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The Dagger Chronicles #1
The Dagger Quick (The Dagger Chronicles) by Brian Eames
A stirring tale of rousing old-fashioned adventure, THE DAGGER QUICK is the story of twelve-year-old Christopher, a boy with a clubfoot seemingly doomed to follow in the boring footsteps of his father as a cooper in 17th century England. That is, until he meets his uncle- William Quick, infamous pirate, and the only man ever crazy enough to steal from the infamous Governor of Jamaica. With his mother kidnapped, his father murdered, and Christopher unjustly blamed for the crime, he has no choice but to set off on a dangerous seafaring adventure with bounty hunters on his trail and his only ally an uncle he hardly knows.
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First published May 3, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 30, 2011
This was given to me by my Literature professor, who is friends with the author - which explains why I spent a couple weeks reading a book clearly not intended for my age group or perhaps my entire gender (but more on that later). Still, overall it was a fun experience.
The book is about 12-year-old Kitto Wheale, who learns that his father has dabbled in piracy in the past, and that his uncle is still a pirate and searching for the treasure he stole from Henry Morgan. Then Kitto's father is murdered, his stepmother and half-brother are kidnapped by pirates, and Kitto has to go off with his uncle to find the treasure and rescue them. It's pretty damn action-packed, with midnight attacks on slave ships, sea battles, explody things, blood and guts, swordfights, and shark attacks. It's exciting and the pirates are genuinely scary - one of the bad guys has blood-red teeth from chewing betel leaves, and the other one has two holes on his face where his nose was cut off. If I were an 11-year-old boy, this book would be my crack.
However, I am not an 11-year-old boy, and because of this several things about this book needled me a little:
-Eames overdoes the foreshadowing, hardcore. Every time something happens, or a character is introduced, Eames has to have a "dun dun duuuun!" moment, like "Little did he know, it was the last time he would see his house", etc. A character gets introduced, gets a short scene, and then Eames writes something like, "But he had a secret. A secret that could destroy them all." Eames, I don't even know who this guy is, so the fact that he has a secrete doesn't really matter to me right now. Stop working so hard to keep me interested.
-Has Eames read The Secret? There's a recurring theme in the book of "see it in your mind's eye, and it'll come true." Maybe it's unintentional, but it's all I could think about, and it was weird.
-Kitto is precocious as all get out, as child protagonists are required to be, but sometimes it oversteps into ridiculous territory. There's a point in the story where Kitto's uncle makes a decision that is, in all honesty, a perfectly prudent decision, although a bit unkind. Kitto just goes off on him, delivering a full-blown lecture and insulting this grown man who is also a pirate captain. I kept waiting for Captain Quick to pulverize the little shit, but he just stands there and lets Kitto storm away after Kitto actually gives him an order. What the hell? How could this guy manage to captain an entire ship if he lets 12-year-olds sass him like that?
-This is very blatantly a Boys' Book. Until the last 15 pages of the book, there are exactly three female characters with names, and only one of them is physically present in the story. The three women are defined by their relationships to men (mother, sister, stepmother) and they exist only as beacons of purity and Christian goodness, to be admired and rescued and not do much of anything. A new girl character is introduced towards the end who seems different, and I can only assume she'll get to do more interesting stuff in the next book.
I understand that this is a book about pirates and sea adventures, which in the 17th century was a No Girls Allowed Zone, so I can't expect Eames to have filled his story with interesting, 3-dimensional female characters. But I couldn't help noticing it, and I wonder how that would have felt to me if I'd read this book at the right age.
The book is about 12-year-old Kitto Wheale, who learns that his father has dabbled in piracy in the past, and that his uncle is still a pirate and searching for the treasure he stole from Henry Morgan. Then Kitto's father is murdered, his stepmother and half-brother are kidnapped by pirates, and Kitto has to go off with his uncle to find the treasure and rescue them. It's pretty damn action-packed, with midnight attacks on slave ships, sea battles, explody things, blood and guts, swordfights, and shark attacks. It's exciting and the pirates are genuinely scary - one of the bad guys has blood-red teeth from chewing betel leaves, and the other one has two holes on his face where his nose was cut off. If I were an 11-year-old boy, this book would be my crack.
