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Pirates of the Narrow Seas #1
The Sallee Rovers
Lieutenant Peter Thorton of the 18th century British navy must struggle to come out gay while surviving storms at sea, ship-to-ship battles, duels, kidnapping, and more in his quest for true love and honor. The Sallee Rovers, Book One of The Pirates of the Narrow Seas Trilogy is an expertly crafted swashbuckler brimming with authentic detail and fully realized portraits of life at sea, written by a tall ship sailor and internationally acclaimed poet.
282 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
17 people are currently reading
1225 people want to read
About the author
M. Kei
65 books63 followersM. Kei is a tall ship sailor and award-winning poet. He lives on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay and apprenticed aboard a skipjack, a sail-powered oyster dredge. He now serves with a fully rigged ship. His publications include over 1200 tanka poems in six languages and ten countries. He is the editor-in-chief of the anthology series, Take Five : Best Contemporary Tanka, and the author of Slow Motion : The Log of a Chesapeake Bay Skipjack, a log he kept in verse form of several extended trips aboard a skipjack. He has edited and authored several other books of poetry and a major journal, Atlas Poetica : A Journal of Poetry of Place in Contemporary Tanka. He is also the author of the award-winning Pirates of the Narrow Seas series of gay naval adventure novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 29, 2010
Not a review: Author commentary
I'm a fan of nautical fiction and got tired of the mainstream novels without gay characters, or, when they did, setting them up as nasty little incompetent minor characters whose sole reason for existence was to get knocked down by the big manly straight hero. A couple of years ago, I got disgusted and said, "I'm a writer. I'll write one for my own amusement." It snowballed from there.
I started off with the standard formula of the genre: we meet our hero. He gets his orders. He finds his ship. He meets his fellow officers. The difference was, Lt. Peter Thorton was gay and he had a hopeless secret crush on his best friend and fellow lieutenant, Roger Perry. That gave the material an interesting and different twist -- and it's hard to be interesting and different in a genre that's been published for 250 years.
In the beginning I thought that some how he and Perry were going to make it work, but they didn't. Captain Bishop was a rat bastard and made Thorton's life miserable, ultimately stranding him aboard a sinking galley. And who did Thorton find chained to a bench? Captain Tangle, the most notorious corsair of the age, condemned to death in the galleys. Tangle sprang fully grown from my head and did his damnedest to take over the story :)
At first I simply wrote and didn't worry about history, I was entertaining myself. I showed it to a friend, who loved it. I showed it to some other friends, who loved it. And some found it a cure for insomnia and never finished it :) It appears to be the sort of book that either you love, or it puts you to sleep. That's the case for any book, really.
I was now getting hooked on the fact that other people liked it, so I posted the draft to fictionpress.com. People there liked it too, and it won a Sweet Revolution Award in the category of 'best full cast.' Some reviewers even said, "This is so good, I feel like I ought to be paying money for it..."
Oh, the temptation.
However, the thing was for fun, and having published books before, I knew that getting published, marketing, etc, was a lot of hard work. I didn't want it to be work. I did send some queries, got turned down, shrugged, walked away... and came back.
I happen to be a successful poet who has edited and published journals and books and non-fiction. I also had two dear friends that have a hard time reading online stuff, so I decided to do it up as a print-on-demand book so that I could give them trade paperbacks as a gift. As long as I'm doing that, I might as well get an ISBN and sell it to the general public. Once that happened, it got good reviews and Bristlecone Pine Press picked up the entire series to publish as ebooks.
Before all that happened Peter Thorton fell in love. So I had to write the second book. And the third. And the fourth... More characters appeared. What to do about Bishop? That was actually the hardest thing to figure out, but I'm quite satisfied with what happens to him in PoNS 2. Captain Tangle reappears and meets his match in the dour Captain Ebenezer Horner. Horner was my ripoff of Horatio Hornblower -- but I thought Hornblower had way too much good luck to be believed, so poor Horner may well be the unluckiest captain in the British navy. He is a very different personality as a result. I won't reveal any spoilers. We find out his story in PoNS 3 : Iron Men.
New characters keep appearing. I do my best to make them each unique and different, true to themselves, whatever that may be: mad duke, bookish hero, charming rogue -- there are so many different sorts of people in the world. There ought to be different sorts of people in fiction. They come from all different races, ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds. I have tried to make them as real as possible while creating an adventure tale that is sheer swashbuckling fun.
I hope you enjoy them.
~K~
I'm a fan of nautical fiction and got tired of the mainstream novels without gay characters, or, when they did, setting them up as nasty little incompetent minor characters whose sole reason for existence was to get knocked down by the big manly straight hero. A couple of years ago, I got disgusted and said, "I'm a writer. I'll write one for my own amusement." It snowballed from there.
I started off with the standard formula of the genre: we meet our hero. He gets his orders. He finds his ship. He meets his fellow officers. The difference was, Lt. Peter Thorton was gay and he had a hopeless secret crush on his best friend and fellow lieutenant, Roger Perry. That gave the material an interesting and different twist -- and it's hard to be interesting and different in a genre that's been published for 250 years.
In the beginning I thought that some how he and Perry were going to make it work, but they didn't. Captain Bishop was a rat bastard and made Thorton's life miserable, ultimately stranding him aboard a sinking galley. And who did Thorton find chained to a bench? Captain Tangle, the most notorious corsair of the age, condemned to death in the galleys. Tangle sprang fully grown from my head and did his damnedest to take over the story :)
At first I simply wrote and didn't worry about history, I was entertaining myself. I showed it to a friend, who loved it. I showed it to some other friends, who loved it. And some found it a cure for insomnia and never finished it :) It appears to be the sort of book that either you love, or it puts you to sleep. That's the case for any book, really.
I was now getting hooked on the fact that other people liked it, so I posted the draft to fictionpress.com. People there liked it too, and it won a Sweet Revolution Award in the category of 'best full cast.' Some reviewers even said, "This is so good, I feel like I ought to be paying money for it..."
Oh, the temptation.
