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Raised by Wolves #3
Treasure
Gay buccaneer historical adventure/romance. The third novel in a series chronicling the adventures of Will, a disenchanted English Lord, and his beloved matelot/partner, Gaston, an exiled Frenchman, set among the buccaneers of Port Royal, Jamaica, in the 1660s. In this volume, the men ponder the true definition of sanity and the necessity of compromise in the name of love while contending with the arrival of Gaston's father, their potential inheritances, the political machinations of Will's father, Henry Morgan's ambition, a bounty upon their heads, unwanted brides, and an unexpected child.
563 pages, Paperback
First published May 9, 2008
12 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
W.A. Hoffman
8 books104 followersW. A. Hoffman, aka Wynette A. Hoffman, is a middle-aged white woman of English/Welsh/Irish descent (with a little German and Spanish to add flavor). Born in March, 1964. Married for 16 years. A geek: comic book collector, movie fanatic, anime watcher, gamer, MMORPG player (multi-box World of Warcraft.) Lives in a big suburban tri-level in Aurora, Colorado, with two German Shepherd Dogs, two Siamese cats, and a pod of gerbils. She don't have any children. She drives a station wagon. She's allergic to soy and alcohol. She used to be an IT manager; before that she was an administrative assistant. Now she just writes. (That doesn't mean you can make a living at this: it just means she married well.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 14, 2024
Con la llegada del padre de Gaston a Jamaica, Will y él deben comenzar a hacer las paces con el pasado, sobre todo Gaston que debe conocer y perdonar a su padre mientras intenta controlar su "locura". Mientras Will debe tratar con su "endemoniada esposa", que esta a punto de dar a luz y sobre la cual corren muchísimos rumores de infidelidad.
Poco a poco, Will y Gaston comienzan a descubrir la verdadera red en la que el padre de Will los quiere envolver, incluyendo la "recompensa" por la muerte de Gaston y Striker. Ahora entre todos deben armar un plan que les permita detener al padre y primo de Will de destruir todo lo que han creado en sus vidas en la isla.
Hasta ahora, ha sido el libro mas flojo de la serie. Nos encontramos con enemigos y amigos en personas que no esperábamos Pero también, descubrimos lo que parece ser el plan maestro del "padre" de Will para controlarlo a él y a su hermana.
Vimos un bonito re-encuentro con Gaston y su padre, y la esperada boda de uno de ellos con Agnes. Comenzamos a ver como se va desenrollando la trama para lograr un final feliz, aunque todavía no sepamos cual va a ser.
Ahora vamos al último libro, el capítulo final de esta saga. Quiero ver como van los "malos" a intentar derrotar a los "buenos", y como van a quedar las parejas en este caso. Como el autor no le teme a matar/herir o humillar a los personajes, o hacerlos cambiar de bando, no tengo manera de saber por donde va a ir la trama al final, y eso me gusta.
Poco a poco, Will y Gaston comienzan a descubrir la verdadera red en la que el padre de Will los quiere envolver, incluyendo la "recompensa" por la muerte de Gaston y Striker. Ahora entre todos deben armar un plan que les permita detener al padre y primo de Will de destruir todo lo que han creado en sus vidas en la isla.
Hasta ahora, ha sido el libro mas flojo de la serie. Nos encontramos con enemigos y amigos en personas que no esperábamos Pero también, descubrimos lo que parece ser el plan maestro del "padre" de Will para controlarlo a él y a su hermana.
Vimos un bonito re-encuentro con Gaston y su padre, y la esperada boda de uno de ellos con Agnes. Comenzamos a ver como se va desenrollando la trama para lograr un final feliz, aunque todavía no sepamos cual va a ser.
Ahora vamos al último libro, el capítulo final de esta saga. Quiero ver como van los "malos" a intentar derrotar a los "buenos", y como van a quedar las parejas en este caso. Como el autor no le teme a matar/herir o humillar a los personajes, o hacerlos cambiar de bando, no tengo manera de saber por donde va a ir la trama al final, y eso me gusta.
August 30, 2020
Well… to be honest, this was a bit of a clusterfuck, but that’s only to be expected with so many women added to the mix. 🙄 Still loved it, though! The Marquis really surprised me (in a good way), and Will and Gaston’s relationship gives me life. ❤️
“I have the most precious treasure in the world, the thing that all men wish for but do not understand, the secret to all that is holy and good; and I am hoarding it from my Brethren. I will share it with no one except those I love most.”
“The light of truth and sanity beyond the cave?” I asked; pleased to see him so happy despite all that had occurred. It was truly a balm to my anger and frustration.
