Sequel to National Bestseller Carousel Sun.

NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED

Welcome to Archers Beach in the Changing Land, the last and least of the Six Worlds, where magic works, sometimes, and the Guardian husbands the vitality of the land and everyone on it ‑‑ earth spirit and plain human alike.

Kate Archer, Guardian and carousel‑keeper, has been busy making some changes of her own, notably beginning a romantic relationship with Borgan, the Guardian of the Gulf of Maine, Kate's opposite number, and, some would say, her natural mate.

Oh, and she's been instrumental in releasing the prisoners that had been bound into the carousel animals ‑‑ which she's inclined to think is a good thing. . .

Until a former sea goddess sets up housekeeping in the Gulf of Maine, challenging Borgan's authority; endangering Kate and everything she holds precious.

. . .because the goddess has fallen in love in Borgan; and she'll stop at nothing to possess him.

Archers Beach is about to suffer a sea‑change ‑‑ and the question is whether Kate can survive it.

Nationally best‑selling co‑creator of the Liaden Universe® saga, Lee brings high energy action and romance to this tale of contemporary fantasy and redemption.

Listen to the author discuss the book here on the Baen Free Radio Hour.

The long‑awaited sequel to Carousel Tides, enchanting contemporary fantasy by Sharon Lee, award‑winning co‑creator of the popular Liaden Universe® saga. When magic meets mundane, sparks fly: these are exciting times in Archers Beach, Maine! A unprecedented Early Season has united townies and carnies in an effort expand into a twelve‑month resort, recapturing the town's former glory.

Kate Archer, owner‑operator of the vintage wooden carousel, is caught up in the excitement—and is quite possibly the cause of it. Because Kate leads a double life, as carny, and as Guardian of the land. Her recent return to the home she had forsaken has changed the town's luck—for the better—and energized the trenvay—earth and water spirits who are as much citizens of the Beach as their mundane counterparts.

But the town's new energy isn't the only change afoot. Joe Nemeier, the local drug lord, whose previous magical consultant was vanquished by Kate, has acquired a new ally—and this one plays with fire.

Listen to the author discuss the book here on the Baen Free Radio Hour.

About Carousel Tides:

Kate Archer left home years ago, swearing that she would die before she returned to Maine. As plans go, it was a pretty good one — simple and straightforward.
Not quite fast enough, though.
Before she can quite manage the dying part, Kate gets notice that her grandmother is missing, leaving the carousel that is the family business untended.
And in Archers Beach, that means ‘way more trouble than just a foreclosure.

Advanced Praise for Carousel Tides:

“Carousel Tides pulls you into the chill foggy reality of peeling-paint sand-grit coastal Maine outside of tourist season and then hands you something else — the hidden world lurking in shadows or under the land’s surface or just offshore, where Black Dogs hunt the night and selkies toss unpleasant truths over their shoulders before diving into the next wave. In the center of this, Kate Archer tends and guards one of the spookiest carousels this side of Ray Bradbury and wonders what has happened to her grandmother. The old woman sent her a letter, left papers deeding over the carousel and old house and the Land (meaning much more than property), and vanished, telling the spirits of the land and sea that she expected to be back before the turning of the year.

“Now March has come and gone and Kate must return from self-exile to take up powers and responsibilities she has renounced, or dying will be the least of her problems...
“Sharon Lee weaves fantasy into reality so deftly that you scarcely notice when you slip across the edge. And once you’re there, the story’s own magic won’t let you turn back from the strong characters, deep mysteries, and even deeper danger.” —James A. Hetley, author of Dragon’s Eye, Dragon’s Teeth, and Dragon’s Bones * * * “Proof that contemporary fantasy is alive and well and living beyond the big city limits — Carousel Tides is a worthy inheritor to Charles DeLint’s Newford series, and magical in its own right. Delightful.” — Laura Anne Gilman, author of Hard Magic * * * “Sharon Lee is one of my all-time favorite authors, a gifted storyteller whose work never fails to enchant. With Carousel Tides she gives her fans another opportunity to spend time with fascinating characters, bringing them to life in a place that becomes so real you can smell the salt air around you. Her fine hand with detail never lets the suspense falter, as mystery, folklore, and magic are artfully interwoven into a thoroughly engaging tale. Carousel Tides will leave you eagerly awaiting the next novel by this master.” —Jan Burke, author of The Messenger, Bones, and Bloodlines * * * “Sharon Lee’s finely observed detail evokes magic in Maine and gives conviction to six alternate, richly-inhabited universes.” — Rob Weisbrot, author of Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules, the Legendary Journeys: The Official Companion * * * “Carousel Tides is a gripping, enthralling read that I didn’t want to put down for any reason. From its beautifully detailed small-town Maine setting to a cosmology that manages to be unique and familiar at the same time, this book demonstrates the best of what urban fantasy can be. It’s rare that I find a book I can recommend without any reservations; Carousel Tides is one of those books.” — Seanan McGuire, author of Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, and An Artificial Night

Two stories touching on Archers Beach, Maine, scene of the novels Carousel Tides, Carousel Sun, and Carousel Seas, that explore the "what came after" or "what came before" in the lives of several characters from the novels.

"Will-o'-the-Wisp" is a contemporary fantasy story about love and the changes it brings.

"The Wolf's Bride" is set in the Land of the Flowers, and explores the background of Kael, called The Wolf.

Sharon Lee is co-author of the Liaden Universe® novels and short stories.

Two tales inspired by the magical Maine coast.

"Emancipated Child" features Jason Thibodeau, a young man who is challenged to accept his power—and his destiny—in the tiny coastal town of Surfside.

"How Nathan Archer Came to be a Prince of the Land of the Flowers," tells the story of a young woman who puts duty before all.

Also included in an author's foreword—"In Which Writing Novels is Like Sewing."

Archers Beach is a more-than-slightly battered resort town on the coast of Maine, but there's something a little bit special about it. Magic works there, sort-of, and the trenvay—the beings that guard the land and the people—work their own kind of magic.

Includes two short stories, "The Gift of Music," and "The night don't seem so lonely."

Both stories were previously published at Baen.com

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are fiction or are used fictitiously.