However, the thing was for fun, and having published books before, I knew that getting published, marketing, etc, was a lot of hard work. I didn't want it to be work. I did send some queries, got turned down, shrugged, walked away... and came back.
I happen to be a successful poet who has edited and published journals and books and non-fiction. I also had two dear friends that have a hard time reading online stuff, so I decided to do it up as a print-on-demand book so that I could give them trade paperbacks as a gift. As long as I'm doing that, I might as well get an ISBN and sell it to the general public. Once that happened, it got good reviews and Bristlecone Pine Press picked up the entire series to publish as ebooks.
Before all that happened Peter Thorton fell in love. So I had to write the second book. And the third. And the fourth... More characters appeared. What to do about Bishop? That was actually the hardest thing to figure out, but I'm quite satisfied with what happens to him in PoNS 2. Captain Tangle reappears and meets his match in the dour Captain Ebenezer Horner. Horner was my ripoff of Horatio Hornblower -- but I thought Hornblower had way too much good luck to be believed, so poor Horner may well be the unluckiest captain in the British navy. He is a very different personality as a result. I won't reveal any spoilers. We find out his story in PoNS 3 : Iron Men.
New characters keep appearing. I do my best to make them each unique and different, true to themselves, whatever that may be: mad duke, bookish hero, charming rogue -- there are so many different sorts of people in the world. There ought to be different sorts of people in fiction. They come from all different races, ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds. I have tried to make them as real as possible while creating an adventure tale that is sheer swashbuckling fun.
I hope you enjoy them.
~K~
September 6, 2011
As I posted before in my status update, I consider Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World the ultimate chick flick. It's also one of the slashiest films ever made and it amazes me that so few women who like M/M romance never quite figured that out. I'm also a huge fan of the Horatio Hornblower series (both the novels and the television series--that delectable Ioan Gryffyd, yum!). Which is why I was thrilled to have finally found this series in e-book format and it has been worth the wait. I literally devoured this seafaring adventure epic in one sitting and am in the middle of the second novel of the series.
Granted, M. Kei is a tall ship seaman in his own right, and because of that his narrative could have been bone dry with all of the nautical terms used. However, the man is also a poet and his flair for language shines spectacularly. I didn't feel confused by all the unfamiliar terms--though I will say it might be a good idea for Kei to include a glossary at the end of each book for those who might not feel the same way.
There were so many aspects of this novel to love. Firstly, it's not a typical M/M romance novel; in fact I think it transcends that genre. It's an adventure story first and foremost. It's swashbuckling at its finest and the sea battles are truly epic. But it's filled with all the details that make historical fiction (GOOD historical fiction) so grand. Kei delivers the sights, sounds and yes, even stench of life aboard wooden ships of this era. He also delivers some of the most well-crafted characters I've seen in fiction. I especially love the multicultural aspect, which is not only accurate but very much appreciated (since way too many authors seem to forget that people of color have always been a part of history). What I was also surprised about was the author's depiction of Islam. It was nuanced and real, much like any belief system.
Of course, what's not to like about erstwhile hero Peter Thornton, struggling with his sexuality while knowing that should his love for men be discovered it could earn him a swift court-martial and a hanging. For all that, Peter is still a loyal officer in Her Majesty's Navy aboard the frigate Ajax. The captain of the ship, Bishop, is a first-class ass and to have him get his just deserts made me want to clap (or clap the bastard in irons). Peter himself is a wonderful hero--loyal, flawed, humorous at times and incredibly brave. You feel for him and want him to find someone to love him in return. Of course, the stand-out character has to be the suave corsair Captain Tangle--courageous, sometimes rash, arrogant but definitely a lovable rogue.
There are few books that have the power to sweep me away on a grand adventure where I can actually hear the sound of cannons laying broadsides, men given the orders to board or feel the sting of the lash against naked backs while forced to row or smell the stench of unwashed bodies. The storm scenes were so well-written that I almsot wanted to grab my raincoat, LOL. More importantly, the characters FEEL like flesh and blood human beings in all their complexity. The Sallee Rovers is that rare novel that engaged all my senses. Bravo, Master Kei. Bravo!
Granted, M. Kei is a tall ship seaman in his own right, and because of that his narrative could have been bone dry with all of the nautical terms used. However, the man is also a poet and his flair for language shines spectacularly. I didn't feel confused by all the unfamiliar terms--though I will say it might be a good idea for Kei to include a glossary at the end of each book for those who might not feel the same way.
There were so many aspects of this novel to love. Firstly, it's not a typical M/M romance novel; in fact I think it transcends that genre. It's an adventure story first and foremost. It's swashbuckling at its finest and the sea battles are truly epic. But it's filled with all the details that make historical fiction (GOOD historical fiction) so grand. Kei delivers the sights, sounds and yes, even stench of life aboard wooden ships of this era. He also delivers some of the most well-crafted characters I've seen in fiction. I especially love the multicultural aspect, which is not only accurate but very much appreciated (since way too many authors seem to forget that people of color have always been a part of history). What I was also surprised about was the author's depiction of Islam. It was nuanced and real, much like any belief system.
Of course, what's not to like about erstwhile hero Peter Thornton, struggling with his sexuality while knowing that should his love for men be discovered it could earn him a swift court-martial and a hanging. For all that, Peter is still a loyal officer in Her Majesty's Navy aboard the frigate Ajax. The captain of the ship, Bishop, is a first-class ass and to have him get his just deserts made me want to clap (or clap the bastard in irons). Peter himself is a wonderful hero--loyal, flawed, humorous at times and incredibly brave. You feel for him and want him to find someone to love him in return. Of course, the stand-out character has to be the suave corsair Captain Tangle--courageous, sometimes rash, arrogant but definitely a lovable rogue.
There are few books that have the power to sweep me away on a grand adventure where I can actually hear the sound of cannons laying broadsides, men given the orders to board or feel the sting of the lash against naked backs while forced to row or smell the stench of unwashed bodies. The storm scenes were so well-written that I almsot wanted to grab my raincoat, LOL. More importantly, the characters FEEL like flesh and blood human beings in all their complexity. The Sallee Rovers is that rare novel that engaged all my senses. Bravo, Master Kei. Bravo!
