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Casca #15
The Pirate
Jolted from a Caribbean paradise, Casca joins ranks with the infamous Blackbeard. His objective: rescue the beautiful, mysterious Michelle LeBeau from a man who wants to use her to build a Pirate Empire. Leading a pack of marooned cutthroats and aided by the tough-talking, hard-loving Katie Parnell, Casca just may have a chance. But first the Eternal Mercenary must survive the sadistic tortures of the mutinous pirate crew.
148 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2014
52 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Barry Sadler
108 books79 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
American author, musician and former green beret.
To the general public he is most known for the hit single "Ballad of the green berets"
After his musical career he decided to write a series of novels centered around the character "Casca Rufio Longinius" Who is cursed for piercing Jesus on the crucifix with a spear and is forced to forever remain a soldier until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
In the mid 1980s Sadler moved to Guatemala City where he was shot in the head one night in a taxi. He spent 7 months in a coma and died more than a year later.
American author, musician and former green beret.
To the general public he is most known for the hit single "Ballad of the green berets"
After his musical career he decided to write a series of novels centered around the character "Casca Rufio Longinius" Who is cursed for piercing Jesus on the crucifix with a spear and is forced to forever remain a soldier until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
In the mid 1980s Sadler moved to Guatemala City where he was shot in the head one night in a taxi. He spent 7 months in a coma and died more than a year later.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 19, 2023
Pirates in the golden age of piracy were as much businessmen as raiders and sold their loot to corrupt officials and merchants. Casca is given an assignment by a Jamaican planter to rescue his niece and put an end to a pirate seeking to create a criminal empire. The author gives us a great adventure story with a twist and Casca kicks a lot of ass. Unlike real life, the twisted antagonists get to die in a satisfying manner, and the reader can laud Casca for that. The story writing is reminiscent of the old men's adventure pulps like Saga where the same tropes of righteous retribution and the saving of women from sexual sadists were common. I wonder if Barry Sadler read any of those magazines for inspiration?
April 30, 2023
"Casca 15: The Pirate" is an action-packed novel written by Barry Sadler. The book revolves around the character of Casca, a cursed soldier doomed to wander the earth forever. In this 15th installment of the series, Casca finds himself in the company of pirates and must navigate the treacherous waters of the Caribbean to rescue a damsel in distress.
The story begins with Casca stranded on a small island in the Caribbean after being shipwrecked. He is soon rescued by a group of pirates led by the notorious Bluebeard. Initially hesitant, Casca soon realizes that the pirates offer him an opportunity to satiate his thirst for adventure and a chance to redeem himself from his past mistakes.
As the story progresses, Casca's leadership skills are put to the test as he is tasked with leading a group of pirates in a rescue mission. Michelle LeBeau, the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, has been kidnapped by a ruthless pirate, and it's up to Casca and his team to rescue her.
What follows is a thrilling adventure that takes the reader on a journey through the dangerous waters of the Caribbean. The action scenes are well-written and keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The author does an excellent job of describing the pirate culture and the harsh realities of life on the high seas.
The character of Casca is well-developed, and the reader gets a glimpse into his psyche as he struggles to come to terms with his curse and the eternal life that comes with it. The supporting cast of characters is equally well-written, and the interactions between them are engaging.
One of the strengths of the book is the pacing. The story moves along at a brisk pace, and the action scenes are interspersed with moments of introspection, which helps to build the tension and keep the reader engaged.
The book also explores themes of redemption, loyalty, and honor. Casca is a flawed character, but his sense of duty and loyalty to his comrades make him a likable protagonist. The pirates, despite their lawless ways, have a strict code of honor that they abide by, which adds depth to their characters and makes them more than one-dimensional caricatures.
However, the book does have some flaws. The plot is predictable, and there are no real surprises or twists in the story. The character of Michelle LeBeau is underdeveloped, and her role in the story is reduced to that of a damsel in distress. The book also has some dated views on gender roles, which may not sit well with some readers.
