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Black Ocean #3
Poets and Piracy
Blood is thicker than water. But where’s the line? Is it thicker than drugs?... money?... freedom?
When the crew of the Mobius takes on passenger Bryce Brisson to make some easy money, they find themselves caught up in his business dealings with Tanny’s estranged family: the Rucker Syndicate. Never one to think things through ahead of time, Captain Carl Ramsey plunges ahead still hoping to make a little money in the deal.
Meanwhile, Tanny has exhausted her supply of standard-issue drugs from her days as a marine, and withdrawal is taking its toll. With plenty else to worry about, is it possible that the crew’s biggest threat could be already onboard the Mobius?
Audible Audio
First published February 13, 2015
65 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
J.S. Morin
193 books616 followersI am a creator of worlds and a destroyer of words. As a fantasy writer, my works range from traditional epics to futuristic fantasy with starships. I have worked as an unpaid Little League pitcher, a cashier, a student library aide, a factory grunt, a cubicle drone, and an engineer--there is some overlap in the last two.
Through it all, though, I was always a storyteller. Eventually I started writing books based on the stray stories in my head, and people kept telling me to write more of them. Now, that's all I do for a living.
I enjoy strategy, worldbuilding, and the fantasy author's privilege to make up words. I am a gamer, a joker, and a thinker of sideways thoughts. But I don't dance, can't sing, and my best artistic efforts fall short of your average notebook doodle. When you read my books, you are seeing me at my best.
My ultimate goal is to be both clever and right at the same time. I have it on good authority that I have yet to achieve it.
Through it all, though, I was always a storyteller. Eventually I started writing books based on the stray stories in my head, and people kept telling me to write more of them. Now, that's all I do for a living.
I enjoy strategy, worldbuilding, and the fantasy author's privilege to make up words. I am a gamer, a joker, and a thinker of sideways thoughts. But I don't dance, can't sing, and my best artistic efforts fall short of your average notebook doodle. When you read my books, you are seeing me at my best.
My ultimate goal is to be both clever and right at the same time. I have it on good authority that I have yet to achieve it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
April 19, 2019
These stories seem to end just as it was getting good!
A fun, enjoyable read that continues the adventures of the Mobius crew with great characters and awesome adventures.
There's pirate queens, drugs, magic and good ol' smugglers.
Great space adventure sequel ^_^
A fun, enjoyable read that continues the adventures of the Mobius crew with great characters and awesome adventures.
There's pirate queens, drugs, magic and good ol' smugglers.
Great space adventure sequel ^_^
February 6, 2019
A weaker entry that goes a good job of providing background on Mobius crewmember Tanny as they head back to her home planet and the crew gets inadvertently involved in her family's criminal shenanigans, but this volume lacks a compelling plot in and of itself.
The idea of a space naval fleet that names its ships after lines of poetry and asks incoming vessels which philosophers they follow is a cute little gimmick that is never really developed.
The writing shows promise in that the characterizations are developing nicely, but this one reads like Morin knew where he wanted his characters to be for the novel, but never quite settled on what he wanted them to DO while there.
The idea of a space naval fleet that names its ships after lines of poetry and asks incoming vessels which philosophers they follow is a cute little gimmick that is never really developed.
The writing shows promise in that the characterizations are developing nicely, but this one reads like Morin knew where he wanted his characters to be for the novel, but never quite settled on what he wanted them to DO while there.
November 8, 2020
I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous story but anything with those Poet Pirates deserves an extra half star ... my goodness I did enjoy them. We get more about Tanny and her story here. Esper continues to be the most interesting as a real believer in the One Church (a.k.a. Catholicism) who nevertheless is part of this semi-competent gang of smugglers.
May 10, 2023
I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others. It was fun, it let us learn more about some of the crew, but the overall story was not as good. Still, decent read.
February 6, 2017
The only thing I'm not enjoying about these books is the fact that they are too short1
May 30, 2017
I read this as part of a four-pack of stories by J. S. Morin. This also meant that I read it right after the previous two so everything was fresh in my mind.
