Pirates and Privateers
The History of Maritime Piracy

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

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A Sword for Pizarro

A Sword for Pizarro
By Tom Ryan
Hold Fast Books, 2007, ISBN 978-0-9794808-0-5, US $17.95

One might need a road map to follow the twists and turns in Marshall Cross’s life, but that’s okay. He’s a treasure hunter who knows the path to sumptuous rewards is never easy. Nor is this time any different as he hunts for the golden sword once owned by the conqueror of the Inca, Franco Pizarro. While testing his new invention, he’s hunted by Marge, a bull shark named for his ex-mother-in-law. The newspaper prints a scathing review of his archaeology-themed amusement park. Real estate tycoon Denton Barrett has dreams of building a new planned community, the largest in the nation, called Barrettanic, that includes Cross’ land. Marshall and many of the other property owners, however, don’t want to sell, which forces Barrett to give up his dream.

Just as everything seems to be settling down and Marshall can resume the hunt for Pizarro’s sword, news breaks that an asteroid will collide with Earth, causing a massive tsunami that will decimate Florida. Mandatory evacuations are ordered, but Marshall has no intention of leaving. He finally has proof the sword really was aboard one of the ships in the 1715 treasure fleet that sank off the coast during a hurricane. All he has to do is figure out which ship carried the sword, then locate the galleon and the sword before the tsunami forever changes Florida’s coastline. At the same time another puzzle presents itself – why are Barrett and his goons still in the area? As Cross unravels these two mysteries, he finds himself confronting manmade and natural perils that may well cost him his life.

While the premise may seem a bit farfetched, Tom Ryan has craftily written a compelling adventure mystery that never once disappoints or “jumps the shark.” Barrett is the quintessential villain, while Cross is the hero that men wish they were and women wish they knew. The support characters are wonderfully drawn and bring the story to life. There is a reason for each to step onto the stage, and the quirks, habits, and tendencies prove each character is as human as you or me. A Sword for Pizarro has as many thrills as a roller coaster – one you won’t want to leave when the story ends.

Read an excerpt
Interview with Tom Ryan

Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar

Avery's Treasure

Avery’s Treasure
by Kate Dolan
Zumaya, 2007
ISBN 978-1-634135-67-9 (E-book), $6.99
ISBN 978-1-934135-66-2 (Paperback), $15.99

New Providence awaits the arrival of the new governor, whose mission is to rid the island of the pirates that infest it. Edward Talbot, captain of the Osprey, wavers between accepting the king’s pardon and continuing to go on the account. Charles Vane, on the other hand, has no such dilemma – he is and always will be a pirate.

Ben Bridgeman sees only trouble ahead with the governor’s arrival and insists that his daughter, Arleigh, seek sanctuary at a convent on French island. While Edward ponders whether to accept Ben’s commission, Arleigh has plans that don’t include living with nuns. Spoiled and greedy, she dreams of locating her father’s treasure and escaping his clutches. Her lack of forethought and planning, however, land her on Charles Vane’s ship. His quartermaster, Calico Jack Rackham, discovers her sex and contrives to obtain the treasure map. When Edward learns Arleigh has fled, he agrees to go after her because Ben is really Henry Avery, a retired pirate who amassed a fortune.

Guilt for pushing Arleigh to run away pushes Rev. Yam to sign on as one of Edward’s crew. Things go awry almost from the start and they end up on an island inhabited only by a buccaneer’s daughter. Dominique wants the intruders gone, but when Arleigh ends up on the island as well, a volatile mixture brews. Dominique loves Yam, but he only has eyes for Arleigh. She wants to be free and secure her father’s treasure. Edward wants the treasure and return Arleigh to her father. Their paths to success, however, are fraught with the unexpected, including a dangerous encounter with Blackbeard.

Dolan’s research into the Golden Age of Piracy is evident throughout this adventure. Pirates abound, and the imaginary situations that bring those from history together are realistically portrayed. Arleigh’s flight is a bit contrived, and her ready acceptance into Vane’s crew doesn’t quite ring true. The true heroine is Dominique, and the melding of her isolation with the world beyond provides the true adventure and romance of the story. Arleigh slowly matures into a more likeable woman once these two women join together to rescue those they love, and it is only in doing so that Arleigh learns the true meaning of friendship and love. Avery’s Treasure is a tale with serpentine twists and turns where dreams do come true, but not always in the ways we expect.

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View the book trailer for Avery's Treasure

Book Review Copyright ©2007 Cindy Vallar

The Eagle’s Prophecy

The Eagle’s Prophecy
By Simon Scarrow
St. Martin’s, 2006, ISBN 978-0-312-32454-4, US $24.95

In A.D. 45 pirates attack a merchant ship carrying an imperial agent named Secundus. In his possession is a chest of scrolls. But these are not ordinary scrolls – they contain information that could devastate Emperor Claudius and the Roman Empire. When the pirate captain, Telemachus, realizes their worth, he demands a high ransom for their release. At the same time, he negotiates with the emperor’s enemies to see which side will pay the highest price for the knowledge contained in the scrolls. Telemachus’ reign of terror on shipping also makes it imperative for Rome to deal swiftly and decisively to retrieve the scrolls and destroy the pirates.

Implicated in the death of a fellow Centurion, Macro and Cato are in Rome awaiting the outcome of the investigation. Narcissus, the imperial secretary, offers them a way out of their troubles: Retrieve the scrolls and his agent (if possible). If they succeed, the investigation disappears; if they don’t, both will die. To complicate their mission, they must appear to be part of the force assigned to wipe out the pirates. The leader of this task force is none other than Vitellius, a power-hungry man who is also Macro and Cato’s enemy.

