Cindy Vallar's Blog, page 25

Review of Tamara Moss's Lintang and the Pirate Queen

Getting into trouble is second nature for Lintang. It’s not her intent; it just happens. The cause this time is Pelita the troublesome pixie. If not for her interference, Lintang would never have started the fire. If not for the fire, her mother would have the necessary ingredients to prepare the dish for the banquet. But when asked, Lintang blames the fire on a pirate. She doesn’t mean for the lie to slip out, but really, who’s going to believe a pixie did it?

And her punishment is super severe. She may not attend the banquet. She may not meet Captain Shafira of Allay. Her idol! The woman who can take her away from this boring island. The pirate who can take Lintang on adventure. It’s a chance she just can’t miss, which leads Lintang deeper into trouble. If she can replace the ingredient her mother needs, then her mother will allow her to attend the banquet, and she’ll finally meet Captain Shafira.

To assist her in this quest, she enlists the help of her best (and only) friend, Bayani. They are both twelve, but that’s where the similarities end. He’s responsible, but since being ill, he’s also secretive. He loves mythies, names them, even talks to them as if they are people. And that pesky Pelita is always hanging around him. Bayani will initially say no to her plan, but Lintang always gets him to do her bidding.

Of course, things don’t quite go as planned. A flowery scent and a clacking noise warn of danger . . . very bad danger. Somehow, she figures out how to get them out of this dilemma, but the malam rasha or night terror isn’t about to allow its prey to escape. She and Bayani have to warn the villagers. But who will believe them? After all, she is a gifted storyteller like her grandfather. Instead of helping the villagers, she angers them and her mother threatens her with dire consequences. Until a beautiful woman backs up Lintang’s story and promises to rid them of the malam rasha for a price.

Lintang is awestruck that she not only meets her idol, but that Captain Shafira also believes her. Now, if only she can convince the pirate captain to take her aboard the pirate ship when she leaves. Wishes, however, often come true, but not in the way one expects.

This the first entry in a new fantasy series for young readers. It includes an eclectic group of female pirates, including one who prefers to dress as a boy, and a host of mythical creatures, such as mermaids, a dragon, a sea serpent, and the harvester or Goddess of Death. To assist readers in understanding these beasties, Moss scatters pages from The Mythie Guidebook throughout the story that explain what they eat, where they live, how they behave, and just how dangerous they are. Although this adventure takes place in a fantasy world, it has Asian elements woven into the narrative. Captain Sharif is a larger-than-life pirate who may remind readers of Zheng Yi Sao, and Lintang is an amazing young girl with whom readers will readily identify. Lintang and the Pirate Queen is a tale of friendship, trust, and obedience that is spiced with danger, infection, and wondrous ships and places. It is an adventure that pirates young and old will enjoy, and when it ends, they will eagerly await the next journey of Lintang, the Pirate Queen, and their friends.

Review of Philip K. Allan's In Northern Seas

In Northern Seas by Philip K. Allan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Napoleon is frustrated. He conquers all in his path except one particular thorn; the British navy thwarts him no matter how he attempts to invade England. One of his ministers suggests an alternative method. Rather than mount a direct attack, France will strike where the English are most vulnerable – the canvas, hemp, and tar that their warships need. If French agents can persuade the Baltic countries to cease selling these supplies to the English, diplomacy and misinformation will prove a far better weapon to achieving his dream.

The loss of a ship, regardless of whether he did all that he could or not, necessitates a court martial. Captain Alexander Clay stands so accused. What puzzles him more than the outcome is the civilian with the silver-topped cane who attends the proceedings. Glances between that gentleman and the presiding admiral, followed by gentle persuading that a question asked need not be answered strikes Clay as odd. When the same gentleman appears unannounced at his home and wonders whether he might be interested in a new frigate, Clay is further nonplused. The answer, of course, is yes; after all, he is a captain in the Royal Navy and the country is at war with France.

