Tag Archives: Pirates

Review: City of Thirst by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

City of Thirst by Carrie Ryan and John Parke DavisCity of Thirst (Map to Everywhere #2)
Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published on October 13, 2015

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About City of Thirst
When the magical waters of the Pirate Stream begin flooding Marrill’s world, the only way to stop the destruction is to return to the Stream and find the source of the mysterious Iron Tide. Reunited with her best friend Fin–who has been forgotten all over again–Marrill, her disbelieving babysitter, and the Enterprising Kraken crew must make the treacherous trek to the towering, sliding, impossible world of Monerva and uncover the secrets of its long-lost wish machine. Only there can Fin wish to finally be remembered. Only there can Marrill wish to save her world and all the people she loves. But to get everything they’ve ever wanted, Marrill and Fin may have to give up on the most important thing they already have: each other.

My Review
City of Thirst has been on my reading list since I first read The Map to Everywhere back in 2014. I love the imaginative story world and especially the relationships between characters. Fin, whom the crew continually forgets, and his struggle to become memorable hooked me from page one. I love Marrill and her determined babysitter, Remy, and watching them navigate the foreign world of the Pirate Stream.

I also thought it was really clever that the story opens with a kind of recap in the form of Marrill’s homework assignment which has been corrected by Remy. The essay describes Marrill’s first visit to the Pirate Stream. It gives enough detail to orient readers to this second book whether they’ve read the first one and forgotten it or needed a quick refresher before diving into this second book.

The story explores themes about the value of friendship and what happens when we take each other for granted. It also winds its way into explorations about how desire can be a positive idea when it motivates us to help others but can become a destructive force when we begin to value our own wishes over the needs of others.

Filled with whimsical characters and places, City of Thirst is a great book for fans of adventure and fantasy. I think you could read it without having first read The Map to Everywhere, but honestly, I don’t know why you’d want to, since Map is a fantastic book, too.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Cultural Elements
Marrill and her babysitter are white characters. Fin is described as a boy with olive skin and dark eyes. The rest of the cast includes made up creatures and races from civilizations along the Pirate Stream.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
There’s a bit of boy/girl attraction between a few characters and one almost-kiss. A minor character references and introduces the crew to her “missus.”

Spiritual Content
Some references to magic and prophesies. Fin and Marrill search for a wishing machine which can grant any wish. The cost of the wish may be higher than the wish-maker imagines, though. The story explores some themes about the dangers of chasing desire and letting want for something control one’s actions.

Violent Content
A fire and a magical stream both threaten Marrill and crew at different times.

Drug Content
None.

Review: The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Park Davis

Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

The Map to Everywhere
Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis
Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
Published November 4, 2014

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Master Thief Fin is used to being forgettable. Moments after meeting him, no one remembers who he is. Until he meets Marrill, that is. Danger lurks around every turn when the two are swept up in a daring quest to find the missing pieces to assemble the Map to Everywhere. Fin hopes the key will lead him to his mother. Marrill simply wants to escape the fickle Pirate Stream and get back to her blessedly normal Arizona home. In order to find the map, they’ll have to outsmart a treacherous villain who sees the future and keep him from using it to end the world.

As a fan of an earlier series by Carrie Ryan, I looked forward to reading this book. Since her other book, The Forest of Hands and Teeth was more of a dystopian zombie story – super well-done, by the way – I wasn’t sure what to expect from this very different tale.

This novel is light and playful, full of mischief and warmth. The use of the Pirate Stream was particularly clever, I thought, and added a sense of unpredictability to the story but also made it feel connected to our own world. The unlikely friendship that develops between Fin and Marrill is really charming.

The wordplay is fun and quirky. Fans of Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga will enjoy this book. Because of the light content, it’s a great read for older elementary school-aged readers.

Profanity and Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Brief battle scenes. Nothing graphic or gross.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Secrets of the Realm by Bev Stout

Book Review and Content, Historical, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Secrets of the Realm
Bev Stout
Published by Bev Stout
Published on April 28, 2013

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After her uncle’s death, Annie’s aunt blames and severely punishes her. Determined that life as a street urchin will be far better than survival beneath her cruel aunt, Annie runs away. She leaps at a chance to serve as a cabin boy aboard the Realm. If she is to last the voyage, Annie will have to conceal her gender and perform as well as any seasoned sailor. Some among the crew members are deeply superstitious and would not take kindly to a woman on board their vessel, not to mention the impropriety of such a thing in eighteenth century London.