Vitellius plans to establish a temporary base closer to where the pirates operate, but the fleet is attacked at sea. Ships are lost and many Romans die. It soon becomes apparent that there’s a traitor amongst the Romans. Then Cato discovers that Vitellius is intent on betraying him and Macro before they complete their mission. Will the two centurions recover the scrolls and live to fight again? Will they unmask the traitor before it’s too late? Or will Vitellius’ vanity and thirst for prestige and power bring about their downfall, as well as that of the empire?

The Eagle’s Prophecy is the latest installment in a series about the Roman army, but those who haven’t read the previous five books will easily find themselves drawn into this adventurous tale of intrigue and betrayal. Scarrow’s portrayal of life in Rome vividly contrasts opulence and poverty, drawing the reader in until he/she walks (and sometimes runs) along the streets with the Centurions. His depiction of the hunt for the pirates and the battle scenes subtly ensnare until the reader hears the clang of swords and feels the spatter of blood. Few authors write about ancient pirates, but Scarrow’s portrayal of them is historically accurate and eye-opening. They are as fully developed as his Roman characters, and combined with the action and his attention to detail, he brings alive a time long past.

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Book Review Copyright ©2007 Cindy Vallar

Feeding the Dragon

Feeding the Dragon
by S. Dan Smith
Stone Garden, 28 February 2007, ISBN 1-60076-009-0, $11.95

Tamayo runs a network of pirates, whose purpose is to steal specific ships and/or cargoes that will aid him and his colleagues in masterminding a war. The goal is to fund a revolutionary coup in the Philippine Islands and establish a satellite from which Communist China can rule the trade routes, including the busy Malacca Straits and South China Sea. Tamayo’s most notorious pirate is John Henry, who is wanted for piracy and the kidnapping of girls to sell into slavery.

While some attacks take place in territorial waters, as is true of most piracy today, others occur in international water. This brings SEAPAC (Southeast Asian Piracy Alert Center) into the picture. Commander Wright, the US Navy advisor to SEAPAC, and his informants are following the money trail in an attempt to bring down Tamayo. When word of an impending pirate attack reaches him, Wright requests help from the navy. John Wilson, the new captain of the USS Chancellorsville, and his crew interrupt their Christmas holidays to track down the pirates. But a traitor within SEAPAC and the Philippine revolution spell trouble for world stability, unless Wilson and the Japanese can thwart the pirates and prevent China from bringing their plans to fruition.

This fast-paced thriller closely mirrors the fears and realities of modern-day maritime piracy. Smith weaves complicated subplots together to create a novel that tells a good story laced with well-researched facts. His host of characters displays good and bad traits just as people do. The only weak element of the tale comes when Tamayo turns the SEAPAC representative into a double agent – it happens too easily, which makes the traitor’s succumbing less believable. Smith’s service in the US Navy is evident from his knowledge of shipboard life and the frequent use of acronyms.* Naval personnel and fans of maritime thrillers will enjoy Feeding the Dragon.

* The publisher informs me that they have addded an appendix to explain the jargon.

Book Review Copyright ©2006 Cindy Vallar

Captain Blood

Captain Blood
by Rafael Sabatini
Blackstone Audio, 2006
ISBN 978-0-7861-6791-3, $55; 0-7861-6583-9, $19.95
Presented by The Colonial Radio Theatre
Playing Time: 7 hours on 6 compact discs

Dr. Peter Blood, a peaceable surgeon who goes to the aid of a wounded rebel, finds himself on trial for treason against the English king. Transported to Bridgetown, Jamaica, Blood becomes one of Colonel Bishop’s slaves, but rather than toil in the field, he ministers to the sick citizens, including the governor. This incursion into the profits of the two doctors already on the island causes them to abet Blood in his attempt to escape the island. A Spanish raid interrupts their plans, but ever resourceful, Blood and his mates turn the tide on this new enemy – rescuing the town while capturing a better ship to begin their lives as pirates.

He names their ship after Arabella Bishop, the colonel’s niece. In quick order Blood establishes a reputation among the brotherhood, but a partnership with another equally infamous pirate turns to deception and death. Twice he rescues damsels in distress, but the second one – Arabella – spurns his love because he is a pirate. He eventually accepts that fate has dealt him a hand he never expected, nor wanted, but the ouster of the Royal House of Stuart and war between England and France might just change his mind.

Many years have passed since I first read Captain Blood after seeing Errol Flynn bring Sabatini’s character to life on film. This Colonial Radio Theatre production is true to the original book, so listening to them dramatize the novel was like visiting an old friend. Sound effects make the action real, while the actors bring the characters to life, enhancing this historical romantic adventure that is the epitome of a swashbuckling tale. Fans of Sabatini will want to add this to their collections, and those only familiar with Flynn’s interpretation will want to meet the real Captain Blood. The price is steep, but well worth the investment. Blackstone Audio does, however, offer rentals of the audio for $14.95.

Listen to a sample
Visit The Colonial Radio Theatre

Book Review Copyright ©2006 Cindy Vallar

Run Afoul

Run Afoul
by Joan Druett
St. Martin’s, 2006, ISBN 978-0-312-35336-0, $23.95 / CAN $31.95

Wiki Coffin, half-Maori/half-American, serves as a linguist for an expedition to Brazil overseen by the United States Navy. Soon after their arrival in late 1838, Assistant Astronomer Grimes takes ill. With his dying breath, he accuses Festin, the ship’s new cook, of poisoning him. Since Festin is already under suspicion for a previous murder, he’s immediately arrested, and Wiki finds himself embroiled in another mystery. His father, a sea captain, is also in port and one of Captain Coffin’s Brazilian friends invites Coffin, Wiki, and members of the expedition on a scientific mission that has them visiting various plantations. At their last stop, one of the men is killed and Captain Coffin is arrested. Wiki must unravel the threads that surround the two murders to discover the true killer’s identity, but it is a mystery that remains puzzling until the final solution.