“Non.” He turned back to me, his eyes full of love and challenge. “You.”
“I have the most precious treasure in the world, the thing that all men wish for but do not understand, the secret to all that is holy and good; and I am hoarding it from my Brethren. I will share it with no one except those I love most.”
“The light of truth and sanity beyond the cave?” I asked; pleased to see him so happy despite all that had occurred. It was truly a balm to my anger and frustration.
“Non.” He turned back to me, his eyes full of love and challenge. “You.”
May 26, 2016
Holy shit! I have been put through the wringer with all this drama and action. I do agree with other reviews that they overthought their analogies on life in this one. On to the last in the series.
October 6, 2013
Part Three in the Raised By Wolves extended novel. 3.5 stars
This book was my least favorite in the series. The interactions between Will and Gaston sometimes felt a bit like... too much. Too much discussion and searching for ever-extended metaphors, too many swings from love to madness and back, too many choices made for murky reasons that complicated an already sticky situation.
As part of the series, the events in this book will clearly drive the conclusion. This one is about family and society, about losing that harbor of two-men-together-and-okay. This could have been the most fascinating part. Until now, the men have lived in an isolated world where they were allowed the freedom of their relationship. But there was no doubt that, unless they sank into obscurity among the rest of the Brethren, this would change. I just found the directions of that change to be sometimes irritating.
This book is full of women, most of whom are unfortunately not wholly sympathetic characters. Although in turn, one has to have great sympathy for the fact that all the men, including Gaston and Will, see the women as more tools or burdens than people in their own right. This is probably true to the era, but it grates a bit. I'd have liked at least one woman with wisdom and maturity who would engender their full respect. They damned well need a good mother, but don't find one. A wife capable of standing up to them would be a good alternative, but they don't get that either. All the women here are broken or limited in their own ways.
Gaston urgently wants children, but I wasn't hugely sympathetic about that. Someone who is known for hurting his lover in his madness, and for having to run off for extended periods in the wilderness to recover himself, is being selfish to create children, or to ask his lover to do so for him. I can see that both men want to redeem their unloved childhoods by loving their own children, but kids also need security, consistency, and stability, to thrive. The way both men doted on each other, to the point of excusing and catering to selfishness, made me sympathize a bit less. There are more than enough forces ranged against them and their relationship, and I was disappointed that their acumen wasn't strong enough to see that complicating things to this incredible degree was unwise. I decided to attribute some of it to the strength of their needs to please the distant fathers they felt they had always failed, even through Will's hatred of his.
There is an increasingly D/s and mild BDSM aspect to their sexual relationship. This was actually well done, and apt to the complex pasts of both men, but it may bother some readers. There are also M/F and M/M/F scenes, again fitting to the plot, but disconcerting to some after the intense M/M monogamy of the early relationship. Some parts of those worked for me, given the times and the social pressures.
The end of the book picked up, as more familiar characters returned to add to the action. And as I moved into the fourth book, I'm enjoying the series more again.
This book was my least favorite in the series. The interactions between Will and Gaston sometimes felt a bit like... too much. Too much discussion and searching for ever-extended metaphors, too many swings from love to madness and back, too many choices made for murky reasons that complicated an already sticky situation.
As part of the series, the events in this book will clearly drive the conclusion. This one is about family and society, about losing that harbor of two-men-together-and-okay. This could have been the most fascinating part. Until now, the men have lived in an isolated world where they were allowed the freedom of their relationship. But there was no doubt that, unless they sank into obscurity among the rest of the Brethren, this would change. I just found the directions of that change to be sometimes irritating.
This book is full of women, most of whom are unfortunately not wholly sympathetic characters. Although in turn, one has to have great sympathy for the fact that all the men, including Gaston and Will, see the women as more tools or burdens than people in their own right. This is probably true to the era, but it grates a bit. I'd have liked at least one woman with wisdom and maturity who would engender their full respect. They damned well need a good mother, but don't find one. A wife capable of standing up to them would be a good alternative, but they don't get that either. All the women here are broken or limited in their own ways.
Gaston urgently wants children, but I wasn't hugely sympathetic about that. Someone who is known for hurting his lover in his madness, and for having to run off for extended periods in the wilderness to recover himself, is being selfish to create children, or to ask his lover to do so for him. I can see that both men want to redeem their unloved childhoods by loving their own children, but kids also need security, consistency, and stability, to thrive. The way both men doted on each other, to the point of excusing and catering to selfishness, made me sympathize a bit less. There are more than enough forces ranged against them and their relationship, and I was disappointed that their acumen wasn't strong enough to see that complicating things to this incredible degree was unwise. I decided to attribute some of it to the strength of their needs to please the distant fathers they felt they had always failed, even through Will's hatred of his.