The gentleman with the cane proves to be Nicholas Vansittart, a lawyer and influential member of Parliament. He is also a diplomat who requires Clay’s assistance in his current mission – to stop French interference in the Baltic trade. He admires Clay’s ability to get the job done, oftentimes using unexpected methods, and the manner in which he has advanced through the ranks on his own merit. With Clay at the helm of a fast ship, HMS Griffin, the hope is that together they can resolve the current difficulties through diplomacy. If not, Clay will already be on station to assist Sir Hyde Parker, Lord Horatio Nelson, and the Baltic Fleet in demonstrating just how far the British will go to protect their supply chain against Mad Tsar Paul’s League of Armed Neutrality.

Like a ship navigates the swells and troughs of the sea, this seventh book in the Alexander Clay series keeps readers traversing wave after wave of action and adventure. Whether in Paris, London, Copenhagen, or St. Petersburg, intrigue abounds. Clay and much of his old crew, as well as a few new ones, find themselves in the thick of things. One new character, Vansittart’s valet, has ties to two of them, neither of whom are particularly pleased to renew his acquaintance. To further spice up this nautical tale, Allan interweaves humor, romance, bigotry, assassination, murder, and theft with coming to terms with a disability, narrow escapes, and an enemy ship stalking the Griffin. The denouement is a riveting account of the action during April 1801’s Battle of Copenhagen. It is rife with closer-quarter fighting, ships of the line, and Nelson’s famous turning of a blind eye. Readers will find themselves sitting on the edge of their seats, holding their breath as the story carries them back in time to revisit old friends and experience unexpected hazards.




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Review of Philip K. Allan's The Turn of the Tide

The Turn of the Tide by Philip K. Allan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Three distinctive episodes open this sixth book in the Alexander Clay series. A one-eyed Scotsman named Major Fraser eludes French gendarmes with the help of a French royalist. Able Sedgwick attends an abolitionist meeting to speak about his experiences as a slave, but hecklers disrupt the gathering and when things turn ugly, Able’s mates come from a nearby tavern to even the score. Captain Clay gives away the bride, his sister, to his best friend and fellow officer at their wedding. Soon after, Alexander is summoned to London for a special meeting with the First Lord of the Admiralty.

The summons means an end to the brief sojourn at home and a start of a new mission. Although Clay’s frigate, the Titan, is to join the Channel Fleet blockading the French coast, the First Lord has a detached assignment for him and it involves Major Fraser. For some time, he’s been working with the Choannerie, French royalists based in Brittany who are determined to upend the revolutionary government. The British government is amenable to assisting them, but before becoming too involved, Clay must land Fraser and several marines, along with a sufficient number of rifles, in enemy territory. Clay decides to send his own trusted marine, Lieutenant Thomas Macpherson, with Fraser to be his eyes and ears.

The initial ambush that the Choannerie plan goes off without a hitch, and that success convinces the First Lord that one additional show of resistance is necessary, but it must involve a much larger and more secure target. Major Fraser has such a place in mind and while he works ashore in France, Clay and the Titans practice for their part in the attack. He has reservations, but places his trust in Fraser. Tom acquires tidbits of knowledge that alone are insignificant, but when put together leave him quite unsettled. While belowdecks, a new recruit who claims to have psychic powers causes a ripple of discord that disrupts the happy ship.

This episode in Alexander Clay’s adventures takes place both at sea and on land. Aside from showing life at sea from the perspectives of the ratings and the officers, Allan weaves interesting subplots throughout the tale. One of these is an annoying and elusive French privateer; another is a cleverly perpetrated hoax to teach a lesson. The climax is stunning, riveting, and awesomely unveils the treachery behind a finely honed plan of vengeance. Fans of the series will find this book as good as or better than previous titles; newcomers will quickly become fans eager to discover what happens to Clay and his Titans.




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Review of C. G. Mosley's The Pirate Raiders

The Pirate Raiders by C.G. Mosley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Death immediate. Death delayed. Not much of a choice, but captured pirates can’t be choosy. Governor Winters of Jamaica offers the notorious Captain Redd a choice. On the morrow he can dance the hempen jig, or he can earn a royal pardon. Sounds like a no brainer, but Redd has escaped capture this long knowing nothing is that easy. That missing detail is a big one, and the reason either side of justice’s scales weigh heavily in favor of death immediate or death delayed. After all, the likelihood of surviving the latter option is less than nil. But as the governor reminds Redd, he is a pirate with a reputation of being quite resourceful when the need arises.

