Under the Black Ensign

by L. Ron Hubbard

Long before Captain Jack Sparrow raised hell with the Pirates of the Caribbean, Tom Bristol sailed to hell and back Under the Black Ensign. That’s where the real adventure begins.

Bristol’s had plenty of bad luck in his life. Press-ganged into serving aboard a British vessel, he’s felt the cruel captain’s lash on his back. Then, freed from his servitude by pirates, his good fortune immediately takes a bad turn … the buccaneers accuse him of murder and leave him to die on a deserted island. Now all he has left are a few drops of water, a gun and just enough bullets to put himself out of his misery.

But Bristol’s luck is about to change. Finding himself in the unexpected company of a fiery woman, he rescues a slave ship, unsheathes his sword, raises a pirate flag of his own and sets off to make love and war on the open seas in this nautical adventure.

“A riveting tale of sailing ships, piracy and the high seas.” —Midwest Book Review

* A National Indie Excellence Award Winner

Genres: Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Pirates, Pulp, Ebooks, Action

121 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

L. Ron Hubbard is universally acclaimed as the single most influential author and humanitarian of this modern age. His definitive works on the mind and spirit—comprising over 350 million copies in circulation and more than 40 international bestsellers—have resulted in a legacy benefiting millions and a movement spanning all cultures.

Reviews

[Gary Sundell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 rounded up. A pretty straight-forward pulp pirate tale. L. Ron Hubbard was one of the 1,000,000 word a year authors of the pulp era. He is better known in this era for creating Scientology. His pulp writing has nothing to do with his later pursuits. Surprisingly, despite a slave trade ship being part of this tale, blacks are not relegated to stereotypical behavior. This is not a full novel, but probably qualifies as a novella?

[Zaghol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sedap terjemahan ni, sangat enak dibaca. Jalan cerita yang sangat epik buat aku rasa nak layan balik filem "Pirates of the Caribbean" untuk lebih menghayati novel ni dalam bentuk visual sebab menggunakan latar masa sezaman fiksyen Jack Sparrow. Lagi seronok kalau aku faham istilah2 perkapalan. Alhamdulillah ada glosari dan Google.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised with Hubbard's adventure tale of Captain Bristol and "Jim". All I had known of his writing prior to this is the Scientology headlines and a compilation book I was assigned to read in college but never did. I received both the soft cover and CD of this book from Galaxy Press at Book Expo America and I could not be happier I stopped at their booth. I really enjoyed the quality of these both. The voice acting and style of the CD was great and I really enjoyed listening to it. (I often can't listen to books on CD since I am a day dreamer and often stop paying attention but I was hooked with this story!) The cover art and retro feel of the CD and book are also a great plus. Overall I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good pirate adventure or who is looking to see another side of the man so famous for his Sci-Fi!

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars is a gift. I've never read any of Hubbarb's work and wonder what his writing was like before. Not bad, but not great.

Action story which exhibits a good sense of place and time, though gets several big details wrong about ships of war in 1680. But, hey, it's pulp fiction.

For a story written in 1935, it shows amazing sensitively toward women and black characters.

Kevin J. Anderson's introduction doesn't quite square with the Wikipedia entry on Hubbard. I have no way of determining which is correct.

A good read.

[Svyatoslav Albireo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I assure you, Hubbard is the most talent writer. Every the best & unexpected subject - comes from Hubbard's books. This story is awesome. You should read it. His fiction books can make you life better. All his books can give good advices for all your life's spheres)

[Cate's Book Nut Hut · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of a number of books that appear in the Golden Age series. For those of you who may be worried that the book may contain references to scientology or dianetics, for which this Author appears to be well-known, you need not worry. At no point in my reading of this did I find any references to either of these.

If you are a reader that is looking for a no frills, straight to the action kind of book, this one will be right up your alley. Like most books written in this era and classified as pulp fiction, there is no thought at all given to any character development, and when every page is packed with action and adventure, why waste time with all the frills and fancy that developing a back story brings with it. As with most of this Authors Golden Age books, the characters portrayed within its pages are not the usual stereotypical fodder one would except from this kind of book; instead they are more archetypical which makes the book more palatable for the reader.

