the key to unlocking Avra’s secret and saving them all. If they can survive sea serpents, government lackeys, glowing blue dogs, and a cutthroat annual cake competition, The Running Sun might have a chance at glory. And if Julian can keep Tev from throttling Avra along the way, the trio might be able to achieve a bit of personal glory all their own.

Running Close to the Wind is bonkers. I mean properly bonkers. It’s laugh out loud funny, occasionally exhausting, and surprisingly endearing. There were times I set it down and wondered what on earth I was reading, but ultimately I decided it didn’t matter because I enjoyed it so much. There were times the pacing lagged a bit, but these moments were few and far between and, on the whole, I was utterly charmed by this high seas adventure.

Avra is obnoxious. We all know someone like him, the friend that is so clingy and whiny and wearying you start to wonder if they’re the worth the effort. But they also tend to be incredibly loyal and offer kindness and support when we need it most. He’s an exasperating character, but so completely charming it’s impossible to dislike him. He and Tev have a complicated, tangled history that is full of sharp edges and fierce devotion, but ultimately they only work with the presence of a third. Julian, he of the six and fifty-two (I can’t say more, but if you read the book you will understand), balances Tev and Avra perfectly, soothing their frayed and ragged nerves as he teaches them how to communicate and to navigate the complex nature of their relationship. Tev is someone with the weight of the world on their shoulders; they cast off their family and an oppressive religion and did the impossible by claiming The Running Sun for themselves. But they’ve closed themselves off from nearly everyone and are in danger of breaking under the sheer strain of trying to hold their world together. But with Julian and Avra by their side, Tev is truly made whole. There is no significant on page sex in the story; just discussions of it, so even if you’re not normally into throuples or polyamory, you may still enjoy this one.

Tev, Avra, and Julian are irrepressible and a bit insane, but utterly charming and I adored this novel because of how their wildly chaotic personalities bent and shaped the world around them. This book is not for everyone; it takes some patience and you have to enjoy the Mad Hatter-esque nature of its plot, but I loved it. I have no idea if Running Close to the Wind will be a standalone or if there might be a sequel someday, but I am desperately hoping the author has more adventures planned for this trio. Because I want more sea monsters, more cake competitions, and I need to know if Julian is actually capable of six and fifty-two!

**Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (4-4.5)**

A queer, pirate, romantic comedy full of adventure, magic, and espionage, *Running Close to the Wind* is a barrel of fun and a perfect summer read!

Our story centers on former intelligence agent Avra Helvaçi, who is on the run after stealing a major secret from his former employer. With the assistance of his sometimes lover—the pirate Captain Teveri az-Ḥaffār—and a mysterious and handsome stranger—the inconveniently celibate monk Brother Julian—their crew sets off to find a black-market buyer for Avra’s priceless secret. While the potential for immense riches are great, they will need to brave dangerous sea serpents, tumultuous waters—and perhaps most challenging, they will need to survive one another.

>> What I loved: This book is gratuitous in every way—it is over the top, raunchy, and completely absurd. The whole cast of characters are adorable and endearing, paired with a ridiculous plot that feels delightfully chaotic. While some might find this to be distracting I think it was sort of perfect for what *Running Close to the Wind* was trying to accomplish.
>> What I didn’t love: I would have liked a bit more sentimentality or earnestness to balance the levity of this book—it was absolutely ludicrous in wonderful ways, but I think I personally needed a touch of seriousness to feel more grounded.

If you love shows like *Our Flag Means Death* and want a fun and absurd queer love story full of adventure, pick this book up immediately!

**Acknowledgments & Disclaimers**
✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Alexandra Rowland, and Tor Publishing, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book.
✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

I really enjoyed the way that the main character in this was done. I was unsure how to feel about him in the very beginning, but as the story progressed, I enjoyed watching him interact with others and be a sort of anti-hero protagonist. Definitely a bit unusual, and it made me really compelled to keep reading. I thought that the world-building was fascinating, and I've seen a few people mention that this story is adjacent to Rowland's other book "A Taste of Gold and Iron" so I'm interested to see where the world overlaps in both stories. Overall, I loved this!--I loved the characters, thought that the world was really well done and interesting, and the banter/character interactions were so much fun to read.