However, I am not an 11-year-old boy, and because of this several things about this book needled me a little:
-Eames overdoes the foreshadowing, hardcore. Every time something happens, or a character is introduced, Eames has to have a "dun dun duuuun!" moment, like "Little did he know, it was the last time he would see his house", etc. A character gets introduced, gets a short scene, and then Eames writes something like, "But he had a secret. A secret that could destroy them all." Eames, I don't even know who this guy is, so the fact that he has a secrete doesn't really matter to me right now. Stop working so hard to keep me interested.
-Has Eames read The Secret? There's a recurring theme in the book of "see it in your mind's eye, and it'll come true." Maybe it's unintentional, but it's all I could think about, and it was weird.
-Kitto is precocious as all get out, as child protagonists are required to be, but sometimes it oversteps into ridiculous territory. There's a point in the story where Kitto's uncle makes a decision that is, in all honesty, a perfectly prudent decision, although a bit unkind. Kitto just goes off on him, delivering a full-blown lecture and insulting this grown man who is also a pirate captain. I kept waiting for Captain Quick to pulverize the little shit, but he just stands there and lets Kitto storm away after Kitto actually gives him an order. What the hell? How could this guy manage to captain an entire ship if he lets 12-year-olds sass him like that?
-This is very blatantly a Boys' Book. Until the last 15 pages of the book, there are exactly three female characters with names, and only one of them is physically present in the story. The three women are defined by their relationships to men (mother, sister, stepmother) and they exist only as beacons of purity and Christian goodness, to be admired and rescued and not do much of anything. A new girl character is introduced towards the end who seems different, and I can only assume she'll get to do more interesting stuff in the next book.
I understand that this is a book about pirates and sea adventures, which in the 17th century was a No Girls Allowed Zone, so I can't expect Eames to have filled his story with interesting, 3-dimensional female characters. But I couldn't help noticing it, and I wonder how that would have felt to me if I'd read this book at the right age.
April 19, 2018
Until the day Captain William Quick arrives at port in Kitto's hometown, the boy has no idea that his hard-working cooper father (that's a barrel-maker, by the by) had ever done anything more interesting than turn staves into barrels.
Privateers and pirates. Step-mothers and half-brothers. Old secrets and hard memories. Slave ships and cheeky monkeys. A vivid adventure that takes the time to explore the complexities of integrity, loyalty, and bravery. Eames has impressed me, and I'm eager for more of his storytelling. Now to get my hands on the sequel!
Privateers and pirates. Step-mothers and half-brothers. Old secrets and hard memories. Slave ships and cheeky monkeys. A vivid adventure that takes the time to explore the complexities of integrity, loyalty, and bravery. Eames has impressed me, and I'm eager for more of his storytelling. Now to get my hands on the sequel!
January 28, 2022
Fantastic read aloud, especially if you're learning about pirates, the spice trade, and sailing in the 1600s. Looking forward to the sequel!
Content warning: There is some intense action, people get injured/killed in various ways with some description of their injuries. They encounter a slave ship. Minor mention of fortune telling with tarot cards.
Content warning: There is some intense action, people get injured/killed in various ways with some description of their injuries. They encounter a slave ship. Minor mention of fortune telling with tarot cards.
February 17, 2018
Although it took me awhile to get into the story, (it drag a bit at the beginning), by the end, I was drawn into the adventure. Fine book for a boy who loves the high seas, adventure and pirates!
April 24, 2021
This book is amazing! It's definitely the best pirate book I've ever read. I actually bought both this book and the sequel to put on my shelf.
July 29, 2022
Excellent, going straight to the next one. A great escape to adventure.