This is the story that hooked me on the series. It had many things in here that resonated with my favorite plots: pirate queens, evolution of creatures, and drugs. They were very well done, though neither bridges the delicate mixture of magic and technology that J. S. Morin has established.
The evolution of the characters continue through the series, building up as additional layers are given to the characters. I like that each one has their own personalities and even ways of speaking, that is hard with a head-hopping piece like this.
The writing style is pretty smooth. The plot is relatively simple, with a number of surprises but nothing really out of the ordinary. No sudden jumps, only briefly hinted at twists that come at relatively predictable moments. I enjoyed reading the books so far simply because they were lighter fare, nothing that required deep emotional ties but still has a satisfying bite to the endings.
Like the states inspiration of the series, it is pretty obvious that the early books of this series are character-by-character introductions where each one is given a chance to gain some depth while others continue to build up. The interactions between the characters is logical and reasonable, that makes it pretty fun to read.
Their obsession with crappy movies is one part I love about the series.
This continues to be an enjoyable read. Even with the Firefly-like influences, that is perfect for what I was looking for.
This is the story that hooked me on the series. It had many things in here that resonated with my favorite plots: pirate queens, evolution of creatures, and drugs. They were very well done, though neither bridges the delicate mixture of magic and technology that J. S. Morin has established.
The evolution of the characters continue through the series, building up as additional layers are given to the characters. I like that each one has their own personalities and even ways of speaking, that is hard with a head-hopping piece like this.
The writing style is pretty smooth. The plot is relatively simple, with a number of surprises but nothing really out of the ordinary. No sudden jumps, only briefly hinted at twists that come at relatively predictable moments. I enjoyed reading the books so far simply because they were lighter fare, nothing that required deep emotional ties but still has a satisfying bite to the endings.
Like the states inspiration of the series, it is pretty obvious that the early books of this series are character-by-character introductions where each one is given a chance to gain some depth while others continue to build up. The interactions between the characters is logical and reasonable, that makes it pretty fun to read.
Their obsession with crappy movies is one part I love about the series.
This continues to be an enjoyable read. Even with the Firefly-like influences, that is perfect for what I was looking for.
July 1, 2025
My Slightly Sarcastic But Ultimately Honest Book Rating System:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 Stars): This book achieved legendary status in my personal library. I will likely reread it until the pages fall out (or my e-reader spontaneously combusts). Consider this my enthusiastic endorsement – you should probably read it unless you actively dislike joy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 Stars): A truly excellent read! I enjoyed it immensely and would heartily recommend it to fellow bookworms. You might even catch me subtly pushing it into their hands.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 Stars): Yep, it was a book I read. I turned the pages, absorbed the words, and emerged...unchanged. It was a pleasant enough journey, like a scenic detour that you wouldn't necessarily take again, but didn't regret.
⭐️⭐️ (2 Stars): This book existed. I finished it. That's about the highest praise I can offer. If you're looking for something truly captivating, maybe keep scrolling. This one's more of a "it filled the silence" kind of experience.
⭐️ (1 Star): Oh dear. This book and I did not get along. It was a literary tumbleweed in the vast desert of good books. Consider this a strong "do not recommend," unless you're conducting research on what not to do in storytelling.
Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed. I only leave 5 stars for books I've read/listened to or will read/listen to multiple times. If you like this review please consider giving it a Helpful Vote below.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 Stars): This book achieved legendary status in my personal library. I will likely reread it until the pages fall out (or my e-reader spontaneously combusts). Consider this my enthusiastic endorsement – you should probably read it unless you actively dislike joy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 Stars): A truly excellent read! I enjoyed it immensely and would heartily recommend it to fellow bookworms. You might even catch me subtly pushing it into their hands.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 Stars): Yep, it was a book I read. I turned the pages, absorbed the words, and emerged...unchanged. It was a pleasant enough journey, like a scenic detour that you wouldn't necessarily take again, but didn't regret.
