Burn the Sea by Mona Tewari (Paperback)

Fiction - Fantasy - Historical - Feminist - Places - Asia

RELEASE DATE: 4/21/2026  (WILL SHIP DIRECTLY FROM OUR SUPPLIER'S WAREHOUSE) 

To protect her homeland, one queen must fight her people’s historic enemy―once and for all.

Abbakka Chowta never expected to be queen. The youngest of Ullal’s two rajkumaris, Abbakka has spent years in rigorous combat training to become her sister’s blade. But when the monstrous Porcugi attempt to lay claim to Ullal, Abbakka’s world―and fate―are upended. The Porcugi―giant half-men, half-snakes who attack from the sea―haven’t been seen in Ullal since their failed invasion more than fifty years ago. But now, they’re back with vengeance and a choice: pay their tithes or suffer total devastation. Soon, Abbakka’s definitions of strength, subterfuge, and statecraft are put to the test. Will marriage to a neighboring king give her the resources she needs to protect her people . . . or will she watch her homeland be crushed beneath the waves of would-be colonizers? A lush historical fantasy that reimagines the Portuguese attacks on South India in the 1500s and the fierce real-life queen’s story, Burn the Sea is an electrifying exaltation of female power and the value of freedom.

AUTHOR BIO: 

Mona Tewari has long been fascinated by the ways in which narratives of legends and histories shape views of the present. A graduate of Caltech and UCSF, Tewari practiced as a pediatric dentist for years before she turned to writing fiction. As the daughter of two immigrants from India, she didn't see herself represented in popular media growing up and became determined to show her daughters they belong in every world. Tewari lives with her husband, daughters, and dogs in the Berkshires. Burn the Sea is her first novel.

Review Quotes:

"Burn the Sea is a rich and beautiful debut, a gorgeous feminist epic with a ferocious heart."--Tasha Suri, World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Jasmine Throne

"Burn the Sea is a gift of a novel filled with innovative magic, historical treats, and a maze of intrigue, with a truly satisfying spin on colonial narratives by making the Porcugi literal monsters. Tewari's evocative prose transports you into a gorgeous world that feels like it has another secret around every corner. Best of all is Abbakka herself, crafted with such beautiful care into a protagonist by turns fierce and romantic, resilient and grief-stricken, loving and unyielding. A triumphant, standout debut!"--Vaishnavi Patel, internationally bestselling author of Kaikeyi

"In this reimagining of the life of Rani Abbakka Chowta, lyrical prose and gorgeous worldbuilding form a fantasy debut that is as unforgettable as it is inspirational. Abbakka is a warrior queen with or without a throne, reminding every reader that the strongest weapon of all is the heart."--Kamilah Cole, Dragon, Lodestar, and Lambda Award-nominated author of the bestselling Divine Traitors duology

"With unforgettable characters and prose, Mona Tewari crafts a breathtaking fantasy that is as fierce as it is tender. Imbued with the power of a rallying cry, Burn the Sea is a stunning, not-to-be-missed debut."--Chelsea Abdullah, author of The Stardust Thief

"Ocean-deep and scorching as the sun, Tewari's tale sweeps us away into a vivid reimagining of history with monsters, guile, and sisterhood. Delectable and honest, ferocious and brave, Burn the Sea is a lush tapestry of a book, a searing arrow aimed true."--Shen Tao, author of The Poet Empress