Pirate Latitudes: Brings The Charm That Pirate Novels Have Been Missing For So Long.

Pirate Latitudes By Michael Crichton

Overall rating: Exactly the charm the genre’s been missing for a while.

Pirate books are so hard to come by. Beyond the classics like Treasure Island and Kidnapped, there really isn’t much of a selection. I have in the past found a couple corny ones, but corny was all that they were. It fell the author didn’t know what they were talking about. It didn’t have the grittiness , the atmosphere or adventure. I felt that the closest thing to reading a good pirate novel would be watching Pirate of The Caribbean and that is something sad to say about a genre with so much potential.

Then in the wake of the death of the late Michael Crichton, a draft if his latest novel was found on his computer. It was what I would think be another science fiction novel. Yet strangely it was a pirate novel. To have a author who put years of research into any topic before completing the novel, to write a pirate novel is genius. And Michael Crichton is one of the best writers of the last hundred years. (RIP Mr. Crichton) It was something that sounded perfect. It’s titled Pirate Latitudes. Yet it seemed , he may have had a better name in mind. We will now never know.

It’s a tale that takes place in the Jamaican colony. The governor Almont fears that a battle ship at Montercreous may of sunk. This leaves one single ship left there full of treasure that had not yet taken off for Spain. Almont hires Hunter to create a crew and sail out to steal, no wait privateer this ship back to Jamaica. This will make him richer and the king James proud with his share.

This is the set up. And through out this story. There’s battles on open seas, storms, pirate raids, cannibalistic natives, sword fights, and double crossings.

So the good. It’s not cheesy. It’s dark dirty and gritty. Things are portrayed the way they were in the past. They are not cleaned up any. And the feel is there as well.

The bad, there were a few scenes that seemed to be brief. A little unfinished. Like Michael was going to go back to add a detail, but didn’t get a chance to before his death. That is a shame. Another thing is, well it is his last book, so I won’t complain too much. I have loved all of his work.

Over all, it’s fun and it’s what this genre’s been missing. If you a geek like me and absolutely love high seas pirate stories, the you will love this.
Four smoothes out of four.

P.S. Check out my book and ebook website Lelue’s Realm. Google it or go directly to http://www.freewebs.com/lelue/