Scarface

by Andre Norton

A cabin boy on a pirate ship decides to try to free himself from the life of a buccaneer.

Genres: Pirates, Adventure, Historical, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction

263 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1948

About the author

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[Julie Plikerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

still read after 40years

I loved this book as a young teen and check back with it every once in a while. Still love it!

[Len · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale from Andre Norton's early spell writing historical fiction. This is the story of young Justin Blade, known as Scarface, though Blade is not his real surname. It's nice to read a Norton that doesn't involve fighting alien monsters in the claustrophobic depths of caves or tunnels. However, it has its fair share of blood-letting, torture and violence. It is very much a boys' story, in fact I only recall one female character, who appears for a page or two at the start: Liza, some sort of housekeeper to Captain Cheap, “an ill-tempered virago with no pretence to looks and no interest beyond her pans and the rum bottle.” Her only purpose in the plot seems to be to give Scarface his real first name, Justin. Justin the pirate – I would have stuck to Scarface.

The tale involves Justin unravelling his past to find his true origins and in the process having a rip-roaring, 'a-ha, me hearties' adventure on the turbulent waters of the Spanish Main, or rather the stormy waters around the Windward Islands and Barbados. The author does well not to have pirates that have cloned from Long John Silver, though Cheap, the pirate boss, can sound a little like Captain Hook at times. The whole story is straight forward and exciting enough for the young at heart. The mystery of Scarface's parentage is not that mysterious and, as with all Norton's young heroes, he has an almost unnatural resilience to fatigue – until the dreaded Coast Fever and Ghost Peter's narcotic 'cure' strikes him down. The introduction of the young and annoyingly arrogant Sir Francis Hynde, ten years old and with the foppish swagger of a strutting Beau Brummel, certainly livens things up when he is on the scene – and also calms things down as, being so young, he is unable to swashbuckle alongside Scarface.

There is something about the story's ending which suggests to me that the adult writer wanted to say more about Scarface's origins, but the image of the teenage reader pushed her ambition backwards. Scarface explains to Sir Robert Scarlett, the Governor of Barbados, that Captain Cheap was afraid of the sea and unable to swim, yet Scarlett, who knew Cheap in earlier days, insisted that the reverse was true. It's intriguing but nothing more comes of it. There seems to be a level of affection, the affection of friends, between Scarlett and Cheap which underlies the terrible crime that Cheap committed. Again little more is noted. Perhaps there was a story lying beneath that of Scarface in Norton's imagination, far more adult and dark, explicit and with far more depth, and not one to be told to teenage boys.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. Andre (Alice Mary) Norton, noted SF author, wrote a YA pirate novel in 1948. Surprisingly, the title character is NOT the villain. The dialogue, some of which is dialect and some of which is a bit archaic, may be difficult for struggling readers. For those like me who have never gotten over their fascination with pirates, this will be a pleasant diversion.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scarface, the story of a young boy who was pressed into service for a pirat,e shows his adventures in getting away from the pirates and becoming a young man.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite the adventure!

[Valerie]

The original edition carried the subtitle "Being The Story of One Justin Blade, And How Fate Did Justly Deal with Him, to His Great Profit".

Norton experimented with various genres in her early days. This is an attempt at a pirate story. Not one of her best. It's not only marred by her persistent argument that even in a time of bad laws, a rebel is by definition a bad person; it also seems oddly infected by Horatio Alger's stories. The virtuous boy refuses to be corrupted by the bad company he's fallen in with, and is rewarded in the end. My copy seems to have once belonged to a library in Michigan, and I acquired it for the princely price of a dime, due (probably) to condition problems.

I have to say I didn't find the surprise ending particularly obscure: it's telegraphed throughout the book. But I could point out that there's no attempt by the former pirate to amend a system of laws that condemns ordinary seamen to systemetic abuse, and if they escape to piracy, mandates almost inescapable death for them, no matter what their history. The loophole of the 'Queen's Pardon' (?Queen Anne?) isn't much of a loophole, since it's rarely offered and carries no real remedy for the conditions that drove a person to piracy.

Also, there's an odd loose end. The book opens with a character who offers lessons in swordsmanship to the pirates. He helps out the hero of the story, and the text says he doesn't see 'Scarface' for two years afterward--but there's no followup. It's as if the book was meant to be longer, or to have a sequel--but if so, I don't know of one.

[D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not her best, this is an entertaining pirate story. Like all of her juvenile historical novels, Norton does a good job of keeping adventure at the forefront, while also adding historical and cultural facts to keep it educational. After a bit of a slow start I got hooked into the story of Scarface, who has never known a life outside of a pirate ship. As the story progresses, he is forced to face his conscience, and rise above many obstacles to discover who he really is.

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this during high school. Now I wish I had stolen the book from my school's library! I want to read it again so bad! The story is about pirates, but I can't remember much else. Sorry for anyone looking for a description. :X

[Frankie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First read this over 30 years ago, and while it doesn't stand the test of time as well as many of Andre Norton's books (and it's not her best), it's still pretty entertaining. Some pirates, some swashbuckling, some fighting. Of course, less than the best for Andre Norton is still fun.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

i loved Treasure Island. Scarface is a satisfying pirate story and I think I liked it because of the pirates, not because it was exceptionally well plotted and written.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed many Andre Norton books when I was young. This pirate story with Scarface, a cabin boy, was one of them.

[Swilky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.