The Pirate

The City of Dreams #2

by Joan Fallon

Early one morning, the ambitious pirate, al-Awar, makes a lightning raid on the shipyard in Málaga and kidnaps Bakr, a master shipbuilder.No-one has any idea why the pirates have taken them or where they have gone, but only one of two fates await death or slavery.

When Aisha, Bakr’s wife receives the news, she is heartbroken but refuses to believe that she will never see her husband alive again. She is determined to find where the pirates have taken him. With the entire Mediterranean to hide in, it won't be easy.

At the heart of this novel is the tender story of Aisha and Bakr’s deep love for each other. It is that love which helps him to survive and gives her the strength to never stop searching for him.

This exciting, action-packed novel takes the reader into the medieval world of the merchants and seafarers who sail along the western coast of the Mediterranean, and the pirates who terrorise them.

331 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2019

About the author

Joan Fallon was born in Dumfries, Scotland but spent most of her adult life in England. Teacher, management trainer and business woman, she moved to Spain at the beginning of the new millennium and became a writer. Her first published work was a social history, 'Daughters of Spain', inspired by the women she met in her adopted home. Her subsequent books too have grown out of her experiences living and working in Spain. She is especially interested in Spanish history and has set her novels in periods as distinct as the Golden Age of the Moorish conquest and the Spanish Civil War. She is a member of the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Reviews

[Helen Hollick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone interested in a vivid portrayal of life in Moorish Spain would do well to read Ms Fallon’s well-researched books. The Pirate is the second book in her The City of Dreams trilogy, and while it works well as a standalone, the series benefits from being read in order – and to fully appreciate it, I would recommend reading the first trilogy, The Al-Andalus Series, as well.

The Pirate is set in Malaqah (present day Málaga) and its protagonist, Bakr ibn Assam, is an accomplished shipwright—so skilled, in fact, that one day he is carried off in a pirate attack. Why? Because this ambitious pirate has decided to set up his own shipyard and needs the best of the best to build his new fleet. Bakr is less than delighted—and he also fears for the lives of himself and his two companions. The less than dashing pirate Al-Awal is ruthless and cruel and makes it very clear that Bakr is never returning home again. Bakr must put his faith in Allah—and in his own resourcefulness.

Meanwhile, in Malaqah, Bakr’s wife, Aisha, must somehow keep things going. Not only must she keep the household alive and fed, she is determined to keep Bakr’s pride and joy, the shipyard, working. It must be there, waiting for him, when he finally comes home. To Aisha, it is inconceivable that he is dead. God has already taken one husband from her; surely he will not take another?

While Bakr struggles to survive and find a way out of his predicament and while various members of his family desperately search for him—Aisha’s father and brother may not share her conviction he is still alive, but for now they are willing to pander to her hope—Ms Fallon weaves yet another thread into the narrative, namely that of the Khalifa Idris ibn Ali, ruler of Malaqah, and his endeavours to unite the rulers of various other taifas to once and for all put a stop to the expansions of Sevilla. Unfortunately for the khalifa, he should be watching for enemies much, much closer to home.

Ms Fallon adds layer after complex layer to the political intrigue and that particular plotline is not resolved in this instalment of the series. Let’s just say that ambition, hunger for power and greed are as strong motivators in Moorish Spain as they are in the present day—and those who want it do not hesitate to use nefarious methods to achieve their goals.

It is very easy to relate to Aisha, a woman whose life in many ways resembles that of a modern-day woman, what with juggling family and work. She is intelligent and brave, but the restrictions imposed on her by her gender are always present, even if Aisha knows how to circumvent them when so required. I loved the depiction of the warm relationship between Aisha and her father, the apothecary Makoud. I grinned at the description of the somewhat more acrimonious relationship between Aisha and her mother-in-law. And I kept my fingers crossed that Aisha and Bakr would be reunited—somehow.

Ms Fallon’s forte lies not only in presenting us with well-developed characters but also in depicting everyday life, be it the casually mentioned cure for a persistent cough or the conversations on the rooftops as the sun sets after yet another blistering day. Details of clothes and traditions, of foods and interiors are dotted throughout, anchoring the narrative firmly in time and place. Add to this a fluid prose and strong dialogue and you have a very enjoyable read.

Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds

[Dale Rogerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so loving this series. This is the second book of the trilogy "The City of Dreams" and I enjoy so much the goings on in Moorish Spain of 1056 that I find excuses to walk (as I only listen to audio books during my walks). This time, however, I got home and still had thirty minutes left in the book. What to do? Sit on my sofa and listen to the end, that's what!
This second book involves the kidnapping of Bakr, the master ship builder, by al-Awar, a most ambitious pirate, not content with stealing a ship for his pillaging, but desirous of a fleet of ships faster than all the Navy. How will he escape? Will he be rescued? Who will take care of business while he is gone?
Fallon has done her homework and thoroughly researched this time and place and her descriptions have us almost smelling the spices, the sea, the desperation.
Must dive into the third book immediately.
Only bummer is, I realised this series is a follow up to the Al-Andalus trilogy - still not available with Chirp. I shall wait.

[Cindy Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great second book of the series

I absolutely love the detail to the cultures and descriptions of places this author writes. The setting is 11th century Malaga.

The lives of these families and the political intrigue that swirls around them kept me glued to the pages as pirates kidnap a group of men from their home and take them far off to a remote island. In the meanwhile the king is preparing for war.

Joan Fallon has a way of bringing you completely into the era and expounds on the characters of each person. The kidnapped men want to escape while their families at home never give up finding them again. The king has his own family issues to consider during his war preparations.

I believe readers of historical fiction would enjoy this story, and I would recommend reading book one of the series prior to this as a smooth transition. Very well done.

[Cherylbestlife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed...

I really enjoyed book 2 in this series. I love learning about Moorish Spain. I usually read Victorian historical novels, so these novels by Joan Fallon are a real treat. The characters are so well developed and such detail about this time and place. I can vividly imagine it as I read. Another wonderful author to check out for this time is David Penny's Thomas Berrington books.

[Ann Doremus · Rating 3 out of 5]

my second book in this series. on their own, they're underwhelming- too many points of view for the length, in my opinion. but taken all together, I've enjoyed this family and historical time period.