Dead Reckoning

Valkyrie #2

by K.A. Perkins

Dead Reckoning is an historical adventure of piracy, love and revenge in the Caribbean in the Seventeenth Century.

#1 Bestseller for Kindle, Sea Adventures - UK

Leo is born in Spanish Panama in 1659. When he is twelve years old he witnesses the violent rape and murder of his mother by three of the Caribbean’s most feared pirates: Tarr, Blake and Hornigold, and swears revenge at all costs.

Gabriella is trapped in an abusive marriage to a ruthless Dutch slave trader, who is in business with the same English cut-throats. She risks all to escape with her life.

Leo and Gabriella meet aboard one of the most horrific ships in the Caribbean – a slaver – and join forces against their common enemy. They face a number of challenges as they battle not only the risks of a life at sea – storms, drowning, and being adrift in a crippled ship, but also repeated attacks by Blake and Hornigold.

But their biggest threat proves to be each other. Can they reconcile their hearts in time for the fiercest battle in their quest of revenge, and who will survive the gallows?

Dead Reckoning was long-listed in the 2011 Mslexia Novel Competition.

"Wow, what a fantastic story. It's a swashbuckler with a sweeping narrative, full of sea battles, drama, revenge, and love"

"Ms. Perkins is a sensational storyteller, knowing how to grab your attention, and hold onto you throughout"

"This is an epic pirate adventure, that is wrought with romance, anguish, fighting and revenge.
I was immediately drawn into the story of both Leo and Gabrielle, and fell in-love with both their horrific stories. Their lives eventually collide together and so begins a romance like no other."

"So enraptured with this story and its characters that I be became a little lost within it's pages".

"K. A. Perkins takes romance, adventure and historical fractions to create a splendid tale."

"Some might say that it's a Bernard Cornwell type tale of adventure on the high seas, but it is much more than that. Rather than painting pirates as the swashbuckling adventurers that some authors do, Perkins portrays them as they truly were - violent, bloodthirsty, predators. That credibility is a large part of Dead Reckonings charm"

"Dead Reckoning is an excellent read and I look forward to reading the other books in Ms. Perkins’ series"

"Dead Reckoning is not a fast read. It is a deeply involving kind of story. One must give it full attention to get the span of the plot and appreciate the different characters. There are different plot lines that blend into the story, each one driving the story forward toward a satisfying finish."


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Genres: Pirates, Historical Fiction, Romance, Ebooks

359 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Karen Perkins lives in Yorkshire with her partner. She has been a keen sailor since childhood, competing nationally and internationally until the day she had both National and European Ladies Champion titles - and a terminally bad back.

Under the name K A Perkins She has written 1 novella (An Ill Wind) and 2 full-length novels: Dead Reckoning (which was long-listed in the Novel Competition in 2011) and Ready About! (coming in 2013 from LionheART Publishing House) in the Valkyrie series.

Thores-Cross, a haunting novel set in the Yorkshire Moors about isolation and superstition, will also be published in 2013 by LionheART Publishing House.

She has also co-authored a series of children’s books inspired by traditional African stories with acclaimed poet, director and playwright, Peter Mutanda, and a trailer for 'Rabbit and Elephant's Tug Of War' follows:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udauyl...

Reviews

[Janice Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

K. A. Perkins takes romance, adventure and historical fractions to create a splendid tale. Gabriella and Leo’s lives are torn apart, yet they throw caution to the wind to avenge the wrongs. When the novel opened up, both characters were faced with potentially devastating circumstances, but over the course of Dead Reckoning readers experience their growth and development. I was truly impressed with the strength that Gabriella developed, because her initial circumstances only showed a weakling. Throughout the novel, readers could clearly envision the thrilling events of true pirate life, coupled with real human emotions. Ultimately, the characters become more than characters, as you relate to their need for survival and pursuit to right the wrongs.

The author does a wonderful job of presenting a detailed novel. I never knew there was so much to sailing. I’m impressed with the author’s knowledge, and at her ability to combine her love of sailing with a skillful tale. I look forward to reading more of K. A. Perkins work.