January 7, 2023
A suspenseful, action-packed pirate adventure.
September 7, 2022
I LOW KEY RY LIKE IT AND I THINK YOU SHOULD READ IT GET GOOD LIKE IN THE MID OF THE BOOK OF THE STORY AND IF ME LIKE I THINK YOU LIKE :)
June 13, 2011
I got an advanced reading copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program. It looked like a fun book, a rousing pirate adventure of sorts. It was okay; the pacing of the story is a bit off and the characters a bit inconsistent. I do think younger readers will enjoy the adventure and the pirates.
Kitto Quick is a clubfoot who is learning his father's trade of being a cooper. Kitto doesn't want to be a cooper though he wants to sail the high seas. When part of Kitto's father's sordid past comes back to haunt him; Kitto finds himself swept up into an adventure involving sailors, pirates, and many other dicey characters.
I enjoyed the writing style of this book, it is very readable. I loved how faithful and determined Kitto was to keep his family together and loved that Kitto learns to not let his disability hold him back. The second half of the book was full of action and adventure and kept me engaged as a reader.
I had some problems with the book too. The book starts off slowly; it takes a while for things to get going and I found my attention wandering again and again. Since this is aimed at younger readers this could be a problem. Another problem I had was how the characters, mainly Kitto, drastically changed personality over a short amount of time. Kitto goes from being a self-degrading clubfoot with poor self-esteem, to a boy who decides to take on the captain for what's right in a matter of just a chapter or two. It just seemed abrupt. The same can be said of Kitto's uncle; in the beginning he is portrayed as a somewhat evil menace...then later in the book he is soft-hearted and willing to take an additional child on his ship. It was just inconsistent.
I did not enjoy the ending of the book either. It was way too rushed. After spending the whole book building up to the confrontation between Kitto's Uncle and his nemesis the whole battle and the aftermath are wrapped up in a couple chapters. Eames should have spent less time on setup and more time on the exciting bits of the story. The book is left completely open with a number of things unresolved; I can only guess that there will be a sequel.
Overall it is an okay read. I think middle grade boys will like this book because of the adventure and the pirates; the inconsistencies in characterization problem won't bother that age set as much. The book was poorly paced though and I had trouble getting through the beginning because it was somewhat boring; then the ending was rushed and left wide open. So while I enjoyed the writing style and the adventure and action in the end of the book; I thought the pacing and characterization could have used some improvement. A decent read if you want to read about pirates and adventure; recommended for middle grade to young adult.
Kitto Quick is a clubfoot who is learning his father's trade of being a cooper. Kitto doesn't want to be a cooper though he wants to sail the high seas. When part of Kitto's father's sordid past comes back to haunt him; Kitto finds himself swept up into an adventure involving sailors, pirates, and many other dicey characters.
I enjoyed the writing style of this book, it is very readable. I loved how faithful and determined Kitto was to keep his family together and loved that Kitto learns to not let his disability hold him back. The second half of the book was full of action and adventure and kept me engaged as a reader.
I had some problems with the book too. The book starts off slowly; it takes a while for things to get going and I found my attention wandering again and again. Since this is aimed at younger readers this could be a problem. Another problem I had was how the characters, mainly Kitto, drastically changed personality over a short amount of time. Kitto goes from being a self-degrading clubfoot with poor self-esteem, to a boy who decides to take on the captain for what's right in a matter of just a chapter or two. It just seemed abrupt. The same can be said of Kitto's uncle; in the beginning he is portrayed as a somewhat evil menace...then later in the book he is soft-hearted and willing to take an additional child on his ship. It was just inconsistent.
I did not enjoy the ending of the book either. It was way too rushed. After spending the whole book building up to the confrontation between Kitto's Uncle and his nemesis the whole battle and the aftermath are wrapped up in a couple chapters. Eames should have spent less time on setup and more time on the exciting bits of the story. The book is left completely open with a number of things unresolved; I can only guess that there will be a sequel.