There is an increasingly D/s and mild BDSM aspect to their sexual relationship. This was actually well done, and apt to the complex pasts of both men, but it may bother some readers. There are also M/F and M/M/F scenes, again fitting to the plot, but disconcerting to some after the intense M/M monogamy of the early relationship. Some parts of those worked for me, given the times and the social pressures.
The end of the book picked up, as more familiar characters returned to add to the action. And as I moved into the fourth book, I'm enjoying the series more again.
June 4, 2016
Okay, so, this is another looong book (568 pages) as are all the books of this series. The first 66% or so takes place in 1668/9 Port Royal on Jamaica and concerns wives, babies, puppies and fathers. The concluding third occurs at sea whilst raiding Spanish territory. Will and Gaston are, as always, a compelling couple although the numerous horse analogies do grow a little old in this one. I am having a short break prior to the concluding volume.
Though I had spoken with calm conviction, my Horse was beginning to run with terror down a bramble-lined path into a darkness more encompassing than that in which we stood. What if he did find he (Gaston) favored them (women), such that ever after, being with me was a chore, and he stayed with me anyway, as I knew he would?'
Though I had spoken with calm conviction, my Horse was beginning to run with terror down a bramble-lined path into a darkness more encompassing than that in which we stood. What if he did find he (Gaston) favored them (women), such that ever after, being with me was a chore, and he stayed with me anyway, as I knew he would?'
June 17, 2013
So as not to cause confusion, I should clarify that I'm rating all these books based on the whole series. This is a series where I really feel like I can't individually rate books because they're far too intertwined. It really is like it's one huge book that was cut into four volumes because it was too large for one.
If I were to individually rate, I probably would have rated this one the lowest of the 4 because it was my least favorite. However, I still liked it quite a bit, and I couldn't even tell you what it is specifically about it that made me love it a bit less.
Considering I finished the book at about 3 am one night and immediately went into the 4th, I can't even tell you what happened in the book. So, to know what I thought of the whole series + the last book, see my review for Wolves, #4.
[ETA] I should clarify something else-- I saw the author had noted this on another site:
Treasure is the beginning of the “how do we make this work” phase. It deals with areas not related to falling in love or having sex, and the romance genre readers deserted the series at that point.
That got me thinking further about why I liked Treasure the least (but still really liked it) and determined that the reason above was NOT the part I liked less about the third book. I think perhaps it was that there was a little less action in this one and that it was sort of setting up a lot of things that continue to be explored further later, plus it was focusing on some things that I think were very important for the story/characters but were less of my favorite things to read. So this felt most like the in-between book of any of them. Because of that, I think I would have rated it lower only because it's the book that really pulls together the context of a lot of things in the context of the whole series, but on its own it does not have as much forward momentum as some of the others.
Anyway, I'm mentioning this because I wanted to say that if anyone is reading the series they should keep going even if they feel like stopping at the third. I really felt like the whole series makes a lot of sense altogether.
If I were to individually rate, I probably would have rated this one the lowest of the 4 because it was my least favorite. However, I still liked it quite a bit, and I couldn't even tell you what it is specifically about it that made me love it a bit less.
Considering I finished the book at about 3 am one night and immediately went into the 4th, I can't even tell you what happened in the book. So, to know what I thought of the whole series + the last book, see my review for Wolves, #4.
[ETA] I should clarify something else-- I saw the author had noted this on another site:
Treasure is the beginning of the “how do we make this work” phase. It deals with areas not related to falling in love or having sex, and the romance genre readers deserted the series at that point.
That got me thinking further about why I liked Treasure the least (but still really liked it) and determined that the reason above was NOT the part I liked less about the third book. I think perhaps it was that there was a little less action in this one and that it was sort of setting up a lot of things that continue to be explored further later, plus it was focusing on some things that I think were very important for the story/characters but were less of my favorite things to read. So this felt most like the in-between book of any of them. Because of that, I think I would have rated it lower only because it's the book that really pulls together the context of a lot of things in the context of the whole series, but on its own it does not have as much forward momentum as some of the others.
Anyway, I'm mentioning this because I wanted to say that if anyone is reading the series they should keep going even if they feel like stopping at the third. I really felt like the whole series makes a lot of sense altogether.
April 20, 2017
This is the third big book in the series and I'm now totally and utterly hooked on these guys....all dozen or so of them! This series is totally epic, the TV is officially switched off and I'm reading every spare minute I get.
