Customer Reviews

ON STRANGER TIDES.

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sure, "Treasure Island" is the best pirate story of all time -- but it's by a narrow, narrow margin. While Stevenson was a heck of a fantasy writer -- check out his "Bottle Imp" if you doubt it -- Tim Powers is perhaps the best fantasy writer most fans have never heard of.

And in typical Powers fashion, in "On Stranger Tides," he tosses in everything he thinks he might need in a pirate novel -- historical figures, naval action, a noble man in a bad situation, voodoo, jungles and so on -- and a few things only he would think to link to the rest and comes up with another hit, and my favorite Powers novel.

The action here careens back and forth across the Caribbean and if Powers isn't wrestling crazy ideas to the ground as he does in "The Stress of Her Regard" or "The Anubis Gates," it's only because, this time around, the play's the thing.

This is a book I loan out to all of my sea-loving friends, knowing that they'll devour it and hand it back to me, more battered than ever, but it's a book I can't keep to myself. Now, if only a hardbound edition would come out, so that I have a chance at actually having a copy in decent condition.

This is a "grab it if you see it" buy for fans of fantasy, pirates or wild adventure stories. "On Stranger Tides" is a dynamite novel by one of the best genre authors working today.

My friend Dean and I regard Tim Powers as one of today's best writers that hardly anyone knows. We can only hope loyal readers such as ourselves using forums such as this one can get the word of Mr. Powers vast talents out to the masses!!

Interestingly enough, though this is one of Mr. Powers' earlier works, it's the one I waited the longest to read. No apparent reason, but I wish I wouldn't have waited so long. It fits right in with the author's penchant for offbeat plots. In the past, Mr. Powers has written about ghost hunters, gamblers with a sense of the occult, and other eccentricities. "On Stranger Tides" introduces us to the world of Caribbean pirates with a bent for the occult. It is not as dark as other Tim Powers novels, but is every bit as powerful and entertaining.

The story takes place in the early 18th century and is a confabulation. That is, it is a work of fiction that includes in its cast, actual, historical personages who lived during the time. In this book, one-time Bahamian governor Woodes Rogers, infamous pirates Stede Bonnet and Edward Thatch a.k.a. Blackbeard, Colonel William Rhett, the Receiver General of the Carolina Province, and a wildly anachronistic Juan Ponce de Leon, cross paths, and sometimes swords with the unlikely buccaneer, Jack Shandy, Phil Davies, the pirate with a heart of gold, and Benjamin Hurwood, a one-time Oxford don gone insane with grief over the death of his wife Margaret. As always, Mr. Powers' research and attention to detail shine through as we are given lessons in history, geography, and voodoo while we follow the romps of the picaresque heroes of this book. Yes, the pirates are the heroes. . .

Which brings me to one of my favorite characters of the book, Jack Shandy, who was born John Chandagnac, spent time touring Europe with his father as Shakespearean puppeteers, became an accountant when his father died, and, finally, became the most unlikely pirate captain to sail the seven seas. Forced to run afoul of the law in order to protect the beautiful, yet innocent, Beth Hurwood from the evil machinations of her deranged father, Shandy espouses the philosophical side of this novel. Jack means to remain a law-abiding citizen, but, when given the chance, he seems to always make the legally-wrong-yet-morally-right choice. In that sense, Jack's plight rivals that of Scott Crane in Mr. Powers' excellent "Last Call". Mr. Powers captures the essence of the less-than-pure hero as well as anyone writing today. In his world, Everyman can shine, even if his intentions are not always pure and noble.

My only gripe, if I can call it that, is that, like in his other novels, Mr. Powers delves into a level of esoteria and detail that only a historian or shaman can appreciate. It's almost like he's telling his readers that, no matter how much they know, he knows a little more. But, that's a small price to pay for the chance to enjoy some of the most innovative fiction being written today. If you've never read any of the works of Tim Powers, this is a fine place to start.