[Karen Perkins]

Full of action, with well-rounded,interesting characters, Dead Reckoning grips from the beginning. Leo and Gabriella are ordinary people living in a difficult period of history. They both have very difficult starts in life, yet are determined to improve their lot. This is made harder when they try to do it together, and they can only forget the past and forge a future for themselves once the men who have terrorised and destroyed their early lives are dead. They face tremendous challenges just to survive, and the book builds to a horrific climax where both their lives hang in the balance - you'll have to read it to find out what happens!

[Elly Kamari · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review:

Dead Reckoning is a challenging read. It is the story of a woman, in a bad marriage, and a boy who watched his mother’s rape and vowed vengeance on the men who killed her. Gabriella suffers great humiliation in her marriage to a pirate named Erik. She gathers enough courage one day to save herself and her maid/friend, Klara from the madness of her husband’s estate. We’re thrust into a wild adventure through the jungle with their escape. It was very easy to get involved with Gabriella’s struggle for freedom. I wanted her to make it to the shores, at the same time terrified that her husband’s men would get a hold of her and Klara. It was challenging to read the struggles and the humiliation she faced with her husband. The descriptions are vivid, gritty and leave nothing to the imagination. In a way, they draw you right in to Gabriella’s emotional state and cement the reasons why she must leave her husband.

Leo’s introduction comes in a later chapter. We meet him on the run with his best friend Magdalene hiding in the forest from pirates who are pillaging his village. He leaves Magdalene in a safe place and returns back home to rescue his mother. He finds the pirates already in his house, and to his horror and mine, the young boy watches the pirates rape and murder his mother. I understood his need for vengeance.

Leo and Gabriella thrust us into the world of pirates and the harsh seas, vast oceans and vivid battles set in the seventeenth century. The settings were authentic and engaging. The battles harrowing, at times challenging to get through, but nevertheless the description gave the wins and losses color. Leo and Gabriella face contend with life and death situations that eventually lead to a stunning love affair.

Dead Reckoning also tackles real life issues. Carefully portraying the struggle for equality, between men and women, “…The man I had saved ignored me as he kept an eye on what he seemed to think was the only threat aboard the small boat, and I felt rage knot my stomach. How dare he dismiss me and Klara? Assume we were of no consequence and that a threat was enough to subdue us? I had lived enough of my life like that and I determined I was not going to let it happen again…” it also tackles difficult situations like ownership of slaves and the difference of skin color, “…Aboard pirate ships, everyone is equal. Black stands shoulder to shoulder with white. The color of a man’s skin does not dictate his position on these decks…” I found this part to be really well done, as it blended right in to the scenes and settings of the story.

I began this review with the word ‘Challenging’. I use this word because; Dead Reckoning is not a fast, forgettable read. It is a deeply involving kind of story. One that demands full attention to get the span of the plot and appreciate the different characters. There are different plot lines that blend into the story, each one driving the story forward toward a satisfying finish.
Dead Reckoning is deliciously full of pirate action.

Favorite Quotes:

‘Aboard pirate ships, everyone is equal. Black stands shoulder to shoulder with white. The color of a man’s skin does not dictate his position on these decks…’

“…I had seen enough storms to know the sea can turn in an instant. You could not forget her power, or her viciousness. The difference was that her brutality was avoidable; it could be harnessed. If she did hurt me, at least it would not be personal, or out of hate. A sailor’s life was to live on the edge and never be fully in control, to never know what would come next. Living at sea, I would be living in the midst of a squall, yet free from the torturous chains of my marriage….”

K A Perkins. Dead Reckoning (Kindle Locations 2383-2384). LionheART Publishing House.