I unintentionally went on a bit of a pirate themed reading spree and this ended up top of the list. As a fan of Our Flag Means Death I was hoping for some fun queer pirate romps and Running Close to the Wind delivered. The main character took a little while to grow on me, but once we got to know him a little better I appreciated the anti-hero protagonist, completely shameless and only accidentally showing hints that he cares. Once the plot was underway it was delightful to read and catch those hints from our unusual hero. I had very little idea where it was going to go and thoroughly enjoyed the journey. I thought the the world building was fascinating and only later realized it was adjacent to Rowland's other work, A Taste of Gold and Iron, when I read that one a bit later. I'm somewhat glad I hadn't read it first as the tone is so very different that I would have gone in to Running Close to the Wind with mismatched expectations. Will definitely recommend as a fun summer read.

Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland is brilliantly funny, a bitingly witty satire with vividly charismatic characters but layered with insight into human behavior and systemic oppression. It is the funniest novel that I’ve read in a long time but not surprising considering the author was inspired by the late Terry Pratchett and her writing has honored him.
One of the reasons I love the novel is that the narrator is absolutely hilarious but also fun, keeping you on your toes. Your first impression makes you think the character is shallow but that is far from the case. The characters in this novel, even though they are fun and charismatic, are some of the most layered and complex characters that I’ve read, with depths to everyone, even the minor parts. Even among the crazy hijinks, the story wanders into some profound insights and does so with snappy dialogue that will make you laugh throughout the book.
If you like pirates and Alexandra Rowland’s previous books, you will adore this. It is witty, it is hilarious, the dilemma of what to do with the secret intriguing and the characters one and all, will charm you. It is a romantic comedy with a touch of satire and it will make you fall in love with Avra, Captain Teveri, and Julian as they steal their way into your heart with wit and jokes.

🏴‍☠️🖤 Running Close to the Wind 🖤🏴‍☠️

Thank you so much to Alexandra Rowland and Tor Dot Com for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Running Close to the Wind is a standalone queer fantasy novel. Avra is in a pickle - he’s accidentally stolen one the key to one of the greatest secrets in the realm - and now his ship has been commandeered by his pirate captain ex. Can they learn to work together if it means they get the biggest payday of their lives??

This book was such a phenomenal read! The humor and sass in this book is top tier! I was laughing and smiling the whole time! The world building and story were so much fun - I loved this world! Avra is an absolute chaos gremlin and I adore him so much! Teveri is such an amazing character and I loved their sass and strength in this book. Julian was such a fantastic balance between the two of them and I loved their dynamics together

This book was a fantastic five star read. I loved the characters, the world and the humor! Definitely a new favorite book of mine! This book did have some darker moments, so please check triggers if you’re sensitive. This book did have a romantic subplot but no on page spice, so one flame for spice

If you’re a fan of pirate fantasy books with fantastic characters, unique world building and witty humor, then absolutely pick this one up!

A very different tone from the previous book I read from Rowland! This one was super silly and absurd. I do agree with the tagline that those who liked Our Flag Means Death will enjoy this one as well.

Alexandra Rowland’s A Taste of Gold and Iron is a book I loved so much that I consider rereading at least once a week. So imagine my excitement when I heard that they were publishing a book in the same universe — but this time about queer pirates in a throuple. YEAH.

Well, Running Close to the Wind is very, very different from ATOGAI in both tone and scope. But no complaints, because friends, it is EXTREMELY FUNNY and full of heart! I’d almost call it a cozy book (cozy romantasy?), but that doesn’t feel quite right, because here’s the thing: It is also extremely (comedically) horny, LOL.

By that I mean there’s a LOT of talk of sex. It’s the only thing the main character thinks about (he’s a self-proclaimed “silly little slut”), and there’s a sex joke at least once a page. Admittedly, sometimes this can feel like too much — I would have preferred either some truly steamy scenes OR less casual horniness. I also counted only one truly “serious” scene, and I almost wanted a few more of those to really feel connected to these characters.

But at the end of the day, I can’t complain because I laughed a LOT. It was also the only book to hold my attention during two weeks when I was very busy and very tired (and very pregnant, lol). This was super queer and super fun, and I had a great time. Highly recommend.