At only 121 pages, this little novella is full of pirates, adventure, mishap, exploits and did I mention pirates? Every kind of piratical adventure imaginable is packed into these pages, and the reader can find themselves turning the last page before they realise it. It’s a high-octane and great uncomplicated read for all ages, especially children who are caught up in the pirate craze, and adults looking for some good old-fashioned escapism. I also feel this book would be suitable as bedtime reading to your children and grandchildren, and would definitely read it to mine.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will definitely be hunting down some more of the Golden Age books for those nasty winter afternoons that lay ahead. I highly recommend you do the same.

Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2013/11/19...




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

[Jeneé · Rating 3 out of 5]

When it comes to cheesy pulp fiction Hubbard was a genius. This is your typical pirate adventure story. It follows closely to a popular format for these kinds of books. The main character is a good man that falls into piracy because of the corupt government of his country. He becomes the antihero and the hero same as the pirates are the good guys and the bad guys. But the ovious bad guys are of course the government that gets beaten by the pirates at the end.

Lets not forget there is a woman pretending to be a man and a pirate aboard the ship, and she and the main character are oviously in love though nothing is said about it until the end when it is announced that they are getting married out of no where.

This was a very fast read and very predicatable but it was still a fun little adventure story.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.

Under the Black Ensign by L. Ron Hubbard is classic pulp fiction. As such it is a quick, fun read that is great for all ages. Even though short in length, Under the Black Ensign has a well developed story line and characters. The bright paperback cover fits the story perfectly and invites you in to a quick hour of reading pleasure. I have enjoyed reading several of L. Ron Hubbard's other early pulp fiction works before and this one is definitely worth taking the time to enjoy.

[Chris Haught · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a free copy of this book on GoodReads, so thanks to them and to the publisher (Galaxy Press).

That was fun. I've read L. Ron Hubbard before, but mainly the Battlefield Earth and Mission Earth books. While those were epic and sprawling, this book is an example of Hubbard's early work, his many pulp adventures.

This one is a pirate tale. It was quickly paced and enjoyable, with lots of action and even a bit of intrigue. A damsel (not always in distress) is also included.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. A quick, simple read that was entertaining and appropriate for readers of all ages. No sex, no graphic volience, no vulgar language, but still a great story with plenty of action.

I won this book through the Goodreads giveaway program. What a great program and I want to thank Galaxy Press for making this book available. I hope that the entire collection of L. Ron Hubbard's work finds a huge market of readers that will enjoy his wide range of settings and adventures.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short and nicely done 1930's pulp pirate adventure. Depp need not apply.

[Einzige · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fun part of the puzzle that answers the riddle of the legacy of Hubbard’s pulp fiction career
Initially there appears to be a contradiction, Hubbard is held to be one of the great pulp fiction writers, however unlike the more famous (at least with respect to writing fiction) authors of that period none of his works or contributions have had much longevity or any penetration into popular consciousness.

Of course, it could be easy to write off claims of his place in the pulp fiction cannon as propaganda from his followers, however those kinds of claims don’t hold much water when you look at how he was viewed by his contemporaries – which was genuinely very positively.
A better answer is that his reputation lay in his mastery of pulp fiction as a medium, unlike other authors who used it more as a springboard and training ground.

The plot and characterisation of Under the Black Ensign is very thin and there are a lot of cringy moments, however it’s fast paced, engaging and something you will finish before you realise it. However it starts to show the mastery of the medium when you consider its place in his general output – it was written quite quickly being one of the 27 stories he would publish in 1935 and it was in a comparatively smaller genre of a pirate historical fiction. Hence we see how Hubbard could write serviceable stories very quickly and (unlike many of his contemporaries) in a very diverse array of genres.

Given the death of the classic pulp fiction medium its natural to see why the idea of a great pulp fiction writer would be a confusing one.

[Aubrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received my copy of “Under the Black Ensign” through Goodreads’ First Reads program. The book arrived this afternoon, its garish cover promising an equally unsubtle and colorful tale. It did not disappoint. What a fantastic distillation of swashbuckling exploits! I had only planned to skim a few pages and then set it aside to read over the weekend but became entirely caught up in the story and finished it almost before I realized I had started. With nearly every piratical activity you could think of written into a mere 80 pages, there wasn’t room for the sort of things that generally go along with the “literature" label (extensive backstory, character development, etc.) If you're expecting something along those lines you'll be disappointed. If, however, you’re looking for an uncomplicated, action-packed adventure yarn then this is definitely the book for you. I think “Under the Black Ensign” would particularly appeal to adventuresome minded 10-14 year old boys and girls, and adults seeking a few entertaining, escapist hours. I enjoyed this book a great deal and look forward to stocking up on a few more L. Ron Hubbard tales for these rainy Autumn afternoons.