Redd, of course, opts for a chance of obtaining that royal pardon . . . as long as his crew is released too. Not exactly what the governor wants, but he is in a tight spot and Redd is the only person who has even an inkling of success. Winters even provides a sloop for the pirates, but as Redd knows only too well, what chance does a sloop have when the pirate Redd is pursuing has a formidable galleon? Pursue a fellow scoundrel. Sounds simple, but this is no ordinary pirate. Captain Winston Trimble isn’t known for niceties; after all, he flies the red flag – no quarter given, no mercy asked – no matter whether the potential prize belongs to a merchant, the navy, or even a pirate. Oh, and did I forget to mention he now possesses King Solomon’s signet ring – the one that can summon the kraken from the depths of the sea?

Finding Trimble won’t be easy. He has a reputation for being quite elusive. Luckily, Winters has a solution to that problem. Also caged within the prison is a young pirate whom Trimble marooned. Being the governor, though, Winters cannot just release a condemned pirate. Again, that would make things too easy. No, Redd and his mates must snatch him as he’s transferred from the gaol to the place of execution. Oh, and did I mention that if you’re caught, you and your mates will hang beside Andy Bonnet?

Intriguing twists to resolve unfathomable problems are spiced with black magic, a pirate with unusual pets having healthy appetites, and rabid cannibals. Mosley also includes a pinch of horror, just enough to whet readers’ appetites without grossing them out. He deftly spins a tale that seems very real, although there are two minor historical quibbles – galleons as pirate ships and bicornes instead of tricornes – for those familiar with Golden Age piracy. Told in first person, Pirate Raiders is a gripping swashbuckler that puts readers into Captain Redd’s shoes as he confronts dastardly villains at every turn, myriad roadblocks to hamper the journey, and daring rescues that border on the impossible. A rousing adventure not to be missed.




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Review of Ben Jeapes's H.M.S. Barabbas

H.M.S. Barabbas by Ben Jeapes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The lie. So small, yet it shaped his life and now lays heavy on his conscience. On the day they bury Dr. Livesley, Sir James Hawkins, FRS, MD, puts pen to paper, just as he did many years ago, to confess the truth.

At seventeen – four years after he wrote Treasure Island – Jim embarks on a new adventure. He wants to be liked and respected for who is he, not what he has, and so he follows in Dr. Livesley’s footsteps. With that gentleman’s help, he gains an apprenticeship with a London doctor. The journey to that city necessitates a stopover in Plymouth where he will find passage aboard a ship. But Plymouth is a navy town, and the navy is always in need of sailors. A press gang snatches him off the street, separating him from the papers that will prove his identity and his apprenticeship. Dr. Livesley’s sister and her daughters, in whose house he’s been staying, do their utmost to get him released, but they haven’t sufficient funds or influence to do so.

The officer in charge of the press gang owes a debt to a lieutenant; Mr. Bale offers to forgive the debt if Jim is among those sent aboard H.M.S. Barabbas. Once on the ship, Jim meets Captain Malachi Hands – a man whose very name unnerves Jim since he once killed a pirate of the same surname. While Mr. Bale has his own reasons for wanting Jim close to hand, Captain Hands has a far more sinister reason. He knows exactly who Jim is, what he has done, and what he knows. Pretending to be solicitous to Jim’s situation, he has Jim sign his name to a blank piece of paper and tells him that things should right themselves soon.

Except that they don’t. And Jim realizes that he’s been tricked about the same time he realizes that Barabbas has weighed anchor. Rather than going to London, he’s headed for the West Indies, where the ship is to pursue smugglers. Except that’s not quite true either, and reality proves far more horrible than he imaged. Nor is the crew what he expects. When not tending patients, the ship’s doctor drinks himself into stupors. Anything out of the ordinary results in pain. Only one other lad was bought by Lt. Bale; everyone else was handpicked by the captain; and the entire crew hides a secret – everyone but Jim.

From first page to last, the further adventures of Jim Hawkins ensnare you and, like Jim, escaping proves far more difficult than either of you imagine. Little is what it seems – and just when you think all is right with the world and the end is in sight, another unexpected twist leads you deeper into the bowels of the ship with Jim. H.M.S. Barabbas is a rousing escapade rife with betrayal, treachery, and smugness. On the opposite barb of the anchor can be found friendship, honesty, and humility. The action is gritty and realistic, while the characters are diverse and vividly drawn. Whether you’re a fan of Treasure Island or not, this is a riveting tale where the “pirates” aren’t what you expect and the end suggests a tantalizing promise of more adventures to come. (And the author’s biography is equally intriguing.)