[Sara Burr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Reckoning is a historical, action, adventure, romance set in the Caribbean in the 17th century. It involves main characters Leo Santiago and Gabriella Berryngton “van Ecken” whose vastly different lives lead them down the same path to each other. Gabriella is subject to horrendous abuse at the hands of her husband, Erik, whom she was forced to marry at just fourteen. Leo witnessed the murder of his mother at the hands of Erik’s men, pirates Blake and Hornigold. Leo swears vengeance against those responsible for his mother’s death and becomes the pirate captain of a ship himself. Gabriella bravely runs away from her abusive husband with her only friend in the world, slave Klara. Eventually, Leo and Gabriella’s paths cross when Leo ‘s ship commandeers a slave ship. From there, Leo and Gab riella’s relationship quickly blossoms into love, a love united by their quest to vanquish Erik and his men.

A former sailor herself, Ms. Perkins has vast knowledge of sailing. In fact, I found myself awed by her knowledge, beautiful storytelling, and knack for wonderful, period-appropriate dialogue. All of the characters in Dead Reckoning were wonderfully developed and it was clear that a lot of attention was paid to detail. I particularly enjoyed Gabriella’s transformation from a battered, meek woman to a fearless pirate captain who commands respect from her crew.

On top of the sweet romance that develops between Leo and Gabriella, Dead Reckoning is rife with action and suspense. There are numerous battle scenes, both on land and at sea, and between other pirates and the elements. Each battle is action-packed, full of suspense and leaves you at the edge of your seat, a feat that isn’t as easy to pull off as it sounds.

Overall, Dead Reckoning is an excellent read and I look forward to reading the other books in Ms. Perkins’ series.

[Claire Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What i thought was going to be an easy read, in fact failed to be. So enraptured with this story and its characters that i be became a little lost within it's pages.

I'm not one to write lengthy synopsis type reviews, but what I will tell you is that this was epic. An epic pirate adventure. An epic romance, and an epic story on vengeance. Karen is so well skilled in writing a story i failed to realise how bloody long this was. I was absorbed into it, into the characters lives, and into turning each page.

This isn't my normal genre, but i'm so glad that i read it, and look forward to the next in the series.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me say Gabriella is one foolishly stubborn character. I love the story line the characters and the conclusion of book two and am looking forward to the third book in 2013. I had a hard time following the ships linguistics but enjoyed the storyline nevertheless. I was on the edge of my seat more than once. All emotions played out for me in this story. Anger. Sadness. Surprise. Happiness and loss. And even those can't begin to express my inner turmoil. KA Perkins plays with our emotions with these strong characters.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like a book that grabs my attention from the beginning and doesn’t let go. Dead reckoning is one of those books. Some might say that it’s a Bernard Cornwell type tale of adventure on the high seas, but it is much more than that. Rather than painting pirates as the swashbuckling adventurers that some authors do, Perkins portrays them as they truly were – violent, bloodthirsty, predators. That credibility is a large part of Dead Reckonings charm.

The action takes place in the Carribbees (Caribbean), and the accounts of the high seas engagements between ships are action packed and detailed, the battles bloody and realistic. The author has obviously done her research, but also has a natural flair for recounting the action with precision and a passion that can only be borne of someone with the sea in their veins.

The story begins with young Spaniard Leo witnessing the savage rape and murder of his mother at the hands of three English pirates, a Captain Richard Tarr and two of his crew, Blake and Hornigold. Leo is too young to help his stricken mother, but he remembers the names and the faces of the men who brutalized her and vows to take revenge. He is taken in by the family of his childhood friend Magdalena, who he eventually marries.

On the island of Sayba (Saba), Gabriella van Ecken has grown tired of the abuse and arrogance of her husband Erik van Ecken, who owns and operates the ships crewed by the murderers of Leo’s mother. She plots to escape with her friend Klara and her young son on a night when Van Ecken is at sea. When Van Ecken returns early however, the two women are forced to leave the young son of Klara behind, barely escaping themselves by boarding one of her husband’s ships disguised as men.