A note regarding Galaxy Press and scientology: The package containing my copy of “Under the Black Ensign” included a brief note from the publisher and a catalog featuring other titles published by Galaxy Press. The book itself, in addition to the title story, included a short history of pulp fiction and a brief biography of L. Ron Hubbard. Not once in any of this literature did I find a reference to dianetics or scientology beyond a sentence mentioning that Mr. Hubbard stopped writing for the pulps in order to devote himself to "his serious research." (This bio is posted on the publisher’s website exactly as it appears in the book.) Nor did I find any such reference during a cursory search of Galaxy Press’ website. The publishers are, to all outward appearances, concerned only with promoting Mr. Hubbard’s fictional works.

[Stacie (MagicOfBooks) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will also do a video review here at my channel: http://www.youtube.com/magicofbooks

"Under the Black Ensign" by L. Ron Hubbard is a pirate adventure story that follows that of Tom Bristol who was press-ganged into serving the British navy. After nearly killing the Lord High Governor, Bristol is sentenced to 100 lashes, but before he receives those lashes, the ship is boarded by pirates and Bristol is set free. Bristol's story is a tale of adventure. First he's accused of murdering another pirate, he's also accused of harboring a woman on board, and then Bristol is even stranded on a island to fight against the elements. Full of swashbuckling action, "Under the Black Ensign" is a must for those who love a good pirate adventure.

I won this book through Goodreads Giveaways. It was an okay read I suppose. Not really my thing. To start off with, this book only took me about an hour and a half to read (it's incredibly short, barely 100 pages). So there wasn't much in the way of character development. It's pretty much action after action after action. And I was quite confused the whole time. There's a glossary in the back with a list of all the shipping terms used throughout the book, but that still didn't help me. The majority of the book was spent on having these epic ocean battles which I didn't enjoy, nor understand fully what was going on, and they were overall just boring.

I did like Bristol. He was like Robin Hood on water. Jim (aka Lady Jane) was the only female in the novel and I think she wasn't developed very well. This book was wrote back in the 1930s, so obviously making Jim as damsel in distress was bound to happen. Though I have to give Jim credit for helping Bristol out on a few occasions, so she wasn't entirely useless.

Overall, this little book wasn't entirely my thing, but if you're someone who likes quick easy pirate stories and high sea adventure you may appreciate this more than me.

[Bufo Calvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are certain things that you might expect from a pirate tale, and in large part, L. Ron Hubbard's Under the Black Ensign will satisfy those.

However, this is not simply a tale of derring-do. It appears to be meticulously researched. In fact, you may find yourself tripping over apparently period-accurate terminology. The publisher, Galaxy Press, has provided a glossary, although it would be nice if the words were linked to it (some of them didn't show up in my Kindle's dictionary).

More importantly, there are concepts of equality beyond the days of the pirates, and, I would say, unusual even in the mid-1930s, when the story was originally published. People of different races are treated with respect not just by the author, but by the main character. Similarly, a female character, while clearly constrained by society, is not shown as inherently inferior.

That said, the story is short and without a great of complexity in the plotting. Even with an informative introduction, Under the Black Ensign was finished 67% of the way through the book. What followed was primarily a story preview, and an historical essay about L. Ron Hubbard.

I would equate reading it roughly with watching a good television episode from the 1960s (say, Combat). It's entertaining, but unlikely to stick with you much after you are done.

The production quality of the book is good, with an ATOC (Active Table of Contents...clickable to go to where you want) and it has been well proof-read.

It's worth noting that there is no mention in the book of Scientology (and that includes the supplemental material). I bring that up because that might influence some people's decision (one way or the other) about reading it, even though this story was written considerably before that.

[Scott Haraburda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Book.

------------------------------------

Another fast-action short story involving swashbuckling pirates in the Caribbean waters. The recent publication of Under the Black Ensign covers the adventures of Tom Bristol, former first mate of the ship Randolph and later as the captain of the pirate ship Falcon. It was an easy to read story. Yet, it was filled with many nautical terms that I didn’t know. Fortunately, this book contained a glossary of these terms.

The author, L. Ron Hubbard, is best known for his research on the subject of Dianetics and later Scientology . What most people may not realize is that he was a prolific fiction writer from 1932 to 1950. And, this story was from that era. With over 300 works, Hubbard wrote in different story genre, including Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Western. He was also known to have used various pseudonyms, including Legionnaire 148, Lieutenant Scott Morgan, John Seabrook, Tom Esterbrook, and Mister Spectator. The three stories in this set were probably influenced from this own military service in the US Navy in the 1940s, including World War II. Although he served, much of it was spent ashore in the continental US. And, his claims of what he did in the military conflicts with the official records.

Although written almost 80 years ago, Under the Black Ensign is sure to provide the reader an adventure similar to that of Captain Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann from the 2003 film, The Curse of the Black Pearl . Perhaps, this story by L. Ron Hubbard was the source of some of the scenes in this film.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received "Under the Black Ensign" by L. Ron Hubbard in exchange for my honest review. This is the first book I have read from this author. He did a wonderful job helping me visualize the story. I don't know much about ships and pirates but the book has a large glossary and I actually learned a lot by reading this book. The novel has a little bit of everything rolled into a well written short story. Action, suspense, educational, and a great love story.

The story begins in 1680 aboard the HMS Terror. We follow Tom Bristol along his adventure to piracy while he creates a plan to clear his name while getting even with his enemies. Bristol has a great crew that helps him execute his plan and he discovers his true love in the oddest situation.

The cover is bright and I love how the pages are cut uneven, which gives it an antique feel. There is a full bio on L. Ron Hubbard with a list of his other books.

I also received the audio version of this story. I am very picky with audio books and this was one of the best audio books I have ever listened to. The voices match the characters perfectly and the sound effects are amazing. They do a great job making you feel like you are a member of the crew.

I can't wait to jump right into another one of his stories. This was a quick read but kept you wanting more.

[Bruce Deming · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may have been the first Audio Book and paperback from the Golden Age by L Ron Hubbard's that I experienced and it is an excellent one set in the Caribbean 1680.

Tom Bristol the hero in this tale gets in bad with the haughty Lord High Governor when while working high in the rigging his marlinspike slips from his fingers and narrowly misses bouncing the later's pompous head and hits the deck.

Loaded with adventure, suspense and plot twists, this is an excellent historical novel. It gave me a flavor of the time.

Social protests are common in books as Richard Henry Dana's Two Years Before the Mast (non-fiction) which revealed the tyranny of some captains and the very inhumane difficult life of a sailor.

Here might be noticed similar protest for rule by punishment and disdain for leaders with no skill but titled nonetheless even if written as a novel of an age past.

Galaxy Press's premier sound effects and multicast performances are the best I have heard on Audiobook.

Good for commutes in the car or on a good set of headphones or sound system at home for a full rich theatrical experience.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

*This review is for a book received through a Goodreads First Reads book giveaway*

I have read L. Ron Hubbard's science fiction before, but never any of his other genre works.
And I must say, he had a way with words.

This story took me back in time, to a place where pirates were brutal, violent and menacing. The story's pacing was fast and the adventure was never running short.

The vocabulary he used, as well as the terminology in the beginning, gives you a clear portrayal of the ship. And the emotion of the story--from the beginning when someone is about to be whipped, to the fights and confrontations throughout--make for a well-crafted adventure. I could practically feel the heat and briny air as I read this book.

Even the character dialogue was great, packed with tension and threats.

I was craving a story that was different from what I usually read, and this was a refreshing tale written by a very talented writer.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the more enjoyable pirate-based stories that I've read recently. The language was authentic enough to keep me engaged in the story, and the characters were believable in their bluster, fears and hopes.

About the only thing that had me squinting was the ease with which Bristol sailed through the Caribbean. Everything turned out for the best with him, despite the many attempts by others to make his life difficult.

Still, that's understandable, since he was the main character of this short story. He was brash, smart, brave and fair, which made it easy to root for him. I also found that I was seeing parallels between Bristol's crew and the movie "Glory", which I loved.

Good quick read by an American legend!

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having never read any pulp fiction, I was unsure what to expect when starting this book. The story follows Tom Bristol and "Jim" as they expand from working aboard a British ship to becoming pirates.

Under the Black Ensign is a quick easy read but as enough storyline to keep it interesting. I do wish there was a lot more fleshing out of the characters and plot line but from what I understand, pulp fiction is more quick stories than in depth detail plots.

This is not a book I would have normally read but now that I have, I am looking forward to reading more of L. Ron Hubbard's works. There are times when you just need those books that you can knock out in an afternoon and don't require a lot of thinking!

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy taking a break from my other book review reads and reading the pulp fiction of L. Ron Hubbard. The books are an easy read that typically only take me a few hours to read, but take me to a different place altogether.

Under the Black Ensign made me giggle as I found myself reading much of the book in pirate talk.

The joy of this quick, easy read is that it has the suspense, action and romance all wrapped into one short story without it taking me forever to get to the point and spending days reading it.

This was a fun read set on the sea with royalty and buccaneers. A fun escape from the real world when you have a few extra moments here and there!

[Esther Somorai · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderfully written tale, action packed adventure on the high seas and ocean blue, the year is 1680. Sailing ships, man-o'-war, HMS Terror, and great characters make for a totally enjoyable, fast read. I was pleasantly surprised and would like to read other short story adventures by this author. A clean, character building read for kids and older alike. Includes a few interesting pages about L. Ron Hubbard. Thank you GoodReads, first-reads for this chance to win this book, which I did through your giveaway. Recommend.

[Peter Charleston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun to read pirate adventure from the 1930s with the language of the time and suitable reading for all ages. Tom Bristol runs into numerous problems leading him to piracy on the high seas and the adventures continued. Although written well before I was born, I found this an enjoyable book to read. Mr. L. Ron Hubbard lived a life of adventure and provided the public with some adventures they would never have had. Thanks to Galaxy Press and Goodreads for the oppertunity to read and review this fine work of fiction.

[Irene Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received Under the Black Ensign as a free audiobook from the publisher. I have enjoyed listening to several other stories from the Golden Age previously. The sound effects are fantastic. The readers do an excellent job. There is always enough suspense to hold the listeners attention. This was another very enjoyable book by L. Ron Hubbard.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pulp fiction is awesome.

[Kaj Samuelsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best historic stories I have read. Many twists and turns and not a boring moment.

[John Yelverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun adventure novel. It's not deep or long, but for what it is, it was fun to read. It's definitely a book from another era, but that shouldn't detract from the overall fun of it.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally serialized in 1935, this slender pirate adventure can be read in under an hour, and if you like pulp fiction, it's a reasonably enjoyable hour. The late 17th-century Caribbean was the Wild West of the ocean, with various navies and affiliated freelancers roaming around seeking plunder. Plenty of swashbuckling fiction has been set on these high seas, to my mind, the best of which is Rafael Sabatini's Captain Blood. And like that book, the hero of this story is destined for death, only to escape and become a pirate lord, taking his revenge against the cruel British, and making time for a bit of romance on the side. As familiar as the plot may be, it's carried along by several decent action set-pieces, as well as a good amount of nautical detail. Just the ticket if you're in the mood for a quick historical adventure tale.

[xxgdrgn 27 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aku suka banget ame alur ceritanya dan petualangan yg disajikan juga keren,ada suka duka disetiap perjalanan si tokoh dari kapal ke kapal dan pulau ke pulau Walaupun cerita kisah agak pendek dan bisa dibaca dengan sekali duduk

Berikut alur singkatnya ;

dimana seorang pemandu kapal bajak laut biasa bernama Bristol yg dibuang dari gubernur baru bisa menjadi kapten bajak laut yg baik hati memimpin pasukan kulit hitam yg pernah di tolongnya untuk melawan armada kapal perang sir charles stukely(gubernur tinggi Nevis),yang berakhir dengan bristol menang dan diangkat menjadi Komandan Angkatan Laut Inggris,melalui keputusan Dekrit Kerajaan inggris di tahun 1865.