Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell

Monday, 25 July 2011

Review: Pirate Code - Helen Hollick

Series: Sea Witch Chronicles 2
Genre: Historical fiction
Pages: 302
Published: June 2011

Ex pirate, Captain Jesamiah Acorne, is in trouble. Big Trouble. All he wants is to marry his girl, Tiola Oldstagh, and live contented aboard his ship, Sea Witch. But her husband refuses to grant a divorce unless Jesamiah agrees to retrieve some barrels of indigo and smuggle them out of the Spanish-held Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The Governor of Nassau wants Jesamiah to go there too, to help incite a rebellion, and Captain Henry Jennings wants him to find a lost spy. To cap it all, Commodore Vernon of the Royal Navy wants to expand his fleet and craves the Sea Witch for himself. As Jesamiah’s hopes for a quiet life tumble about him, the onset of war with Spain scuppers everyone’s plans. Hispaniola is governed by a tyrant who has promised to hang, draw and quarter Jesamiah if ever he sets foot there again.

My thoughts:

In a way this one could almost work as a stand alone novel, but yes I do encourage you to read book 1 first. Jesamiah, I think I have to make some points clear about him. Yes I did say he was a nice pirate, but not that nice. He still steals, and kills like he always have. He is just one of the nicer pirates when it all comes down to it.

Things did not turn out so good in book 1. Tiola is married to someone else and even though she and Jesamiah are back together they still have that fact looming over their heads. Adultery will get you flogged. But there are people who might be able to help, but to do that Jesamiah have to risk his life sailing to Spanish waters.

Jesamiah also made me loose respect for him in this book. He just leaves poor Tiola again but mostly the lack of respect comes from that he thinks it's ok to visit whores. Because it's not love or passion so why would it be wrong? Too bad Hollick is so damn good that she doesn't make me hate him for it. He is just a man of his age and he still loves his woman.

If you are expecting this to be some sort of happy book then you are wrong. Their love is not an easy one. Jesamiah will also suffer for other reasons in this book just like he did in book 1. Life is hard and a pirate could only wish for a quick hanging. Still, it is not a dark book. It's just gritty and real. And our pirate hero will do his best to stay alive as many want him dead and while he is contemplating the harsh life of a pirate.

There is adventure in abundance. This book has spies and secrets instead of pirating. And what else is got is magic. No not that much, Tiola has her craft but there is also something else. Tethys, mother of the ocean. The sea itself is alive and wants Jesamiah. Here and there through out the book she speaks with Tiola who tries to keep her man alive. And we also hear the wind and the land.

Conclusion:

I am starting to think they can't be happy. He loves the sea and his ship. She does not want him to be a pirate. But it does make me look forward to book 3 and see what kind of mess they will create there.