For some absolutely bizarre reason some person gave this book to my grandfather (whose favorite book is Popular Science) thinking that he might like it. So that explains how I wound up with this novel, which I had actually been seeking out for some time. And it turns out to be an awful fun read, not as consistently dazzling as The Anubis Gates or Last Call, but definitely falling into the solid entertainment catagory. Powers turns back to the clock to the time of the pirates, and into that pot throws voodoo magic, zombies, sorcerers and the Fountain of Youth. His plotting remains are deft as ever, although everything feels relatively straightforward this time, most of the major twists you can see at least a portion of them coming from somewhere, there isn't a huge amount of complexity going on and overall it's probably safe to say not a lot really happens. But even Powers on auto-pilot has much to offer and his depiction of the pirate community is great fun and the introduction of the fantasy elements never feels forced or contrived, the journey to the Fountain of Youth is one of the book's creepiest and most magical moments. And even though there's not a huge amount going on, Powers keeps the action coming and moves things along swiftly enough that at least you're rarely bored, even if you're being more entertained than amazed. To date, Powers hasn't written a bad book and he still has tons more imagination than most of his writing peers so that his novels are at the very worst merely interesting instead of jaw droppingly good. That's the case here, you'll find the book a pleasant enough time but it certainly doesn't rank with his best work. Still, it's great fun and who said being merely entertaining was bad? This should be next on the list after you've whetted your appetite with The Anubis Gates or Last Call. You won't be disappointed.

First, let me just say that...I like pirates. There's just something about a swashbuckling adventure that I can't help but love. So, obviously, I had to try very hard to put my nerdy love of pirates aside and make at least a half-hearted attempt to review the book as a book and not as "dude, it's got pirates."

On Stranger Tides is a novel by Tim Powers. Qualifications? Yep, he's got 'em. Two World Fantasy Awards, and this novel is now being optioned for adaptation as the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie. After reading this book, I could easily see why.

All the elements of a great pirate movie are there. Humor, action, and a surprising amount of dark magic are contained in this 300 page novel. I felt that the pacing of this novel was excellent and the characters were deep and enjoyable creations. One thing that disappointed me a little bit was the characterization of Beth. To be honest, she felt a little too flat for me, being the only female character with more than 3 lines, but I was willing to forgive her, since for large portions of the novel she didn't really have much of a chance to stand up for herself and really be a strong character.

Also, I have to say that the ending of the book didn't really appeal to my need for completion. I'm the kind of guy that, if I can get it, wants every loose end tied up nicely. However, given the way the novel ended, I can understand that Powers was going by the old addage, "In late, out early." The main conflict was finished, and everything else after that couldn't have possibly been as exciting, so he gave us a little bit of closure and dropped the curtain. I don't really think tying up all the loose ends would have made it a better novel, and it certainly could have made it worse.

Overall, I'd say that if you're a fan of high seas action, dark voodoo style magic, or Monkey Island (yes, the creator of that game sites this as a big influence) you owe it to yourself to give this book a go. You'll enjoy the characters, and you'll feel super-informed when you go to see Pirates 4 in 2011. For me, this book was an excellent way to discover Tim Powers. Obviously he has other novels that have met with greater critical acclaim, but this was fun, well written and enjoyable. This book definitely convinced me that I've been missing out on a great writer.

Final Score: 8.5/10. An exciting, well paced swashbuckling adventure that's deserving of a movie all its own, but I guess Pirates 4 is the next best thing.

For the past couple of years, I've been re-reading all the earlier Tim Powers novels -- the yarns that got me hooked on his writing in the first place. He has a way of interweaving tidbits of "real" history with fantasy and mythology, resulting in a "secret history" novel that can have you questioning what's *really* real. In this one, John Chandagnac, son of an itinerant French puppeteer, most recently a bookkeeper in London, discovers that his late father's brother is a wealthy merchant in Port-au-Prince because he embezzled the elder brother's inheritance. John intends to journey to Haiti, get his late father's money back, and see his crooked uncle hang. And the transatlantic voyage is made more enjoyable by meeting young Beth Hurwood and her father, a one-armed Oxford don. But then life takes a turn. The merchant vessel is waylaid by pirates -- and Hurwood turns out to be in league with them. John is pressed into the pirate crew, is renamed "Jack Shandy," and discovers why Blackbeard twisted smoldering slow-match in his hair and beard. Then the plot really starts to move, with pirates who make everyday use of voodoo (now virtually extinct in the Old World), and a quest for the Fountain of Youth, and a quest to rescue Beth from her father's evil designs, and a renewed quest to even the score with his uncle Sebastian. The last third of the book is narrated at a dead run, as everything comes together and explanations are made for some of the story's more puzzling earlier events. And Jack's skill as a puppeteer comes in very useful indeed. This is one of Powers's best.

