Corsair [Mass Market Paperback]

Chris Bunch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2001

For years, the Linyati slavers have raided the coasts of Saros. But now swashbuckling Captain Gareth Radnor has taken command of the carrack "Steadfast". The excited young sailor seeks vengeance against the slavers who murdered his family. Joined by a motley crew, together they become pirates against evil defying their own king's truce.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The once-popular pirate-adventure genre has experienced something of a downturn since the heyday of Rafael Sabatini and Errol Flynn. Chris Bunch ends the slump with the swashbuckling fantasy Corsair, a coming-of-age novel about Gareth Radnor, an honorable young man who goes to sea after Linyati slavers kill his parents. When Gareth finds himself serving aboard a Sarosian ship bound to transport slaves for the mysterious Linyati, he joins with other crewmen to seize control of the vessel--and finds himself the captain of a pirate ship which preys on slave ships and frees the human cargo. His cunning and implacable attacks soon have him pursued by all the gunships and sorcerers of the Linyati, for the slavers will do everything in their considerable power to destroy Gareth Radnor. --Cynthia Ward

About the Author

Chris Bunch is the co-author (with Allan Cole) of the Sten series and the Anteros trilogy for Del Rey. As a solo writer, he is the author of the Shadow Warrior science fiction series also from Del Rey. Both Ranger and airborne-qualified, he was part of the first troop commitment into Vietnam, a patrol commander and later a combat correspondent for Stars & Stripes. Later, he edited outlaw motorcycle magazines and wrote for everything from the underground press to Look magazine, Rolling Stone , and prime-time television. He is now a full-time novelist.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Aspect (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446609463
• ISBN-13: 978-0446609463
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.8 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,110,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Page-turning, heart pounding action, August 19, 2001

By 

Stacy M. Gregory (Tacoma, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Corsair (Mass Market Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of a young rogue adventurer, Gareth, and his band of fellow pirates, seeking revenge on the high seas for heinous crimes committed against their people. The story is gripping, the descriptions of the battles against the evil Linyati are riveting, and the imagery is truly intense - Bunch's ability to paint a clear picture of the landscapes that surround his characters, the vessels on which they sail, the foods they eat, the clothes they wear, and the people they encounter is amazing. Add just the right amount of romance between Gareth and his Lady Cosyra of the Mount, and you have a perfect mix of all the components needed for a great adventure novel. The only thing I found dissastisfying about this book was the ending - the reader is left with an empty feeling, almost as if Bunch forgot to add the final chapter. I can only assume he plans to continue this story in further novels. All things considered, though, I loved this story, and will happily await any future installments.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tale from an alternate world, July 9, 2001

By 

Fred Camfield (Vicksburg, MS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Corsair (Mass Market Paperback)

This is one of the better swashbuckling tales of modern vintage. The plot is analgous to the situation in England in the late 16th century. Saros is nominally at peace with the hostile Linyati empire, while pirates from Saros plunder Linyati ships and cities.

Gareth Radnor, driven into the Saros capital of Ticao as a teenager when Linyati raiders destroy his town, is sent to sea after a youthful escapade antagonizes a powerful lord. Events lead him into a position as captain of a pirate ship, the piracy being tolerated when it brings large revenues to the crown. Raids on the Linyati uncover many secrets about the enemy and establish various allies (the enemy of my enemy is my friend). Secrets are also revealed in Ticao.

Overall, it is an action filled novel that holds the reader's interest, with numerous battles and adventures, some on land and some on sea. I would give it a PG-13 rating based on sex and violence contained in the story.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars grand fantasy novel, April 29, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Corsair (Mass Market Paperback)

He was a teen fishing in a secluded spot with two friends when the Linyati entered his village, killing those who fought and enslaving the rest. The village is destroyed and Gareth Radnor's family along with it. Gareth moves to the Capitol City to live with his uncle. When a bored Gareth pulls a prank on a noble, the lord vows vengeance. For his nephew's safety, his uncle sends Gareth to sea.

Over time he becomes voted the captain of the Steadfast. He leads his men in battle against the Linyati and wins. He returns home wealthy, but unable to rest on his laurels. He devises a plan to steal the Linyati treasury that requires trekking deep into enemy territory.

Chris Bunch is a wonderful storyteller who writes fantasy that adults will enjoy. The Linyati are a strange, enigmatic race who serves masters that seem more apropos as residents of hell. The innocent Gareth grows quickly into a hardened warrior filled with grief, anger and pain that shapes him into being a fan favorite while steering CORSAIR into a fast-paced, absorbing novel.

Harriet Klausner