Annie discovers she has friends in places she did not expect, and some are willing to go quite a distance to prepare a safer life for her. Annie wants nothing of the frills and restrictions of female life, especially now that she’s had a taste of the sea. But if her identity is discovered, will she have any choice over her future?

Though it begins a little roughly, the story quickly rights itself, launching into a great adventure at sea, peppered with memorable characters, moments of suspense and heartache. Readers will enjoy losing themselves in the rich tapestry of history. Secrets of the Realm is also available as an audiobook.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Brief battle scenes. No graphic details.

Drug Content
Some of the sailors drink to excess. Annie does not participate.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

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Review: Chronicles of the Dragon Pirate by David Talon

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Chronicles of the Dragon Pirate
David Talon
Mill City Press, Inc.
Published May 8, 2013

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As a powerful Dragon, young Tomas Rios has always known he would be sought after by pirates and pirate-hunters, not to mention vile Shadowmen. His Dragon abilities allow him to command and give strength to ghosts of a race from the past, settlers of the city Atlantis. His abilities also allow him to heal others, so Tomas lives a quiet life in his grandfather’s apothecary shoppe.

When an illness strains the relationship between a local tribe and the powerful order Draco Dominus, Tomas is called in to heal the afflicted. But as the negotiations go awry, Tomas must flee for his life and freedom. He accepts passage aboard a merchant vessel which is captured by pirates.

Sworn to serve the captain and promised to a member of the crew, Tomas struggles to win the trust of the crew and learn to survive in their midst. A dark enemy sets his sights on Tomas as well. Shadowmen, eaters of human flesh, seek Tomas for the strength of his gifts. An uneasy truce may lie between them, but how long can such a deal last between men such as these?

In a novel which blends fantasy with history, readers meet pirates on adventure in the high seas, hear tales of Sir Francis Drake, a Dragon himself in this telling, and glimpse the struggle between the Catholic church and Huguenots. Rather than large scaly lizards, Dragons are simply men (or women) who can bond with ghosts of the former settlers of Atlantis, who appear to have something of a more typical dragon-like form. These ghosts can animate objects but are usually otherwise invisible to human eyes.

Chronicles of the Dragon Pirate is sort of Pirates of the Caribbean meets Eragon, moving through some heavily detailed narrative, peppered with intense action sequences. Tomas desires to live an honorable life, to be faithful in love, and to protect those who serve him. It is easy to admire such a man. Readers looking for romance may be disappointed, though, because from the outset the romance is sort of a given, leaving no question about whether or not the hero gets the girl.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Moderate. Infrequent profanity with crude language appearing more often. (Think pirates.)

Sexual Content
Because of Tomas’ nature as a Dragon, he will go into “heat” several times in his life, during which time, human females will be drawn to him like moth to flame. While this event is not depicted in the story, it is referenced several times. One captain, a woman with quite a sexual appetite, fervently lusts for Tomas, promising that despite their rather large age difference, he will learn to enjoy sharing her bed. Tomas falls in love with a girl who we understand to be bisexual, and while she promises to remain faithful where other men are concerned, she refuses to give up relations with women.

As Tomas and his love approach their betrothal ceremony, their captain makes them promise not to have “carnal knowledge” of each other before then. The pair are mostly faithful, excepting a brief graphic incident when they venture to an isolated place away from captain and crew. Following the betrothal ceremony, another brief scene shows the couple consummating their relationship.

The pirates look forward to visiting Tortuga to take up with easy women. Evil Shadowmen keep human females as pets, using them for torture and pleasure at whim. Characters and scenes reference these ideas, but no graphic descriptions occur.

Spiritual Content
In St. Augustine, Tomas’s mother is shunned by clergy because of her past Huguenot beliefs. Tomas believes as he is taught by a Catholic priest, though there is some question as to whether Dragons are accepted into the church. A couple of characters pray the rosary in time of need.

Violence
Several scenes show battle violence, including some graphic descriptions of death of or caused by evil Shadowmen. Some of the descriptions are pretty graphic. Most scenes are brief.

Drug Content
What are pirates without their bottles of rum? (One captain at least, prefers red wine.) Hangovers seem to be a routine part of life, though the main characters do not over-indulge.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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