Run Afoul is a subtle mystery, rather than one where you figure out who-done-it halfway through the story. Secrets abound and the reader is never quite certain the characters are as honest as they seem. Ms. Druett deftly weaves her knowledge of shipboard life and Maori customs into a scientific expedition while depicting the world of 19th-century society in Brazil and the American navy.

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Book Review Copyright ©2006 Cindy Vallar

The Pirate & the Three Cutters

The Pirate & The Three Cutters
by Captain Frederick Marryat
Trafalgar Square, 2006, ISBN 1-84588-205-9, $9.95

The Pirate recounts the story of twins separated at a young age during a storm at sea. Neither knows the other lives, but one is raised in a comfortable lifestyle in England to become an officer in the Royal Navy. A notorious pirate captain raises the other as his own, but Francisco abhors his father’s cruelty and welcomes marooning. Fate intervenes to draw these two young men together and there in lies the adventure, romance, revelations, and mutiny – all on the high seas.

The Three Cutters is a short novella that follows the paths of three vessels on an intersect course. The yacht belongs to an aristocrat who’s brought along some friends for an outing. The second vessel belongs to smugglers. The revenue cutter patrols English waters in search of the smugglers. One tries to outrun the other, only to have the third interfere. But who wins the day?

These two stories first appeared in 1836, and therefore, the style is far different from today’s rousing high seas adventures. This does not, however, detract from the intrigue and exploits of what were then pioneering novels that recounted tales at sea. The reader may surmise certain elements of the story prior to the author revealing them, but there are tidbits that remain elusive until the author wants the reader to know the truth. The stories flow much like the ebb and flow of the tide, and that pacing soon draws the reader into the story. A welcome reintroduction to Captain Marryat, who wove his knowledge and experience of a life at sea into rousing escapades.

Meet the author
Life and Works of Captain Frederick Marryat

Book Review Copyright ©2006 Cindy Vallar

Pirate's Prize

Pirate’s Prize
by Lena Nelson Dooley
Heartsong Presents, 2005, ISBN 1-59310-609-2, $4.95

Having spent the past few years living with her grandparents in Spain, Angelina de la Fuente Delgado is eager to return home to Florida to see her father. French pirates attack her ship, however, and she finds herself at the mercy of their captain, Etienne Badeau, who wants to make her his bride. The Angelina Star’s crew is murdered and the ship destroyed, so no trace of her will be found. Badeau imprisons Angelina in his home in the far reaches of Louisiana, where he attempts to woo her. Angelina does whatever she can to protect herself and her aunt, but wonders if it will be enough.

Brian O’Doule comes to Spain to fetch Angelina home at her father’s request. He secretly loves her, but she is too much a lady for the likes of him. His passion for her, however, interferes with his duty as the ship’s lookout, which allows the pirates to sail so near that the Angelina Star can’t escape. Racked with guilt, Brian pleads with God to give him a second chance and let him save Angelina. His ability to speak Spanish, when Badeau doesn’t, saves Brian’s life. As translator for the pirate, Brian has daily contact with Angelina, and as he waits for the opportune moment to put his rescue plan into effect, their friendship blossoms. He only hopes that one day she will forgive him.

Contrary to the normal pirate romance, Lena Nelson Dooley portrays pirates as they truly were rather than as romantic heroes. Instead, she chooses a hardworking man who believes in God to assume that role, and she accomplishes this with adeptness. Brian has his failings, but never loses his faith and even if he might never marry the woman he loves, he intends to save her from the peril they face. Adversity strengthens Angelina, and she matures into a woman who finds comfort in the Lord while she awaits her rescue. One minor problem with the story is that it unfolds in Spanish West Florida rather than Louisiana, which Spain ceded to France in 1803. The realistic portrayal of pirates and the prominence of the power of love, both God’s and man’s, make this an easily overlooked flaw. This is a heartwarming historical for readers who enjoy inspirational romance.

Meet Lena Nelson Dooley
Read an Excerpt of Pirate's Prize

Book Review Copyright ©2006 Cindy Vallar

Frozen Passage

Frozen Passage
by William S. Smith
PublishAmerica, 2006, ISBN 1-4241-1006-8, $17.95

When William Casey signs aboard The Angel of Death as ship’s carpenter in 1590, he expects to return home to England. It isn’t until they are at sea that he learns he’s on a pirate ship. After they capture a Spanish galleon laden with gold, they sail to an island to party. The captain and his handpicked men ferry the treasure ashore to hide. William, who abstains from drink, follows the captain and witnesses the pirates secreting the gold inside a cave and the captain murdering his men. William returns to the ship without anyone being the wiser and records the location of the treasure in his journal. At dawn, the pirates set sail, but a fierce storm blows the ship far off course. Before they can escape, they freeze to death.

In 1994 geologists explore the Arctic Circle to locate the best place to drill for oil. When their initial finds unearth a wooden sailing ship, archaeologists are called in. They discover that not only is the ship intact, but so are her sailors. The billionaire the scientists work for decides to unfreeze them, using technology based on cryogenics. He enlists the help of experts in various fields, including Dr. Cherlye Landan, a professor of Forensic Science and Ancient Civilizations. She finds herself drawn to one particular sailor – William Casey. His return to life centuries later make for humorous incidents as his world collides with hers. As the other pirates thaw, their piratical tendencies surface and with the help of a traitor, they kidnap Cherlye and again pillage the sea.