The paths of Gabriella and Leo are bound to cross, but until they do each is immersed in their own set of adventures. Leo is marooned on a tropical island after being pitched overboard during a fight with Captain Tarr and his crew, who have kidnapped Magdalena. A year later after being rescued by surviving members of his crew, Leo chases them down, killing captain Tarr, but losing Magdalena to a pirates bullet in the rescue attempt.

When Leo captures one of Van Ecken’s ships and finds Gabriella and Klara aboard, the adventure accelerates. Gabriella rises to become commander of her own vessel, a Capitana, and the two combine forces to seek revenge against the man that has taken so much from each of them.

This was a good read, an action packed and entertaining story that equally illustrates the power of both love and hate. Chart a course for Dead Reckoning; it’s a move you won’t regret.

[S.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the Caribbean of the 17th century, peopled by slavers and pirates, Dead Reckoning is classified by the author as historical fiction. Gabriella and Leo, the star-crossed lovers who are the main characters in the novel, each have personal tragedies that propel them into life as pirates and motivate them to seek revenge against the men who wronged them so horribly. They give the story it’s humanity, and both are likeable characters. Most of the narrative, however, deals with sailing pirate ships and sea battles.

It’s immediately obvious that there was a massive amount of meticulous research that went into writing Dead Reckoning, as well as a thorough knowledge of sailing. The cargoes, the ships, the ports all are described in a way that makes the settings shine. For readers who enjoy historical fiction, I think that kind of injection of real history is vital.

Where Dead Reckoning falls down a bit is in the very passages that are otherwise one of its strengths: lengthy descriptions of sailing and sea battles. No matter how much a reader loves sailing (and I do) it still breaks up the flow of the story to get so much detail that fully understanding some of the maneuvers might require doing diagrams. I would have appreciated more time spent on some of the human elements, like conditions on the slave ship, including some idea of how Gabriella and Klara were able to escape notice. Also, Leo and, especially, Gabriella don’t quite seem to have what it takes to be pirate captains. Having a bad temper isn’t the same as having force of personality. Let’s face it, pirates were not nice people, and neither of the main characters has the wiles or ruthlessness of a Jack Sparrow. In the end, that makes Dead Reckoning a bit schizophrenic, with elements that were very real coexisting with some improbabilities.

The writing style and editing are very good, though, and I highly recommend Dead Reckoning to readers who want to feel like they’re going to sea on a pirate vessel.

I received a free copy of Dead Reckoning in exchange for an honest review.

[Peter Mutanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has a shocking start, which immediately drew me into both Leo and Gabriella's world from the off. It accurately reflects the realities of living in C17th Caribbean and at sea, yet is heartwarming in the way the two main characters never stop fighting for a better life of freedom and happiness. It's a very emotional book – the characters (and reader) go through sadness, grief, ecstasy, fear, frustration, exhilaration, anger, and much more, and it was impossible to put down.
The ship-board action in Dead Reckoning is well-researched and well described – I could almost feel the spray on my face, and hear the creak of rigging, and found it quite easy to follow. I have no hesitation in recommending Dead Reckoning to any fan of historical fiction – and especially of pirates and the sea.

[Kathleen Garlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could taste the salt on my lips, hear the creaking of rigging and the wind hitting the sails and feel the Caribbean sun warm my face as I read this wonderful book by K.A. Perkins. Smart, well researched and oh so very readable, this is a great tale of romance on the high seas.

Leo takes to the pirate life years after watching his mother's brutal murder at the hands of a trio of ruthless pirates. Gabriella flees to a ship filled with a cargo of slaves in order to escape her abusive husband. They meet when the slave ship is captured by Leo, who is now the captain of his own pirate vessel. But before, during and after that meeting there are battles galore, not just with other ships, but with fierce storms at sea. I found myself fascinated with the nautical terminology and descriptions of maneuvers made by the various ships and the men manning them. The author's impressive knowledge and love of sailing shines throughout every word.

