Fiction Addict

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: November 24, 2009

Reviewed by Josh Olds

Captain Charles Hunter: The name struck both fear and respect into every resident in the legendary English settlement of Port Royal, the capital of Jamaica. The year is 1665, and even though King Charles II has signed a peace treaty with King Philip of Spain, and while both kings give lip service to that scrap of paper, the men of the sea who sail the dangerous Caribbean pay no heed.

To English pirates—excuse me, privateers—(piracy is a crime, you know) Spanish gold is merely English gold not yet in the possession of Englishmen, and Charles Hunter has set his sights on the expedition of the century. Deep within Spanish territory, he plans on taking his darling sloop the Cassandra, filled to the brim with the best men Port Royal has to offer, and launch an attack on the fortified island of Matanceros, home to the ruthless Cazalla, and more importantly, the temporary stopping place for the treasure-laden galleon El Trinidad.

Like any expedition of the century, Hunter and his crew encounter immeasurable odds and will survive by their wit, cunning, and utter lack of conscience. Crichton takes the reader on a rollicking fast-paced and violent journey through the Caribbean, reminding us that the waters now filled with exquisite cruise ships were once filled with the ships of a more violent and dangerous nature.

Pirate Latitudes is non-stop adventure, sure to adapt well into the movie that will certainly come. In fact, DreamWorks Studios has already bought the film rights and Steven Spielberg has already signed on to produce and possibly direct. In all, the book is a flat-out adventure and fun to read. Crichton weaves a believable tale of a seafaring life without getting too bogged down in the technical details of seventeenth century sailing. While not completely relevant, and many times while reading, I could have sworn I heard the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack playing in my subconscious.

Like any good tale, Pirate Latitudes has an interesting past. It was found as a complete manuscript after Crichton’s death in November of 2008. Having unearthed this book like an ancient Spanish treasure chest, Harper publishing set themselves to publish Crichton’s last story. The result is a refutation of the ancient pirate lore. Dead men do tell tales, and pretty exciting ones at that.