PS: I am a bit sad that I read this book before publication so I didn’t have the chance to listen along with the audiobook while I read, because I bet you it’s going to be GREAT. May have to reread in that format!

HIGHLIGHTS
~blue dogs
~spooky dildos
~cruel, cruel possums
~laughing till it hurts, then laughing some more
~comedy that will convert you to anarchism

Every time I think Rowland can’t possibly get any better, they go ahead and OUTDO THEMSELF AGAIN!

(A brief note: if you fell in love with A Taste of Gold and Iron, then a) you have great taste and b) you need to know that Running Close to the Wind is a very different kind of book. It is equally (if not, dare I say, EVEN MORE) excellent! But where AToFaI is very sensual and luxurious and full of yearning, Running Close to the Wind is cheeky and exciting and utterly shameless, and I think it’s best to know that going in. I adore both, and I think many others will too, but you do have to shift gears and appreciate Running Close to the Wind for what it is, not go comparing it to AToFaI. That way lies only disappointment, and that would be a tragedy, because if you embrace Running Close to the Wind and judge it only on its own merits, it will light you up with so much joy that you will shine like a STAR.)

Running Close to the Wind is fundamentally FUN. It is essentially fun, and I do not mean that in the sense of, when you boil it down RCttW is nothing but fun – because it is not, there’s a whole lot of other really great stuff in there, rage and philosophy and critiquing power structures and a beautifully blasphemous coat. What I mean is, fun is essential to the make-up of RCttW.

RCttW is a vessel helmed by hilarity. It sails upon a sea of silliness. It is packed to the absolute gills with glee. When I said it’s a fundamentally fun book, I was being wholly literal: fun is fundamental to the structure, plot, tone, characters, messaging and execution of RCttW.

THIS IS AN INEXPRESSIBLY FUN BOOK, MY FRIENDS. INEXPRESSIBLY.

<“Listen, though, I can’t decide–do you think Tev would like it if you delivered me to them hogtied?”

*

“Hello, incandescent one,” Avra said adoringly, lying hogtied at Teveri’s feet on the deck of their ship.>

I giggled so much reading this book. When I talked about it with the hubby, I only managed to get through a description of the first chapter before we were both laughing too hard for me to continue. IF YOU WANT A SMASHING, SPARKLING, SIDE-SPLITTING GOOD TIME, THEN MY DEARS, I REALLY CANNOT RECOMMEND RUNNING CLOSE TO THE WIND STRONGLY ENOUGH!

What is it that makes it so funny??? The main character, Avra, is definitely a huge part of it; he is a chaotic trash-goblin with no shame whatsoever, a scrawny, self-professed trollop who is absolutely willing to Cause Problems to get his way (or get some attention)(or when he’s bored).

<“You want me to not cause problems. But you see, Markefa, I have decided to cause problems.”>

He is ridiculous and over-the-top and semi-manic all the time, and I love him with my whole entire heart.

<“So now they’re expecting you to cause problems.”

Avra mulled on this.

“Think of how irritated they would be if you did such a good job that everyone was really nice to you. They’d hate that, no?”

“They would hate that,” Avra agreed, still transfixed in her gaze. “Yes. Yes. I will cause…different problems.”>

There’s also the fact that he maybe-probably-definitely has been blessed by a goddess of luck after beating one of her priests at cards, allowing Rowland to arrange the most brilliant and impossible coincidences around him. (Nothing that affects the free will of others, which is a detail I noticed and appreciated a lot, but distractions happening at just the right moment to allow him to sneak past a guard, that kind of thing.) I wouldn’t say the plot relies on these coincidences – coincidence-driven plot might be annoying after a while – but they do add to the plot marvellously, in the same way that sprinkles are not strictly speaking necessary on ice-cream, but do make it indisputably better.

And the fact that Avra himself is extremely sceptical of his so called ‘witchy-luck’??? Honestly makes it even funnier.

<“I have a sparkling personality,” Avra said. “I have bags of charisma.”

“Bags of it,” Markefa said, because she was arguably Avra’s best friend on the whole crew. “Bags and bags of charisma you scrounged out of a rubbish heap and carry around with you in damp burlap bags.”>

This man gets into arguments with his not-tarot deck, okay, I love him.

<“You made a suspicious face when you drew the first card,” Teveri said. “And you drew three.”

