Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton

GENRE

Adult Historical Fiction (310 pgs.)

SYNOPSIS

The Caribbean, 1665. A remote colony of the English Crown, the island of Jamaica hold out against the vast supremacy of the Spanish empire. Port Royal, its capitol, is a cutthroat town of taverns, grog shops, and bawdy houses.

In this steamy climate there's a living to be made, a living that can end swiftly by disease--or by dagger. For Captain Charles Hunter, gold in Spanish hands is gold for the taking, and the law of the land rests with those ruthless enough to make it.

Word in port is that the galleon El Trinidad, fresh from New Spain, is awaiting repairs in a nearby harbor. Heavily fortified, the impregnable harbor is guarded by the bloodthirsty Cazalla, a favorite commander of the Spanish king himself. With backing from a powerful ally, Hunter assembles a crew of ruffians to infiltrate the Spanish outpost and commandeer El Trinidad, along with its fortune in Spanish gold. The raid is as perilous as the bloodiest tales of island legend, and Hunter will lose more than one man before he even sets foot on foreign shores, where dense jungle and the firepower of Spanish infantry stand between him and the treasure...

MY REVIEW

If you know me and my pirates, then you know that as soon as I saw this book at my local library, it was in my hands and I was out the door.

I had heard of the author Michael Crichton before. (Who hasn't?) As the writer of the mega-blockbuster hit Jurassic Park and the creator of the hit TV show ER--one of the longest running primetime TV shows, if not the longest--I went into this book expecting quite a lot.

I have to say I was a bit underwhelmed by this book. I don't know how you could write an underwhelming book about pirates, but Mr. Crichton managed to do it somehow.

But I do have to be fair. Pirate Latitudes was published posthumously, after the complete manuscript was found in Crichton's files after his death in 2008. I think that if Crichton had more time with his manuscript, time to tweak it and make it really great, it would have been a much better book. But sometimes, fate has other plans.

Onto plot. As I was reading, I kept waiting and waiting for the real sense of "piratey" adventure to hit me, that wonderful feeling that I absolutely love about pirates... and it never did. All the action was just kind of... there. It didn't pull me in, get my blood pressure up the couple points I'm used to.

There was nothing special about the characters. Absolutely no character development to be seen whatsoever. In the end, Crichton provides what fate the characters met in history, and as I read the author's note, I kept thinking to myself, "I really don't even care what happened to these people." Crichton never built that strong character-reader connection.

Historical accuracy was okay. Nothing elaborate or special. Researched, but not well-researched. I actually think this would be a good book for a guy who's not so into reading and is kind of testing the waters of historical fiction. It's definitely a guy's book.

Overall, I think whoever found this manuscript should have left it alone. I just can't imagine the author of Jurassic Park and the creator of ER wrote this. Obviously, if the manuscript was fully completed, Crichton would have published it himself much earlier.

MY RATING

2.5**/*

Appropriateness Factors

I like to describe this book as an R-Rated version of Pirates of the Caribbean, just sans the adventure and cool characters. A few bedroom scenes, some graphic violence.

Book #6 in Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Book Haul: My Local Library

Hold the phones! Stop the presses! This just in... I actually went to the library!

I don't even know what's kept me away so long. I don't know why I've been so reluctant to borrow books. I guess it's the thought that I have to give them back, even if I love them to death. And also the thought that the selection isn't super fantastic. Even with this in mind, I borrowed 3 (yes 3!) books from my library today, and I felt so proud!

Anyways, here's a peek at the books I borrowed. Enjoy!

Spindle's End by Robin McKinley (YA Fairytale Retelling)

All the creatures of the forest and field and riverbank knew the infant was special. She was the princess, spirited away from the evil fairy Pernicia on her name-day. But the curse was cast: Rosie was fated to prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a poisoned sleep-a slumber from which no one would be able to rouse her.