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Review of Joshua Tallis's The War for Muddy Waters

The War for Muddy Waters: Pirates Terrorists Traffickers and Maritime Insecurity by Joshua Tallis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


To truly understand this book’s content, it is essential to understand three points. First, the term “maritime security” lacks a definitive meaning; it connotes one thing to some, another thing to others, depending on who is explaining what it encompasses. Second, the word “littoral” once referred to the water surrounding a nation’s coast. At one time this extended three miles from the shore; later that distance was extended to twelve. But it encompasses more than just the water, coming to incorporate a portion of the land, people, and economy near the water. For example, if a littoral extends 200 miles inland, this means that “75 percent of the world’s population, 80 percent of capital cities, and practically ‘all major centres of international trade and military power’” lay within this littoral, which turns this area into a more inviting target for terrorists and other criminals. (3)

Third, “broken windows theory” is a way of explaining the connection between the growth of crime in and the decay of urban neighborhoods. For example, if the window of an establishment is broken and then repaired, those who live there take pride in their community and flourish. If, however, the broken window is not repaired, it can lead to other windows being broken, a lack of caring, a growth of fear in the inhabitants, and a rise in crime because those breaking the law know there is little or no policing. What the author attempts to do in this book is to apply broken windows theory to littoral regions of the world to show that this criminological principle can be effectively applied to maritime security and thus, provide those tasked with maritime security, such as the United States Navy, with an out-of-the-box method of addressing a danger that all nations already do or will face in the future.

In the past, the navy’s traditional role has been to safeguard its nation’s interests at sea and far from land. This is no longer the case, since nowadays the highest threats impacting nations can be found much closer to home. For example, Tallis recounts the November 2008 attack on Mumbai, India when Pakistani terrorists hijacked a fishing trawler, killed the captain, and successfully infiltrated the city and killed 100 people and wounded many more.

But applying a theory originally deemed as an appropriate means of policing crime, doesn’t automatically make it applicable to addressing issues of maritime security. This is what Tallis sets out to do in this book. He shows how this theory can be and has been applied to trafficking crimes, as well as how it can impact other types of crimes, such as money laundering and corruption, that are integral to successful criminal enterprises. Then he tests his hypothesis by showing how it can be applied to two regions where maritime piracy threatens maritime security. To achieve his goals of showing that broken windows theory is applicable and to spark new conversations in strengthening maritime security, he begins by exploring the current literature on maritime security and the challenges strategists face. Then he focuses on the theory itself and elucidates the key themes of the book.

The second part of the book focuses on the Caribbean and the trafficking of cocaine and crimes tangentially connected to drug smuggling. By the conclusion of these three chapters he successfully provides readers with the necessary foundation to test his conclusions in part three, where he integrates piracy into the broken windows theory. This section is divided into two chapters, one that examines West African piracy – a relatively new region for this crime – and then moves to Southeast Asia, which has been combatting piracy with varying degrees of success for centuries.

Tallis readily admits that his book isn’t geared toward the general lay reader. He identifies his audience as being either researchers or naval strategists. This doesn’t make the material less interesting to other readers, but it is written in a more academic style than a down-to-earth book on modern maritime piracy, such as John Burnett’s Dangerous Waters or Jay Badahur’s The Pirates of Somalia. What makes The War for Muddy Waters an invaluable addition to collections on modern piracy is that Tallis uses a different approach to examine and address dangers that navies and nations face today and in the future. Since pirates and terrorists have access to modern technologies and tend to think outside normal parameters to achieve their goals, it makes sense that those who study maritime security issues and devise strategies to address these issues should do so as well.