Science fiction isn’t my forte, but the science in Frozen Passage certainly seems plausible, if not now, sometime in the future. Although the writing style and formatting need some editing, this is a suspenseful tale that explores a fascinating what-if scenario. For sci-fi fans who crave pirate stories, this is one adventure to consider. The love story between William and Cherlye will appeal to romance readers, as well.

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Book Review Copyright ©2006 Cindy Vallar

Siren

Siren
by Cheryl Sawyer
New American Library, 2005, ISBN 0-451-21377-7, US $6.99 / CAN $9.99

Léonore Roncival intends to carry on her father’s work as a privateer sailing the Caribbean. Then Jean Laffite invades her island sanctuary. Sparks fly between these two headstrong people, but both bide their time to achieve their goals. In the end, it is Léonore, with the help of her faithful followers, who hands Laffite an ignominious defeat, and he departs vowing never to return.

Jean Laffite, a notorious gentleman privateer from New Orleans, finds himself strangely captivated by the mysterious woman often called Madame Ching. He doesn’t expect their paths to cross, but before long he finds himself matching words and wit with the lady as they negotiate who gets what prize after the privateers capture two vessels. Then he spies her on the streets of New Orleans, and before long, love blossoms.

Theirs is a stormy affair, fraught with distrust and interference from friends, enemies, and a mysterious masked woman. To complicate matters, relations between America and Britain are on the verge of war, and rumors abound that the English or the Spanish intend to claim Léonore’s island for their own. Can their love survive betrayal and war?

Siren begins as a historical romance, but ends as historical fiction. The majority of the tale unfolds prior to the War of 1812, and draws the reader into the fiery passion of two people attracted to each other. Once the War of 1812 begins, the reader is kept at a distance because the author tells rather than shows the events. Ms. Sawyer weaves the known facts about Jean Laffite with the legends, creating a realistic portrayal of a man whose past is shrouded in mystery. Two minor historical inaccuracies place the jail that imprisoned the Baratarians underground when in fact the cells were located behind the Cabildo, and steamboats weren’t a rarity in 1814 since they had offered passage to citizens between Natchez and New Orleans for two years. The comparison of the heroine to Cheng I Sao, the legendary Chinese woman who commanded nearly twenty thousand pirates, is a stretch. At times the use of pronouns instead of characters’ names makes it difficult to know who says what. For those readers with an interest in Jean Laffite and women who stepped outside the bounds of normal society, Siren will entertain and take you to a time and place long ago.

Cheryl Sawyer’s Website
Read an Excerpt
Read more about Jean Laffite

Book Review Copyright ©2006 Cindy Vallar

Kingston by Starlight

Kingston by Starlight
by Christopher John Farley
Three Rivers Press, 2005, ISBN 1-4000-8245-5, $13.95 US/ $21 CAN

Since her first appearance in A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates by Captain Charles Johnson in 1724, Anne Bonny has intrigued people interested in Caribbean piracy. Not only was she a female pirate, but she disappeared while in a Jamaican jail, never to be heard from again. In Kingston by Starlight, Anne tells her own story from her childhood in Ireland to her pirating days with Calico Jack Rackham and Mary Read to their capture and her life after prison.

One startling difference between this novel and others is the lyrical language and literary tone of the book. Most recent novels portray pirate life with more realism and grittiness. While essential elements of Anne’s story lay the foundation for this novel, the author interprets her life story differently from what readers may remember. For example, Bonny was not Anne’s last name originally. She was Anne Cormac until she married James Bonny, but he never appears in this story. Some readers may object to the sexual elements in the story; others may find themselves kept at arm’s length from Anne rather than being at her side as events unfold. Readers who favor literary books and the lilt of poetry, however, should enjoy Kingston by Starlight.

Reading Group Guide for Kingston by Starlight
Read an Excerpt from Kingston by Starlight

Book Review Copyright ©2005 Cindy Vallar

Pursuit of Honor by Joseph O’Steen

Pursuit of Honor
by Joseph O’Steen
JADA Press, 2004, ISBN 0-9761110-9-8
$13.95 US / $17.25 Can / £7.25

Commander Nathan Beauchamp of the British Royal Navy returns in a new adventure to thwart Irish rebels and Caribbean pirates. Black Caesar, a nasty pirate, has discovered a vast quantity of gold in a Spanish shipwreck. Irish rebels intend to use the gold to fund a war against the English government. To prevent the traitors from carrying out their plans, the navy converts a former Dutch merchantman into a pirate raider. With a specially picked crew, Nathan sails to the West Indies to prevent the retrieval of the gold without incurring the wrath of Spain, an ally rather than an enemy in 1803. Unbeknownst to Nathan there are spies aboard who have no intention of allowing him to complete his mission.

This is a fast-paced naval adventure that combines suspense with intrigue and romance. It is not meant for those readers well versed in naval yarns of the Napoleonic Era. Rather it introduces new readers to the world of wooden sailing ships and life in the Royal Navy. The pirates play a minor role in this tale, but the spies and traitors keep readers interested from start to finish. A good read in spite of the lack of copy editing.

Review of Book One in the Series
Visit the Author
Read the Prologue and a Chapter

Book Review Copyright ©2005 Cindy Vallar

Pirates, Ghosts, and Coastal Lore by Charles Harry Whedbee

Pirates, Ghosts, and Coastal Lore: the Best of Judge Whedbee
By Charles Harry Whedbee
John F. Blair, 2004, ISBN 0-89587-295-1, $13.95

Before books, people told stories that were passed down from one generation to the next. Sometimes these tales were told around campfires at night, when the listener’s imagination conjured up pictures of ghosts and things that go bump in the night. Those with the gift of storytelling captivate their audience and impart vivid portrayals that haunt long after the story ends. Judge Whedbee was such a storyteller.

