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D. N. Bryn
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Once Stolen (These Treacherous Tides) Paperback – July 27, 2021

by D. N. Bryn (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 51 ratings
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No one with half a brain would rob the jungle’s most notorious energy cartel—but their power-producing stones are the only thing that soothes Cacao’s mysterious pain, and after being banished from his homeland for similar thefts, the lonely naga is desperate enough to try.

When his ramshackle thievery goes wrong, a chaotic escape leaves him chained to the cartel's prisoner: a self-proclaimed hero with a hidden stash of power stones so large that Cacao would never need to steal again. He’s determined to get his hands on it, even if it means guiding the annoyingly smug, annoyingly valiant, and even more annoyingly beautiful hero back home. But their path runs straight through the mist-laden and monster-filled swamp that exiled Cacao, with scheming poachers and a desperate cartel leader on their tail.

The selfish and the self-righteous can only flee together for so long before something snaps...

Return to the These Treacherous Tide's steampunk-inspired world of mermaids and reimagined mythological creatures in this fast-paced, standalone adventure with an insult-slinging, opposites attract, hate-to-love romance between a grouchy thief and a sassy, self-proclaimed hero.

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  1. Print length
    258 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    July 27, 2021
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.65 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1736296604
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1736296608
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Once Stolen is a charming new stand-alone story, in the These Treacherous Tides series with lots of action, a great setting, characters to steal your heart, all with a heartwarming underlying story message of learning to love yourself." - Jen at Queen's Book Asylum

"As in Our Bloody Pearl, Once Stolen excels at showing how 'people' and 'home' have only a blurry line between them. It sounds twee to use the term 'the power of friendship', but this is such a gorgeous depiction of how much belonging matters." - Asha at A Cat, A Book, and a Cup of Tea

"The world D.N. Bryn has created is vibrant and packed full of fascinating creatures, high-stakes drama, and characters that aren't afraid to be flawed and multidimensional." - Rachel at cgpreads

"I have always loved a good merfolk story, and the world that the author has created with the These Treacherous Tides series is like no other that I've come across before." - Danni at For Book's Sake

"D.N. Bryn never fails to cheer me up with their beautiful writing, diverse and snarky characters and the sparkling world of merfolks." - Camillea at Camillea Reads

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bryn Books (July 27, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 258 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1736296604
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1736296608
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.65 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 51 ratings

About the author

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D. N. Bryn

D. N. Bryn

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Danny Bryn is a queer, disabled author of speculative fiction and fantasy romance.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
51 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Patricia Camille Antony
5.0 out of 5 stars A FANTASY STEAMPUNK NOVEL OF THAT EXPLORES AUTISM, QUEER IDENTITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPLOITATION
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2021
Verified Purchase
D.N. Bryn never fails to cheer me up with their beautiful writing, diverse and snarky characters and the sparkling world of merfolks. You don’t have to read Our Bloody Pearl before you start Once Stolen, however, I highly recommend that you do. This is because characters from the previous book make a short appearance in this book and it feels like reconnecting with an old friend. Set in a steampunk world, Our Bloody Pearl and Once Stolen is filled with beautiful and luscious scenes, from the ocean to the river, from a mechanic’s shop to a dark jungle.

In Once Stolen, we follow a boiuna named Cacao who pretty much just wants to live in peace with his shiny ignits which is a type of energy producing stone. But when along stumbles Thais who knows the location of a horde of ignits, Cacao risks the anger of cartel leaders and his home elders, for a chance to possess those stones. Once Stolen is an adventure story of reluctant allies covering themes of community equity and its lack of disability support, friendship and found family, the need of a support group and environmental aggressors.

WRITING AUTISTIC CHARACTERS IN FANTASY

Once Stolen is a beautiful world where being queer is normalised. Cacao is very aggressive and reckless; for his whole life he had been called “selfish” that he now believes it, even acting on instincts that aren’t right. Because if people think of him as selfish and worthless, why not behave that way, right? For some readers, this makes Cacao unlikable, however, I would ask you to be patient. Cacao’s character arc is an important narrative, not only in this fantasy book but also in reality. Cacao is flawed, yes, and he is held accountable for the actions he takes. Part of his character development is the effort he puts into the friendships he has formed. D.N. Bryn has written an article on this: Autism in Relation to Character Flaws.

Thais is quite the opposite of Cacao, a self-righteous musician. Her relationship with Cacao – their banter, their pettiness and the eventual affection that comes from being very reluctant allies was fun to read. Being the exact opposite of Cacao, Thais is a character study on how sacrificing too much of yourself or prioritising others before yourself can poison you.

I not only love Cacao and Thais but also Fern and Xera. Xera is a warrior of the Murk who is deaf and has a huge crush on Fern. Fern is a bouina who loves collecting skulls and gardening. The bond these four characters form is so warm. Xera is so accepting and Fern is loyal. They show Thais and Cacao that family do not have to be related by blood. They showed up and fought for Cacao and Thais, even risking their lives and home. Another aspect I loved is that the characters communicated using sign language.

