Customer Reviews

Captain Mary, Buccaneer

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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

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.

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!

This is a zinger of a book! I read it in a couple of days plus one midnight to 3 a.m. stint, because I became so interested that I didn't want to pause. Captain Mary is a complex, believable character; true to her own personal code of honor, yet torn as well as triumphant over the difficulties of the bloody times in which she lived.

The power of the sea and its mystery are well portrayed as is the uncertainty of charts and actions of men and their governments.

The writer has brought history to life with all the sound, fury, blood and guts of the age she is representing. The action sings with the slash of the sword and the shouts of the boarding pirates; yet Mary, the buccaneer, is a woman shown in tender moments, foolish decisions, terrible consequences and bitter victory. No trite formulas spoil the reader' s suspense or anticipate the poinancy of Mary's joys and sorrows.

This book is as unpredictable and astonishing as history itself.

This story follows Captain Mary. She is already Captain of her ship, Fury, when the story began. I watched her have affairs, not all of them men, and witnessed her try to keep those she cared for safe from harm. She was hard when she needed to be and though tired of death, did not hesitate at killing when she had to. She killed not only when her life was in danger, but also to show her strength, such as keelhauling a crewmate when he stole booty from the others.

I was very pleased with the ending as well, which I will keep mute about. All-in-all, I will highly recommend this book to everyone. This is not a mushy romance book. Neither male nor female audience was targeted. It is one that I believe both sexes will enjoy thoroughly!

This story follows Captain Mary. She is already Captain of her ship, Fury, when the story began. I watched her have affairs, not all of them men, and witnessed her try to keep those she cared for safe from harm. She was hard when she needed to be and though tired of death, did not hesitate at killing when she had to. She killed not only when her life was in danger, but also to show her strength, such as keelhauling a crewmate when he stole booty from the others.

I was very pleased with the ending as well, which I will keep mute about. All-in-all, I will highly recommend this book to everyone. This is not a mushy romance book. Neither male nor female audience was targeted. It is one that I believe both sexes will enjoy thoroughly!

I read this book working on a read alike list for the Bloody Jack novels by L. A. Meyer. Sadly, although Captain Mary is a swashbuckling, action packed tale of a female pirate it is NOT a match for Bloody Jack.

The positives are that the book is not sugarcoated at all. Those who want the realistic, not so pretty, side of piracy will enjoy the details of the battles, which are fierce and bloody. Simonds pirate battles are full of blood, gore, and limbs wrenched from bodies. A detailed description of a keel hauling will make you gag.

The negatives mostly relate to Mary, the title character. Her motives are very questionable and she is very self centered. She even mentions how she manipulates her lovers, and there are many, to get her way. Because Mary lies to herself and and you only get her side, you feel like you only get part of the story. She also shows no mercy and can, at times, be very cruel.

Central to the story are her afore mentioned lovers which she uses for own pleasure then leaves them to wait for her for months and years, expecting them to be faithful. In addition, there is her child which she abandons to "keep her safe," although her motive is not so much to keep the child safe but to keep herself from being tied down with responsibilities.

It was a quick read because it's so fast faced but did not leave me wanting for a sequel because I just didn't LIKE her.

Fans of the Blood Jack series, in particular will not like Mary because of her personality and I would not recommend this as a read alike at all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure! As a Kansan who has looked at and tasted the ocean once in my 71 years, I found the "sailing stuff" soooooooooo interesting! And, the story was neat, too. All in all - I highly recommend this easy reading book to you and your friends.

What a great adventure, for both men and women! An exciting story, filled with high seas rowdiness,even a measure of bawdiness, and never a dull moment. Captain Mary is a carefully researched, skillfully written tale of adventure, lust, romance with changing partners (involving both sexes), bold fighting and and shrewed management of pirate riches.

This romantic novel moves at a very fast pace and a reader will not want to close the covers , even for a short break . For me, this is a kind of story I need for total relaxation at intervals of at least once a year. Such fun!

As a retired university official and a librarian, most of my reading is for critical reasons, and seldom for pure entertainment. But "Captain Mary" was a wonderfully carefree escape that I immensely enjoyed.

I don't usually read historical novels, and it took me 3 tries to get through the first gory battle - but I ended up LOVING this book!! I picked it up one summer sunday, looking for light reading and I ended up reading the whole book in one sitting - I was completely unable to put it aside.

This book is extremely well researched. The plot is interesting, the characters are fascinating and the historical details are wonderful (although I could have gladly lived my life forever not knowing what exactly "kealhauling" was - ew!).

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any interest in not only piracy but in a well crafted depiction of the roles that were thrust upon women and minorities by society in the 1700's.

I *also* highly recommend a sequel!! (I hope the author takes note.)