July 12, 2013
This book is what it promises to be: an (extremely) detailed boat book, in the vein of Patrick O'Brian or C.S. Forester, but where the main characters is gay. It is absolutely that. And I was absolutely enthralled reading it; stayed up all night to finish it, etc. -- I even planned to rate it 5 stars, in fact, which I almost never do, until about 75% of the way through.
But then the main character began to behave so irrationally out of character, as he had been portrayed up until then, that it really threw me completely out of the book. And the ending... the ending!
So, is it worth one's $5 on Amazon or whatever? Sure. It is, as promised, a boat word boat word gay boy book. But not one that I think most romance fans will like.
But then the main character began to behave so irrationally out of character, as he had been portrayed up until then, that it really threw me completely out of the book. And the ending... the ending!
So, is it worth one's $5 on Amazon or whatever? Sure. It is, as promised, a boat word boat word gay boy book. But not one that I think most romance fans will like.
June 6, 2010
I loaded the The Sallee Rovers on my iPad for my flight back from the West coast and, whether seat-belted in or not, I was glued to my seat by the riveting story. It was wonderfully entertaining and interesting.
The Sallee Rovers, after detailed beginning, is a fast-paced story with wonderfully real characters. They react naturally to the events around them and I was never thrown out of the story by any of them doing something that didn't fit what we knew about them up to that point. That's not to say, however, that they didn't grow and change. That was one of my favorite things about the book - seeing the changes in Peter as he grew to accept himself.
The fight and battles scenes were gripping and more than once I found myself leaning forward in my seat as I read as quickly as possible to find out what happened next.
The end of the book left me wishing for more tales of Peter Thorton and I was very happy to see that there are other books in the series.
I'm very happy that M.Kei was unhappy with what he was reading and decided to try his own hand at a novel!
The Sallee Rovers, after detailed beginning, is a fast-paced story with wonderfully real characters. They react naturally to the events around them and I was never thrown out of the story by any of them doing something that didn't fit what we knew about them up to that point. That's not to say, however, that they didn't grow and change. That was one of my favorite things about the book - seeing the changes in Peter as he grew to accept himself.
The fight and battles scenes were gripping and more than once I found myself leaning forward in my seat as I read as quickly as possible to find out what happened next.
The end of the book left me wishing for more tales of Peter Thorton and I was very happy to see that there are other books in the series.
I'm very happy that M.Kei was unhappy with what he was reading and decided to try his own hand at a novel!
August 12, 2010
I never thought that a book in a completely different section of preference to my normal ones would ever muscle ahead of most of my favorite texts and plant itself so firmly and so highly in my list of favorite books. Although I should have known, really. All it takes is a good set of characters. No. A great set of characters. Not that the rest of the book is a slouch by any means. From the depths of the descriptions to the pacing of scenes, lines and paragraphs to the momentum of the book itself, the entire text was rife with richness and detail, bringing to life a world I do not know and have visited little, and I found myself intrigued, drawn in and satisfied with all the exotic delights of history, environment, culture, setting and mood. But, really, what can I say, I'm a whore for good character, and I loved these. Loved. Them. From Tangle, who weilds his strength of character and personality like a weapon as if to fend off the lingering ghosts of his personal disasters to Bishop, the simmeringly hateful scourge taking shameless advantage of cultural protocol and position... and, of course, Thorton. I love Thorton. LOVE. HIM. All of him is natural, and I can't help but feel a great respect for him, for being far stronger than I ever could in his position, fighting his endless war against culture, so called propriety and his own shrinking reservations and loneliness as he finds himself increasingly walled off by a masonry of his own making, unable to really stop himself without help or hope. To see him begin the story and walk, a painful, bleeding pace at a time through his life only to have it all change; by strange fortune, by bloody conflict, by bone-grinding hard work and perserverance... I can't, even, begin to describe that, although I wish I could. If you haven't read this book yet, stop reading the damn screen and go get a copy. Right now. Git.
March 9, 2014
rating: 3/5
I liked the historical detail and accuracy, the look at nautical life was drawn brilliantly and vividly; I've never read such detail in fiction before, and written in such a fascinating way.
I also found the plot compelling, it was interesting with twists and turns. I know the author took some liberties with history, but the changes were minor and done with a purpose since the author clearly knows the time period. I liked how he included so much depth in his descriptions, even down to a plank or a button.
However, my biggest issue was with the characters and the romance. The responses of the characters were frankly childish. The romance fell flat, and their romantic conversations awkward. And then the ending pissed me off. And to top it off, the characters just seemed to lack emotional depth.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, especially the nautical action and descriptions of the historical era, but as a romance I found it lacking.
I liked the historical detail and accuracy, the look at nautical life was drawn brilliantly and vividly; I've never read such detail in fiction before, and written in such a fascinating way.
I also found the plot compelling, it was interesting with twists and turns. I know the author took some liberties with history, but the changes were minor and done with a purpose since the author clearly knows the time period. I liked how he included so much depth in his descriptions, even down to a plank or a button.
However, my biggest issue was with the characters and the romance. The responses of the characters were frankly childish. The romance fell flat, and their romantic conversations awkward. And then the ending pissed me off. And to top it off, the characters just seemed to lack emotional depth.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, especially the nautical action and descriptions of the historical era, but as a romance I found it lacking.
March 18, 2017
At heart I'm not a Romance girl but an Action/Adventure girl but I found both in this. Well, up to a point.
I enjoyed it very much. This is a pretty long book but it never got boring for me. Quite frankly, I don't know a poop deck from dog poop but the highly specialised terms never bothered me. Maybe because I'm not a native speaker and I'm fairly used to not knowing every word I'm reading (seriously, it doesn't matter if you know the difference between an onion and a shallot. A tasty meal was served. That's all I need to know.).
Anyhow, even the action scenes worked for me quite well, even though I didn't know the jargon. Actually - even though I'm not a person who visualises very much - I could picture them very well, and to that I say "Well done, author! Kudos!"
There is a bit of head-flitting going on but, well, that's an omniscient narrator for you, an it didn't bother me very much.