Will and Gaston are still thoroughly in love and the wonderful thing about these two, which is fantastic and so unlike a lot of m/m, is that they are 100% loyal to each other, there have been no roving eyes, no flings or sneaky one night stands, nothing! How refreshing. Lets hope it stays that way for the final book.
Will and Gaston are still thoroughly in love and the wonderful thing about these two, which is fantastic and so unlike a lot of m/m, is that they are 100% loyal to each other, there have been no roving eyes, no flings or sneaky one night stands, nothing! How refreshing. Lets hope it stays that way for the final book.
March 25, 2010
It was well written as usual, and there were still some very few enjoyable moments but overall, the plot was very dramatic such that I was wondering what soap opera I was reading exactly.
They are bucaneers no more. There's no real action besides the boring political intrigues of noble men who have nothing else to do, and only platitude with fucking women and having babies. Gaston is not gay. Will is gay. Gaston wants to fuck women very much (and does). That's the end of that for me. I also found Gaston's intense obession with babies, more than a little perturbing.
There was some threesome involving Gaston fucking Agnes and Will helping and it was just very offensive, more than I thought it would be. Gaston also raped Christine during a bout of madness. This is all not something I look forward to in a book with an established male, supposedly loving, couple. It was quite vexing.
Frankly I'm down right appalled how such a great series sank so fast and so far from book 1 to book 3 for me. I fear my mentality is quite retarded in that I cannot condone someone loving a person yet sleeping with others and not seeing the hurt they are causing. In this book, I found myself not believing Gaston for one moment everytime he told Will he loved him.
It seemed impossible in previous books to make me hate it, yet they managed it. It was an utter waste of something that had the making of being a masterpiece series in my opinion. I fear I dismissed the happenings of Striker-Pete-Sarah from Book 2 too lightly as I was sure it would not be ever be repeated in any kind and most especially not with the main characters. It was the last book of this series I ever want to suffer to read. Making me hate every characters, is not what I would say constitute a great book. It makes me sad that I'm reduced to hating characters I was amazed at in the beginning.
And hate them now, I really do.
They are bucaneers no more. There's no real action besides the boring political intrigues of noble men who have nothing else to do, and only platitude with fucking women and having babies. Gaston is not gay. Will is gay. Gaston wants to fuck women very much (and does). That's the end of that for me. I also found Gaston's intense obession with babies, more than a little perturbing.
There was some threesome involving Gaston fucking Agnes and Will helping and it was just very offensive, more than I thought it would be. Gaston also raped Christine during a bout of madness. This is all not something I look forward to in a book with an established male, supposedly loving, couple. It was quite vexing.
Frankly I'm down right appalled how such a great series sank so fast and so far from book 1 to book 3 for me. I fear my mentality is quite retarded in that I cannot condone someone loving a person yet sleeping with others and not seeing the hurt they are causing. In this book, I found myself not believing Gaston for one moment everytime he told Will he loved him.
It seemed impossible in previous books to make me hate it, yet they managed it. It was an utter waste of something that had the making of being a masterpiece series in my opinion. I fear I dismissed the happenings of Striker-Pete-Sarah from Book 2 too lightly as I was sure it would not be ever be repeated in any kind and most especially not with the main characters. It was the last book of this series I ever want to suffer to read. Making me hate every characters, is not what I would say constitute a great book. It makes me sad that I'm reduced to hating characters I was amazed at in the beginning.
And hate them now, I really do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2022
I’m growing more & more attached to these characters and find the writing very intriguing. We really get into the heads of the two main protagonists. I’ve started book four (life has been happening & I’m behind on my updates). I can’t wait to see how things turn out.
March 29, 2022
starting to really worry what i will do with my life once i finish this series
August 22, 2020
They did get a bit too into their philosophical metaphors in this one, but I'm pretty used to that by now!
Some interesting stuff happened in this one! Some sad stuff. :\ Some stuff I didn't love (because I love these dudes and don't want bad things to befall them!!). Some stuff I didn't anticipate, plus some stuff we've known was going to happen since the beginning.
And now we're into the home stretch! Two big things to wrap up...maybe three? Hmm maybe four. At least! Haha. I really have no idea how it's all going to end up in the end... it seems like some anticipated path is closed off every time they turn around. I just hope all of my favorites make it to the end intact—or mostly intact :\ And that they get their damn happy ending! Or as happy as it can be with their cart full of women and babes. ;)
(Word count ~262,000.)
Some interesting stuff happened in this one! Some sad stuff. :\ Some stuff I didn't love (because I love these dudes and don't want bad things to befall them!!). Some stuff I didn't anticipate, plus some stuff we've known was going to happen since the beginning.