Overall it is an okay read. I think middle grade boys will like this book because of the adventure and the pirates; the inconsistencies in characterization problem won't bother that age set as much. The book was poorly paced though and I had trouble getting through the beginning because it was somewhat boring; then the ending was rushed and left wide open. So while I enjoyed the writing style and the adventure and action in the end of the book; I thought the pacing and characterization could have used some improvement. A decent read if you want to read about pirates and adventure; recommended for middle grade to young adult.
July 11, 2011
Looking for a rip-roaring adventure story for summer fun, reminiscent of classic pirate yarns like Treasure Island (but without the challenging vocabulary)? Make sure to keep an eye out for The Dagger Quick, a page-turning tale from debut author (and long-time teacher) Brian Eames.
Eames spins the story of 12-year old Christopher Quick, known as Kitto, who lives in 17th century Cornwall and is apprenticed to his father to be a cooper, or barrel-maker. Kitto longs for a life of adventure at sea, but with his club foot, thinks he is doomed to a boring life in his village.
However, Kitto’s circumstances change dramatically when his long-lost uncle, the notorious Caribbean pirate captain William Quick, shows up at their home. When Kitto’s father is cruelly murdered, Kitto feels he has no option but to go to sea with his uncle, whom he’s just met. And soon he finds out that his step-mother and little brother have been kidnapped by the evil pirate John Morris, who is following Quick in order to find Quick’s long-hidden booty--not gold in this case, but spices that were just as valuable in the 17th century as precious metals. On top of all this, there’s a traitor on Captain Quick’s crew. We discover who it is, but not Kitto. Eames’ colorful characters are not just black and white; he paints a sympathetic portrait of the “Judas,” since we learn why he desperately needs the bag of silver he collects to betray his comrades. Will the courageous Kitto be able to survive, let alone rescue his family? There’s a cliff-hanger of an ending, and a sequel clearly on the way.
This book would make a terrific read-aloud, although the author doesn’t shirk from a realistic portrayal of the harsh conditions for pirates and sailors in general. Quick’s ship makes a stop in Cape Verde, an island off the coast of Africa, described as a “depot for human cargo, where people are traded for gold.” One of Kitto’s mates has worked in a slave ship, and describes in vivid detail the horrible smells, sounds, and sights of a slaver. The yarn is full of colorful characters, including not a parrot, but a mischievous monkey who lives aboard the ship. My personal favorite is the hideous Captain Morris, with his horribly disfigured face--two scars which creep up from either side of his mouth “form a leering grin,” and he also sports what’s left of a nose--two symmetrical ovals, “like those of a skull,” a nose that “leaks fluid constantly.”
This is a great pick for reluctant readers or anyone looking for a page-turning adventure story. My only beef with the book is the ending, which while it leaves the reader at a logical stopping point, also seems to leave us right in the middle of the story. Back matter includes a brief pirate glossary.
Eames spins the story of 12-year old Christopher Quick, known as Kitto, who lives in 17th century Cornwall and is apprenticed to his father to be a cooper, or barrel-maker. Kitto longs for a life of adventure at sea, but with his club foot, thinks he is doomed to a boring life in his village.
However, Kitto’s circumstances change dramatically when his long-lost uncle, the notorious Caribbean pirate captain William Quick, shows up at their home. When Kitto’s father is cruelly murdered, Kitto feels he has no option but to go to sea with his uncle, whom he’s just met. And soon he finds out that his step-mother and little brother have been kidnapped by the evil pirate John Morris, who is following Quick in order to find Quick’s long-hidden booty--not gold in this case, but spices that were just as valuable in the 17th century as precious metals. On top of all this, there’s a traitor on Captain Quick’s crew. We discover who it is, but not Kitto. Eames’ colorful characters are not just black and white; he paints a sympathetic portrait of the “Judas,” since we learn why he desperately needs the bag of silver he collects to betray his comrades. Will the courageous Kitto be able to survive, let alone rescue his family? There’s a cliff-hanger of an ending, and a sequel clearly on the way.