The characters are... interesting. That is to say... this is not Romance (tm). They are ultimately likeable but all over the place - weak, strong, stubborn, stupid, sweet, innocent, cruel... you know, just like Real People(tm).
Anyhow, be prepared to spend a lot more time with naval battles than with Twue Wove. This is a story about a young, gay man. Things happen.
I liked it. Recommended.
I enjoyed it very much. This is a pretty long book but it never got boring for me. Quite frankly, I don't know a poop deck from dog poop but the highly specialised terms never bothered me. Maybe because I'm not a native speaker and I'm fairly used to not knowing every word I'm reading (seriously, it doesn't matter if you know the difference between an onion and a shallot. A tasty meal was served. That's all I need to know.).
Anyhow, even the action scenes worked for me quite well, even though I didn't know the jargon. Actually - even though I'm not a person who visualises very much - I could picture them very well, and to that I say "Well done, author! Kudos!"
There is a bit of head-flitting going on but, well, that's an omniscient narrator for you, an it didn't bother me very much.
The characters are... interesting. That is to say... this is not Romance (tm). They are ultimately likeable but all over the place - weak, strong, stubborn, stupid, sweet, innocent, cruel... you know, just like Real People(tm).
Anyhow, be prepared to spend a lot more time with naval battles than with Twue Wove. This is a story about a young, gay man. Things happen.
I liked it. Recommended.
July 11, 2016
Hmm, an interesting story but I'm not sure whether I can say I really enjoyed it. It is fairly well written, though I found the pacing a bit uneven at times. It certainly seems well-researched with solid descriptions of the various kinds of ships, as well as the cruelty of the English navy. It is the human interactions that I found less than satisfactory really, and that probably is due to personal taste. Peter was not a character I am drawn to and his vacillating responses annoyed me at times. Yes, his responses probably were in keeping to the times and his circumstances, but.... Mr Tamgle, the other main character, had more diverse reactions/actions, but the whole business of being faithful (or not) didn't endear him to me either. Finally, in the last couple of chapters, Peter becomes stronger - grown up if you will, but just as I was starting to appreciate him, it is soon spoilt for me, as he decides he has met the love of his life in the space of hours... Aargh! So overall, a well researched and written story that just isn't my cup of tea.
March 28, 2011
It is a thoroughly enjoyable read, though I was slowed down because I wasn't familiar with most of the sailing terms (or even a ship's parts!). But after getting used to it, it was fine, though I think I would have to reread the book again sometime in the future. For those with sailing experience or familiar with the technical terms, they would probably enjoy it more.
I felt that the last part of the book (where Peter falls in love) was a bit rushed, but I expect it to be covered more in the next book.
This was hard to put down, and what I loved about it is that it wasn't a pile of smut thinly veiled as an adventure novel. No, it clearly is an adventure novel, and the romance is actually just a plus.
I felt that the last part of the book (where Peter falls in love) was a bit rushed, but I expect it to be covered more in the next book.
This was hard to put down, and what I loved about it is that it wasn't a pile of smut thinly veiled as an adventure novel. No, it clearly is an adventure novel, and the romance is actually just a plus.
May 15, 2013
Sorry to say this one tanked. It started out very good with a compelling story and strong characters, although the way the character interactions were written was way inferior to the descriptions and the action scenes. Those were excellent, so it was grating to see how clunky things got as soon as people started talking. So when the book went from mostly action to more internal stuff it really lost something. As interesting as the characters were, they were written without any emotional depth. Their motivations and decisions were stated as facts, rather than processes the reader could share. And the last 2 pages were completely WTF.
October 5, 2010
Pirates of the Narrow Sea, Book 1 – Sallee Rovers by M. Kei
The novel is not set during the Napoleonic wars and features, as the title suggests, Sallee Rovers, Barbary Coast corsairs, sailing from the Atlantic coast of what is now Morocco. In this novel the Spanish are the villains while British are not necessarily the heroes. The corsairs are the somewhat more heroic of the novel’s contending forces. The main character is a young, British officer, Lt. Peter Thorton, who for a range of reasons, both logistical and personal, gets caught up with the corsairs and eventually joins them.
This alone is refreshing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Georgian naval fiction but at times it does seems that the literary waters can get awfully crowded. If every fictional commander who fought at the Battle of the Nile, in one novel or another, actually showed up, there would have been serious danger of collision. It is good to have new ship types and new antagonists from time to time.
The action at sea is set aboard a British frigate, a captured Spanish slave galley and a Spanish galiot, which is similar to a galley, but slightly larger. For ship wonks like myself, the scenes onboard lateen rigged galleys, galiots, and xebecks are a delight. The glimpse at these exotic craft and rigs, at least to Western eyes, was lots of fun.
Likewise the chase and battle scenes between square rigged ships, galleys and galiots were also entertaining. The ability of the galleys and galiots to row straight into the wind must have maddened all the captains of square rigged ships, which decidedly could not do the same. One minor quibble I had was in terminology. Kei refers to the latteen spar as an “antenna” from Medieval Latin for a sail yard. The term seems to have largely fallen out of use by around 1650 and sounds rather strange to a modern reader’s ear.
M. Kei is a tall ship sailor himself, having served aboard the Kalmar Nyckel and on skipjacks in the Chesapeake, so the descriptions of the sailing feels fresh and real. He clearly knows of what he writes.
The other unusual element of the Sallee Rovers is the protagonist himself. Lt. Peter Thorton is the son of a minister who ran off to sea after being discovered fondling a school friend. Yes, Peter is gay, suffering from unrequited love with a fellow British officer and totally confused regarding his urges, his honor and his upbringing. If this appeals to you it is definitely a reason to read the book. If it doesn’t necessarily appeal to you, this is not necessarily the reason not to read the book. There is much to enjoy in the novel not involving sexuality. Thorton’s internal conflicts reminded me somewhat of Hornblower’s bouts of self doubt and confusion in the classic C.S. Forester series. The source of Hornblower’s concerns are quite different from young Thorton’s but many of the emotions are not.
