If you enjoy learning about the history behind a historical novel, I recommend reading J. G. Harlond's article Barbary Corsairs and Ludo da Portovenere. Ludo is the main character in her The Chosen Man trilogy. The article discusses his character history and the real man who was his father, Jan Janszoon, a Dutch privateer who became a Barbary corsair.
You'll find her article
here at Pirates and Privateers: The History of Maritime Piracy.
I hope you enjoy both the article and a snippet from
The Chosen Man!