M. A. Carrick, "The Eye of Leviathan" (Orbit, 2026)

The Eye of Leviathan (Orbit, 2026) begins with a deal between Teresa—wife of an abusive Hidalgo living in 1500s Spain—and her friend the fairy Castaña, who agrees to become a changeling, taking the form of an infant boy and the place of Teresa’s daughter, who will instead be raised by fairies. Teresa gets protection for a child that would otherwise be killed and Castaña, now Estevan, gets access to the human world, where he can hopefully learn enough to stop the increasing violence against his people. The Eye of Leviathan imagines a world where Spain focuses not on the Americas as its primary target for colonization, but on the Sea Beyond, the realm of the fae. In this interview Carrick describes the myriad of historical sources they used to build the novel and the impact that the inclusion of the fae had on the mythology and history of the world. We chat about map making, gender in early modern Spain, and the various islands of the Sea Beyond. We also discuss the initial European discovery of the Sea Beyond, which is covered in a prequel story available to read at Adventitious. The Eye of Leviathan is a rich and detailed novel full of adventure and the struggle towards justice in the face of violent cruelty. It was a joy to discuss with the authors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network