One other unusual aspect of the novel is that, as M. Kei notes in the Afterward, the novel is a “period romance” instead of a “historical novel.” He writes, “The difference between a historical novel and period novel is crucial. In a historical novel, the author weaves fictional characters into real events and places in the past. I didn’t do that. Instead I felt free to create places and events to suit the tale while remaining faithful to the cultures of the period.”
The problem I had was that I wasn’t sure what period it was. The book begins with two British officers on the beach after a “treaty between France and England.” I initially assumed wrongly that the treaty was the Treaty of Ameins which would have put the action in the very early 1800s. It later becomes clear that the setting is well before the American Revolution. As a fan of historical novels, this bothered and confused me at times. By the end of the book I wasn’t even sure which century I was in, which as a reader struck me as an unnecessary distraction.
Overall, Sallee Rovers is an entertaining and engaging book, if somewhat on the fringe of the nautical adventure genre, not that there is anything wrong with that.
The novel is not set during the Napoleonic wars and features, as the title suggests, Sallee Rovers, Barbary Coast corsairs, sailing from the Atlantic coast of what is now Morocco. In this novel the Spanish are the villains while British are not necessarily the heroes. The corsairs are the somewhat more heroic of the novel’s contending forces. The main character is a young, British officer, Lt. Peter Thorton, who for a range of reasons, both logistical and personal, gets caught up with the corsairs and eventually joins them.
This alone is refreshing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Georgian naval fiction but at times it does seems that the literary waters can get awfully crowded. If every fictional commander who fought at the Battle of the Nile, in one novel or another, actually showed up, there would have been serious danger of collision. It is good to have new ship types and new antagonists from time to time.
The action at sea is set aboard a British frigate, a captured Spanish slave galley and a Spanish galiot, which is similar to a galley, but slightly larger. For ship wonks like myself, the scenes onboard lateen rigged galleys, galiots, and xebecks are a delight. The glimpse at these exotic craft and rigs, at least to Western eyes, was lots of fun.
Likewise the chase and battle scenes between square rigged ships, galleys and galiots were also entertaining. The ability of the galleys and galiots to row straight into the wind must have maddened all the captains of square rigged ships, which decidedly could not do the same. One minor quibble I had was in terminology. Kei refers to the latteen spar as an “antenna” from Medieval Latin for a sail yard. The term seems to have largely fallen out of use by around 1650 and sounds rather strange to a modern reader’s ear.
M. Kei is a tall ship sailor himself, having served aboard the Kalmar Nyckel and on skipjacks in the Chesapeake, so the descriptions of the sailing feels fresh and real. He clearly knows of what he writes.
The other unusual element of the Sallee Rovers is the protagonist himself. Lt. Peter Thorton is the son of a minister who ran off to sea after being discovered fondling a school friend. Yes, Peter is gay, suffering from unrequited love with a fellow British officer and totally confused regarding his urges, his honor and his upbringing. If this appeals to you it is definitely a reason to read the book. If it doesn’t necessarily appeal to you, this is not necessarily the reason not to read the book. There is much to enjoy in the novel not involving sexuality. Thorton’s internal conflicts reminded me somewhat of Hornblower’s bouts of self doubt and confusion in the classic C.S. Forester series. The source of Hornblower’s concerns are quite different from young Thorton’s but many of the emotions are not.
One other unusual aspect of the novel is that, as M. Kei notes in the Afterward, the novel is a “period romance” instead of a “historical novel.” He writes, “The difference between a historical novel and period novel is crucial. In a historical novel, the author weaves fictional characters into real events and places in the past. I didn’t do that. Instead I felt free to create places and events to suit the tale while remaining faithful to the cultures of the period.”
The problem I had was that I wasn’t sure what period it was. The book begins with two British officers on the beach after a “treaty between France and England.” I initially assumed wrongly that the treaty was the Treaty of Ameins which would have put the action in the very early 1800s. It later becomes clear that the setting is well before the American Revolution. As a fan of historical novels, this bothered and confused me at times. By the end of the book I wasn’t even sure which century I was in, which as a reader struck me as an unnecessary distraction.
Overall, Sallee Rovers is an entertaining and engaging book, if somewhat on the fringe of the nautical adventure genre, not that there is anything wrong with that.
March 13, 2019
4.0 of 5 stars - Ahoy! What If Hornblower & Sparrow Were Gay?
I love gay pirates, nautical historicals, and romances, and this is one of the best series combining these, thus becoming a favorite of mine. This first in the series was an exciting debut, with M. Kei crafting a thrilling, authentic yarn of adventure on the high seas, with a gay twist.
I liked this for the same reasons I liked each in the series. To begin with, it worked well as a standalone, with its own self-contained swashbuckling adventure, while also developing the character and life of the MC (Thorton), his male interests and others in a way that created a storyline spanning across the series.
It was a fast-paced as well as substantive read, with a good plot and character development. I liked that the main focus was on the seafaring adventure, with the gay aspect and any romance as a major subplot. The action and suspense itself were engaging and vivid, as if I was in the midst of it.
In fact, Kei displayed a deft ability to take me back to the age of sail, especially all things that were ship-worthy. Be forewarned that there was a heavy dose of nautical terms, which I admit I sometimes glossed over without harm and it helped create the scene. In Kei’s own words, this was a “period romance, not a historical novel,” but I lamented some (what I thought were unnecessary) liberties he took with history. Still, on a broad level, he more than made up for that in his depiction of the time, people and places, whether on board or land; and I especially applaud his diversity in incorporating the cultures of the muslims, salletines and North Africa.
Kei developed nicely the whole set of characters. Of course there was more on the MC, with Kei really getting into the life and mindset of a royal navy lieutenant, who I grew to like for all his skills, heart and humanness – his strong sense of order and duty, a bit naïve and stiff, plain spoken, maybe too much when his words might “need to be dipped in honey to [avoid] offense.” He had to go through quite a few changes and self-discovery, and having been there myself I can see how that opened things up for his own changes. Even so, there were just a few instances near the end that seemed out of character, partly because Kei had them coming out of nowhere, making him seem more like an immature teen than a 29yo. But I still felt for him in that time, where “naval discipline was the thorn Thorton pricked himself with to avoid thinking too much [about his sexual desires].”