This collection features thirteen of his memorable stories, tales of the Outer Banks of North Carolina he first heard as a child. The pirates include Blackbeard, Edward Low, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read. The ghosts feature Virginia Dare and the Lost Colonists of Roanoke Island, fishermen from Portsmith Town, a cemetery with a bleeding arch, and the daughter of a pirate who disappears on her wedding day. The other stories concern a porpoise turned pilot, a slave who fights for America’s freedom, a flaming ship, the sand dollar, and a Tuscarora brave who saves his enemy.

As you read these tales, it is as if Judge Whedbee stands before you telling them himself, painting eerie pictures of times long ago, of restless spirits forever caught between the world of the living and that of the dead. Entertaining, spooky, thought provoking, endearing. A delight for young and old alike.

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

Ocean Eyes by Amy Hoff

By Amy Hoff
Writers Club Press, 2001, 0-595-18723-4, $16.95

Sir Joseph Bruce is a Scot in the English army during the struggle between the Royalists and the Puritans. His closest friend is an Englishman named Anders, a man noted for his dalliances with women. Joseph prefers to write poetry until one night in a tavern where he meets an exotic dancer who turns out to be the notorious and legendary Captain Angel d’Auteville, a bloodthirsty pirate unlucky in love. When his countrymen intend on betraying Charles I, Joseph and Angel form an alliance to safeguard the King. Joseph almost dies while Angel and her men leave empty-handed.

Thinking Joseph dead, Angel returns to her wicked life after a brief respite with friends in Ireland. A disillusioned Joseph turns his back on his military career, befriends a historian rumored to be a vampire, and returns home. After some of Angel’s men betray her to the Spanish Inquisition, those who remain loyal set out to find Joseph, for they require his assistance to effect her rescue.

Ocean Eyes is a compelling novel that doesn’t embellish or romanticize piracy. The characters and their foibles draw the reader into the story. Joseph has trouble coming to terms with both his royal heritage (his ancestor was Robert the Bruce) and loving a woman who walks on the wrong side of the law, but time and again events force him to overcome these uncertainties. Past lovers have jaded Angel where men are concerned, and her anger is a driving force behind the viciousness that makes her legendary. Yet it is Joseph’s memory that sustains Angel during her torturous imprisonment. A multitude of secondary characters spices this story that circumnavigates the globe. Beware, the ending is fitting but will haunt the reader long after the final page is turned.

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Read Chapter One

Book Review Copyright ©2005 Cindy Vallar

The RB Trilogy by C.C. Colee

By C.C. Colee
The Widow Maker: America House, 2001, 1-58851-378-5, $25.95
The Enchantress: America House, 2000, 1-59129-065-1, $34.95
The Game: Publish America, 2003, 1-59286-135-0, $24.95

After her parents’ deaths, Audrey Malone lives with her uncle. He’s determined to make a good, and profitable, match for her regardless of her thoughts on the matter. His final choice leaves Audrey with little choice--submit to a brutal and unhappy marriage, or run away. She opts for the latter and ends up aboard a ship bound for Africa and “rescued” by pirates. This is the premise of the first book in the trilogy, The Widow Maker. Audrey becomes the property of Captain Rene Black, but she falls in love with his quartermaster who protects her from Black and other pirates up to no good.

Book two, The Enchantress, finds Audrey aboard another pirate ship, captained by a woman, after the Royal Navy destroys Black’s ship. Captain Mala and Audrey think Black is dead, but he resurfaces and takes over Mala’s ship, which causes more problems for Audrey, for he brings with him a particularly nasty pirate intent on raping Audrey. In the meantime, Mala’s quartermaster attempts to convince Mala that only he truly loves her. All this turmoil inevitably leads to many showdowns, sometimes with tragic results. The final book, The Game, involves Black’s attempts to locate Mala before his arch nemesis, Captain Alexander of the Royal Navy, carries out his threats against Mala.

Unlike many series, this trilogy requires readers to begin with book one and continue to the end. The individual titles do not stand alone. Nor is this typical romance, for there is far too much domestic brutality and darkness even though love is an underlying theme throughout the books. Readers looking for pirate adventure will find this trilogy fits the bill, and while it provides a more accurate depiction of pirates and life at sea than many novels, there are still some historical inaccuracies. The Widow Maker is the most absorbing of the three books, and ensnares the reader into finding out what happens to Audrey and the other characters. All the characters are well drawn and easy to envision. Audrey matures from timid lady to daring pirate by the end of the series.

Unfortunately, there are several drawbacks of which readers should be aware. The Widow Maker and The Enchantress are poorly edited. This isn’t a major problem in the first book, but the second is too long and includes too much repetition of incidents, which may annoy the reader. While The Game is better edited, the suspense and tension in rescuing Mala never succeeds and is over far too soon. This leaves at least a third of the book devoted to tying up loose ends. It is also the least accurate historically, which may leave the reader feeling cheated or disappointed after reading all three books. In light of these problems, readers may find the high prices of these books a deterrent.