⭐️⭐️ (2 Stars): This book existed. I finished it. That's about the highest praise I can offer. If you're looking for something truly captivating, maybe keep scrolling. This one's more of a "it filled the silence" kind of experience.
⭐️ (1 Star): Oh dear. This book and I did not get along. It was a literary tumbleweed in the vast desert of good books. Consider this a strong "do not recommend," unless you're conducting research on what not to do in storytelling.
Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed. I only leave 5 stars for books I've read/listened to or will read/listen to multiple times. If you like this review please consider giving it a Helpful Vote below.
February 19, 2017
Mission 3 – Picking up a passenger, Carl thinks that things have finally picked up for him and the crew, but as usual, nothing ever goes right for Carl. His passenger, Bryce Brisson, ends up being a trap, and worse, ends up snaring him and the crew with a major crime family. The funny thing is, the family happens to be Tanny’s estranged Family.
In the middle of all of this, Tanny has exhausted her supply of meds that she uses to keep her physiology under check and needs a resupply. The story really picks up as one thing after another unfolds as this particular tale has a lot of twists to keep you guessing just how Carl is going to get into trouble next.
Mission 3 is a good look into Tanny’s back story, uncovering more about her past, her military career, her previous life with Carl, and her extended family, the Rucker Syndicate. This is where you learn that Tanny’s entire family are a bunch of gangsters, and just how big that crime syndicate runs.
As with each of these tales, this is another brilliant romp in the Black Ocean universe, Morin’s characters only continue to grow as each episode he expands on each one.
Well worth the read, just like the others.
In the middle of all of this, Tanny has exhausted her supply of meds that she uses to keep her physiology under check and needs a resupply. The story really picks up as one thing after another unfolds as this particular tale has a lot of twists to keep you guessing just how Carl is going to get into trouble next.
Mission 3 is a good look into Tanny’s back story, uncovering more about her past, her military career, her previous life with Carl, and her extended family, the Rucker Syndicate. This is where you learn that Tanny’s entire family are a bunch of gangsters, and just how big that crime syndicate runs.
As with each of these tales, this is another brilliant romp in the Black Ocean universe, Morin’s characters only continue to grow as each episode he expands on each one.
Well worth the read, just like the others.
June 4, 2019
The crew of the Starship Mobius always has to scramble for enough credits to keep the lights on...and by lights they mean fuel for the ship, food for the crew, and enough drugs to keep Tanny, the ex-marine, at her still military level of medication because, running out would not be good - for anyone!!!
So, when needs must, the crew will take almost anything. In this case it's a passenger transport out from Tau Ceti VII to an unknown destination. But, with an arrest warrant hovering over their head from several prior ... uh, indiscretions … the leader of the crew, Carl Ramsay is willing to go, no questions asked, just to keep moving. Unfortunately, no questions asked in this case puts the crew into a trap that may end everything. And...the FREERIDE SYSTEM doesn't exactly live up to its name,
Jeff Morin once again sends his eccentric crew of the Mobius out into the Black Ocean. Morin has created an amazing universe and populates it with people that you will fall in love with. There is something here for everyone. And, with 30+ books - and more coming - in the several concurrent series there is plenty here to keep the readers and fans going...and going...and going.
June 6, 2019
I've been continuing to listen to these audiobooks, now on my daily commute. At least so far, Poets and Piracy seems to be the weakest book in the series. The multi-level fakeout common to the heist genre was out in full force for this story, but without the level of exposition I need to follow it. At several points plans were made without explaining rationale, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what they we're supposed to be gaining from it.
On top of that, the poets seem absolutely bizzarre. Fearsome pirates who live a life of luxury, but we see neither piracy or even threats of piracy. It's fun trope bending, making the supposedly brutal pirates gentle, educated, and a strict high society lifestyle, but it ended up just making an already muddled story even murkier for me.
With all of that said, I still give it 3 stars. The story keeps up the pace and kept me entertained, despite everything. More importantly, it peeled back the layers of the world a bit more, and made me more interested in the way everything works, which scores quite highly for me.