Those desires were spurred by some of the supporting cast, who I also got a good feel for. There was a good range, from his nemesis of a captain to the straight officer he secretly loved and his charismatic sallee rover lover. And with the latter the romance was nicely done, believable for both them, a hesitant slow burn, then their affectionate times, with not much on page.
I was impressed with the level of quality that Kei brought to his debut. Okay, I admit, even though I already liked it, Kei took me over the top when I read that Thorton was born and raised as a child in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland, where my family is from. Not only that, I recently discovered that we date back to Thorton’s time and that the island there was indeed named after us … pretty cool. And THEN, their new Tanguel naval uniforms were purple, my favorite color. I’m hooked. All is forgiven. And now I can’t wait to continue reading to see what happened next.
[Gay Men’s Book Group-Chicago monthly selection]
I love gay pirates, nautical historicals, and romances, and this is one of the best series combining these, thus becoming a favorite of mine. This first in the series was an exciting debut, with M. Kei crafting a thrilling, authentic yarn of adventure on the high seas, with a gay twist.
I liked this for the same reasons I liked each in the series. To begin with, it worked well as a standalone, with its own self-contained swashbuckling adventure, while also developing the character and life of the MC (Thorton), his male interests and others in a way that created a storyline spanning across the series.
It was a fast-paced as well as substantive read, with a good plot and character development. I liked that the main focus was on the seafaring adventure, with the gay aspect and any romance as a major subplot. The action and suspense itself were engaging and vivid, as if I was in the midst of it.
In fact, Kei displayed a deft ability to take me back to the age of sail, especially all things that were ship-worthy. Be forewarned that there was a heavy dose of nautical terms, which I admit I sometimes glossed over without harm and it helped create the scene. In Kei’s own words, this was a “period romance, not a historical novel,” but I lamented some (what I thought were unnecessary) liberties he took with history. Still, on a broad level, he more than made up for that in his depiction of the time, people and places, whether on board or land; and I especially applaud his diversity in incorporating the cultures of the muslims, salletines and North Africa.
Kei developed nicely the whole set of characters. Of course there was more on the MC, with Kei really getting into the life and mindset of a royal navy lieutenant, who I grew to like for all his skills, heart and humanness – his strong sense of order and duty, a bit naïve and stiff, plain spoken, maybe too much when his words might “need to be dipped in honey to [avoid] offense.” He had to go through quite a few changes and self-discovery, and having been there myself I can see how that opened things up for his own changes. Even so, there were just a few instances near the end that seemed out of character, partly because Kei had them coming out of nowhere, making him seem more like an immature teen than a 29yo. But I still felt for him in that time, where “naval discipline was the thorn Thorton pricked himself with to avoid thinking too much [about his sexual desires].”
Those desires were spurred by some of the supporting cast, who I also got a good feel for. There was a good range, from his nemesis of a captain to the straight officer he secretly loved and his charismatic sallee rover lover. And with the latter the romance was nicely done, believable for both them, a hesitant slow burn, then their affectionate times, with not much on page.
I was impressed with the level of quality that Kei brought to his debut. Okay, I admit, even though I already liked it, Kei took me over the top when I read that Thorton was born and raised as a child in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland, where my family is from. Not only that, I recently discovered that we date back to Thorton’s time and that the island there was indeed named after us … pretty cool. And THEN, their new Tanguel naval uniforms were purple, my favorite color. I’m hooked. All is forgiven. And now I can’t wait to continue reading to see what happened next.
[Gay Men’s Book Group-Chicago monthly selection]
November 27, 2010
The Sallee Rovers by M. Kei [Bristlecone Pine Press, 2010] is the first of the Pirates of the Narrow Seas trilogy and, according to his bio, the author is not only an experienced sailor, but has also experienced many of the risks and challenges described in the story. He can therefore rightfully claim his status as an authority. Having said that, I must admit that I wouldn’t know the difference between a marlinspike and a hat pin. Nevertheless, when the discussion got tactical I had no difficulty following it, nor did I find that it burdened the story—that is, not at first.
In this book we are introduced to Lieutenant Peter Thornton, a likeable sort but insecure in his role. This is partly due to being eclipsed by his best friend, Roger Perry (with whom he is secretly in love); being a partial orphan, and being new to his commission. As luck would have it—or perhaps not—he and Perry are both given assignments aboard HMS “Ajax.” The not-so-lucky part is the rather pompous and acerbic master—i.e. Captain Bishop. Moreover, matters are made worse for Thornton because Bishop takes an arbitrary disliking for Peter, such that he can do no right.
The plot thickens when the Ajax comes upon a sinking Spanish galleon in distress, and Peter and a crew are sent aboard to free the enchained, galley slaves in order to give them a chance at survival. One of these is a commanding, Sallee Turk, who prior to his capture was a high-ranking captain of the Sallee Rovers (i.e. pirates).
Somewhat true to his nature Bishop sets them adrift to save his own skin, and Peter and two other crew members are abandoned aboard the sinking galleon. Joining forces with the Sallee Turk, Captain Tangle, the galleon is saved and Peter becomes the right-hand confident of the swashbuckling Tangle. Thus begins a relationship that covers the gambit from admiration to frustration, and from conflict to romance.
As mentioned previously, the first half of this story moves with the pace of a schooner under full sail, and adventure abounds on the ‘bounding mane.’ Peter is likeable, Perry is charming, Bishop is a pompous fool, Tangle is dashing in an ‘Errol Flynnish’ sort of way, and the supporting characters are all distinct and credible. The naval strategies and skirmishes with the Spanish off the coast of France are exciting and engaging such that you want to cheer for the good guys.
However, to me the pace seemed to slow in the second half when the story delved (perhaps a bit too much) into the belief’s and practices of the Islamic religion. Understandably, the author wanted to make a distinction between Islam and Christianity that Peter had to consider, and because it is all very interesting, but an overabundance of detail at the point where the reader is looking forward to a climax makes the story drag rather noticeably. Not seriously, but enough to detract.
