When I first saw this book I wondered at first if Crichton would display his intense research as he often does with his novels. By the end of the first chapter, I was convinced he had and settled in for an interesting read while I learned a lot about the subject. Wiki says about it “thoroughly researched...packed through with great detail about navigation and how pirates operated, and links between the New World and the Caribbean and Spain.” Yes, I was going to learn about pirates and I was not disappointed in the least.
I like Crichton a lot. From the first few pages of Jurassic Park some 21 years ago, I found him to be stimulating, interesting, well researched and a great story teller. This book does not disappoint in the least. I was worried when I learned it was being published posthumously, figuring it had to be completed but from what I gathered in my own research about it, it was done and just needed some editing before hitting Barnes and Noble.
Again help from Wiki – “It is an adventure story concerning piracy in Jamaica in the 17th century. The novel stars a privateer named Hunter who, together with the governor of Jamaica, plots to raid a Spanish galleon for its treasure.”
It paints an interesting picture of a Jamaican port city, life in the mid 1600’s, piracy and all of its harsh realities, all the while reading like an action adventure picture. It is no wonder that Stephen Spielberg has purchased the rights to the book with the notion of making a real pirate tale, not the Disneyfied Pirates of the Caribbean with Johnny Depp (not that there is anything wrong with that. I love the PotC series!).
My only complaint is that that the book ends a bit suddenly with a quick review of what happened to the main characters in the rest of their life. I just felt that PERHAPS Crichton had some more in mind at the end but did not “finish his thoughts”, so to speak.
Overall I give this book 4 penguins
I enjoyed it very much, often times wishing my commute were longer so as to get more of the story. I found myself rooting for some of the characters, hating some others and always being on the edge of my seat. The reader of the story also did very well with the characters and voices which helped a great deal in visualizing the book.
3 comments:
and is it suitable for young and impressionable Pirate Dogs???
Oh, goody, we need some new bedtime stories around here!
Well, you may have to censor an "Aaarrrgg" here and there and a few of the scenes are a bit bloody (who knew pirates had such little concern for the health and welfare of others...) but i think the Pirate Dogs can handle it. We ARE all adults here right?
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