Seeing this title and reading my hard back version every few years is like being in the company of an "old friend"

I picked up the hardback version of this book in the late 80's and was instantly hooked. Tim writes a GREAT (if not the best) pirate story I have ever read.

Pirate stories, movies, etc. in general are hard to come by, and this one is top notch - with a great sense of humor also. Like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Monkey Island series of game from George Lucas (only a little scarier - to those who have read and will read... you'll see what I mean when you find out about Mr. Friend) yikes.

When I saw it here on Amazon, I was pleased that it (and Tim - the author) are still around. I have never seen or read any of his other books, but plan on getting more now that I know they are available.

You won't be dissapointed!

Tim Powers works a wondrous alchemy through his stories. He takes the familiar, known world, applies to it the philosopher's stone of his unique vision, and returns it to us utterly transformed - fascinating and fresh. In `On Stranger Tides', he has taken the familiar story of Blackbeard and his pirates and reshaped it into a compelling tale of eldritch magick. Blackbeard as a fierce warrior may be a tired tale often told, but Blackbeard as a fierce warrior and powerful voodoo sorcerer reshapes the familiar story into something new and strange, and impossible to put down.

Puppeteer turned pirate, Jack Shandy is a likable and fairly standard protagonist who, though down on his luck, is less flawed than the average Power's hero. While taking passage to the West Indies to try and claim a stolen birthright, he meets a charming young woman, his ship is attacked by pirates, and he is shanghaied into their ranks. He is drawn into a bizarre occult plot involving an obsessed and unbalanced Oxford don (the girl's father), and Captain Edward Thatch (Blackbeard), who we find is a powerful Voodoo shaman as well as a formidable pirate. As is usually the case with Power's plots, the history and the unique twists that he gives to it blend seamlessly into a thrilling tale.

I would rate `On Stranger Tides' right behind `Last Call' as one of Power's best works. The plot is fascinating and fast moving, the characters compelling, and the sense of an eerie otherness that is one of Power's trademarks is spot on. Trust me; you won't be able to put this one down until you finish the last sentence - highly recommended.

Theo Logos

Other reviewers have dealt with the plot in great detail, so I'll limit myself to saying that the cross-over of genres between voodoo and piracy is brilliantly executed. This is, in my opinion, the best book by Tim Powers, with the possible exception of "Declare." That "On Stranger Tides" may be sold for almost thirty dollars in "acceptable" condition shows the tremendous demand for it by cognoscenti.

Blackbeard the pirate with slow matches smouldering in his beard -- a terror to behold. He's even more terrible when you learn WHY he keeps those matches smouldering, and why he's made common cause with an insane one-armed widower who carries his dead wife's head in a box, ably assisted by a lecherous "student" whose has two main aspirations: to win the love of the widower's bewitched daughter, and to ... well ... to become God. Opposing them is reluctant puppeteer-turned-pirate Jack Shandy, who wants nothing more than to claim his stolen inheritance ... and to win the girl, of course.

This one proves the rule that "price denotes quality" -- of the text, if not the physical medium. A beat-up paperback priced more than a new hardback? That means "classic." I strongly reccomend it to all, me 'earties. Aargh!

Pure and unadulturated genius! Tim Powers, the author of The Anubis Gate and the master of gonzo-history has outdone himself, which is no small feat. This time Powers takes us back to the day of tall ships and scurvey buccaneers in this tale of action, swashbucle and adventure. Powers weaves a compeling saga of a pupeteer named John Chadegnac who must change his name and is forced into piracy. Soon Jack Shandy faces no less than Blackbeard himself, who intends to find the fountain of youth at the edge of Hell and become immortal. This is high-adventure at it's absolute best! Powers unites action, fantasy, and real historical facts in a seamless blend that is hotter than rum and gun-powder! It remains my favorite of all Power's fantastic books. Check it out!

This is fun light entertainment -- much more focused and believable than Stress of Her Regard. It's about Caribbean pirates in a world where vodun (or Powers' portrayal of it, anyway) really works. It's not a great historical novel -- the author makes rather little effort to realistically reproduce mentalities and the dialogue is thoroughly modern -- but it's a romp, with zombies, swordfights, and a maiden in distress. The characters aren't deep but they're reasonably attractive. Recommended for reading on the beach.