In conclusion, "Casca 15: The Pirate" is a fun and exciting read that is perfect for fans of action and adventure. The well-written characters, fast-paced plot, and vivid descriptions of pirate life make for an enjoyable reading experience. However, the predictable plot and dated views on gender may turn some readers off. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling adventure on the high seas.
The story begins with Casca stranded on a small island in the Caribbean after being shipwrecked. He is soon rescued by a group of pirates led by the notorious Bluebeard. Initially hesitant, Casca soon realizes that the pirates offer him an opportunity to satiate his thirst for adventure and a chance to redeem himself from his past mistakes.
As the story progresses, Casca's leadership skills are put to the test as he is tasked with leading a group of pirates in a rescue mission. Michelle LeBeau, the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, has been kidnapped by a ruthless pirate, and it's up to Casca and his team to rescue her.
What follows is a thrilling adventure that takes the reader on a journey through the dangerous waters of the Caribbean. The action scenes are well-written and keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The author does an excellent job of describing the pirate culture and the harsh realities of life on the high seas.
The character of Casca is well-developed, and the reader gets a glimpse into his psyche as he struggles to come to terms with his curse and the eternal life that comes with it. The supporting cast of characters is equally well-written, and the interactions between them are engaging.
One of the strengths of the book is the pacing. The story moves along at a brisk pace, and the action scenes are interspersed with moments of introspection, which helps to build the tension and keep the reader engaged.
The book also explores themes of redemption, loyalty, and honor. Casca is a flawed character, but his sense of duty and loyalty to his comrades make him a likable protagonist. The pirates, despite their lawless ways, have a strict code of honor that they abide by, which adds depth to their characters and makes them more than one-dimensional caricatures.
However, the book does have some flaws. The plot is predictable, and there are no real surprises or twists in the story. The character of Michelle LeBeau is underdeveloped, and her role in the story is reduced to that of a damsel in distress. The book also has some dated views on gender roles, which may not sit well with some readers.
In conclusion, "Casca 15: The Pirate" is a fun and exciting read that is perfect for fans of action and adventure. The well-written characters, fast-paced plot, and vivid descriptions of pirate life make for an enjoyable reading experience. However, the predictable plot and dated views on gender may turn some readers off. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling adventure on the high seas.
February 1, 2019
Just when you think you’ve seen the worst and there is clear sailing ahead, you get hit with Casca: The Pirate. While there were only a few typos in this book, it seemed a bit rushed and didn’t flow anywhere near as well as other entries in the series. Again, I have to say that Sadler’s descriptions of scenery were improved, but there is a lot of things happening at exactly the right time, which breaks the trust that the reader has to place in the author when telling a good story.
It was interesting, and seemed to come from nowhere, that within a few hours of meeting him, Casca thought of Julio as like a son, And similarly with Katie Parnell, he has barely met her and it was a pleasure for him to go into battle with her.
This book was only 167 pages, which I’m pretty sure is one of (if not the) shortest books in the series. If I didn’t know better, Sadler was working against a deadline and had to turn something in. This is by far the worst book in the series to date. As another rated observed, Casca was on a bit of a testicle fetish as he grabbed, cut or sliced a few during this book.
While I liked the setting and battle scenes, as merger as they were, the plot seemed very weak to me and things just happened because he author needed them to. Need a ship? A ghost ship turns up. Need a crew? A rescued slave can bring aboard a crew trained to sail over night.
Was it worth the time spent reading? I’m not sure. But because the book was so short and simple, the time spent reading wasn’t very long at all. Another book in the series down, a few more to go.
It was interesting, and seemed to come from nowhere, that within a few hours of meeting him, Casca thought of Julio as like a son, And similarly with Katie Parnell, he has barely met her and it was a pleasure for him to go into battle with her.
This book was only 167 pages, which I’m pretty sure is one of (if not the) shortest books in the series. If I didn’t know better, Sadler was working against a deadline and had to turn something in. This is by far the worst book in the series to date. As another rated observed, Casca was on a bit of a testicle fetish as he grabbed, cut or sliced a few during this book.