Having said that, this is a good solid read and I look forward to reading the others in the trilogy, Pirates of the Narrow Seas.
In this book we are introduced to Lieutenant Peter Thornton, a likeable sort but insecure in his role. This is partly due to being eclipsed by his best friend, Roger Perry (with whom he is secretly in love); being a partial orphan, and being new to his commission. As luck would have it—or perhaps not—he and Perry are both given assignments aboard HMS “Ajax.” The not-so-lucky part is the rather pompous and acerbic master—i.e. Captain Bishop. Moreover, matters are made worse for Thornton because Bishop takes an arbitrary disliking for Peter, such that he can do no right.
The plot thickens when the Ajax comes upon a sinking Spanish galleon in distress, and Peter and a crew are sent aboard to free the enchained, galley slaves in order to give them a chance at survival. One of these is a commanding, Sallee Turk, who prior to his capture was a high-ranking captain of the Sallee Rovers (i.e. pirates).
Somewhat true to his nature Bishop sets them adrift to save his own skin, and Peter and two other crew members are abandoned aboard the sinking galleon. Joining forces with the Sallee Turk, Captain Tangle, the galleon is saved and Peter becomes the right-hand confident of the swashbuckling Tangle. Thus begins a relationship that covers the gambit from admiration to frustration, and from conflict to romance.
As mentioned previously, the first half of this story moves with the pace of a schooner under full sail, and adventure abounds on the ‘bounding mane.’ Peter is likeable, Perry is charming, Bishop is a pompous fool, Tangle is dashing in an ‘Errol Flynnish’ sort of way, and the supporting characters are all distinct and credible. The naval strategies and skirmishes with the Spanish off the coast of France are exciting and engaging such that you want to cheer for the good guys.
However, to me the pace seemed to slow in the second half when the story delved (perhaps a bit too much) into the belief’s and practices of the Islamic religion. Understandably, the author wanted to make a distinction between Islam and Christianity that Peter had to consider, and because it is all very interesting, but an overabundance of detail at the point where the reader is looking forward to a climax makes the story drag rather noticeably. Not seriously, but enough to detract.
Having said that, this is a good solid read and I look forward to reading the others in the trilogy, Pirates of the Narrow Seas.
November 11, 2011
This was really well written, finely detailed and a ton of fun. It had the right amount of everything - drama, tension, thrills, action, angst and romance. The characters were great - likeable and believable. People's choices were believable. Everything was just skillfully handled. I wish I'd bought this in analog because I think it might be something I'd want on my bookshelf just so I could read again and again, and honestly, that's saying something.
My single issue with this story was that the author spent the majority of the book focused on the brilliant relationship between Tangle and Pater - and what could be better? Two disparate people, bridging gaps not just romantically and emotionally but culturally and politically as well - but in the end Maybe if I'm lucky the following books in the series will address this. But even if they don't, even if the author emailed me right now and said "Let it go, honey", I would still read the next books in this series, because it really was that enjoyable a read.
My single issue with this story was that the author spent the majority of the book focused on the brilliant relationship between Tangle and Pater - and what could be better? Two disparate people, bridging gaps not just romantically and emotionally but culturally and politically as well - but in the end Maybe if I'm lucky the following books in the series will address this. But even if they don't, even if the author emailed me right now and said "Let it go, honey", I would still read the next books in this series, because it really was that enjoyable a read.
September 27, 2012
Some notes while I read --
The prose style is somewhat ornate and old-fashioned -- as befits the historical period -- but also a bit humorous and approachable. The naval terminology does get a bit dense at times -- as when the narrator says of a ship: "She was small and old-fashioned with a lateen mizzen brailed up to her shebeck yard, but she had triangular headsails. Her sails were all taken in, but she had the yards for courses, topsails, and topgallants. Her lines were low and fine." Alllllllrighty, then. ;-) But the author himself is an experienced professional sailor on tall ships, so I have faith that he's got the details right -- and if I want to know what each and every term means, Google is always ready at hand. (I will admit here that I know more of these terms than perhaps the average reader, since I myself once lived on a schooner for several weeks and since my father is a sailor of small vessels. Nonetheless, there is plenty of room here for a more thorough nautical education!)
Overall, way too much minute detail, both nautical and otherwise. I really don't care exactly what quality of knives they bought in the French market, or exactly how they decided to design their new uniforms -- or who wanted which details on which uniforms -- or who objected to which color and why.
Also, note to all -- this is definitely NOT a romance novel. It's a nautical adventure of the 1700's, with a gay guy.
And the ending is intensely irritating -- both sudden and inconclusive.
This gets 4 stars for level of detail and authenticity, but only 3 stars for its failure to really engage me fully on an emotional level. I'm feeling obnoxious tonight, so I'm rounding down to 3 -- may change that to 4 once I'm more awake and in a better mood.
More tomorrow, if I get my butt in gear!
The prose style is somewhat ornate and old-fashioned -- as befits the historical period -- but also a bit humorous and approachable. The naval terminology does get a bit dense at times -- as when the narrator says of a ship: "She was small and old-fashioned with a lateen mizzen brailed up to her shebeck yard, but she had triangular headsails. Her sails were all taken in, but she had the yards for courses, topsails, and topgallants. Her lines were low and fine." Alllllllrighty, then. ;-) But the author himself is an experienced professional sailor on tall ships, so I have faith that he's got the details right -- and if I want to know what each and every term means, Google is always ready at hand. (I will admit here that I know more of these terms than perhaps the average reader, since I myself once lived on a schooner for several weeks and since my father is a sailor of small vessels. Nonetheless, there is plenty of room here for a more thorough nautical education!)
Overall, way too much minute detail, both nautical and otherwise. I really don't care exactly what quality of knives they bought in the French market, or exactly how they decided to design their new uniforms -- or who wanted which details on which uniforms -- or who objected to which color and why.
Also, note to all -- this is definitely NOT a romance novel. It's a nautical adventure of the 1700's, with a gay guy.
