At fifteen, Nathan Fox has
led a most interesting and diverse life. Not only is he
an actor in the same theatre company as William
Shakespeare, but he’s also an agent in Sir Francis
Walsingham’s Secret Service. Nor has he lived in a more
fearful time. It’s 1588 and King Philip of Spain has
vowed to send his great Armada against England. All of
England is abuzz with rumors of the approaching invasion
fleet, and everyone must defend queen and country to the
bitter end. There is one chance to thwart Spain, but
Walsingham has been unable to unlock the secret code
that will reveal the identities of the Spanish agents
who have infiltrated Queen Elizabeth’s court. Only one
man, the astrologer who devised the code, can identify
these infiltrators, but he has lost his mind after
dabbling in alchemy and sorcery. It’s up to Nathan, his
sister Marie, his partner John Pearce, an ex-soldier and
expert swordsman, and Walsingham’s best cryptographer to
unravel the code before it’s too late. To that end
Nathan and the others sail to western Ireland where the
pirate O’Malley may protect them from prying eyes and
add the final touches in Nathan’s training before he and
John embark on a dangerous assignment that could brand
them as either traitors to the queen or English spies
facing a Spanish executioner.
Aside from Grace O’Malley,
readers meet several other people from history as
Brittney skillfully brings to life the likes of Sir
Francis Drake, Francis Walsingham, and Richard Bingham.
Her fictional characters are equally well drawn and the
humor and drama she weaves into her story’s tapestry
compel readers to emotionally respond to what’s
happening. She also provides vivid glimpses into the
fear permeating England, the dangers of war and
seafaring in the sixteenth century, and the deplorable
conditions aboard the Spanish ships. While portions of
the second part of Nathan’s mission seem slightly less
plausible, she contrives these scenes with the same
aplomb as the others, which lends them an air of
credibility that a less-gifted writer would have
difficulty achieving.
Seas of Blood is the third entry in the
Nathan Fox series. Previous titles are Dangerous Times
and Traitor’s
Gold, but readers need not have read those stories
to enjoy and understand this one. For those who want to
know more about the history behind this tale, Iris Books
also offers a companion book, Elizabethan
World of Nathan Fox: Fact Book Three, which
includes articles on Irish pirates, Grace O’Malley,
English Sea Dogs, and much more.
The intended audience of
this series is pirate apprentices – teens and young
adults in landlubber speak – but this thrilling
adventure rich in historical details will also appeal to
older pirates. As Nathan himself thinks, “A mad
magician; a secret code book; Ireland and pirates – who
could want for more?” (33)
Review Copyrighted ©2018 Cindy Vallar
Pirates and
Privateers