While I liked the setting and battle scenes, as merger as they were, the plot seemed very weak to me and things just happened because he author needed them to. Need a ship? A ghost ship turns up. Need a crew? A rescued slave can bring aboard a crew trained to sail over night.
Was it worth the time spent reading? I’m not sure. But because the book was so short and simple, the time spent reading wasn’t very long at all. Another book in the series down, a few more to go.
August 27, 2018
Casca the Pirate was a decent enough read but very short, even more so than the usual Casca books. I preferred this to a few of his more recent outings as it was based on historical fact not complete fantasy and so learnt a bit about sailing, history and geography.
The action was pretty good as was the plot although Casca does seem to be one very unlucky bloke as he always ends up in pretty bad scrapes. You would have thought after being alive for 1600 years he would have learnt to be a better judge of character and to be lest trusting but if he was the books might be less interesting.
The action was pretty good as was the plot although Casca does seem to be one very unlucky bloke as he always ends up in pretty bad scrapes. You would have thought after being alive for 1600 years he would have learnt to be a better judge of character and to be lest trusting but if he was the books might be less interesting.
November 8, 2021
Even 13 year old boys will see the comic book characterization of women for the trite that it is in this book, and the portrayal of the simple nature of the black slaves all in search for a wise superior leadership in the guise of a cursed to be immortal Roman, and, oh yeah, the sadist who loves to rape women just because they love to inflict pain.
I'll be danged, Scribd no longer has this series available (11/2021) and Amazon unlimited no longer make them available for free. I'll listen to the next one through Hoopla.
I'll be danged, Scribd no longer has this series available (11/2021) and Amazon unlimited no longer make them available for free. I'll listen to the next one through Hoopla.
November 25, 2018
Interesting premise. Want to explore this series further.
April 16, 2020
Not Sadler's best work. A short story covering Casca in the Caribbean during the reign of Blackbeard.
January 10, 2022
Fun book for what it is. Has not aged well - some parts of this book - perspectives on race and sexuality - are very, very cringeworthy.
December 1, 2017
This was among the shorter novels and it was action packed, but was still lacking in action.
The story was getting good about halfway through. Casca finally was settling in as a pirate, and then the story rushed to its ending far more quickly than I expected.
The story was getting good about halfway through. Casca finally was settling in as a pirate, and then the story rushed to its ending far more quickly than I expected.
May 21, 2015
Still Slogging
This is the fifteenth one of these this that I've borrowed through the Kindle Owners Lending Library, and this book introduced something not present in the previous fourteen: obsession with male genitalia. Every fight scene in this book features someone's family jewels getting manhandled. They are shot, stabbed, kneed, cut, crushed by hand, and generally just abused.
After having read it, I may need to go back and update my ratings on the previous books for the better, because this is by far the weakest book in the series so far - and that's a crazy-low bar to miss.
This is the fifteenth one of these this that I've borrowed through the Kindle Owners Lending Library, and this book introduced something not present in the previous fourteen: obsession with male genitalia. Every fight scene in this book features someone's family jewels getting manhandled. They are shot, stabbed, kneed, cut, crushed by hand, and generally just abused.
After having read it, I may need to go back and update my ratings on the previous books for the better, because this is by far the weakest book in the series so far - and that's a crazy-low bar to miss.
April 29, 2015
So you just a soldier doing your job. You shove a spear tip into the side of this supposed messiah, except he is the real thing. He curses you to wander the earth till his return. Not bad right, immortality and all. Oh but he also curses you to be a soldier forever at war, never to know peace. This is the story of Casca the Roman legionnaire that stabbed Christ. Forever wandering the earth fighting one war after another. Great adventure series. Very recommended
July 13, 2013
I really wish he would go a little more in chronological order. He skips around so much it is hard to remember if things had already happened or not. Also, this book seemed more like he had to meet a deadline then having put as much thought into it like his others in this series.
December 24, 2008
Maybe this one should get 3 and a half stars. Pretty enjoyable.
May 23, 2012
Love all the books about Casca
November 25, 2016
I didn't much care for this one. Even for this series, the NPC characterization was weak, lazy, and boilerplate. It felt slapdash, like contract filler or something.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews