Recommended Starting Point
If you are new to A.M. Dellamonica’s writing, the best place to begin is with Child of a Hidden Sea, the first book in the Hidden Sea Tales (also known as the Stormwrack series). This novel offers a fantastic introduction to her strengths as a storyteller, featuring a vibrant portal fantasy setting, high-stakes maritime adventure, and a highly capable protagonist who relies on scientific inquiry rather than mystical destiny to navigate an unfamiliar world.
Alternatively, if you prefer gritty, atmospheric urban fantasy with complex magic systems and dark moral choices, start with Indigo Springs. This novel introduces the Books of Chantment series and won the 2010 Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic.
The Hidden Sea Tales (Stormwrack)
The Hidden Sea Tales are set in the world of Stormwrack, a vast planet covered almost entirely by oceans and dotted with diverse island nations. The main trilogy follows Sophie Hansa, a twenty-four-year-old from San Francisco who is suddenly pulled into this aquatic realm. Sophie must use her background in biology and photography to understand the strange ecosystem while uncovering political conspiracies and secrets about her own parentage.
While the core story of Sophie Hansa is told across three main novels, Dellamonica has populated the universe with several prequel novellas and short stories that explore other corners of Stormwrack and focus on secondary characters like Captain Garland Parrish and Gale Feliachild.
Main Trilogy in Publication Order
- Child of a Hidden Sea (2014) – Sophie Hansa is transported to Stormwrack and struggles to survive while learning its laws and biology.
- A Daughter of No Nation (2015) – Sophie fights to establish her place in Stormwrack and defend her birth family from political enemies.
- The Nature of a Pirate (2016) – Sophie and her allies face a technological and political crisis that threatens to tear the shipping fleets of Stormwrack apart.
Prequels and Short Stories
Dellamonica has written several shorter pieces set in the Stormwrack universe. The author has stated that because these are self-contained historical vignettes or character studies, they can be read in any order, much like meeting different members of an extended family. However, reading them after the main novels can enrich your understanding of the world’s history.
- "Among the Silvering Herd" (2012) – A short story set in Stormwrack, focusing on the cultural customs and dangers of the sea.
- "The Ugly Woman of Castello di Putti" (2014) – A standalone story exploring the social and magical dynamics of the islands.
- "The Glass Galago" (2016) – A prequel novelette focusing on Captain Parrish and Gale Feliachild as they investigate a patent dispute and a missing magical inscription.
- "Losing Heart Among the Tall" (2017) – A short story detailing additional history and lore of the Stormwrack world.
The Books of Chantment (Astrid Lethewood)
This urban fantasy series centers on Astrid Lethewood and the discovery of vitagua, a magical blue liquid flowing beneath an old house in Oregon. Astrid learns to use this liquid to enchant everyday objects, but the resurgence of magic brings severe consequences, drawing the attention of dangerous factions and the government.
Recommended Reading Order
- Indigo Springs (2009) – Astrid discovers vitagua and begins experimenting with enchantment, setting off a chain reaction of magical disasters.
- "Wild Things" (2012) – A novelette set during the transition period between the first and second books. It details how the sudden outbreak of magic affects citizens north of the border in Canada.
- Blue Magic (2011) – The direct sequel to the first novel, focusing on the aftermath of the magical outbreak as the world adjusts to the dangerous new reality.
The Bounceback Series (Writing as L.X. Beckett)
Under the pseudonym L.X. Beckett, Dellamonica writes fast-paced, hopepunk and solarpunk science fiction. The Bounceback series is set in a near-future Earth recovering from an ecological collapse, where humanity operates under a social-credit-style system called the "social system" to manage resources and rebuild the planet.
The Bounceback Reading Order
- Gamechanger (2019) – Introduces the post-collapse world where a public defender and a VR celebrity get caught up in a conspiracy that could alter humanity's future.
- Dealbreaker (2021) – The sequel, which expands the setting to include first contact with extraterrestrial life and the challenges of integrating humanity into a galactic community.
Short stories set in this universe, such as "Freezing Rain, a Chance of Falling" (2018) and "The Hazmat Sisters" (2023), can be read as standalone entries to experience the setting's unique cyber-solarpunk atmosphere.
What to Know Before You Start
Dellamonica’s writing is celebrated for its rich world-building, strong focus on environmental and ecological themes, and authentic queer representation. Across both her fantasy and science fiction, you will find diverse, multi-dimensional characters and stories that avoid simplistic good-versus-evil tropes in favor of nuanced ethical dilemmas. Her portal fantasy books in particular stand out because they emphasize scientific observation, diplomacy, and resource management over typical chosen-one action sequences.