This book would make a terrific read-aloud, although the author doesn’t shirk from a realistic portrayal of the harsh conditions for pirates and sailors in general. Quick’s ship makes a stop in Cape Verde, an island off the coast of Africa, described as a “depot for human cargo, where people are traded for gold.” One of Kitto’s mates has worked in a slave ship, and describes in vivid detail the horrible smells, sounds, and sights of a slaver. The yarn is full of colorful characters, including not a parrot, but a mischievous monkey who lives aboard the ship. My personal favorite is the hideous Captain Morris, with his horribly disfigured face--two scars which creep up from either side of his mouth “form a leering grin,” and he also sports what’s left of a nose--two symmetrical ovals, “like those of a skull,” a nose that “leaks fluid constantly.”
This is a great pick for reluctant readers or anyone looking for a page-turning adventure story. My only beef with the book is the ending, which while it leaves the reader at a logical stopping point, also seems to leave us right in the middle of the story. Back matter includes a brief pirate glossary.
January 6, 2015
I wasn't as impressed with this book as I wanted to be. The language seemed a little bit stilted and the story quite contrived.
For example, the dialogue would shift to using absolutely NO contractions even where the dialogue would flow better to using many contractions. Through the same characters. And there was even a time where a character said (fairly late in the book), "I ain't never seen Mum scared," which totally contradicts the language that's been used in the book thus far, even by this same character. And then flip through a couple pages, and everyone's using phrases like "Whatever for?" and "I know not." I'm sure Eames was trying to evoke the atmosphere of the time era through the dialogue but it was very inconsistent and didn't lend itself to the story the way I'm sure he wanted it to.
Besides this, most of the story that I wanted to know about most was compressed into "retellings" through the dialogue. Like the hint that Van was actually a traitor (which I wish was planted as a secret to the audience as well; it was annoying to read everyone's reactions to this knowledge when the readers knew he was the rat right off the start) was just told to the audience and to Kitto through William. Everything of action was just TOLD to us.
And then (SPOILERS!!)
Kitto's clubfoot. Why did that foot have to be eaten by the sharks? It seems like a way to just escape it without coming to terms with it. "Oh, now no one will think I'm lame anymore!" I was hoping that by the end of this book Kitto would come to accept himself and accept that not everyone treats him the way they do because of his foot. Getting it snapped off by a shark just makes it seem like cheating the issue.
But anyway, it's not terrible, but it's just not my cup of tea, I guess.
For example, the dialogue would shift to using absolutely NO contractions even where the dialogue would flow better to using many contractions. Through the same characters. And there was even a time where a character said (fairly late in the book), "I ain't never seen Mum scared," which totally contradicts the language that's been used in the book thus far, even by this same character. And then flip through a couple pages, and everyone's using phrases like "Whatever for?" and "I know not." I'm sure Eames was trying to evoke the atmosphere of the time era through the dialogue but it was very inconsistent and didn't lend itself to the story the way I'm sure he wanted it to.
Besides this, most of the story that I wanted to know about most was compressed into "retellings" through the dialogue. Like the hint that Van was actually a traitor (which I wish was planted as a secret to the audience as well; it was annoying to read everyone's reactions to this knowledge when the readers knew he was the rat right off the start) was just told to the audience and to Kitto through William. Everything of action was just TOLD to us.
And then (SPOILERS!!)
Kitto's clubfoot. Why did that foot have to be eaten by the sharks? It seems like a way to just escape it without coming to terms with it. "Oh, now no one will think I'm lame anymore!" I was hoping that by the end of this book Kitto would come to accept himself and accept that not everyone treats him the way they do because of his foot. Getting it snapped off by a shark just makes it seem like cheating the issue.
But anyway, it's not terrible, but it's just not my cup of tea, I guess.