And now we're into the home stretch! Two big things to wrap up...maybe three? Hmm maybe four. At least! Haha. I really have no idea how it's all going to end up in the end... it seems like some anticipated path is closed off every time they turn around. I just hope all of my favorites make it to the end intact—or mostly intact :\ And that they get their damn happy ending! Or as happy as it can be with their cart full of women and babes. ;)
(Word count ~262,000.)
November 9, 2015
This book infuriated me. If I hadn't read and immensely enjoyed the first two I probably would have given it a lower rating. I would certainly never have read anything else this author wrote if this was the first book I picked up. Apart from lacking in piratage, being slow and rather dull as it is wrapped up in boring political shenanigans, the whole book was ruined for me by the plot device of Christine. This author has researched, but doesn't have a strong understanding of social history. In previous books I glossed over minor inaccuracies because they didn't really affect the plot. But here, the author demonstrates a disregard for historical social mores that is astounding, offensive, even, to those of us who love history. What I find most annoying is the author could have found a way to have these conflicts in a historically accurate way.
The Christine subplot is not the only inaccuracy, it's just the most heinous one. To whit:
(A) Christine is a fallen woman, and nothing can change that because her behavior has not been kept secret. She ran away from home, was unescorted by a family member or respectable female for weeks, therefore she no longer has a character and no respectable man would consider her for a wife. Except possibly in the Caribbean, and *only* because there is a serious shortage of women. Even so, she would be eyed askance by respectable women and possibly shunned. She certainly wouldn't be going to any parties hosted by planter's wives or the governor's wife while she remained unmarried.
(B) Her father bursting in and demanding that Will marry her because she spent the night in a house he happened to be sleeping in is patently ridiculous. Firstly her 'ruination' is negated by (A) and secondly by the fact that it is SARAH's house, not to mention filled with women. You simply could not demand a man marry your dishonored daughter because she had spent a night in a house he happened to be in - otherwise fathers the world over would have had a field day getting husbands for their daughters. For Christine's father's demand to be considered even faintly reasonable in 1668, the couple must have pretty much been caught in flagrante delicto.
(C) Christine went into a man's bedroom (it might be a stable, but everyone knows it's Gaston and Will's bedroom) knowing he was naked (there is a witness to that knowledge). That would be considered extremely immoral behavior from a woman, and therefore what followed wouldn't be considered rape in 1668, even if she still had a character, which she doesn't because (A). (Like a prostitute and a wife (by her husband), an unmarried woman without a character can't be raped in 1668.) By her own admission, she taunted him to have sex with her. Not one person, including the women, would have had an ounce of sympathy for her. Even today, most people would have little or no sympathy for her. I'm not saying any of this is right, by the way, I'm saying this is what would have happened.
(D) It's total rubbish that Gaston, Will or the Marquis would be afraid of what Christine would say about Gaston, firstly because (A), and secondly because the minute she opened her mouth, she probably would have been arrested for immorality. At the very least no one would take her seriously, and every single person on Planet Earth 1668 would consider she got what was coming. Actually, what happened would probably *exonerate* Gaston from insanity - he'd probably be judged mad if he *hadn't* taken what she offered.
And I might add, all of the women are dreadful in this book, I disliked every one of them except possibly Rachel. Even Agnes is revolting, selling out her true self for a guaranteed future. The author seems unable or unwilling to write convincing or sympathetic women (an author can still show all women are not spineless and/or bitches, even if your characters think they are). It didn't matter so much in previous books, but as they make up a good portion of this one, it started to get extremely annoying that the women were so hateful.
I only persevered with this book because I loved the first two. My advice to fans is, skim it and move on to book four. There's important stuff, but it's not worth reading too hard. I only hope book four is worth the pain of reading this one.
The Christine subplot is not the only inaccuracy, it's just the most heinous one. To whit:
(A) Christine is a fallen woman, and nothing can change that because her behavior has not been kept secret. She ran away from home, was unescorted by a family member or respectable female for weeks, therefore she no longer has a character and no respectable man would consider her for a wife. Except possibly in the Caribbean, and *only* because there is a serious shortage of women. Even so, she would be eyed askance by respectable women and possibly shunned. She certainly wouldn't be going to any parties hosted by planter's wives or the governor's wife while she remained unmarried.
(B) Her father bursting in and demanding that Will marry her because she spent the night in a house he happened to be sleeping in is patently ridiculous. Firstly her 'ruination' is negated by (A) and secondly by the fact that it is SARAH's house, not to mention filled with women. You simply could not demand a man marry your dishonored daughter because she had spent a night in a house he happened to be in - otherwise fathers the world over would have had a field day getting husbands for their daughters. For Christine's father's demand to be considered even faintly reasonable in 1668, the couple must have pretty much been caught in flagrante delicto.