The writing is first rate as is the knowledge and research framing it. Leo and Gabriella are both strong willed characters who are obviously meant to be together. There are some delightful minor characters as well, several of whom I would have like to seen given more of a storyline. My one complaint with this novel is that it is written in a dual first person narrative which, for me, slowed the action with a little too much introspection. But that's a minor complaint. I can highly recommend Dead Reckoning to anyone who loves a bit of pirate treasure.

[Adam Oster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perkins does it again with the second book in the Valkyrie series, DEAD RECKONING. Following off where the novella An Ill Wind leaves off, we see Gabriella begin her new life, away from her abusive husband, on the sea with a band of pirates.

Perkins showcases her amazing abilities to describe atrocious events in an almost poetic manner, but this book finally shows us more of a happy side to Gabriella's life than the seemingly never-ending horror we saw in the first book. Almost immediately she meets up with the pirate captain Leo Santiago and her life is never the same.

A mix of emotions and action, we see the world through the eyes of both Leo and Gabriella as they embark on an adventure of vengeance and greed, growing their strength in order to complete their final goals.

One of my favorite bits about this book is Perkin's ability to describe the activities on the ship in extreme detail while still never losing me, a landlubber who couldn't tell his aft from his starboard. This becomes very important as the action involves destruction of such varied pieces of ships as the masts and the rudders.

All in all, this tale is an epic adventure that's certain to continue in grand fashion with the next book in the series. I'll be there!

[Noree Cosper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I received a copy of this book in trade for a fair review.

I never read the first book however that was not a problem. This book pulled me in. We start with Leo who makes a vow of revenge after witnessing the death of his mother. Then we switch to Gabriella, trapped in an abusive marriage. I could really feel for her and was rotting for her through the whole book. Though she had never known anything but abuse, her spirit wasn't broken. In fact, she has a will of steel and a fierce independence that led her in and out of trouble.

There is plenty of action as you are taken for a ride on the high seas with a crew of mostly lovable pirates. The only real issue I had with the book is I felt the explanation of sailing got too detailed and took away from the story at some points. Still, not enough for me to put down the book.

Overall: If you like pirate adventures with a flame of romance, then you should read this book.

[Kayla Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book. I really enjoyed how it started with two totally separate story lines and then brought them together. I really liked reading different parts of the story from the different characters petspectives. I re-read the book again right after I finished it the first time.

[Elgon Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: Review is for the entire Valkyrie Series

Well written historical fiction should cause the reader to wonder what really happened - to ask what in the story is fact and what is not. If the story is well executed it should be told without anachronism or other annoying flaws, accurately depicting the period in question. Ultimately it should be the kind of story that leaves the reader thinking that if things didn't happen exactly this way, perhaps they should have. Karen Perkins has delivered such an achievement.

The Valkyrie Series is a pirate tale with a love story or two thrown in to the mix. In the background it also points out some of the more glaring social issues of the period such as colonial exploitation, slavery and greed along with the institutionalized oppression of women and man's inhumanity as contrasted to the desire for freedom of choice.

Karen Perkins begins her tale with Ill Wind, a novella length story that introduces us to 14-year-old Gabriella Berryngton. Set in the late 17th Century we are transported back to a time with very different rules. Although her story begins in colonial Massachusetts Bay her father arranges for her marriage of convenience to Erik the son of a wealthy Dutch businessman named Jan van Ecken. Against her will she is taken aboard a ship to the Caribbean island of Sayba. On the way she learns that van Ecken's business associations are at least questionable and, as the story progresses, she learns that she is aboard a pirate ship. Her adventure as well as a great deal of suffering at the hand of overbearing and oppressive men is just beginning.

Gabriella begins as an innocent girl but rapidly becomes experienced in the darker aspects of the real world into which her father is forced her, a dangerous existence defined by wealth, slavery and nefarious dealings with some unsavory characters.

The second book of the series, Dead Reckoning is a true novel in length and in structure. It is told from the perspective of two character, Leo Santiago who we met briefly in Ill Wind and Gabriella van Ecken. The former is bent on revenge against the pirates that tortured and raped his mother before killing her and the latter seeks escape and freedom from her imprisonment as the nominal wife of Erik.