“You don’t need to know what the first one was, it’s not relevant. Don’t change the subject! He’s definitely guilty of something–”

“Thought the first card is usually the most relevant one.”

“The deck was being bitchy! It was a fun little joke!”>

What else? There’s Avra’s very non-traditional dynamic with Taveri, the non-binary pirate captain; their relationship may be on-and-off-again, but their dynamic remains, regardless of context, annoyed-but-aroused dominant and the brattiest bratty submissive you could possibly imagine. Avra worships the ground Taveri walks on, needs (and demands) their constant attention (what kind of attention doesn’t matter in the slightest), and wants nothing more than to be allowed to sleep on the floor next to Taveri’s bed after sex. Taveri finds Avra infuriating, impossible to predict, and is slightly disgusted with their own taste re finding Avra attractive at all.

Drop into the mix one Julian–

<“Does anyone know who or what a Julian is? Teveri asked me to bring one to them.”>

–an impossibly sexy monk who is very much aware of his sex appeal and is so very ready to use it to manipulate others or just to wind up Avra, regardless of his vow of chastity (which he is very unfairly sticking to despite, you know, wielding his sex appeal like a weapon). Both Taveri and Avra are attracted to him – hells, everyone with any attraction to men is attracted to Julian – but where Taveri wants the sexy (and very educated) monk to make sense of the expensive secret Avra (very accidentally) stole, Avra does not trust Julian as far as he could throw him.

<“He will betray us all. He will decode the science into small words that you and I can understand, Tev, and then he will do something shocking with it. We cannot predict what someone that pretty is going to do. We don’t know how the minds of pretty people work, Tev. He could decide to do anything and we would never see it coming.”>

(Which would not be far, what with Avra being a scrawny ‘rat-faced’ little thing and Julian being something of a Viking.)

Honestly, any one of these characters – Avra, Teveri, and Julian – would be enough to carry a normal book all by themselves. The three of them together??? Is the literary equivalent of the philosopher’s stone, turning everything they touch into gold and granting their names (and Rowland’s) immortality. No one in their world will forget them, and I seriously doubt any reader ever will either!

And there’s yet more to wax poetic (jester-ic?) about: the setting. All but two of Rowland’s books so far have been set in the same world, so if you’ve read other novels of Rowland’s you may pick up on some Easter eggs, but Running Close to the Wind is tied particularly closely to A Taste of Gold and Iron – in some ways you could argue that RCttW is a sequel of sorts. It’s definitely a companion. Avra is from the kingdom featured in AToGaI, and the secret he stole is the one (one of the ones) the characters of AToGaI are concerned about.

But we are not in the kingdom of AToGaI; we are in the Isles of Lost Souls, which is the closest thing pirates as a demographic have to a town or communal home base. And the Isles are a freaking delight. To reach them, a ship must navigate around the giant (and I mean GIANT) turtles that surround the Isles, and the various (human) ghosts who haunt said turtles! There is a Street of Flowers, populated by sex workers who all adore Avra; there is a tavern inside what ought to be the holiest site of a major religion; there is a retired pirate slowly carving a cliff into a giant skull just because. Rowland’s approach has clearly been of the bigger, better, bolder, MORE variety, loudly asking why not??? when creating their pirates and their society. Yes, haunted giant turtles! Yes, blasphemous taverns! Yes, skull-cliffs!

And the BAKING COMPETITION. The importance of the baking competition to everyone on the Isles! Yes, it’s inherently funny to imagine a bunch of pirates engaged in a baking competition, obviously, that is objectively a whimsical flavour of hilarious. But it’s the fact that the competition MATTERS! It isn’t a joke! It’s deadly serious, and not in the way that invites the reader to poke fun at how seriously someone is taking a stupid thing. Because the competition is not a stupid thing. It’s a Cultural Event. It matters. And that is so very marvellous; that is so much better than it being a stupid thing for us to laugh at. I mean, I did laugh, and you will too, but not mockingly. I laughed out of delight, and I loved that the baking competition, its existence and the fact that it matters, the fact that it is not a stupid thing, makes the pirates people. Up until the competition, it is so clear that Avra and Teveri and Julian are people; the crew of Teveri’s ship are people; the not-exactly-pirates we interact with are all people.