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley (YA Fairytale Retelling)

"It is the heart of this place, and it is dying," says the Beast. And it is true; the center of the Beast's palace, the glittering glasshouse that brings Beauty both comfort and delight in her strange new environment, is filled with leafless brown rosebushes. But deep within this enchanted world, new life, at once subtle and strong, is about to awaken. Twenty years ago Robin McKinley enthralled readers with the power of Beauty. Now this extraordinarily gifted novelist retells the story of Beauty and the Beast again—but in a totally new way, with fresh perspective, ingenuity, and mature insight. In Rose Daughter she has written her finest and most deeply felt work, a compelling, richly imagined, and haunting exploration of the transformative power of love.

Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton (Adult Historical Fiction)

The Caribbean, 1665. Port Royal, Jamaica is a cutthroat town of taverns, grog shops, and bawdy houses. For Captain Charles Hunter, there’s a living to be made, and gold in Spanish hands is gold for the taking.
Word in port is that the galleon El Trinidad is awaiting repairs in a nearby, heavily fortified, harbor. Hunter assembles a crew of ruffians to infiltrate the enemy island and commandeer El Trinidad, along with its fortune in gold. The raid is as perilous as the bloodiest tales of island legend and Hunter will lose more than one man before he even sets foot on foreign shores, where dense jungle and the firepower of Spanish infantry stand between him and the treasure . . .

On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers

GENRE

Historical Fiction / Fantasy / Sci-Fi (322 pgs.)


SYNOPSIS

Aboard the Vociferous Carmichael pupeteer John Chandagnac is sailing towards Jamaica to claim his stolen birthright from an unscrupulous uncle when the vessel is captured... by pirates! Offered a choice by Captain Phil Davies to join their seafaring band or die, Chandagnac assumes the name John Shandy and a new life as a brigand. But more than swash-buckling sea battles and fabulous plunder await the novice buccanneer on the roiling Caribbean waters--for treachery and powerful vodun sorcery are coins of the realm in this dark new world. And for the love of the beautiful, magically imperiled Beth Hurwood, Shandy will set sail on even stranger tides, following the savage, ghost-infested pirate king Blackbeard and a motley crew of the living and the dead to the cursed nightmare banks on the fabled Fountain of Youth.


MY REVIEW

When I found out that the newest installment of Pirates of the Caribbean had been inspired by a book, let's just say I was down at my local Border's before you could say "Bring me that horizon." It is easy to see why Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio (screenwriters for Pirates) used this book as "inspiration." The story is filled with high seas adventure and paranormal magic, two ingredients that made the Pirates series so incredibly popular.

This book, to put it frankly, was brilliant fun. The story was original and fast-paced, the characters well-written, and the detail flawless. I even found that Powers' detail when describing the pirate ships had me reaching for my laptop, frantically Google searching words like "mizzen mast" and "gunwale." A little over-educated in the maritime department for me, but I got along just as well.

Onto the characters. Our protagonist, Jack Shandy, aptly fits the characteristics of a slightly more-piraty William Turner. Handsome, simple, and someone who eventually succumbs to the life of a pirate. His love for the damsel in distress, Beth Hurwood, literally drives him across oceans. I was rooting for him the entire novel. SO many things got in the way of his rescuing Beth, I was ready to pull my hair out. But finally, they find each other. I absolutely loved that part of the story.

Powers did a good job writing the character of our main villain, Mr. Hurwood, Beth's father. After the loss of his wife, Hurwood will not stop until he had evicted his own daughter's soul from her body and replaced it with the soul of his dead wife. Pure evil, right? I sure thought so.

It was brilliant how Powers used the concept of vodun magic to explain famous events in piratical history, such as the death of Blackbeard. Blackbeard only "allowed" the Navy to kill him so he could be reincarnated, as he had spilled blood at the Fountain of Youth. I found Power's abstract concept of this strange magic instilled a sense of "foreverness" among the Golden Age pirate stories... that they truly will never die, and that their spirit will live on forever.

The action going on in this story blew me away. The sea battles were uber intense! A little gory, but hey, what do you think happens when you shoot someone with a pistol? The sense of adventure was strong and true throughout the entire novel.

All in all, if you are a fan of anything pirate, you must read this book! Tim Powers did an excellent job of bringing archaic pirates to life. This novel is action-packed, full of romance and strange magic, which ended up being a recipe for success! This is the ultimate pirate novel. A perfect summer read!


