Jun 29, 2013 05:14 PM
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Today I completed 'Pirate Latitudes', one more book from the story factory of Michael Crichton and as I always say, make you believe that he's a versatile writer, since he can write anything and had written everything. But yes he didn't score to that level which a specialist campaigner can achieve, but nonetheless it always become a good read, and that's where he scores.
This book was published in 2009 and counted as one of crichton's latest books, though I owned a 2nd hand copy published by Harper Collins in 2010 and cost me just Rs.40 (alongwith 2 mobiles). It was published posthumously and was crichton's 26th novel, goes on for 387 pages, divided over 6 parts, further subdivided into 38 chapters, an epilogue and a sea map of Spanish main 1665. 28 days taken from me. Soon will have to buy a new novel when I will start and complete the remaining 'Prey'.
This one is historical fiction about pirate raids as the name suggested and the timeline is 1600s , and is based out of Caribbean seas which were famous for pirates and was a stronghold of Spain when one colony 'Port Royal' still belongs to the English, and where the governor of Jamaica supports privateering raids and there came a successful captain, Capt. Charles Hunter, much similar to the likes of the legendary Capt. Jack Sparrow! A coming ship has spotted a merchant boat at the nearby islands, by analyzing the governor and captain came to only one conclusion that that boat is the boat full of treasure and is parked at the invincible island of Matenceros, which is a Spanish stronghold and is ruled by cruel Cazalla. The captain assembled a team of experts for the raid and then started an unending adventurous journey wherein the team faced everything from getting caught to getting chased by warships, facing attacks and hurricanes and native man-eating Indians and then chased by Krakens monster. And then when they came back to their land they find out everything is changed and now they have to take revenge on culprits.
Well as written, the story is a kind of mixture throwing in everything, its good in the adventure read, experiencing everything in just 350 odd pages but which also give the feel that everything is fast paced probably missing out some of the adventures to the details. Though some of the parts are well developed but some parts like covering Indians was just rushed and kraken part was also rushed. The war and attacks between the spanish warship and the 2 boats main hero was commanding was well covered and was the best part of the book. It has a filmy start and a filmy end and the story was developed on the go instead of having a basic story. But I liked the book even though it has its shortcomings since the read is good, the feel, the language fits the premises and offered a good read to its readers.
Pirate read for the weekends is a good idea and can be tried. Not much on the mind and enjoyable with an adventure could summaries this book. Do give it a try sometime. I rate 3.5/5.
GRuchirG
Jai Raam ji ki :)