Visit the RB Web Site

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

The Pyrates by George MacDonald Fraser

By George MacDonald Fraser
Lyons Press, 2003, ISBN 1-58574-800-5, $16.95

Put every swashbuckling movie ever made into a bowl shaped like a pirate ship. Stir in one suave and daring hero, a beautiful and spoiled maiden in search of a husband, and one antihero who’s either at the wrong place at the right time or the wrong time at the right place. Spice this concoction with four notorious pirates of varying degrees of evilness and one depraved and masochistic Spanish don hellbent on ruling the world. Decorate with a gold crown encrusted with gemstones, cannibals, deserted islands, damsels in distress, dungeons, and conniving merchants.

This hilarious and outrageous novel crosses the boundaries of time to extract juicy tidbits from various historic time periods and incorporates elements from the twentieth century to entertain and pay homage to the buccaneers of yore. Every time you think it can’t get any better, or worse, the characters lead you down another path you don’t expect. Within these pages you’ll find King Charles II, Samuel Pepys, Calico Jack Rackham, and Anne Bonny, as well as references to Errol Flynn, Xavier Cougat, and Dracula. As crazy as it sounds, Fraser spins a seamless tale where every character and setting seems perfectly natural. Pirated from history and our daily lives, the elements that make up The Pyrates provide a rollicking adventure from the royal halls of England to the pirate haven of Madagascar to the Caribbean where pirates hunted their prey.

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

Cassandra, LOST by Joanna Catherine Scott

By Joanna Catherine Scott
St. Martin’s Press, 2004, ISBN 0-312-31942-7, $24.95

Just before her eighteenth birthday in 1793, Cassandra Owings of Maryland elopes with a Frenchman of whom her father disapproves. Benedict van Pradelles takes his new bride to France to help his parents flee Paris. When Cassandra and Benedict arrive, his mother is too ill to travel and Benedict must reclaim their wealth and property in the country. After escaping the revolutionists who imprisoned him, a wounded Benedict returns to Cassandra, who must now nurse him and his mother while she herself is pregnant. Confined to the two rooms where they live, she feels like a prisoner within the walls of the townhouse, for the streets are unsafe and the servants seem ready to harm them if given any excuse.

During this time Cassandra meets and befriends Jean La Fitte, a young lad who helps his father and Benedict in their secret affairs. Eventually she joins Jean in his work, which allows her to escape from her prison and experience adventure. Jean’s father’s arrest and the deaths of Benedict’s parents force them all to realize they must leave France or face the guillotine. When Jean decides to search for his brother Pierre rather than accompany Cassandra and Benedict to America, she gives him a locket with her picture in it and they promise that someday they will meet again.

This well-researched novel about Cassandra and her life in Paris and New Orleans is based on fact. Not enough is known of her real life, for she had no contact with her family after she eloped just before the boat she boarded disappeared soon after it sailed in 1815. Whether she had an affair with Jean Laffite can’t be proven with any certainty, although he apparently knew her. Laffite was a master at illusion and misinformation, and the author does a commendable job showing this penchant for secrecy. She portrays him as a complex character, charismatic yet iron willed, traits necessary to his trade as privateer and smuggler. She deftly weaves the facts and legends about Laffite, providing plausible explanations for the stories we know of him.

If Jean Laffite were not a character in this book, would I have read it? Probably not, for I had several major problems with the story. First, much is told rather than shown to the reader. This technique keeps the reader at arm’s length from the action rather than allowing the reader to “participate” in the story. Perhaps a greater flaw, though, is that Cassandra is not a likeable heroine. She’s childish and self-centered, and has a skewed definition of love. She never becomes more than a one-dimensional character, whereas Benedict and Laffite do. Even William Claiborne, the governor of Louisiana, is better drawn, although the reader may think the familial relationship between Claiborne and Cassandra contrived, and the author doesn’t confirm in her author’s note whether they were cousins or not.

There are several factual errors in the story, although they are minor ones. Bluebeard is twice portrayed as a real pirate when he’s actually a fictional one. The reader is left to wonder why the author didn’t just use Blackbeard as the pirate in question, as he really lived and residents of Maryland would have known of him, for he was a legend in his own time. The author’s claim that polite society didn’t accept Laffite is half right –Americans didn’t, but Creoles did. Also, she doesn’t have him deny that he’s a pirate when Cassandra asks this of him. In fact, Laffite’s contemporaries say he vehemently denied ever being a pirate. Lastly, the author spells his name as “Lafitte,” whereas he always signed his name “Laffite,” as evidenced in several extant documents.

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

There Were Two Pirates

By James Branch Cabell
Wildside Press, 2003, ISBN 1592240836, $15

Each year Florida celebrates José Gasparilla, King of the Pirates, who established his kingdom on Gasparilla Island toward the end of the eighteenth century. Legend says he was a Spanish naval officer who turned to piracy. He’s reputed to have captured and sunk thirty-six ships in eleven years, amassed a fortune in treasure, murdered seamen who refused to join his ranks, and imprisoned the women passengers – including a Spanish princess, who was eventually murdered. Rather than face capture by an American warship, he wrapped the anchor chain around himself and jumped into the sea. Whether José Gasparilla ever lived or not is a mystery.

In 1946 James Cabell published this fantasy adventure purportedly based on Gasparilla’s diaries. Love for a woman and a lack of wealth convince Gasparilla to become a pirate with the solitary goal of amassing sufficient funds to wed Isabel and retire to a cozy villa to raise many children. As he nears his goal, however, he faces the problem of how to return to society now that he’s a wanted man. Then he captures the Santa Clara. Aboard is an elderly gentleman who suffers from rheumatism, Don Diego, Isabel’s husband. Don Diego offers Gasparilla a way to achieve his dreams and after careful negotiations, the deal is sealed. Gasparilla will become an honorable citizen and marry Isabel, but how?