MY REVIEW

4.5****/*

Book #3 in Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, on Her Way to Botany Bay by L.A. Meyer

GENRE

Y.A. Historical Fiction (552 pgs.)

SYNOPSIS

Jacky Faber's longtime dream has come true: she is the owner of the Lorelei Lee, a large brigantine that can carry passengers across the Atlantic in legal trade. The owner of Faber Shipping Worldwide, she is newly rich from her exploits diving for Spanish gold and absolved of past sins against the Crown. Yet when she docks in London to take on her crew, she discovers that her enemies Flashby and Bliffil have spread lies about her--and she is immediately arrested and sentenced to life in the newly formed penal colony in Australia.
Adding insult to injury, the Lorelei Lee has been commandeered to carry 250 female convicts (including several of the founding mothers of Australia--and the occupants of more than one brothel) to populate New South Wales. Never one to wallow in a bad situation, Jacky rallies her convict sisters to make the best of their position. That they do, for a voyage filled with wild escapades and brushes with danger.
As the Lorelei Lee journeys to New South Wales, Jacky meets up with friends and foes from her past, is captured by the fanes female Chinese pirate Cheng Shih, reclaims her beloved Lorelei Lee--and eventually sails into Jaimy's arms. Well, maybe.

MY REVIEW

To start things off, I have to say that this is the best YA historical fiction series I have ever read. L.A. Meyer is a fantastic author, and I have a tremendous ammount of respect for him.

And by the by, if you are new to the series, please start with Book 1 (Bloody Jack)!! If you start with this book, you will be completely and utterly lost. These characters have been developing over the course of a now 8-book series.

Good ol' Jacky Faber, you have been like a best friend to me, truly. Her character is by far the best written female heroine. Sure, she's a bit rough around the edges (hey, she used to be a street urchin for crying out loud), but she truly sparkles. She has such a sense of humor, and an unquenchable thirst for danger and adventure. She is not afraid to tell it like it is, and when she wants something, she goes to get it, whatever the cost. So thank you, L.A. Meyer, for inventing the most dynamic character and sharing her story with me. I really am thankful that you did.

Speaking of characters, L.A. Meyer is the man who knows how to write them. Every single character is special in their own right, every character has some part to play in the story, and I love that. It draws me into the story all the more. And believe me, there are so many characters in this book you'll be able to sympathize with someone!

This book was so refreshing! Jacky is finally back to her old adventures. I think Mr. Meyer kind of strayed from that in books 6 & 7, and now he's back on the high road. It's a classic pirate's tale, and Jacky always finds a way to weasel herself out of danger.

Don't even get me started on the historical accuracy. It's impeccable. Mr. Meyer being a veteran of the U.S. navy helps out so much, because when it comes to sailing and the ocean, he knows what he's talking about. Especially in this installment, with the history of Austrailia and such. So much detail about history goes into each one of his books, and I truly thank him for that as well. He does his research, and it's quite obvious!

This book is jam packed with action and adventure! I could hardly put this book down; it just kept going and going! It's a true pirate's story. Jacky's journey never ends, and I think that's one of the beauties of this book. Jacky's journey will just keep going on and on forever. I know that sounds a bit cheesy, but I believe it.

I would reccomend this series to anyone without a second's hesitation. It is truly the best series I've ever read (have I stressed that enough?), and this installment goes back to the pirate roots of Jacky Faber that I know and love. And, to my great excitement, there's still more books to come!

MY RATING

5*****

To Catch A Pirate by Jade Parker

GENRE

Y.A. Historical Fiction (226 pgs.)

SYNOPSIS

When Annalisa Townsend's ship is set upon by pirates in search of her father's treasure, one of the crew, James Sterling, discovers her in the hold. When he moves to take her necklace, she begs him not to, as it is all she has left of her mother. He accepts a kiss in exchange for the necklace. "A fair trade, m'lady," he tells her afterward, before disappearing.

A year later, with a forged letter of marque, Annalisa is intent on hunting down the wretched James Sterling and reclaiming her father's treasure from him. But now she's in danger of him stealing something far more valuable this time: her heart.