Dead Reckoning has the feel of a epic journey into the world of privateers marauding the Caribbean. Again the attention to detail in the descriptions of the ships and the character’s clothing is second to none. The level of accuracy makes it easy to lose oneself in the adventure, getting so involved in the story that you continue to think about the characters and wonder at the outcome of their stories long after you set the books aside. Karen Perkins is herself an accomplished competition sailor, so it comes as little surprise that the nautical terms and descriptions of the ships, their rigging and the basics of how to sail such marvels of construction is meticulously factual, leaving the reader feeling as if he or she has learned something and might even be able to survive aboard such ships.

The third installment of the Valkyre series is Look Sharpe! Having read the books in the numerical order as perhaps intended is not necessary, though. Since Karen Perkins structured the story from the perspectives of its several main characters the reader might actually start by reading Look Sharpe! and gain a different perspective on the characters and their stories. Though I found Dead Reckoning to be the most complete novel in a traditional sense, each of the three installments has its strengths as a story.

The risk of telling a story from multiple perspectives is that the story gets lost in all the background details and the reader gets bored with hearing the same bits told over and over, albeit from differing perspectives. But here Perkins takes care to avoid redundancies. Although there is some overlap in the details, having each character's unique point of view is actually enlightening. The way Perkins presents the material is effective instead of distracting. However, there is a huge problem in structuring a story as multiple character profiles and the Valkyrie Series story arc suffers in the process.

There is a different way of presenting the story using a mixture of character point of view and chronological order. In order to create the story in such a manner the entire story must be drafted first then arranged into a logical flow. The difficulty in this method is that it is time consuming and requires an author to extend work on an epic scale to span years instead of the usual few months it takes to draft a novel.

My problem with giving any of the books in this series a complete endorsement is that two of the books feel incomplete as novels and the one that merit the title, Dead Reckoning, leaves many questions unanswered. Look Sharpe! answers the questions of who is Henry Sharpe and why does he act as he does in assisting the events in Dead Reckoning. I can assume that the soon to be released Ready About and the short story Where Away also serve to fill in backstory's details. As I am a fan of the series, I will read both as soon as they are made available.

Structural problems aside, the Valkyrie Series has a lot to offer for those who love historical pieces about pirates and high seas adventures. The character-based story telling delivered in first person lends intimacy in the connection between the reader and the characters making for a enjoyable experience. Had the story arc of the entire series been used as an overall structure for telling the series from the perspectives of Gabriella, Leo and Sharpe (and perhaps Magdalena) I believe the books could have made a stronger impact as works of epic adventure literature. Perhaps, once the story is completely told, the author might reorganize the various parts and tell the story chronologically through each character’s perspectives. As it is, once the reader has consumed the tales from the differing points of view the whole of the story feels finished.

The quality of writing is first rate with only a few minor editing errors. Some of the spellings are peculiar to the period and the fact that the author is British. Single quotes are used in dialogue, which is not a big deal to American readers who have read some British authors in the past. Because of the manner of telling through the eyes of multiple characters there are jumps in time and a few instances of overlapping events seen from different points of view but as kt is presented it is not confusing.

Regardless of the structural shortcomings I highly recommend these books. Perkins is a gifted writer. Her characters live and breathe for the reader.

[C. McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Gabriella is trapped in an abusive marriage, she puts her life--as well as her good friend's life--into even greater danger by escaping. It's 1686 and the story is set in The Caribbees where pirates fought traders for ships and cargo. It was a time when freedom for everyone, but especially African slaves and women, was hard won with a heavy price--often death. This is the backdrop for the story about Gabriella, whose desire is to be free and take revenge on the husband who mistreated her and anyone he owned. It's the backdrop for the love story between this heroine and the charismatic pirate Leo Santiago, who has his own vendetta to carry out. Dead Reckoning is an exciting tale about two lives that come together, a woman's journey from chattel to pirate and captain of her own ship, and her discovery of freedom in the arms of the pirate she can't resist.