(C) Christine went into a man's bedroom (it might be a stable, but everyone knows it's Gaston and Will's bedroom) knowing he was naked (there is a witness to that knowledge). That would be considered extremely immoral behavior from a woman, and therefore what followed wouldn't be considered rape in 1668, even if she still had a character, which she doesn't because (A). (Like a prostitute and a wife (by her husband), an unmarried woman without a character can't be raped in 1668.) By her own admission, she taunted him to have sex with her. Not one person, including the women, would have had an ounce of sympathy for her. Even today, most people would have little or no sympathy for her. I'm not saying any of this is right, by the way, I'm saying this is what would have happened.
(D) It's total rubbish that Gaston, Will or the Marquis would be afraid of what Christine would say about Gaston, firstly because (A), and secondly because the minute she opened her mouth, she probably would have been arrested for immorality. At the very least no one would take her seriously, and every single person on Planet Earth 1668 would consider she got what was coming. Actually, what happened would probably *exonerate* Gaston from insanity - he'd probably be judged mad if he *hadn't* taken what she offered.
And I might add, all of the women are dreadful in this book, I disliked every one of them except possibly Rachel. Even Agnes is revolting, selling out her true self for a guaranteed future. The author seems unable or unwilling to write convincing or sympathetic women (an author can still show all women are not spineless and/or bitches, even if your characters think they are). It didn't matter so much in previous books, but as they make up a good portion of this one, it started to get extremely annoying that the women were so hateful.
I only persevered with this book because I loved the first two. My advice to fans is, skim it and move on to book four. There's important stuff, but it's not worth reading too hard. I only hope book four is worth the pain of reading this one.
November 8, 2013
Let me first say that I take half a point off from the rating because I got a bit bored with all sophism and discussions and analysis and giving a name to their feelings and states. But still amazing read so I'll leave it 5 stars because it makes up for the lagging part of the story with great scenes in the second half.
There is a world of characters displayed in the book and each one elicites an emotion from the reader (at least this reader). Whether it be hate, love, compassion, remorse, pity you are carried in the storm of their lives wondering what the fates have in store for them next. Looking forward to the last installment.
There is a world of characters displayed in the book and each one elicites an emotion from the reader (at least this reader). Whether it be hate, love, compassion, remorse, pity you are carried in the storm of their lives wondering what the fates have in store for them next. Looking forward to the last installment.
June 13, 2011
The first two thirds of ”Treasure” veered off into fan fic land, unfortunately. Endless drama, endless talking about feelings, all the good guys loving Will and Gaston, no matter what crazy stuff they do and all the bad guys being really bad and not understanding how great Will and Gaston really are. Gaston's dad turns out to be totally understanding of everything matelot... And Christine loses the plot completely and turns into a jealous mad woman... I mean, I realize that the whole reason for reading this series is the fact that it is over the top emo-angst-gay-pirate-drama, but the first two managed the perfect mix och drama and action. And the Cabal were sorely missed, when they came back from roving the book got back on track and the last third was back to form with fighting the Spanish and drama that actually makes sense. Will and Gaston need to be out roving and not sit around cuddling puppies!
May 13, 2014
Wow. This thing. It's long. It takes you on a magical journey far away so by the end, it's not the same story it started off as. Except with this story, it was still the same story, with the same characters, even if they were different. Like they grew and developed and stuff, but they were ultimately the same person, unlike other books that take me on weird journeys and by the end, I have no idea where I ended up, how I got there, and who exactly these strangers I'm with now are.
The blurb does not do the story justice. The blurb makes it sound way pulpier than it is. The blurb makes it sound like pulp, but it's not. D: why did it have to start with that stupid-ass line?
Oh, hey. Henry Morgan's a real dude. Wow.
The blurb does not do the story justice. The blurb makes it sound way pulpier than it is. The blurb makes it sound like pulp, but it's not. D: why did it have to start with that stupid-ass line?
Oh, hey. Henry Morgan's a real dude. Wow.
July 18, 2021
I was worried about this one after reading some of the other reviews here, but I found I rather enjoyed the more personal dramas in Port Royale that made up the bulk of the book. And there was great pirate action at the end!