MY REVIEW

Boy, I do love a good pirate story. And I was very surprised to find that this is one of the best I've read.

This one is truly a diamond in the rough. I must have spent hours on Amazon's 'You Might Also Like' list before I actually found it. The author, I had never heard of before. The book cover was plain and unimpressive. But it's what's inside that counts.

Annalisa, unlike other heroines, isn't born into the story with a will of iron. She starts the book off as a damsel in distress, really. But she earns her toughness, she earns her strong resolve. And the fact that she slowly earns it makes the change all the more believeable.

I also admire Annalisa's heart. For the sake of her father, she is willing to skirt the law, fight bloodthirsty pirates, and risk her own life. I'm definitley sure if I were in her shoes, I would do the same for my father, so of course it is easy to connect with her there.

Another character that was really special for me was James Sterling. A pirate for most of his life, James eventually discovers the good in his own self, and learns to give his heart to another, instead of hiding it away. A pirate with a soul, you ask? Is that possible? Yes, I assure you it is, and Jade Parker will show you how.

The plot of this story is really remarkable. It never has any dull points, ever! It takes many exciting twists and turns, complete with back-stabbings and double-crossings. I think every good pirate author should model their stories after this one!

The action is really great too! Once again, as a true pirate story should be. Plenty of swordfights and battles to go 'round mates!

The emotion in this book isn't too heavy, as I find it is sometimes in Y.A. books, but still retains it's poignancy. When the author wants you to feel, trust me, you'll feel. But it's not a constant battering of feelings, which was different, but I still really enjoyed.

This book is really brilliant. Don't judge this story by its semi-cheesy back-cover synposis. Pick this adventure up and read it! You definitley won't regret it. A truly great read.

MY RATING

4.5****/*

Sovay by Celia Rees

GENRE

Y.A. Historical Fiction (404 pgs.)

SYNOPSIS

For priveleged young maidens in the year 1794, adventure seems limited to primping, preening and sitting for portraits. But the beautiful Sovay is drawn to more thrilling pastimes - namely, donning a man's cloak and holding up stagecoaches in broad daylight. Posing as a highway robber began as a lark to test a suitor's devotion. But when Sovay lifts the wallet of one of England's most dangerous men, the stakes become critical: she discovers that her father, who is mysteriously missing, has been accused of treason.

Soon robbery is the least of Sovay's perils. On a mission to clear her family's good name, she becomes entangled in a web of deceit and duplicity. London's underground net of spies and informers hold tremendous power - and it is closing in quickly on Sovay.

MY REVIEW

In this exciting tale of intrigue and adventure, one girl defies all to save the ones she loves. Sovay, our fiesty heroine, will stop at nothing to bring justice to her family. Her motto: "I can take care of myself" (pg. 216).

Being a history buff for one, I thoroughly enjoyed the detail and period-corectness Ms. Rees puts into her novels. From the period dress, to inventions and architecture, it's all there, and I always appreciate when an author takes the time to make sure his/her novel is historically accurate. You can always get the "feel" of actually being there better that way... almost like the book is your window to the past.

I absolutely adore the prose in this book! Straight out of the 18th century, as it should be!! Kudos to Ms. Rees for making the extra effort of historical accurateness in one of the most important parts of the book: the dialogue! All the little details count in this book.

Once again, Celia Rees has created a marvelous, iron-willed heroine whom I can't help but falling in love with! Her spirit and character are truly amazing. Sovay is the kinda gal I'd want to be good friends with, and you get that close feeling throughout the novel.

If you love a good pirate story (which I think Celia Rees is also the master of), you will certainly love this tale! The notorious highwaymen (or highwaywomen, in this case) closely mimic pirates in all of their devious deeds. I truly love the romantic adventure of a good pirate story (and I love pirates in general, for that matter...), and you will definitley find that here!

I absolutely adore the character of Captain Greenwood... highwayman/pirate, handsome, and a good heart to boot... what's not to love? It's a thrill to be around him!

This book really sweeps the reader up into the spirit of adventure, and I always enjoy that. Celia Rees, one of my favorite authors, has written another successful and adventurous fete again. You won't want to put this one down!

MY RATING

4.5****/*