Cello’s Gate by Maurice Africh
“No one ever said being a sky pirate would involve so much math.”
Captain Grey and his crew of sky pirates get hired by an immortal to find the fabled Stones of Indigo, said to hold godlike power. In seeking the first stone, they go to an unfamiliar island where danger awaits. Their treasure hunt quickly turns into a fight for survival.
I picked up Cello’s Gate because of the premise (sky pirates!), the stunning cover, the anticipation of a debut sci-fi/fantasy novel, and a random tiktok I saw about it.
The novel’s paced is even, and the dialogue feels natural. I feel many first novels in series have an info-dumping problem when it comes to world building, but did not feel that so much in this one, even with Africh’s detailed description. Dot was my favorite, with Mars close behind.
Cello’s Gate is a fantastic debut that nails action, humor, and found-family charm. I can’t wait to see where the hunt for the stones goes in the next book!
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