The only thing I hated was
A lot of people seemed not to like
I was also really glad that
The only thing I hated was
A lot of people seemed not to like
I was also really glad that
June 16, 2022
This one was much slower for me to get through than the first two, but the ending is where it picked up for me. I still really enjoyed the writing and the characters journeys, though there were some things in this book that bothered me a lot - the heavy misogyny, the sexual assault and the way it’s handled (one scene in particular), but I understand that they fit within the setting and the time period of the story. Other than that, the action in this book was a little more exciting than the last one, and I can’t wait to see how this story ends.
December 16, 2016
. . . and so this Damn amazing story continues; it is Damn good and I'm on to Volume 4 which so far, is just as Damn awesome.
What it would it have been like to be in WA Hoffman's head while she wrote this epic???
She must have been 'born with a pen between her fingers and stories in her head'. Whatever it is, I'm Damn glad, 'cause here I am, very happy because she's a Damn superb writer.
What it would it have been like to be in WA Hoffman's head while she wrote this epic???
She must have been 'born with a pen between her fingers and stories in her head'. Whatever it is, I'm Damn glad, 'cause here I am, very happy because she's a Damn superb writer.
December 31, 2022
These get weirder and weirder, fair warning.
November 27, 2024
One more volume! This one was a bit slower but then got a bit more exciting towards the second half of the book
March 10, 2013
SlashReaders: I will say in hindsight on this review. I have since gone back and reread this entire series. I had a much more favorable opinion of the book the second time around. :)
The third book in this series, I think is one that people will either like or dislike. I'm a bit stuck in the middle for a couple of reasons. I liked the book and felt like it did a good job of dealing with realistic issues. For the most part. However I felt that the beginning of it dragged a bit through the recesses of madness. It got a little repetitive in that area for me.
From some of the other reviews I've read some people have disliked the fact that a great deal of this book deals with the women in the series. I was not bothered by this. In fact I thought one of the best moments in the book was some of the scenes with Agnes. The Brisket is a bitch and she really shows it in this book. I do wish that Sarah had been developed a little bit more she has her moments but she just doesn't quite come through all the way.
The book definitely picks up into the normal pace of things towards the end when we finally go roving again. I do wish that this volume had been taken a little bit further in developing the plot line with Will's father. We get glimpses of possibilities but no real answers. It feels like a great deal of it is simply setting up for something later. Where as the past volumes did not have that feel to them... Which I don't persay have a problem with setting up for the next evolutions of a story line, except when I have to wait a whole year for the next part of the story.
The third book in this series, I think is one that people will either like or dislike. I'm a bit stuck in the middle for a couple of reasons. I liked the book and felt like it did a good job of dealing with realistic issues. For the most part. However I felt that the beginning of it dragged a bit through the recesses of madness. It got a little repetitive in that area for me.
From some of the other reviews I've read some people have disliked the fact that a great deal of this book deals with the women in the series. I was not bothered by this. In fact I thought one of the best moments in the book was some of the scenes with Agnes. The Brisket is a bitch and she really shows it in this book. I do wish that Sarah had been developed a little bit more she has her moments but she just doesn't quite come through all the way.
The book definitely picks up into the normal pace of things towards the end when we finally go roving again. I do wish that this volume had been taken a little bit further in developing the plot line with Will's father. We get glimpses of possibilities but no real answers. It feels like a great deal of it is simply setting up for something later. Where as the past volumes did not have that feel to them... Which I don't persay have a problem with setting up for the next evolutions of a story line, except when I have to wait a whole year for the next part of the story.
August 13, 2016
rating: 3/5
Will and Gaston continue face a new complication, Gaston's father arrives in Jamaica. Will he be a friend or foe? What other challenges and fights await our sexy buccaneers?
This is the third of the four volumes following Will and Gaston as they raid, rove, and murder on the high seas while dealing with family issues and drama on land. This continuation of the m/mpirate buccaneer romance mostly takes place on land in Port Royal, Jamaica as Gaston's father makes an appearance and brings with him additional drama into our boys' lives.
The story and themes continue but unfortunately this volume is mostly filled with family drama and contains very little roving and raiding (which I enjoy a lot more). Also, unfortunately, the last few chapters that do include the roving and raiding seem rushed. I wish they'd spend more time at sea and doing violent,pirate-y buccaneer-y things.
The animal metaphors are starting to get to me a bit as well. It started with wolves and sheep and it was great but now we've got every animal on the planet in metaphorical form; however, there is still some philosophy to draw from it and I've always enjoyed that, plus the ridiculously hilarious dialogue and plot. And... the sexiness has definitely gotten more D/s over time, which actually works with the psychologically fucked up Will and Gaston and their psychotically sexy (uh?) relationship.