TACKLING ENVIRONMENTAL EXPLOITATION IN FANTASY

The world is constructed so beautifully with its swamps and the homes of Murk dwellers. There are also several other creatures like the Hoatzi’s and Botos. Once Stolen also explores the consequences of environmental exploitation such as the Murk’s dwindling population and the destruction the cartel leaders wrecked on the Murk. I love books where the environment is just as alive as its character. Also, I really appreciate that D.N. Bryn implemented this theme in their book as it portrays how exploitation destroys the symbiotic relationship between people and the land.
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Felix
5.0 out of 5 stars Another fantastic book by DN Bryn
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2021
Verified Purchase
I was honored to receive an ARC of D.N. Bryn’s new novel, Once Stolen.

Once Stolen is a harrowing journey into the Murk, a swamp land full of incredible and fantastic creatures, with Cacao, an autistic boiuna (snake person). Cast out for an unforgivable crime, Cacao finds himself willing to steal from anyone in the name of finding ignits, stones with unique powers and the ability to soothe his sensory problems. Cacao picks the wrong people to mess with and ends up being stuck with a human, Thais. Their resulting adventure toward freedom is full of contempt and irritability but eventually leads to an unexpected friendship, and maybe more.

Thais is a hero who always does the right thing; Cacao is a coward who only looks out for himself. The unlikely pair have one goal: find a legendary stash of ignits before the bad guys do. The Murk is rife with danger, and the two have to work together and learn to trust each other in order to survive. Along the way, we learn about why Cacao was cast out, how he was the product of his childhood, and how judging a book by its cover, or a person by an action, isn’t always a way to get the full story.

The writing in this story was unique in that all of the dialogue is told through sign language, as Cacao, the main character, is deaf. I absolutely loved how this was incorporated into the story and how rich the experience was.

D.N. Bryn has a way with words that leaves me blown away. My favorite line was this quote: “But suffering for one person might not look the same, or be the same, as suffering for someone else.” As an autistic myself, this hit close to home.

If you enjoy autistic representation, enemies to lovers, and fantastical world building, this novel is for you.
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Rachel Partington
4.0 out of 5 stars Austic Mer-Snake Plots a Jewel Heist Near You, Says He Just "Really Likes Rocks"
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2021
I had the chance, back in 2018, to read the first book in These Treacherous Tides, Our Bloody Pearl, and have kept Danny’s writing in my thoughts since then, so I was delighted when they offered the option to read and review an ARC of Once Stolen. The world Danny has created is vibrant and packed full of fascinating creatures, high-stakes drama, and characters that aren’t afraid to be flawed and multidimensional. My little (big?) Cacao Bean, mer-snake of my heart, was a fantastic point of view character. He’s angry, he’s selfish, he’s dealing with way too much sensory overload, and he knows what he wants! (as I said to my friends while I was reading this book, sometimes your special interest is rocks and that means you need to commit crimes!!) I loved his relationship with Thais and how much they clashed over ideology during their initially unwilling team up. Danny’s writing is snappy but descriptive, and the story is fast paced, throwing a new obstacle at our protagonists at every turn. The supporting cast was also fantastic. (Xera and Fern, my beloveds, and Rubem…well, I’m rooting for your future ventures.) Once Stolen is a speculative summer adventure for those who loved Our Bloody Pearl, rock enthusiasts, people who know sign language, autistic folks, and your pet crocodile. 💎💎💎💎/5
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Top reviews from other countries

Asha H
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun fantasy adventure with a great diverse cast!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2021
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You don’t need to have read Our Bloody Pearl to jump into this – while there are references (and it was lovely to see cameos from a couple of OBP characters!), this is an entirely new story, so it doesn’t matter if you start here or there. Once Stolen is way more action-packed than Our Bloody Pearl, which surprised me at first as I was expecting another quiet book. While there are plenty of lovely character moments (as I’ll discuss in a bit), this is much more of an adventure tale, as Cacao, a boiuna, and his reluctant ally Thais, a human, race towards a cache of treasure while being chased by a vicious cartel. The pace and the energy are high, and the story drags you along at a rollicking speed – I read this pretty much in one sitting, as I just kept thinking ‘one more chapter’! The jungle setting is unusual and intriguing, and so well-described; there’s a real sense of motion as the characters travel, and you feel like you’re right there with them.

As I’ve come to expect from DN Bryn, this is a joyfully diverse book in terms of gender, sexuality, and disability. The world is queernorm, and I loved seeing characters deliberately, but casually, introduce themselves with their pronouns. There are multiple nonbinary characters (each of them with a different identity, from ‘all genders’ to ‘no thanks’, which is something I’ve not seen depicted with such nuance before), including Thais, Cacao’s eventual love interest. There’s also excellent representation of Deaf (again, with different depictions across multiple characters!) and autistic characters – these are facets of people, and not their only qualities, but they’re seamlessly and realistically woven into their characters and into the worldbuilding in a way that is wonderful to read. I loved that pretty much all of the book’s conversations took place in sign language, with the world just being set up that way. There is a major subplot I won’t spoil about Cacao’s experiences with a lack of accommodation for his sensory needs, so all I’ll say is that I thought this was depicted sensitively and extremely well. I could rave for ages about just how beautifully this world is constructed to include these things, but I want to let you discover it for yourself!