January 5, 2016
A good swashbuckling pirate story, and my only complaint is that it doesn't stand on its own. It's not a big deal since I was planning to read The Dagger X anyway, but that is a pet peeve of mine. It's youth-oriented; I saw this on a shelf at the library and thought my older two boys would like it, but they've shied away. I insisted it must be a hidden gem and determined to read it myself. That will show them!
Fortunately it IS quite good. It takes a bit to figure out what's going on at the beginning, where the author offers a few too many characters in order to start the ominous feeling of danger right away, but it's under control by the end of the first chapter. The writing is very readable, I didn't see a few of the plot twists coming, and I feel like it hits the right balance of intrigue and action. This is the kind of story that shows why authors shouldn't worry about preserving their darling original plot despite logic and human nature. If something is likely to happen you let it happen and ask, "Then what?" Often the result is even more interesting than the author's original idea, and you don't get drawn-out periods where nothing happens because the author can't let his big Aha go until the climax.
The library copy labels this "historical fiction", and while it includes one or two historical characters I think that may be a bit of a stretch. Still, the author does seem to go to great lengths to convey the feel of the era and what life was like then, so you probably learn more about history than your standard fantasy.
Fortunately it IS quite good. It takes a bit to figure out what's going on at the beginning, where the author offers a few too many characters in order to start the ominous feeling of danger right away, but it's under control by the end of the first chapter. The writing is very readable, I didn't see a few of the plot twists coming, and I feel like it hits the right balance of intrigue and action. This is the kind of story that shows why authors shouldn't worry about preserving their darling original plot despite logic and human nature. If something is likely to happen you let it happen and ask, "Then what?" Often the result is even more interesting than the author's original idea, and you don't get drawn-out periods where nothing happens because the author can't let his big Aha go until the climax.
The library copy labels this "historical fiction", and while it includes one or two historical characters I think that may be a bit of a stretch. Still, the author does seem to go to great lengths to convey the feel of the era and what life was like then, so you probably learn more about history than your standard fantasy.
May 29, 2011
I often trade books with my oldest daughter, who is 12. She read this book and loved it. She loved it so much, in fact, that she went on and for days about how the ending had such a great cliffhanger and she really hoped that there will be a second book. So I decided to give it a try, as well.
It is very surprising that Mr. Eames is a first-time novelist. Not all first novels are written this well. The character and plot development are first rate and the ending, which takes up the last 1/3 of the book, is incredibly exciting. Like my daughter, I was left wishing I could instantly reach for sequel and keep reading about Kitto, Duck and Van.
On first look, you might think this pirating adventure novel is a "boy" book, but I can assure you that two female readers in my house enjoyed it very much. I will say that the age recommendation on Amazon of 9-12 year-old readers is pretty good advice. Obviously you can be older than 12 to enjoy this fine book, but I might hold off on letting a younger kid read it. There is death and violence in this book and I think some parts would be even scarier for a younger reader. I am saving my copy for my two youngest girls because I know they will enjoy it, too, in a couple of years.
It is very surprising that Mr. Eames is a first-time novelist. Not all first novels are written this well. The character and plot development are first rate and the ending, which takes up the last 1/3 of the book, is incredibly exciting. Like my daughter, I was left wishing I could instantly reach for sequel and keep reading about Kitto, Duck and Van.
On first look, you might think this pirating adventure novel is a "boy" book, but I can assure you that two female readers in my house enjoyed it very much. I will say that the age recommendation on Amazon of 9-12 year-old readers is pretty good advice. Obviously you can be older than 12 to enjoy this fine book, but I might hold off on letting a younger kid read it. There is death and violence in this book and I think some parts would be even scarier for a younger reader. I am saving my copy for my two youngest girls because I know they will enjoy it, too, in a couple of years.
August 23, 2011
Kitto believes that he will follow his father into the business of making barrels, but secretly wishes he could become a sailor instead. He was born with a club foot and he knows that limits him in the eyes of the world. When he meets his uncle, the infamous pirate William Kidd, Kitto's life is thrown into turmoil. His father is murdered, his brother and stepmom are kidnapped, and Kitto joins forces with his uncle to get revenge on the man behind it all -- the Jamaican Governor.