The subtitle of this book is “A Comedy of Division,” yet there is little humor in the story. Gasparilla is egotistical to a fault, yet naively unaware of how he affects others’ lives, especially those women who have the misfortune to cross his path. There is little action in this tale; instead Gasparilla recounts his motivations and experiences. Fans of Gasparilla and fantasy will enjoy this tale, but for pirate aficionados seeking a rousing adventure, I recommend looking elsewhere.

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

The Pirate and the Puritan

By Cheryl Howe
Dorchester, 2003, ISBN 0-8439-5274-1, $5.95

Betrayed by a man she thought loved her, Felicity Kendall retreats into the religion of her mother and becomes a prim and proper Puritan, denying all her passion and dreams. Her temper and penchant for interfering, however, remains strong. When she meets Lord Christian Andrews at her father’s shop in Barbados, he immediately triggers her wariness. He’s a fop up to no good. Her father doesn’t know when to avoid people who might bring him to ruin, so Felicity intends to rescue her father and force Andrews to sever his business ties with her father.

Whenever he visits Barbardos, Drew disguises himself as Lord Christian Andrews. It’s 1721 and pirates aren’t looked on kindly in the West Indies. Felicity infuriates and intrigues him, but in spite of her thoughts about him and his intentions, his plans don’t include hurting Mr. Kendall. Drew searches for the man who murdered their business partner and his wife. Rumors say it’s the work of El Diablo, a barbarous pirate, but Drew knows this to be false. Thinking he might find clues to the murderer’s identity, he sets sail for New Providence, a pirate haven.

While searching for the proof she needs to convince her father to make a clean break with Drew, Felicity becomes locked in the wardrobe aboard his ship and is knocked unconscious. Drew’s unexpected discovery of Felicity complicates matters. If she values her life, she must remain locked in his cabin, for having a woman aboard violates the pirates’ code of conduct and no woman is safe amid these ruffians. He intends to set her ashore where she can find safe passage back to Barbados, but the capture of another ship changes everything. Those aboard bring news. The real Lord Andrews has come to Barbados and the authorities have arrested Felicity’s father for piracy.

This historical romance takes place in the waning years of the Golden Age of Piracy. Woodes Rogers has yet to take the severe measures that will rid New Providence of pirates. Although the story begins slowly and the characters seem one-dimensional at the start, this changes after Felicity regains consciousness aboard Drew’s ship and the reader becomes acquainted with more of the characters’ background. Sparks fly between the hero and heroine as they struggle along the precipice between hate and love. In the end love and justice triumph, but not without a few missteps and misdirection along the way to pique the reader’s interest. Beware of Hugh! Although this gem of a cabin boy appears in only a few scenes, he steals every one of them.

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Book Review Copyright ©2003 Cindy Vallar

Falcon's Revenge

By By Joseph L. O'Steen
Trafford Publishing, 2003, ISBN 1-4120-0505-1, $19.95

In 1803 Britain declares war on France and recalls young naval officers with experience from their postings in the Caribbean to fight Napoleon Bonaparte. One such gentleman is Lieutenant Nathan Beauchamp of His Majesty's Royal Navy. Having missed the mail packet that would have taken him to Portsmouth, Nate becomes Acting First Officer of the HMS Sampson, a weatherworn, aging ship with a leaky hull bound for England. With her captain ailing, Nate assumes most of Dexter's duties as well. A storm at sea worsens the leak below the waterline, and Nate decides their best chance of survival is to careen the ship on a nearby island to effect repairs. Their problems mount when a French privateer intercepts them, but Nate's ingenuity saves the day. After transferring crew and cargo onto the captured Bateuse, he learns that she sails with another privateer, anchored on the far side of the island, that has captured the pay chest of the Royal Marines stationed in Jamaica.

Thus begin Nathan Beauchamp's adventures in the dangerous waters of the Caribbean. While not a rousing tale of pirates, Falcon's Revenge follows the tradition of maritime adventures set during the age of wooden sailing ships. Like Horatio Hornblower, Nate Beauchamp is intent on rising in the ranks of the Royal Navy. He faces whatever trials he encounters, and does so knowing each time may mean his death, yet never lacking in courage and daring to accomplish the task set before him.

Falcon's Revenge is the first book in a series of six that will follow Nathan Beauchamp through his naval career and his fight against French privateers and Napoleon Bonaparte. It shall be interesting to watch Nate mature and aspire to greater heights as he matches wits with formidable foes to come.

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Book Review Copyright ©2003 Cindy Vallar

To Sail Through Time

By Jayme Evans
Wings Press, 2002, ISBN 1-59088-075-7 (e-book), $6
ISBN 1-59088-959-2 (paperback), $11.95

The eerie Caribbean storm threatens to ruin Dr. Bethany Henry's well-deserved vacation with her twin brother. She tosses aside the pirate romance she's reading to help Bryce secure everything before a waterspout engulfs them. After the terrifying funnel passes, they encounter a wooden sailing ship manned by authentic-looking pirates captained by a handsome swashbuckler named Joshua Blackmon.

Although Joshua understands little of what Bethany says, he realizes she and her brother are from the future. Bryce's T-shirt says 1999, but the year is 1814, and Joshua and his crew are privateers. A superstitious lot, his men will think Bethany a sorceress if he doesn't protect her. To that end he locks her in his cabin and imprisons Bryce in the brig until he can convincethem that he and his men aren't re-enactors and that the twins have traveled back in time.

Bethany's an independent woman who rails at captivity, but she fears the captain's crew more and she won't jeopardize her brother's life. She scoffs at Joshua's hypothesis, until he forces her to watch a bloody sea battle unfold. If Joshua dies, what will become of her and Bryce? Will they ever return to their own time? If not, how will she adapt to living in a time when women lacked the independence and freedom of her century?