The battle scenes are well-written, with tension mounting as long as blades are slashing and the cannons firing. When the scenes shift to the complex sailing of a square-rigger, I tended to fast-forward; the story slowed and I was impatient to move forward. While the main characters were romantic and interesting, I was disappointed in the crafting of some minor characters, but most especially Klara, Gabriella's best friend. During Gabriella's transformation from scared runaway to pirate, Klara disappears. It's only later she returns with a love of her own. I felt her death would have had more emotional impact if the reader had seen her story arc more completely.

Still, I'd recommend this book for its romance and adventure. Both Gabriella and Leo will hold your interest to the end.

[Jessica Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!

Dead Reckoning follows Gabriella through her escape from her horribly abusive husband to her meeting with Leo the pirate captain and their adventures in difficult life on the sea. Gabriella, who has been controlled by selfish men her entire life, struggles to find her path in life and figure out who she really is and wants to be, while Leo tries to balance the hard-heartedness necessary to a pirate captain with the overflowing love he has for a woman. The story is a great coming of age story starring a very empowering lead female and her male counterpart.

This rewarding book was very well written; exciting and action-packed from the very beginning. The dialogue was brilliant, witty, and clever. Karen Perkins’s characters are well formed and she keeps it interesting by switching the narrator’s perspective back and forth between Gabriella and Leo. Readers can really relate to the characters and their struggles, even landlubbers who live across the globe, several hundred years later.

I would very much recommend this book/series to anyone who loves strong women, pirates, adventures on the sea, and amazing story telling! I was hooked from the start and couldn’t wait to start the next book in the series.

[Ray Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a romance. OK, it starts with what seems like a real swash-buckling pirate adventure, but it quickly turns into a romance. I've read real pirate history and Perkins has clearly done her research. The sailing, combat at sea, life as a pirate and sailor are all well done. The problem is the volume of action. In the real world or William Kydd (Captain Kydd), there were 2 encounters at sea in 3 years. In Dead Reckoning, there are 3 encounters in 3 days... Never the less, it is fun.

The romance comes when two women who escape abuse and misery in a port town frequented by pirates, become crew members and then lovers of crew-mates. About halfway through the book, the ladies become equal pirates and captains and warriors. There were real women who sailed in the heyday of the pirates, but this is where the book simply becomes fantasy.

Never the less, the action is terrific, the characters are well developed and the story is as entertaining as Pirates of the Caribbean - not bad! So, if you, like me, are impressed by the historical accuracy of the setting, you will be drawn in. Don't forget to suspend disbelief as the story unfolds. It is an entertaining story.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was quite a bit of suspension of disbelief needed for the majority of this book's plot, but I'm okay with that. I read a lot of books like that. :) I found myself rooting for the characters despite the fact that, well, they're killing other human beings right and left, stealing, plundering ... erg. Yes, that's what pirates did, and it all seems very romantic and fascinating coming from far away in time and space, but there are still pirates out in the oceans today, and nothing about them is romantic or thrilling. They're thugs, and killers, and thieves. That's what pirates are, even the interesting, likable, romanticized characters in books. I did have a lot of moral qualms about the whole thing.

However, it's a well-written book, good pacing, very engaging. I love, LOVE the sailing descriptions, the amount of knowledge there, the historical information, it's all good. The main characters are likable and interesting (despite their profession), the villains are easy to hate.

All around, I think I'd call this a guilty pleasure. I feel like morally, I shouldn't approve, but in actuality I was cheering for Gabriella and her friends the whole time.

[Korrina Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is pretty cool, I'll give it that. However I found the writing pretty basic and uninspiring. Events seemed to just come and go with no suspense or intrigue. Leo is like "I need to become a pirate but it'll take lots of effort..." Next line "I'm a pirate!"

None of the characters are very well developed apart from Leo and Gabriella and they're both boring and predictable so that kinda sucks. Also Klara has the potential to be a good character but no effort is put into her... I swear she is completely forgotten about in the middle of the book.