As advertised, THE DAGGER QUICK is action-packed adventure. Plenty of battles, hand-to-hand combat, thrilling rescues, and treachery abound. It's a quick read, and episodic which would make for a good read-aloud. While Kitto is a well-developed character, I kept wishing that as much attention was paid to some of the other characters as well. Unfortunately, for me, many of the secondary characters were stereotypical and flat. I can see where more will be revealed in further stories about Kitto, so it may just be a "book one" flaw. All will be revealed in time. I give it a C+, a fine adventure story.
As advertised, THE DAGGER QUICK is action-packed adventure. Plenty of battles, hand-to-hand combat, thrilling rescues, and treachery abound. It's a quick read, and episodic which would make for a good read-aloud. While Kitto is a well-developed character, I kept wishing that as much attention was paid to some of the other characters as well. Unfortunately, for me, many of the secondary characters were stereotypical and flat. I can see where more will be revealed in further stories about Kitto, so it may just be a "book one" flaw. All will be revealed in time. I give it a C+, a fine adventure story.
February 4, 2012
Kitto Wheale lives in Falmouth in 1689, with his father, stepmother and younger brother, and is suddenly wrenched out of his ordinary life when he finds out that his uncle is a notorious pirate and he and his father are about to join the pirate Will Quick on a voyage to recover a treasure stolen from Henry Morgan…if Morgan’s men don’t get them first.
This adventure story is well researched and fast moving, although the heavy handed foreshadowing is jarring. Awkward and ungrammatical sentences abound, and the point of view changes unpredictably. Still, 5th-7th graders who like pirates will rip right through it…until the end, which does not even have the sort of closure that most ‘first in a series’ books usually give to readers…the action ends abruptly, leaving several but not all of the protagonists stranded on the island with the treasure. If there is no sequel planned, this is unforgiveable; even with one possibly in the offing, it’s annoying.
This adventure story is well researched and fast moving, although the heavy handed foreshadowing is jarring. Awkward and ungrammatical sentences abound, and the point of view changes unpredictably. Still, 5th-7th graders who like pirates will rip right through it…until the end, which does not even have the sort of closure that most ‘first in a series’ books usually give to readers…the action ends abruptly, leaving several but not all of the protagonists stranded on the island with the treasure. If there is no sequel planned, this is unforgiveable; even with one possibly in the offing, it’s annoying.
June 10, 2011
I found it not good because it had nothing to do with the dagger on the cover and he was a Quick, but not a Dagger Quick. At the very beginning he SHOT somebody! Through the eye, and I found that extremely violent. Not my kind of book. And the monkey as well on his shoulder had nothing to do
with it except that it was Van's monkey. Van is sort-of annoying, as well. He's like "oh, I want to work for Captain Evil Dude" and "Oh my gosh, how could I ever think something like that?" So he's friends with the main character but he's evilish because he sells them out for a bag of silver. I didn't like that he got his leg bit off by a giant shark, even if it was his club foot. It's set up for a sequel; it would have been better as a single book.
with it except that it was Van's monkey. Van is sort-of annoying, as well. He's like "oh, I want to work for Captain Evil Dude" and "Oh my gosh, how could I ever think something like that?" So he's friends with the main character but he's evilish because he sells them out for a bag of silver. I didn't like that he got his leg bit off by a giant shark, even if it was his club foot. It's set up for a sequel; it would have been better as a single book.
October 4, 2011
This book was good. My favorite part was when Kitto was rescuing his brother from the slavery ship. That part was exciting and my heart was pounding all through it. I was thinking Would Kitto make it or become a slave just like Duck? This book was full of excitment, bad, good, evil, and some old fasioness too (17th century). Many times I was scared for Kitto and what danger he put himself in. I was so sad when Kitto had to go through the fact that his father was dead and when he was left all alone out in the world but in the end, all the family members were reunited (except for father who died). Overall, this book was awsome.