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Review of John Sledge's The Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico: A Maritime History by John S Sledge

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Since 1550 this body of water, which contains over 600 quadrillion gallons and ranks tenth in size worldwide, has been known as el Golfo de Mexico or the Gulf of Mexico. It began to form when the supercontinent Pangaea broke apart approximately 200,000,000 years ago, but the oval-like shape we recognize formed far more recently (5,000 to 10,000 years). Today, it covers 600,000 square miles and its shores include numerous lesser bodies of water (such as bays and lakes, as well as rivers that feed into it) and land (such as shorelines, deltas, and barrier islands). Elizabeth Custer likened the Gulf to “almost always a tempest in a teapot” when she accompanied her husband, Captain George Armstrong Custer, to his new assignment in New Orleans. (7)

Others have written about the Gulf of Mexico, but Sledge offers a history that is geared toward the general reader and encompasses far more than the narrow focus of the water itself. He includes information on the people whose livelihoods and existence depend on it, as well as the various boats and ships that have plied the water since the days when Mayans, Seminoles, Calusa, and other Native Americans lived near and relied on the fruits of the Gulf to survive. He discusses European explorers, pirates and smugglers, fishermen, loggers, and many others. Among those of particular note are William Dampier, William Bartram, Juan Ponce de Leon, René Robert Cavalier, Laurens de Graff, the Laffite Brothers, and Commodore David Porter. Also incorporated into the narrative are details on the flora and fauna, cultures, conflicts, memories (personal and firsthand), and historical events. Examples of the last topic cover conflicts – Seven Years’ War, Pastry War, Mexican War, and American Civil War to name a few – and natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The book is divided into eight chapters that present the history of the Gulf in a chronological sequence. These are comprised of Indian Shore, Spanish Sea, Colonial Crossroads, Pirates’ Haunts, King Cotton’s Pond, Violent Sea, American Sea, and Blowout! Maps, illustrations, and two sections of color plates enhance the reading experience. Notes, a bibliography, and an index provide readers with sources consulted and where to find additional information.

Readers seeking an all-encompassing, entertaining introduction to the Gulf of Mexico will enjoy Sledge’s book. No matter how much or how little you know, you will come away from the experience having learned something new about the United States, Mexico, and Cuba, and gaining a new appreciation for a body of water that “is by turns beautiful, bountiful, frightening, and destructive.” (8)




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Review of Carmen Gentile's Blindsided by the Taliban

Blindsided by the Taliban: A Journalist’s Story of War, Trauma, Love, and Loss by Carmen Gentile

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In September 2010, a freelance journalist accompanies soldiers on patrol in eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar Province. He’s scared – after all, this is Taliban territory – but showing that fear will just aggravate the tense situation. He’s well aware of the dangers, since he’s been embedded before, yet listeners of CBS Radio and readers of USA Today need to know what’s happening in a war zone, the dangers soldiers face, and the conditions they endure. His greatest fear? Surviving a bomb blast and losing his legs. On this particular day, however, it’s not a bomb he faces, but a man holding a rocket launcher aimed directly at him. The projectile slams into his face. He should be dead; instead, he sustains a ruptured eyeball and a shattered orbital socket.

This is Carmen Gentile’s firsthand account of his life, the attack, and the aftermath of that attack, as well as the psychological trauma it caused. In the preface, he mentions that his saving grace was the birth of his daughter. Although he shares many personal snapshots of his life, he remains relatively silent about her and her mother. The book is rather a gritty, no-holds-barred examination laced with candid honesty, dark humor, and explicit language. Be forewarned: Some readers will hate this book; others will admire it as a stunning, vivid, at times shocking, and insightful journey into how Gentile comes to terms with what happened and refinds purpose in his life.




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Review of James Boschert's A Falcon Flies

A Falcon Flies by James Boschert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Trouble comes at inopportune times. Just when all is going right for Sir Talon de Gilles, old charges of witchcraft resurface and he comes under close scrutiny by the Bishop in Acre and his henchman, Brother John. But Talon must leave his affairs in his friend Max’s capable hands, for Sir Guy de Veres requires his special talents. Salah ed Din, the Sultan of Egypt, has been too quiet, and Sir Guy fears what that silence might mean for the Templars and the king of Jerusalem in 1177. Additional peril comes from the Assassins of Rashid ed Din, who have been attacking Templar castles – a fact that Talon and Sir Guy experience firsthand when an assault comes from unexpected quarters. Talon’s suspicions help the Templars to gain the upper hand and capture several prisoners, one of whom reveals that Reza and Rav’an yet live.