Although I enjoyed the first two volumes better, I'll still read the last one in the series because I at this point I need, require, demand a conclusion, a proper ending this wonderful, horrible mess because there is still at least one foe pulling strings from far-off England.
Will and Gaston continue face a new complication, Gaston's father arrives in Jamaica. Will he be a friend or foe? What other challenges and fights await our sexy buccaneers?
This is the third of the four volumes following Will and Gaston as they raid, rove, and murder on the high seas while dealing with family issues and drama on land. This continuation of the m/m
The story and themes continue but unfortunately this volume is mostly filled with family drama and contains very little roving and raiding (which I enjoy a lot more). Also, unfortunately, the last few chapters that do include the roving and raiding seem rushed. I wish they'd spend more time at sea and doing violent,
The animal metaphors are starting to get to me a bit as well. It started with wolves and sheep and it was great but now we've got every animal on the planet in metaphorical form; however, there is still some philosophy to draw from it and I've always enjoyed that, plus the ridiculously hilarious dialogue and plot. And... the sexiness has definitely gotten more D/s over time, which actually works with the psychologically fucked up Will and Gaston and their psychotically sexy (uh?) relationship.
Although I enjoyed the first two volumes better, I'll still read the last one in the series because I at this point I need, require, demand a conclusion, a proper ending this wonderful, horrible mess because there is still at least one foe pulling strings from far-off England.
October 9, 2019
I guess some people didn't like this third installment as much as the first and second but I found nothing wrong with it overall. I think everyone can find something somewhere in the books that they don’t particularly love, even me: the consistent references to the Gods as the last sentence of ever chapter; but I feel I can move beyond that because overall the story is as good as the first two, just different. As Will and Gaston said, they are no longer looking out for just themselves but for women and children now. It is a different path but I thought they both handled it realistically as they are ever wont to do in these books. I love their realness and devotion and madness and everything else. :) The 1600s dialogue is starting to rub off on me and my friends have commented on it and I love even that. These books have pulled me in and I'm not inclined to leave anytime soon. I could happily immerse myself in Will and Gaston for many more books but sadly there is only the one more. I am impatiently waiting for it to arrive. Ignore the artwork, read these books. They are fantastic.
June 24, 2008
Okay, I can recognize that the Raised by Wolves series is flawed: while the author did some research, the amount of time the characters spend talking about their relationship, the amount of drama they go through, the relationships themselves, and the style of writing is all way overdone. However, these books are like Rachael-crack. They are about pirates (alright, buccaneers or whatever), they are gay, they are all romantic, the characters spend way too much time talking about their relationships, there is swordplay . . . what more could I want? It's like the book equivalent of mac&cheese for me, all warm and cozy and really not that good for me. But I love 'em.
November 9, 2011
I'm not going to say that I hated this book, but I'm not going to say that I loved it. The minor characters are what really make this series, hence why I have not stopped yet. Whenever I start reading the series I get super excited for the adventure, but it beings to dwindle after the second book. I feel that Hoffman should have focused more on the side-main characters rather than Will and Gaston, since the rest of them never come in I always end up wondering what they are doing rather than focusing on the hardships of Will and Gaston.
November 5, 2013
I am so into these guys but I am not sure why. Each book is long and wordy but I am hooked. I love the descriptions of the time and place. I want them to be happy together. This episode of their lives was short on roving and long on women problems. Still I was immersed in their lives. I would love more of Pete, Stiker and Sarah and their relationship. Will and Gaston have grown and have more control over their "horses", but still issues. There is more intrigue and father issues in this one. WIll read the next one.
February 2, 2017
My least favorite of the 3 books so far. I was all for the Vivian redemption arc. I also disliked Christine from the beginning, but still, she didn't deserve what happened to her. I'm taking away a star for that purpose.
The ending action was probably the best part of the book. While I liked certain parts of Port Royal, they were on it for far too long.
The ending action was probably the best part of the book. While I liked certain parts of Port Royal, they were on it for far too long.
September 25, 2010
In this third part what totally annoyed me where women. I mean the story progress well and you can't stop to read, as always, but damn it's annoying to read about problems with woman in m/m stories, even if that's totally logical in this plot and story.
April 21, 2012
I can't describe the feelings i get from these books. I have read them 3 times each and still love them. Will and Gaston are characters i will never forget.
Love pirates? Love men finding true love with other men? Love a story that will touch your heart? Read this series.
Love pirates? Love men finding true love with other men? Love a story that will touch your heart? Read this series.
April 9, 2016
I enjoyed this quite a bit, long as it was. This gets very philosophical at times, about morality, sexuality, class, and family, and the constraints put upon the characters by the period they live in. Quite interesting and unique.
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