But the baking competition says that all the pirates are people. Because they have culture. They have an art form that is unique to them, that their entire community is deeply invested in. They’re not just background characters. See, ‘pirate’ is a cool fantasy template that many, many people enjoy immensely. We have so many movies about them, we dress up as them for Halloween, we have pirate-themed weddings! We love pirates. But pirates are (usually) just pirates. They do not exist outside of traditional pirate-related activities. They vanish from our minds when the adventuring is over. We do not ponder what they do on their months off, and we certainly don’t imagine that there’s any universal pirate culture beyond eye patches and cool hats. But the baking competition examines pirates outside of the template, the stereotype. It says, there is a universal pirate culture, and it involves cake. And if they have culture, then pirates are no longer ‘just’ pirates, only existing while the adventure is ongoing, caring only about plunder. If they have culture, they are people.

Do you see?

<“I am building so much character. I am developing a sense of personal dignity, Tev.”

“You are hiding under the bed and chattering.”

“It’s a work in progress.”>

Speaking of pirates-as-people – in a lot of ways, I think RCttW is Rowland’s most relatable book yet. Which is an odd thing to say, because: pirates! Sea serpents! Being on the run with the world’s most expensive secret! How relatable can that really be, Sia??? And, like: yeah, true. But.

It’s in how the pirates are, fundamentally, normal people. And I don’t mean normal as in mundane, necessarily – many of them are anything but! – but in how they react to things, the things that they want, the choices they make in situations both fantastical and less so. And the comedy. It isn’t true that humans can always laugh, but we almost always can; under intense stress or in truly horrific situations or in the midst of great tragedy, there will almost always be someone who makes a terrible joke and almost always someone else who laughs far too loudly at it. I am not as funny as Rowland, but I would be laughing when their characters are laughing, were I in the shoes of those characters; I would be cracking jokes (or at least trying to) right alongside Avra, I would be unable not to be sarcastic as fuck about the ridiculous situations Tev’s crew find themselves in, I would be rolling my eyes right alongside Markefa, all gods give her strength. Give me enough M&Ms and I will be almost as much of a ridiculous gremlin as Avra trying to pose alluringly atop a wardrobe!

I’m not a world-travelling storyteller, like the Chants in A Conspiracy of Truths and A Choir of Lies; I’m not a prince or a superhumanly perfect bodyguard-bureaucrat like the main characters of A Taste of Gold and Iron; I don’t have the devotion to the divine required to join the cast of The Lights of Ystrac’s Wood; I certainly can’t write or memorise entire plays like the incredible players and playwrights of Some by Virtue Fall. All of those characters are wonderful, and Rowland is far too good a writer to have made any of them feel distant and strange to me, to not have humanised them and given them plenty for me to empathise with and connect to and adore – and yet.

These pirates, folx. They are my people.

(I should probably find that worrying, but I do not. I am simply charmed.)

<“Stupid fucking pond, fuck that pond, I don’t even need to know what it did, all ponds are layabouts and ne’er-do-wells and should have rocks thrown at them.>

If this was the entirety of Running Close to the Wind, it would be more than enough. It would still be excellent. It would already be one of my favourite books of the year! Because there is nothing ‘just’ about entertainment, about a book that makes you laugh; you cannot say something is ‘only’ funny, as if being funny is somehow less than. Anything that brings you delight is priceless.

That would be more than enough.

But Running Close to the Wind is more than a bundle of giggles. Or, maybe it would be more accurate to say that it is comedic, yes, but the type of comedic it is is not fluff, is not forgettable. It is humour that has a lot to say; it is a great deal of meaningful philosophy and political critique and fury at the ways the powerful treat the rest of us, all conveyed through laughter. Running Close to the Wind is a comedy in the style of Terry Pratchett; undeniably, hysterically funny, and utterly enraged at the manifold injustices of the world.

And the effect is startlingly subtle – or maybe it would be more accurate to say that Rowland’s righteous anger slips under your skin and is absorbed without your even noticing. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, as Mary Poppins tells us, and even if you do not consciously notice the incisive dissection of too many injustices going on in RCttW – even if the sugar of humour covers the taste of systemic anger that has grown in response to systemic wrongs – you are absolutely still getting your daily dose of anarchism. No matter how much you loved Kadou and his sister – the royal family in A Taste of Gold and Iron – you will not, cannot walk away from Running Close to the Wind without being firmly convinced that hoarding knowledge is wrong, that killing people for sharing knowledge is wrong, that having so much – maybe any? – power over other people is wrong.

