Pirate Novel

[Jib]

In your opinion, what is the finest pirate novel written?

Ok, what are your faves (if you can't limit yourself)?

[Durty Mick Moon]

Oh, most excellent topic, Jib, I be always lookin' fer a suggestions o' a good read. O' course I have ta be puttin' "Treasure Island" by Bobby Lou Stevenson (sometimes I crack meself up ) near the top o' the list......

[kaizoku]

Treasure Island, without a doubt as far as novels go.

Although Johnny and the Starcatchers caught my by suprise, and is actually a rather good read.

There are plenty of worthwhile pirate books, but novels i can't think of too many.

[Long Tom Gunn]

Has anybody read "Long John Silver: The True and Eventful History of My Life of Liberty and Adventure As a Gentleman of Fortune and Enemy to Mankind" by Bjorn Larsson, Tom Geddes (Translator) ?

I just ordered it from Amazon and heard it is the "unofficial" autobiography of the notorious scoundrel.

So Peter and the Starcatchers was worthwhile, eh? I've passed it many a time at the olde book shoppe but never had the brass to risk reading it.

[Jib]

I believe Steinbeck wrote a novel about Henry Morgan. The Gold Cup? Anyone tried it out?

[William Blydes]

"The Pyrates" by George McDonald Fraser is my favourate. He is the author of the "Flashman" series and wrote the screen plays for the 70's "Three", "Four" and "Return of" Musketeer movies.

The Pyrates - George McDonald Fraser

It's an hysterically funny book, with all the stereotype character.... the Lantern jawed Naval Officer, the sultry Spanish lady, the young blond bimbo English noble lady, the old forgetful English noblemen, the dashing Pirate leader, the nefarious rogue, the sexy African woman pirate, the foppish French pirate, the crazy pirate and a sneaky pirate....

There’s gold, tall ships, and a pirate layer....

All ripping yarn stuff.

Oh ya.. and an introduction of one sentence that is several pages long.

[PhilipR]

One of me favorites is "On Stranger Tides" by Tim Powers. It's both fun and excitin' and had zombie pirates long before POTC! The book is out of print now but well worth lookin' for.

[Blackbead]

I agrees with ye whole-heartedly, Mr. Blydes re: G.M. Fraser's book! The "Flashman" books are hilarious as well and so are the "McCausland" books although I was not a big fan of Mr. American. If you enjoyed these writings then I suggest an American author by the name of Raymond Saunders. He wrote a series of books based on an American version of "Flashman" named "Fenwick Travers."

I also like the Rafael Sabatini works but think that me favorite be "Captain Blood;" it was a GREAT book before it became a GREAT movie!!

Blackbead

[William Blydes]

I agrees with ye whole-heartedly, Mr. Blydes re: G.M. Fraser's book! The "Flashman" books are hilarious as well and so are the "McCausland" books although I was not a big fan of Mr. American. If you enjoyed these writings then I suggest an American author by the name of Raymond Saunders. He wrote a series of books based on an American version of "Flashman" named "Fenwick Travers."

Blackbead

I'll have to check the Fenwick series....

There is an other Flashman book coming out soon.

I'll re-read 'The Pyrates' every couple of years. Gets more funny each time. Last year I took it to faire (I was solo that day) and sat back by a tree with a mug of cider, a cigar and my feet up.... Very relaxing and entertaining day.

[Gyp The Blood]

I with you, Blackbead.

Sabatini's "Captain Blood" is both my favorite pirate novel as well as my favorite pirate film.

Tho' I'll have to say I did find "On Stranger Tides" also highly enjoyable, but on a different kinda level.

As a side note, on the non-fiction end, I'd have to say Frank Sherry's "Raiders and Rebels" is (for me) the most excellent linear history of piracy I've come across.

[King's Pyrate]

The Pirateround by James Nelson.....one of many fine historical, nautical fiction books by Mr. Nelson.

KP

[PirateQueen]

Anything by James L. Nelson, including:

The Marlowe Series (The Guardship, The Blackbirder, The Pirate Round)

The Only Life that Mattered (formerly published as The Sweet Trade by Elizabeth Garrett, a pseuodonym)--this is the best, IMO, novelization of Anne Bonny and Mary Read I have ever come across.

Also try The Requiem Shark, by Nicholas Griffin, a novel about Bartholomew Roberts from the point of view of the ship's fiddler.

[Captain Midnight]

Well, aside from Treasure Island, which is my favorite, I'd have to second Phillip's recommendation of Tim Powers' On Stranger Tides. Also, The Island, by Peter Benchley is a good read. It's set in modern times, but is definitely all about pirates.

[AllByMeOnesies]

I've read 2-3 books in Dudley Pope's buccaneer series (Ned Yorke). No great literary prose but good stories just the same.

[Captain Charlotte Savvy]

I'm with PirateQueen -- James L. Nelson's "The Only Life that Mattered" is a book I've been waiting since childhood to read. I've long since wondered why there didn't appear to be any in-depth Anne and Mary novel out there ... so when I found out about Nelson's book, I rushed out to buy it immediately. And it was worth the wait -- not only was it the Anne and Mary tale I'd been waiting for, but it's an all-around excellent piratical read.

My current read is a rather amusing little book called "The Pirates in an Adventure with Ahab," a British satire that is quite Monty Python-esque (which is a definitely a good thing). Not a long read by any stretch of the imagination, but I can highly recommend it; it's hilarious.

[Patrick Hand]

Caribbean by James Michener.....

I've only read the Pyrate parts tho.... not sure how the rest of the book is.....