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The History of Maritime Piracy

Cindy Vallar, Editor & Reviewer
P.O. Box 425, Keller, TX  76244-0425

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Books for Adults ~ Fantasy


Cover Art: Of a Great Deep
Of a Great Deep
By Chad R. Hunter
CreateSpace, 2016, ISBN 978-1530487870, $20.00


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In 1716, Captain Nabopolassar “Bo” Travis and the crew of the Requiem celebrate their success in defeating the skeletal army of Aqua Morti. Some drink and carouse, while Bo enjoys a delightful evening with the mayor’s daughter. Before the night ends this pirate, adventurer, and seeker of legends and treasures is drugged and kidnapped by men swathed in black. Nor is he the only member of his crew under attack. Quartermaster Winter Burke (the Requieum’s only female crew member), navigator Glover, and first mate Ghassan Alnasseri are also taken, and so is the ship herself.

A former pirate, who works for a secret society, needs Bo and his crew to undertake a dangerous mission – one in which they must succeed if the world is to survive. Francis Verne, a dying missionary, must go with them, for he plays a key role in achieving victory. Also accompanying the Requieums is Ghassan’s son, who has a chip on his shoulder because his father abandoned the family. These motley adventurers must follow an old treasure map, but first they must rendezvous with someone specially trained in deciphering the ever-changing markings that will lead them to the treasure. When they reach the prearranged meeting place, they find a kraken where it doesn’t belong and only one surviving map reader. To rescue the woman, Bo employs a secret weapon – one that might unleash an even greater threat than the kraken.

Captain George “Bloody Face” Fiddick fears that he will die without making his mark in history. He acquires a talking skull and, if he heeds certain instructions, the skull promises this path will lead him to greatness. He and his men sail the Crimson Lady to a land of wind and ice where beautiful women live, only to discover the truth of the adage, “Beauty is only skin deep.” The women hide a hideous secret, and only the quick actions of a shipwrecked Spanish boy save Fiddick and his men from a terrible fate.

A liar, a cheat, and a murderer, Lieutenant Clarence Lanford is relegated to guard duty one night when a shadowy warship unleashes untold horrors on the city. In trying to escape, Lanford utters a wish and is dragged into the depths of the sea and aboard the Malediction, a vessel of the damned. He lives in hell, but has the right stuff for what Captain Rhodes needs. The adjustments to living and working among skeletons and ghosts are a lot worse than Landford imagines.

Greed and an unsuspected enemy guide these three disparate groups toward a collision course. To survive Bo must confront his painful past; George must work with, rather than against, Bo; the Alnasseris must reunite and forgive; and Francis must embrace his destiny. Otherwise, the devil and the damned will rule the world forever.

Hunter expertly interweaves folklore and superstition with biblical knowledge and history to spin a tale of dark fantasy. His story snares the reader from the first page and doesn’t relinquish its grip until the back cover closes. He imbues his characters with depth and unique traits until they become real people. They show that nothing is black and white, that there is more to each person than first meets the eye. Of a Great Deep explores the depth of parents’ love for their children and how far they will go to protect their offspring regardless of the consequences. If ye be a pirate who enjoys the unexpected and if beasties and nightmares be not disturbing your sleep, set sail aboard the Requiem for bold and exciting adventure called Of a Great Deep.



Review Copyright ©2016 Cindy Vallar


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