This reviewer is a giant Michael Crichton fan and was delighted to learn that this complete novel manuscript was discovered in his files after his death in 2008. I had feared that Crichton's unique writing style and outlook had been forever silenced. Alas, this swashbuckling adventure only provides glimpses of the story telling brilliance so many fans had come to love about a Michael Crichton book. Almost immediately it seemed to me that the magic was missing. The book is filled with dozens of clichés tied together with rough cliffhanger knots. The characters are mostly cartoon-like and not very believable. Captain Charles Hunter, a Harvard educated privateer from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the main character isn't even fully developed and not very endearing. It's tough when the reader doesn't really like the main character enough to want to see him survive. There's no love interest in the novel either. There was not a single scene in the adventure story that this reviewer had not seen portrayed in at least two or three pirate movies over the years.
By the mid-point in the book this reviewer was certain that this book must have been written years ago and may have actually predated The Andromeda Strain? After the author found his style and rapidly became a best-selling author and film director, he must have realized that this pirate tale wasn't up to snuff. That's why it was still sitting, unpublished in his files after his death. So much for speculation because that's all this theory is, but the book was disappointing, at least for a fan expecting the typical Michael Crichton novel.
It's a typical pirate, privateer story set in Port Royal, Jamaica in 1665 when the Spanish ruled most of the Caribbean and regularly sent fleets of galleons loaded with silver and gold and other treasures stolen from the New World back to Spain. Stealing this gold was the chief form of commerce of Port Royal. Crichton does paint a pretty good portrait of the politics used to justify this not officially sanctioned, but tolerated with a wink and a share by the English authorities activity. There is little humor in the book other than tidbits such as the Spanish Mint in Lima was diluting the quality of its silver bars with a useless metal known as platinum. The privateers were disappointed that has much as half the weight of each captured silver bar was comprised of the worthless platinum.
There are a few examples of the author's medical expertise showing up in the action novel such as the description of the execution of an unlucky pirate by hanging and some of the wounds inflicted upon warring parties and even some ingenious solutions to a couple of battle problems based on Captain Hunter's classical Harvard education. Over-all the book wasn't as satisfying as a grog of the "kill devil" that most of the residents of Port Royal seemed to be drunk from imbibing. Too much of the plot involved unbelievable luck that delivered the hero and his motley crew from one disaster after another. Obviously its helpful for an action character to be lucky, but nobody is as lucky as Captain Hunter. It would have taken a lifeboat full of good luck charms and three round-the-clock shifts of guardian angles to keep this Hunter whole. Even much of the action and fighting was superficial. Characters were constantly killed matter-of-factly just to clear the stage for the next scene. Many deaths of major characters were anti-climatic. Even the krakens were a let down. I'm glad I read this tome, but it's not a typical Crichton experience. Although I must admit it was nice to learn the old-time sailor's trick for determining the location of an approaching hurricane's eye. The sailor stands with the storm's wind blowing directly on his back and his arms extended outright like the arms of a cross. The eye of the hurricane will be located exactly...oh, I probably shouldn't reveal that ancient mariner's of the western hemisphere's secret, so you'll have to read the book to find out that interesting bit of sea lore. Also it's always helpful to know how to make a slow burning black gunpowder fuse using the intestines of freshly killed rats or other small animals. There is a lot of such information in this Crichton pirate, ah, privateer adventure. One country's pirate is another nation's freedom fighting privateer.
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Reviews with images
Michael Crichton wrote a great movie script in this book.
Michael Crichton wrote a great movie script in this book. Its a shame the public will probably never see it in the theaters. Its a quick paced read, good characters, scenes. All that was missing was the visible sight of cannons billowing smoke after each firing, the audio of squeaking jailors cell doors. Too, I'd have liked a scene or two of walking the plank and more hungry sharks.Any reader of Chrichton will want to get this book.
Top reviews from other countries
Michael
Amazing book. Michael Crichton never lets you down
Reviewed in Canada on September 23, 2021
