Book Review: Ship of Spells by H. Leighton Dickson

 I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Ship of Spells by H. Leighton Dickson

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Series: Book 1 of Ship of Spells

Publisher: Red Tower Books (November 4, 2025)

Length: 512 pages

Author Information: Website | X

I’ve always found it hard to say no to a maritime fantasy, especially one that promises a magical ship, a scrappy crew, and adventures on the high seas. So, it’s really no surprise that Ship of Spells by H. Leighton Dickson completely sold me with its description. On paper, it sounded exactly like what I would enjoy: a pirate-themed voyage with a heavy dose of romance, the kind of setup that carries a nostalgic, old-school feel but with a modern twist. And for a while, it seemed like the book was going to deliver, but by the end, I confess my feelings for it became a lot more complicated.

The story follows Ensign Honor Renn, a Bluemage with the Oversea Navy until her ship was destroyed in a battle with an enemy vessel. Left stranded in the ocean clinging to a piece of wreckage, she is relieved when rescue finally comes, but not in the form she was expecting. The crew that pulls her out of the water is from none other than the mysterious and fabled Touchstone, the Ship of Spells long whispered of in seafaring lore. Its captain, Thanavar, comes from the southern region of the world known as the Nethersea, whose people wield a volatile magical substance called chimeric. He commands a diverse crew of outcasts who have found a home on the Touchstone, among them a faun, a minotaur, a harpy, and various other supernatural beings.

Renn is initially wary of Thanavar, both because she serves the Oversea Navy and because she does not trust the volatile nature of chimeric magic. But as she travels with him and his crew, she begins to uncover their larger purpose and the true stakes of the long-standing conflict between their peoples. Renn eventually realizes that she has been dropped into in the middle of a fragile political situation tied to the Dreadwall, a barrier that has kept their two sides from open war for generations. And now that peace is about to crumble. The same disaster that sunk Renn’s ship had also awakened an unpredictable magic within her, and Thanavar may be the key to helping her control it. Caught between her former loyalties and her growing connection to the Touchstone, our protagonist must adapt quickly to her abilities and her new life at sea if she hopes to prevent the tensions from erupting into full-scale war.

If a mix of high fantasy and naval grit is your thing, Ship of Spells will not disappoint. Dickson packs the novel with wall-to-wall atmosphere and classic maritime fixtures, and for me that remains the book’s true standout. The Touchstone itself is the highlight, along with its magic-touched crew whose diversity and quirks bring much of the story to life. So much so that I often wished we had more background on the cast to match how memorable they are on the page. For while the nautical aspects are excellent and clearly where most of the author’s attention went, the rest of the worldbuilding doesn’t always reach the same level. The setting is filled with magic, creatures, and intriguing ideas, but many of these elements feel dropped in rather than built from a strong foundation, as in they don’t quite feel lived-in or grown from within the context of the world.

Character work is also hit-or-miss. Some crew members feel way better developed, while others drift in and out of scenes without much to say or do, leaving only the faintest impression. Renn herself is thankfully more memorable, but she pretty much fits the mold of the young, flawed romantasy heroine, meaning impulsive and stubborn—but probably not in the endearing way the author intended. I certainly like the fact that Renn is a protagonist with real agency and not a passive one sitting around waiting for things to happen, but unfortunately, her tendency to leap headlong into situations that make her look stupid feels more like a genre cliché than a unique character trait.

As for the romance, I think this area is where I feel the most torn. It’s not often I wish for more of it. Usually, my issue with romantasy leans in the opposite direction, since too much romance often overshadows the plot and everything else. Here, though, the romantic thread is barely present for much of the book. There’s a lack of chemistry between Renn and Thanavar from the start. Their dynamic reads more like one between a hardass commander and reluctant subordinate than anything else. Definitely not sexy or alluring. Ironically, Renn shares more natural rapport with several other crew members than with the supposed love interest. By the time her relationship with Thanavar finally ramps up in the second half, it falls very flat. Don’t get me wrong, slowburn romances can be incredibly rewarding, but this one never even held a spark, and a romantasy with no payoff somehow feels even less satisfying than instalove.

In the end, Ship of Spells turned out to be a mixed bag for me. The Touchstone, the crew, and the sense of seafaring adventure were all high points. The first half especially hooked me with its swashbuckling action. However, where the book stumbles is its shaky worldbuilding and an unevenly paced romance leading to a lack of chemistry. Bottom line, if the romantasy label is what draws you in, be prepared that the romance side of the equation might be a little weak, but readers looking for a maritime-themed fantasy will find it delivers an enjoyable voyage.