The new posthumous thriller from Michael Crichton, one of the most famous authors in the world
Jamaica, in 1665 a lone outpost of British power amid Spanish waters in the sunbaked Caribbean. Its capital, Port Royal, a cuthroat town of taverns, grog shops and bawdy houses – the last place imaginable from which to launch an unthinkable attack on a nearby Spanish stronghold. Yet that is exactly what renowned privateer Captain Charles Hunter plans to do, with the connivance of Charles II's ruling governor, Sir James Almont.
The target is Matanceros, guarded by the bloodthirsty Cazalla, and considered impregnable with its gun emplacements and sheer cliffs. Hunter's crew of buccaneers must battle not only the Spanish fleet but other deadly perils – raging hurricanes, cannibal tribes, even sea monsters. But if his ragtag crew succeeds, they will make not only history ... but a fortune in gold.
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Pirate Latitudes takes the reader back to 1665, when Charles II’s Jamaican colony is under serious threat, besieged on every side by the voracious Spanish empire. At the centre of this troubled outpost is its crowded capital, Port Royal, a lively (if festering) hangout for criminal dregs, who inhabit its taverns and brothels. This is the time of the privateer, when (with tacit royal sanction), ship's captains could make sorties against Spanish ships and outposts, plundering at will -- just so long as the Governor and King Charles are taken care of. Michael Crichton's protagonist in this colourful mix is Captain Charles Hunter, educated at Harvard and a man with keenly developed survival instincts. He is made aware a treasure galleon, which is at anchor in the heavily fortified Spanish island of Matanceros, and Hunter’s interest is piqued -- not least because this means he will be able to take on Philip of Spain's most ruthless enforcer, Cazalla. The stage is set for what will either be a glorious bit of naval smash-and-grab or that will end in the ignominious death of Charles Hunter and his motley crew.
All of this, of course, suggests that Crichton (always a man aware of the commercial possibilities of any material) had been looking at the phenomenal success of the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films, and there is no doubt that some of the spirit of fun to be found here echoes that of the Johnny Depp-starring movies. But Crichton clearly remembered an earlier era, and the swashbuckling style of the (less parodic) Errol Flynn adventues is actually the template here (you'll notice the comparisons drawn here are cinematic rather than literary -- but Michael Crichton always straddled the two fields, and was a successful film director as well as novelist). Perhaps Pirate Latitudes isn't the final triumphant legacy we might wish for from Crichton, but (taken in the right spirit) it's uncomplicated, fast-moving fun. --Barry Forshaw
Praise for Michael Crichton:
'A wonderful farrago... marvellous' Evening Standard
'A satirical black-comedy thriller... Crichton writes likes Tom Wolfe on speed... completely brilliant’ Daily Mail
'A gripping, impeccably researched thriller...we don't get much politically engaged fiction these days. Here is a fine example' Evening Standard
'Exciting...a master storyteller' Sunday Telegraph
'Terrific fun. The pages whip by' Independent
'Intelligent, readable and guaranteed to get the grey matter going' Mirror
'One of the most ingenious, inventive thriller writers around... another high-concept treat...written in consummate page-turning style...fascinating’ Observer
'This is Crichton on top form’ The Times
'Mixing cutting-edge science with thrills and spills, this is classic Crichton’ Daily Mirror
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Brand New. 320 pages. 9.29x6.22x1.26 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # zk0007329083
Book Description Condition: New. Buy with confidence! Book is in new, never-used condition. Seller Inventory # bk0007329083xvz189zvxnew