February 27, 2012
This book received great reviews by Kirkus, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books and School Library Journal. For this reason as well as the description I decided to read it. I was looking forward to reading a great kids book that I could recommend. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to the hype and I was disappointed.
I found the story to be slow and not all the riveting, the characters were not interesting or engaging and the action I was looking for seemed lacking.
Due to all of this I was only able to get through 1/2 the book before giving up and returning it to the library.
I found the story to be slow and not all the riveting, the characters were not interesting or engaging and the action I was looking for seemed lacking.
Due to all of this I was only able to get through 1/2 the book before giving up and returning it to the library.
December 7, 2011
This is a well-written story of a Kitto, who joins a pirate ship after his father is murdered. The story does a fantastic job of giving everyone on the ship a bit of perspective. Kitto's disability is mentioned, but it never drives the action and is merely a reminder of the life Kitto left. The biggest problem with this is that it just ends. No resolution. If this was supposed to be part one of a larger story, it would have been nice for the story to somewhat conclude. Instead we're left with characters in limbo.
June 7, 2011
Awesome! A solid pirate tale that reads as if it were an alternate telling of treasure island. Kitto is cripple who sees no joy in life except to follow in his fathers foot steps and become a barrel maker when a stranger comes through the door of their work shop. That stranger looks a lot like his father and spins a strange story of captain Morgan and hidden treasure......
Exciting fromthe first page 4.5 stars
Exciting fromthe first page 4.5 stars
September 25, 2013
The book's cover and every written word inside it create the world of seventeenth century England. An exciting world of pirates and privateers, of families that are disjointed and those willing to give their lives for each other. Christopher Quick, known as Kitto, wants to become a part of the world of ships and sailing, not the world his father wants for him... that of a cooper. And so it happens. Not as Kitto would have wished, but he does go to sea. At age 12, his life is changed forever.
January 5, 2014
I'm taking a wild guess that this is intended for those who's tastes are faster paced. The dialects were a bit sketchy, but who's to know, being so engulfed by the story. It may not have been a reasonable plot nor the most easiest to understand, but it is as good as any pirate related form of entertainment. I'm a bit disappointed that the goals of each character is a bit in the fog, and the cliffhanger in the end more so!
July 2, 2013
I picked up this book on a whim at the library and read it in one day. It is a fast pace adventure story. Being a tale about pirates there is death and blood but it is not the main focus nor is it overly described. Some characters are noble and others are just like everyone else struggling with their own personal demons. The sequel will be out 10/13.
Read
February 9, 2016Christopher Wheale - Kitto finds out that his father had changed his last name from Quick because of shady business dealings. In 17th century England life falls apart when his father is murdered. Kitto ends up on the high sea looking for treasure for his uncle William Quick who is a Jamaican pirate. Kitto has a club foot.
November 15, 2011
Everything was kind of off...nothing felt real, nothing was exciting, and what's more, I'm pretty sure that about 100% of the dialogue was historically inaccurate in terms of grammar. Exceedingly annoying. Yuck.
October 12, 2017
Great historical fiction for upper elementary kids. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters grow up along with their readers, and I'll be fascinated to see how the writing style grows with them, too.
July 12, 2011
This book wants to be an action book for boys, about pirates. That's awesome.
Unfortunately, it's slow, turgid, gory and full of anachronisms. Eh. Maybe the sequels will be better.
Unfortunately, it's slow, turgid, gory and full of anachronisms. Eh. Maybe the sequels will be better.
Want to read
August 31, 2011ABA New Voices pick for MG 2011
November 16, 2011
Action and adventure that's reminiscent of Treasure Island or Robinson Crusoe. Looking forward to more from Brian Eames!
March 20, 2012
A fun pirate story, but a bit of a tough read for the under-12 crowd.
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