<“Town full of outlaws and rebels. Of course we have a newspaper.”>

Rowland is punching up with this one. And this is far from the first time these kind of themes have appeared in their work – but I think the punch lands harder when the power behind it is laughter.

There’s something very magical, very important, about that. I don’t know how to articulate it; I’m not sure I’m smart enough to work it out properly. But Running Close to the Wind is not only a manifesto wrapped up in whimsy and wisecracks; it is a case study in the power of comedy – not just the power to land those punches, but also the power to spread or teach different ways of thinking, the power to make a reader receive the message beaming out of the pages. Because a lot of the time, that sort of thing fails! Many, MANY storytellers don’t manage to get their message through to the people who come to their stories, and many of those who do do so clumsily, heavy-handedly, drowning us in the dreaded info-dump. And I can’t be the only person who has previously dismissed comedy as a genre – there are exceptions, there are individual storytellers and individual comedians and so on, but as a genre, I am used to passing on stories that try to be funny, because (and I am speaking only from personal experience here, I have no proper data on this) most of the time, funny is fluff. Most of the time, funny is forgettable.

But not when it’s done right. Not when it’s done GREAT. Great comedy stays with you; who can forget the moments when they laughed so hard they cried? I remember every stand-up comedian who’s managed to make me do that, and I remember what they said, and because they were truly great they were not talking fluff. They talked about deeply important things and they made me laugh while they did it, and because they made me laugh I went home with their takes engraved on my funny bone.

(So to speak. The funny bone isn’t actually a bone, it’s – you know what? Another time. Or you can look it up!)

There’s nothing wrong with fluff comedy. Giving someone joy, even if just for a moment, even if ‘just’ about something ‘silly’, is something we will always need in the world. We don’t value it like we should. But I think it is true that comedy which is not fluff can be even more powerful than a moment of joy, and I don’t think I realised that until I read this book and thought about how and why I’d laughed, and at what, and then started thinking about all the other comedy that has really and truly stuck with me, and what effect it (both book and other not-fluff comedy) has had on me.

<“Speaking as one man to another: Ugh. Men.”>

And because Rowland does nothing by halves when they can instead do 150% of everything (which they do EVERY TIME, how, I don’t even, HOW) there is, amidst all the laughter, so many moments that will make you ache. Tev’s backstory, and their yearning to make a name for themself, to create a legacy. Avra’s very real fear of his own people, now that he’s stolen what he stole (by accident!!!) Julian’s long, hard look at his religion and its human-made structure. The very real emotions, especially the tenderness, that grows between them; and the salt-in-the-raw-wound pain when they try and fail at something desperately important. The scene with the stolen sausage, and what we learn about Avra thereby.

So yes, I laughed until I cried, many, MANY times – but sometimes I had to put the book down and just breathe because my heart ached, or my stomach was knotted up with anxiety for these ridiculous characters I’d fallen so hard for, or I was so fucking MAD at the stupidity and arrogance and sheer undeserved power of the powerful.

None of that was made lesser by the fundamental fun of the story. It did not undercut the emotion; if anything, the laughter anchored it, made it feel so much more real, almost – no, no almost, simply made all the ache-hurt-love-rage-gasp painfully human.

Not almost painfully. Painfully. But the good kind of pain. The kind you cherish, because how many books can wring your heart like that?

<“Is it more delicious because it’s stolen?”

Teveri chewed in contemplation. “My tongue only tastes olive. But there is a more spiritual flavor to it.”>

Running Close to the Wind is fundamentally fun. It is a fucking delight. It is shameless and delicious and revels in its flamboyant disregard for Serious FantasyTM. It is extravagantly and ostentatiously hilarious, but do not be fooled into thinking that means it is shallow; it has as many layers as all the cakes of its incredible, and incredibly plot-relevant, cake competition put together. It is a showstopper, and a show-starter, and a whole entire Broadway-headlining show that will have you leaping from your seat to give a standing ovation, applauding till your hands burn.

You’ll love it. How could you not?