โ Scribed by Michael Crichton
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
Starred Review Crichton, who died in 2008, was known primarily for such high-tech thrillers as Jurassic Park and The Andromeda Strain. This new novel, found in manuscript form among his papers, will come as a bit of a surprise to many of his fans. It is, of all things, a pirate novel. Set in 1665, it tells the story of Captain Charles Hunter, a privateer whos hired by the governor of Jamaicas Port Royal to steal a Spanish galleon and its cargo of gold treasure. Dont expect to see Jack Sparrow in this story of pirates of the Caribbean, though: Crichton doesnt play his pirates for laughs. And this is no typical pirate adventure, either: its actually a caper novel posing as a high-seas adventure. All the key caper-novel elements are here: the target, the mastermind, the plan, the motley crew, the ruthless villain, the gadgets, the twist, and the turncoat. Crichton keeps us in a constant state of suspense, never revealing quite what his hero, Captain Hunter, has up his sleeve, and the novel ends most unexpectedly. Pirate fans will love the book for its flashy characters and historical authenticity. Crime fans will enjoy the caper-novel structure and the way the author keeps them on their toes. If this really is Crichtons final book, its a splendid send-off: something new, different, and daring. --David Pitt
Unabashed fun. (Cameron Martin, New York Times )
Offers unexpected turns and plenty of yo ho hos. (Richard Eisenberg, People (3 out of 4 stars) )
The plot sucks you in like the giant kraken monster that nearly sinks our heros galleon. (Benjamin Svetsky, Entertainment Weekly )
Its not an ironic pirate novel. Its not a pirate novel with a secret gimmick. Its simply an entertaining tale filled with crafty privateers, despicable villains, treasure hoards, double crosses and a sea monster. Go figure. (Michael Berry, San Francisco Chronicle )
Pirates Latitudes has the loot: Gore, sex, action. A lusty, rollicking 17th century adventure. History as entertainment. Crichton has done his homework. (Bob Minzesheimer, USA Today )
๐ SIMILAR VOLUMES
The Caribbean, 1665. Pirate captain Charles Hunter, with backing from a powerful ally, assembles a crew of ruffians to take the Spanish galleon, "El Trinidad," guarded by the bloodthirsty Cazalla, a favorite commander of the Spanish king himself.
The Caribbean, 1665. Pirate captain Charles Hunter, with backing from a powerful ally, assembles a crew of ruffians to take the Spanish galleon, "El Trinidad," guarded by the bloodthirsty Cazalla, a favorite commander of the Spanish king himself.
The Caribbean, 1665. Pirate captain Charles Hunter, with backing from a powerful ally, assembles a crew of ruffians to take the Spanish galleon, "El Trinidad," guarded by the bloodthirsty Cazalla, a favorite commander of the Spanish king himself.
From one of the best-loved authors of all time comes an irresistible adventure of swashbuckling pirates in the New World, a classic story of treasure and betrayal. The Caribbean, 1665. A remote colony of the English Crown, the island of Jamaica holds out against the vast supremacy of the Spanish em
> From one of the best-loved authors of all time comes an irresistible adventure of swashbuckling pirates in the New World, a classic story of treasure and betrayal. The Caribbean, 1665. A remote colony of the English Crown, the island of Jamaica holds out against the vast supremacy of the Spanish