Cacao’s character development in this book is so beautifully drawn. At the beginning of the book, he’s selfish and aggressive, and although it’s clear that this is the result of trauma and rejection, he’s honestly not very likeable! But his voice is utterly compelling from the get-go, and I loved him, even if he wasn’t always very nice. There’s a great blog post on the author’s site where they discuss how important it is to have an autistic character be allowed to have these flaws and how they’re tied into trauma (and eventual healing), which is a really interesting read. But even if you go into this book cold, one of my favourite things is seeing prickly characters warm up when they’re shown kindness and love, and it’s Cacao’s friendships with Thais and other characters that show him that maybe he doesn’t have to be an island any more. I found myself grinning every time Cacao realised he was doing something unselfish, to his horror! The rest of the cast is brilliant, too – I loved boiuna Fern in particular, with her combination of creepy hobbies and sweet personality, and the budding romance between Cacao and Thais is so cute and fun (if you like affectionate insults, you’ll be in heaven!) It sounds twee to use the term ‘the power of friendship’, but this is such a gorgeous depiction of how much belonging matters. As in Our Bloody Pearl, Once Stolen excels at showing how ‘people’ and ‘home’ have only a blurry line between them.

I’m going to be good and stop writing, or I’ll end up spoiling everything in my haste to tell you everything I loved about this! But if you like your fantasy fun, adventurous, and fundamentally inclusive, this is a must read. The main plot is satisfyingly tied up, but I cannot wait to read the next book in the series and find out what happens to the threads left dangling – this is such a lovely world.
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Linked Soul
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing worldbuilding and autistic rep
Reviewed in France on August 2, 2021
Verified Purchase
I had already read and enjoyed one of Bryn's book, Our Blood Pearl, and I was NOT disappointed with Once Stolen.

My eyes have been really dry those past days and that's the only reason I didn't finish this book in two days (and I should have taken off my glasses or used some eyedrops by now but I really wanted to finish reading haha) because the plot, the pacing, the worldbuilding and the characters have kept me wanting more for the entirety of the book. There is a very good balance between character interaction and action-filled scenes, between softer moments and events that kept me at the edge of my seat. I also absolutely adored the writing style: Cacao's voice is very compelling and at the same time super fun.

Cacao himself is an extremely compelling character. Is he morally good? Well, according to his new partner in crime, a self-proclaimed hero, not that much. And it's true that he IS flawed: he's a little selfish and self-centered, a little greedy, and kind of unashamed about that. But a character doesn't have to be morally good to be likeable, and Cacao makes for a fun, compelling, interesting character that is very enjoyable to follow. I loved seeing him develop and grow and start realizing not only that other people are important, but also that he isn't as bad as he initially thinks. Thais' personality, which revolves around helping others and not liking to be helped, counterbalances his perfectly. I really loved their interactions and their bickering and learning to work together and learning more about each other, and the way they rubbed onto each other. I also really liked the secondary characters, the society of the Murk, and the antagonists: the cartel members, and the fishers who hunt down boiunas like Cacao and other creatures from the Murk.

I particularly loved the way I, as a reader, got attached to the Murk's ecosystem through Cacao's begrudging love for it, and the more Cacao and Thais traveled through the Murk, the more I got attached to it and viewed it as home the same way Cacao does. That made for an even wider contrast between this view of the Murk and how the fishers view it: as a hunting grounds, a means to an end. Thinking back on it, a great worldbuilding is good on its own, but making the reader CARE for it the same way the characters do? that's the cherry on the top. Once Stolen introduces not only a very interesting world with a nature-based society where everyone lives in symbiosis, but also gave me a fierce love for it and a strong desire to see it protected. The world is an inherent part of the plot, it doesn't just serve it. I honestly loved that.

One very cool particularity of the book is the fact that all of the dialogue is signed! Mersnakes are deaf (as well as other creatures and people from the Murk) and communicate through scents and signs, and signing is prevalent in and around the Murk, so all the characters sign their dialogue! I found that very original and very cool and honestly I'd love to read more fantasy books that just... remember that sign language is a thing. Once Stolen is also a story of disabilities, as Cacao is autistic and his need for ignits that prompts most of the plot is spurred by his sensory perception issues. I really liked that Cacao has both been wronged and done wrong: he's made mistakes and let his need for ignits harm others, but he's also been harmed by the Murk's dismissal of his pain and both things are acknowledged as wrong. Cacao acknowledges he made mistakes and has a complicated relationship with the Murk. In the end, the Murk acknowledges that they also wronged him and should have done better by him. It's not a black and white situation and I loved that it wasn't framed as such.

Overall, there is a lot to love in Once Stolen and a lot that makes it stand out from other fantasy books - be it the characters, the worldbuilding, or the themes and issues it tackles. It's an amazing book with a fun voice, a compelling story and great rep all around (did I mention that there are several non-binary characters? I'm going to mention that there are several non-binary characters) and I really recommend it!
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Awwo
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 29, 2022
Verified Purchase
Very fun and good writing, compelling characters, wonderful example of how seamless accessible world building can be
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