Review by Frank Plowright

Co-writers Laurel and Mia Jay Boulton begin this fourth volume of their slow-burning fantasy romance with a frosty atmosphere between Mercy and Jonah continued from Volume 3. Their arrival at a tavern hooks into the standard fantasy trope of visitors telling stories, offering the chance of a glimpse back to Jonah’s past, which is followed by an air-clearing session and the reappearance of a continual threat.

Of Swamp & Sea has always been good at moving forward, with each of the six chapters switching to a new location. While mentioned destinations remain distant, the writing never dwells too long in one place in running two over-riding stories. One is the very gradual romance between Mercy and Jonah, still unconsummated as the volume starts, and the other being what’s concealed within Mercy, with monster hunters other than Jonah refusing to believe in her good intentions and ability to control it. They sustain the ongoing plot, while imaginatively created incidents prove waystations.

There’s not a great deal of variety to the art, which tends to stick to the same distance for viewpoints, but changing expressions showing how people feel and good use of limited colour choices carry the day. Here, though, Mia introduces the occasional experimental page, such as an effectively highlighted character in a parade of white on black silhouettes.

Having raised the matter of mentioned destinations remaining distant, the surprise is that Bromweld is reached. Jonah’s been wanting to renew acquaintances with the crew of the pirate ship he served on as a youngster, while the monster hunters are equally keen to be there and deal with them. What erupts has been well trailed throughout and lives up to expectations, a suspenseful and thrilling mini-movie to end the book. It’s great.

Under other hands it might also have ended the series, but Of Swamp & Sea continues in Volume 5. With much resolved the ground has shifted, so what now awaits?