News of his best friend and his heart’s true love rekindle hope. For six long years, Talon has feared both died soon after the Templars took him prisoner and shipped him back to his real family in France. He yearns to find Reza and Rav’an, but trouble intervenes once more when Salah ed Din’s true intent becomes known: he plans to attack the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Talon’s knowledge of the Egyptians proves invaluable, and his participation in the Battle of Montgisard gains him the edge he needs to be given special dispensation to leave the Templars and search for Reza and Rav’an. But the way to reunion is fraught with escalating perils that threaten to thwart him time and again. Then he hears that Rav’an is a sultan’s wife, her brother’s pawn in an alliance that promises only death if her secret becomes known.

From first page to last, A Falcon Flies keeps the reader spellbound with serpentine twists more numerous than coiled rope and more breathtaking than the plunges and climbs of a roller coaster. As always, Boschert introduces an array of intriguing and unique characters, not least of which is Talon’s servant, a young thief whom he rescues from death. Maps and translations are included to orient readers as they journey from Acre to Antioch, Jerusalem, Bagdad, and Isfahan. A Falcon Flies, the Fifth Book of Talon, is heart-stopping adventure not to be missed. It is also a journey of true love, where one man is willing to risk all to reunite with his beloved.




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Review of Frederick J. Hanselmann's Captain Kidd's Lost Ship

Captain Kidd's Lost Ship: The Wreck of the Quedagh Merchant by Frederick H Hanselmann

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


On 30 January 1698, William Kidd and the crew of the Adventure Galley seized a merchant ship known as the Quedagh Merchant. She was laden with “1200 bayles of muslins, raw silk and calicoe of all sorts, fourteen hundred bags of brown sugar, 84 bayles of raw silk and eighty chests of opium . . . [along with] iron and saltpeter and other goods of less value” (38) They sailed to the Indian Ocean to capture pirates; instead, Kidd was denounced as a pirate. To clear his name, he sailed the Quedagh Merchant to the Caribbean, where she later sank. He was eventually arrested and taken to London, where he stood trial for murder and piracy.

Captain Kidd’s Lost Ship recounts Kidd’s rise and fall, the demise of both him and his prize, and her rediscovery. But far from the simple telling of a privateer who becomes a pirate, this volume delves much deeper into the myth, history, and archaeology surrounding one of the best-known episodes in pirate history. The following quote from page one best explains the purpose of this book.

“Archaeology is not solely the excavation of a site and the recovery of its artifacts; it includes an investigation of the social activity surrounding a site and its formation, the historical context, the actions of individuals in the past as related to a site, and the management and preservation of a site for public benefit and future generations.”

Hanselmann deftly recounts not only the scientific and theoretical sides of the story, but also showcases how one person’s actions and decisions, in combination with those of others and the states involved, snowballed into the loss of both ship and man. It is a tale of interconnected networks – the English East India Company, Armenian traders, sailors, privateers, and piracy – in a global tapestry that reaches from the Indian Ocean to the Caribbean and several points in between. He also explains how they identified the shipwreck and how the Dominican Republic decided to turn this archaeological find into a Living Museum in the Sea.

Even those familiar with William Kidd’s rise and fall will find new information within this book and come away with a better appreciation of who this man was, what he did, and how global changes played a significant part in his story. The step-by-step review of all aspects allows readers to better see “the differences between the commonly held view of Kidd and his vessel that has been passed down through the centuries and the true tale of Kidd’s rise and fall in a much broader context.” (2) The inclusion of contemporary documents, some of which may not appear in other works on Kidd, are an added bonus to a book that is well written. To further place this episode within its historical context, Hanselmann includes a Chronology of Events. There is also a list of cited literature and an index.

While the theoretical explanations may mislead some to think this is a pedantic treatment of a fascinating subject, the author provides a gripping account of how archaeologists sift through myths and legends to discover the reality. Hanselmann provides a well-rounded, more complete glimpse into Kidd and the world in which he lived. It’s one of the best demonstrations of how actions have consequences and how those consequences impact individuals in real world situations. As a result, Captain Kidd’s Lost Ship is an invaluable and informative addition to any maritime, archaeological, or piratical library.




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