Gabriella is a pretty cool female character and I appreciate that she doesn't take any shit from anyone. To those who say she is too young, no way, don't under estimate the ability of young women. People have been doing that for too long.

However, what I don't understand is how Gabriella manages to become captain of a ship when she pretty much fails at everything ... Seemed like a bit of a plot hole to me.


Not going to bother reading the 3rd book.

[Sue M. Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Valkyrie Series comes highly recommended for those who enjoy historical reading. It is a romance but not erotica. I would rate this series as 5 star.

I really enjoyed these stories. One big plus was the period dialogue. The language used is one you can imagine pirates of olden days in the Caribbean might have used. From start to finish, these are stories the reader will find difficult to put down as the story telling is fast paced and leaves the reader wondering what happens next. The love story between Gabriella and Leo is slow to begin with but is as it should be. After all, we all know that mad, passionate love is something that takes time to build. They are a typical couple with all the ups and downs that come with a relationship.

They are very well written with no grammar or spelling issues. An excellent series!

[Cindy Woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blown me down!

Pretty good pirate book. I'm not too crazy for the heroine, though. She wants independence and to be treated as an equal to men, but when she violates the rules and gets hit by a man she gets mad and pouts and takes off..... Any male pirate under the same circumstances would be lucky to get away with less than being killed. She whines too much about her past abuse at the hands of a sadistic husband! You either want to be treated equal and take your medicine like the rest of the pirates crew or shut up and stay a landlubber! Leo didn't do anything but rescue her from a horrid life!
That said, it's a fun read with lots of action and I plan to read the next in this series.

[Babus Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the second book in the Valkyrie series by KA Perkins and it follows Gabriella Berryngton's plight and fortunes as she escapes her tyrannical husband. I enjoyed the first book very much and that was the reason I went back to buy the sequel.

The second book is just as thrilling but the action seems to be more separated by long accounts of historical and technical passages about sailing itself, which to someone like me who doesn't sale is quite bewildering at times. Things however do pick up in the last quarter of the book and we are thrown a few curve balls as the adventure develops.

[Mercia McMahon]

This is a second book in the Valkyrie Caribbean Pirate series, although the first novel. It follows on from the novella Ill Wind: A Caribbean Pirate Adventure, but is a self-contained story. It mostly takes place on-board ships on the Caribbean Sea and takes an unexpected twist. If you are not into the technical basis of sailing in the 17th century or pirate battles then this book may drag a bit. If you are into those subjects then the book should please.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, I liked it but I did skim over a good portion of it. Lots of good action and sailing jargon. But also again, Gariella's age bothers me. It is never really mentioned and she cannot be more than 19 at the very very most. Seems unrealistic that a 19 year old female, no matter what she has been through could take over a ship, sail on her own as a pirate captain and do the things she did in this book. Good story but her age seems off.

[Marko]

A young boy watches as his mother is raped by three pirates and does nothing - doesn't even scream or otherwise try to defend her mother. The scene is told in first person, but the boy magically knows the pirates by name even though he has not met them before.

The writing style did not click with me and I had to leave this unfinished.

[Mindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had too much in depth information on the actual pirate ships and very little character development. It was also too long and slow for me. I had to skim the last 20% because I couldn't take it anymore. Someone else might enjoy the ship and sailing/fighting details, but this one didn't work for me.

[Jane Hearne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third in pirate series

The other two books had a well twisted plot for how lives were fulfilling their destinies. This book did weave lost characters into the story line however some of the actions especially during the love scenes and their squabbles the solution became hokie to me and most unbelievable.

[Dilys Myhill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read a couple of Karen's books I was not disappointed with this novel. Good storyline and great main characters. Not being a sailor a lot of the nautical bits went over my head but I really enjoyed the action and will read the next book.

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

don't think I have read a pirate story for a very long time - but good rollicking fun

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

couldn't put it down! what a ride!