And the ending is intensely irritating -- both sudden and inconclusive.
This gets 4 stars for level of detail and authenticity, but only 3 stars for its failure to really engage me fully on an emotional level. I'm feeling obnoxious tonight, so I'm rounding down to 3 -- may change that to 4 once I'm more awake and in a better mood.
More tomorrow, if I get my butt in gear!
January 29, 2013
I enjoyed this immensely, reading the bulk of it in a single sitting. The plot felt well-structured, with one exciting action sequence leading plausibly into the next, and the protagonist’s outlook (and especially his eventual fate) felt very original. I’m no judge of historical accuracy/period detail - some situations or lines of dialogue seemed startlingly anachronistic, but I consider this to be one of the book’s strengths - the author is laudably unafraid to surprise the reader, and has an impressive imagination.
The one thing that really bothered me was the roving point-of-view. The narration would switch focus from one character to another within the space of a single paragraph, with individual scenes sometimes being explained from several different perspectives in sequence. Personally, I would have preferred a more consistent voice focused more squarely on the protagonist, but ultimately this didn’t detract significantly from my enjoyment of an entertaining story.
The one thing that really bothered me was the roving point-of-view. The narration would switch focus from one character to another within the space of a single paragraph, with individual scenes sometimes being explained from several different perspectives in sequence. Personally, I would have preferred a more consistent voice focused more squarely on the protagonist, but ultimately this didn’t detract significantly from my enjoyment of an entertaining story.
May 13, 2011
This is not a romance. I found it on the M/M Romance group book shelf, but it is not even close. Still, I kept reading after realizing this because I do like many genres.
This story had too much detail for me. I didn't need to know that everything down to the uniform buttons were historically accurate. I wouldn't know if they weren't anyway. The heavy nautical descriptions slowed down battles that seemed interesting, but languid in their wordiness.
Capt. Tangle and Lt. Thornton were interesting characters, as were the sailing maneuvers and ship life. Overall, the story dragged too much for me to enjoy, but I'd recommend it to readers who enjoy detailed descriptions in their historical fiction. I don't think this was a bad book, it simply wasn't one that I could get lost in.
This story had too much detail for me. I didn't need to know that everything down to the uniform buttons were historically accurate. I wouldn't know if they weren't anyway. The heavy nautical descriptions slowed down battles that seemed interesting, but languid in their wordiness.
Capt. Tangle and Lt. Thornton were interesting characters, as were the sailing maneuvers and ship life. Overall, the story dragged too much for me to enjoy, but I'd recommend it to readers who enjoy detailed descriptions in their historical fiction. I don't think this was a bad book, it simply wasn't one that I could get lost in.
March 24, 2012
Imagine a novel about life on a tall ship during the age of the corsairs, privateers and pirates written by someone who has sailed as part of the crew of such a ship. That is exactly what you have with the Pirates of the Narrow Seas series. I don't see how you could be more thoroughly immersed in the time and the reality of such a life. The author, M. Kei, knows not only the terminology but has faced many of the challenges and dangers his characters do. The result is exciting, captivating, rich and authentic. Read the rest of this review at That's All She read http://allsheread.blogspot.com
March 3, 2017
Marvelous book. It's been a while since I've enjoyed a literary adventure quite as much. Even my woeful unfamiliarity with 18th Century maritime history and it's terms didn't slow me down. Compelling hero, great cast of characters and plenty of action. Well, I couldn't ask for more.
I'm reminded by what I so enjoyed reading Joseph Conrad and Patrick O'Brien, only this time I have a hero who bats for my team.
I'm reminded by what I so enjoyed reading Joseph Conrad and Patrick O'Brien, only this time I have a hero who bats for my team.
November 2, 2010
Amazing advanture romance book. I read it twice and can't wait to read the sequels.
February 13, 2012
I am still strugling to finish the book, on and off. I am overvelmed by terminology and switching of POV. The plot is good, a lot of action but not a lot of actual romance. Will see...
February 3, 2015
Enjoyed this, but there is a lot about ships and sailing. A LOT!! Despite this, I found it very interesting and will continue to Book 2.
October 25, 2015
2010 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
April 27, 2025
Really well written. The author's knowledge of ships shines through. Even for a clueless reader the terminology just made sense the more it was used.
The story lost me a bit near the end because I was getting annoyed with the choices Thorton kept making but from his pov they were understandable. And then the final page tied it all together perfectly and was enough to raise the rating for me.
I also appreciated how the romance was written. Never been big on explicit smut which is so prevalent in writing. This story is a breather from that.
Onwards to the next book for sure.
The story lost me a bit near the end because I was getting annoyed with the choices Thorton kept making but from his pov they were understandable. And then the final page tied it all together perfectly and was enough to raise the rating for me.
I also appreciated how the romance was written. Never been big on explicit smut which is so prevalent in writing. This story is a breather from that.
Onwards to the next book for sure.
June 25, 2018
This book was exactly what I've been looking for. I am a big fan of naval historical fiction, but like the author of this book was getting tired of the complete lack of gay characters. The Sallee Rovers was so refreshingly different, whilst still retaining a detailed story line filled with nautical detail, which I love. I am trying to resist powering my way through this whole series, as I want to savour them!
June 2, 2018
I started reading this because it's a m/m romance and ended up wishing it were anything but a m/m romance. The action/adventure part is fantastic, I love my age of sail and enjoyed this take on it a lot, but romance-wise it's close to the infamous Angelica series. Not my cup of tea.
June 25, 2018
I quite enjoyed this. It’s more nautical than romantic, and very full of detail both emotional and historical. I appreciate that it does not gloss over the horrors of slavery, nor does it whitewash the international cast. It was a splendidly enjoyable read.
April 19, 2024
It's clear from the charmingly dated language and style that the author is a capital N Nerd about this type of book, as well as about sailing and history, which I really appreciated. I'm not convinced tarring hair is real, but otherwise the author's research is impressive. "Salmy partridges"!
December 1, 2021
very good, had to look up a Lot of words but i love nautical fiction especially when it's gay so this was a great read :)
June 24, 2025
Good Adventure.
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