This fast-paced story portrays pirates with realism often lacking in historical romance. Discovering a tie-in with Jean Laffite was an added treat, and while Bethany shares her knowledge of what will happen to the Baratarians, Ms. Evans neatly weaves the facts into the story without allowing Bethany's knowledge to alter history. Adventure, mutiny, danger, and love combine to make this an intriguing what-if tale of pirates and privateers.

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Book Review - Copyright ©2002 Cindy Vallar

The Pirate Queen
 

HarperCollins Australia 2003  ISBN 0-7322-6828-1	New American Library January 2006 ISBN 0-451-21744-6

By Alan Gold

If not for Irish bards and poets and occasional legal documents, we might not know about the legendary pirate queen who threatened the English treasury or the patriotic chieftain who defied English attempts to subjugate the Irish. Men attempted to write her out of history, but Alan Gold takes the facts and spins a wonderful tale about Grace O’Malley, who grows up aboard her father’s ships rather than pursue a more womanly education. She is a natural mariner and a skilled trader, and her exploits--legitimate and otherwise--bring her wealth and notoriety.

Grace’s path in life contrasts with that of another prominent woman, Elizabeth I. Her tale is also deftly woven within these pages to create a tapestry that culminates in a meeting between these two queens. Their lives follow different paths, but both are fraught with perils. When Elizabeth’s henchman in Ireland takes Grace’s youngest son hostage, the pirate queen dares to venture into the enemy’s court and meet the Virgin Queen who would have her head.

Through language and action the characters unveil their strengths and weaknesses, their similarities and differences until these two extraordinary women, who stepped outside the bounds of traditional female roles and took center stage in the world of men, come to life before the reader’s eyes. Gold succinctly provides the complex historical and political background against which Grace and Elizabeth lived their lives. He also provides an intriguing, enlightening, and believable glimpse into a historical meeting about which no clues exist as to what transpired.

Originally reviewed for Historical Novels Review, August 2003
Book Review - Copyright ©2003 Cindy Vallar

The Witch from the Sea

By Lisa Jensen
Beagle Bay Books, 2001, ISBN 0-9679591-5-2

Far from the glamorous and romanticized portrait often found in pirate tales, The Witch from the Sea provides a glimpse into the world of sea robbers almost a hundred years after the Golden Age of Piracy. Ms. Jensen deftly shows the monotony and dangers of living outside the law, especially at a time when society no longer condoned privateering and was intent on running to ground all pirates. She breathes life into her characters, making them human beings tortured by their pasts, accepting of their present, and hopeful for the future even though they know death – in battle, from sickness, or at the end of a hangman’s noose – await most of them. This is a bluntly told tale that spares no one from the truth, yet readers will enjoy Tory’s adventure and romance as she and her fellow pirates deal with the changing world in which they live.

Originally reviewed for Ivy Quill Reviews - click here for full review

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Dead Man's Chest: the Sequel to Treasure Island

By Roger L. Johnson
Paradise Cay Publications, 2001, ISBN 0-939837-45-5

John Paul, a Scottish sea captain, finds his life turned upside down after he kills the mutinous cook aboard his ship. At Kings Town he enters Silver Jack’s Tavern and meets David Noble, the son of a shipping magnate, and Jack Bridger, a retired pirate better known as Long John Silver. Silver has waited a long time to regain treasure buried on Dead Man’s Chest, and with John Paul Jones’ appearance, he hatches a plan to achieve that goal. If successive, the American colonies will possess what they desperately need – cannon for their new navy – and Long John Silver will be rich. Yet obstacles abound, for Silver isn’t the only pirate eager to gain the treasure and these pirates fly the jolie rouge – the red flag that means ‘no quarter given.’

This sequel to Treasure Island explains what happened to Long John Silver, Ben Gunn, and Jim Hawkins. It is a seamless weaving of fiction and fact that draws the reader into a world of wooden sailing ships, fomenting rebellion, and cutthroat pirates. Spellbinding twists and plenty of action keep the reader guessing until the last page. Those who dare to tread amongst pirates and rebels will discover a treasure rich in intrigue, mystery, adventure, and romance.

Originally reviewed for Simply E-Books

Captain Mary, Buccaneer

By Jacqueline Church Simonds
Beagle Bay Books, 2000, ISBN 0-9679591-7-9

When most people think of pirates, they think of men, but some women--Anne Bonny and Mary Read, to name two--dared to thwart convention by turning to piracy. Captain Mary is a fictional composite of these two women, and she is just as ruthless and daring.

When the story begins in 1721, Mary is already a legendary pirate hunted by the navies of several nations. She commands her own ship (the Fury), has created a financial empire, and has established a safe haven for all pirates on Cache Island. Freeing a traitorous doctor from a captured French ship and having an affair with him complicate Mary’s life. She must evade the French who hound her, while keeping her crew from mutinying.

This is a well-researched tale that paints a harsh and dangerous way of life. At no point does the author glorify or romanticize piracy, a refreshing change from most pirate tales. Some readers may find the violence a bit too gruesome. Others may be uncomfortable with Mary’s choice of lovers, who also include a former slave who’s now her pilot and a woman who was a hostage but now runs an upscale brothel. This isn’t a story where the reader will warm up to any of the characters. Captain Mary, Buccaneer is for those seeking adventure on a rolling ship, the thrill of the chase and sea battles between the hunter and the hunted, or to be pirates in search of treasure.

Originally reviewed for Historical Novel Reviews, May 2001
Book Review - Copyright ©2001 Cindy Vallar

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