9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
And they sailed the seas...., March 16, 2002
This review is from: Captain Mary, Buccaneer (Paperback)
year: 1721
setting: Caribbean
Simonds leads readers on a realistic journey through the Caribbean with a female buccaneer commanding the brigantine "Fury." Inspired by the lives of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, who were tried for piracy in the early 1700s, Mary's fictional tale presents an uncensored perspective of the lives of pirates.
We are introduced to Mary's dilemma, which navigated her into this dangerous existence. The situation was one of choice. Rather than allow her intended, Darius Manchester, to rape her before their wedding, she'd see him dead. To escape the law, she fled her father's South Carolina rice plantation. Time marched on. Now, rather than the hunting knife she used to kill Darius, a sword is her preferred weapon. Her education is not from a governess and selected text, but from "Silver Tooth," a pirate Captain she married.
The life she lives centers on commanding the pirates dedicated to serving her, for the right price. They sail the Guadeloupe passage in search of ships crossing their path. There is a tax to be paid and Mary will risk her and her men's lives to haul in the rewards.
There are those who penetrate Mary's protected heart and for a time they will love her. A prisoner aboard his Majesty's ship Le Chat d' Soleil, Doctor Alphonse Coulances is accused of being a traitor. This man she is drawn to. There is also her first mate and partner, Petronius. He should be Captain, but because of the times an African would not be respected. Then there's Elaine, a female prisoner who introduces Mary to a different type of love.
Athough Mary is not governed by her natural society's rules and regulations, there are laws among the pirates that must be followed by sailor and Captain. Failure to abide by them can lead to keel hauling and other painful deaths. Mary is also dependent on a Mr. Trimmer to manage her business affairs in a British Colony in St. John's Antigua.
Her life is filled with the rage of battle, the act of taking by force and just beyond the horizon lies someone determined to gain revenge. And in the middle of it all, she deals with a certain responsibility she has neglected.
CAPTAIN MARY, BUCCANEER is as real as they come in terms of historical perspective. Simonds presents detailed description of her characters from their hair to their belt buckles. You feel as if you are aboard her brigantine and watching your every step. You sway with the waves rocking the ship, see the blood and guts staining the time-worn planks. This isn't Hollywood's action hero keeping you entertained for 1 ½ hours. This is as close to a pirate's life that you will dare to explore.
4 sabers out of 4
--Denise Fleischer- GWN Book Reviewer
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
You Wouldn't Want to Meet Her in a Dark Alley, January 30, 2006
This review is from: Captain Mary, Buccaneer (Paperback)
Captain Mary's story delivers unexpected punch. Most pirate stories pretty it up, or gloss over the essential character of a buccaneer's life. This one doesn't, but also doesn't slide across the line into pointless gore. Instead we see that the priates were no heroes, not even to themselves. They come across as people making choices, many of which turn out to be the wrong ones.
The story is named for Captain Mary, and she's the viewpoint character, although we quickly realize that her lack of objectivity about her own motives and choices makes her an unreliable narrator. This makes the whole story much more interesting. We see exactly what you would have to be in order to make your peace with this way of life, but we also need to think twice about what she tells herself in order to fully understand the action. Mary is casually brutal, and rarely introspective. She's sexually polymorphic, and wholly self-centered. She's impulsive and restless, and all in all, probably exactly the kind of person who'd end up in a situation where piracy is the best of bad bunch of options. She's also the kind of woman who might succeed in a risky trade, and land on her feet when the time came to quit.
This book's primary flaws are those of many first-time authors: sometimes the dialogue sacrifices flow for period flavor, and these pirates are improbably successful at finding prey. You won't find that these flaws impede your enjoyment. You may not want to meet Captain Mary in person, especially in a dark and lonely place, but you'll be very glad you made her acquaintance through these pages.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Captain Mary, Buccaneer, January 15, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Captain Mary, Buccaneer (Paperback)
This novel is exciting from the start. It's a fascinating topic and Ms. Simonds kept the action colorful and surprising. I was drawn in to the life of Captain Mary and had to keep those pages turning to find out how she would negotiate or fight her way out of the problems that arose. This is 100% entertaining!
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