On top of that, the poets seem absolutely bizzarre. Fearsome pirates who live a life of luxury, but we see neither piracy or even threats of piracy. It's fun trope bending, making the supposedly brutal pirates gentle, educated, and a strict high society lifestyle, but it ended up just making an already muddled story even murkier for me.
With all of that said, I still give it 3 stars. The story keeps up the pace and kept me entertained, despite everything. More importantly, it peeled back the layers of the world a bit more, and made me more interested in the way everything works, which scores quite highly for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2018
Another great adventure
If you're looking over these reviews then it's safe to assume you've already read the previous two missions aboard the Mobius and are looking for confirmation to continue reading Mr.Morins work.
Well I'm here to tell you that Black Ocean is still a solid work. I did enjoy the prior two stories more so than this misson, but that doesn't mean this wasn't a well written fun adventure with more at stake.
Still good character development in the works, a lot with Tanny and Esper but the crew is still kicking ass and taking names.
You've already read two Black Ocean novels to be reading these reviews for the third. I imagine all sixteen will progress smoothly and obtain my interest in the same way more or less.
Always fun on the Mobius!
If you're looking over these reviews then it's safe to assume you've already read the previous two missions aboard the Mobius and are looking for confirmation to continue reading Mr.Morins work.
Well I'm here to tell you that Black Ocean is still a solid work. I did enjoy the prior two stories more so than this misson, but that doesn't mean this wasn't a well written fun adventure with more at stake.
Still good character development in the works, a lot with Tanny and Esper but the crew is still kicking ass and taking names.
You've already read two Black Ocean novels to be reading these reviews for the third. I imagine all sixteen will progress smoothly and obtain my interest in the same way more or less.
Always fun on the Mobius!
September 14, 2023
This one was a little off-balance. On one hand, this story offers up some nice background about Tanny and her family. On the other hand, the constantly shifting plans near the climax of the story were outlined just enough where we could barely follow them. Not that it really mattered in the end, but there were elements which were just completely ignored with each change (such as how particular characters reacted). I felt like this could have been made clearer with just one or two extra sentences here and there.
Poets and Piracy had some more character building, and there were even a few good jokes thrown in here. I also think that Morin is quite good at describing the character's behavior and mannerisms using simple but clear language.
Poets and Piracy had some more character building, and there were even a few good jokes thrown in here. I also think that Morin is quite good at describing the character's behavior and mannerisms using simple but clear language.
December 9, 2019
In the third installment of the Black Ocean series, the crew of the Mobius takes on a passenger, which doesn’t turn out how they imagined it would. They end up getting mixed up with Tanny’s Rucker cousin Janny, as well as the Poet Pirates, sweet Esper gets in trouble and so does Kubu, and Tanny has problems of her own. I love all of the characters and the situations they get themselves into, as well as out of in each episode. These stories are a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to reading more.
December 14, 2017
Summary: Interesting characters, I'm really not to sure about the premise - its just not a workable reality. The plot did not work for me. Very readable. 3 stars about right - overall I enjoyed reading this book
Plotline: Plot is OK but just a bit silly and unbelievable
Premise: Magic in space. Hmmmm. Not really for me at least
Writing: Interesting characters and simple highly readable style
Ending: All good ready for future missions ...
Pace: Never a dull moment!
Plotline: Plot is OK but just a bit silly and unbelievable
Premise: Magic in space. Hmmmm. Not really for me at least
Writing: Interesting characters and simple highly readable style
Ending: All good ready for future missions ...
Pace: Never a dull moment!
October 2, 2021
Esper is trying to fit into the crew, but ends up being part of a turf war problem, but her treatment is far for what you would expect for an average hostage.
Carl and Tanny face up to Tanny's criminal family and her addiction problem.
Mort goes deeper than ever and Roddy, well he likes a beer. And Mriy, well she really doesn't have much to do!
Still good fun and great characters but not their most exciting adventure so far.
Carl and Tanny face up to Tanny's criminal family and her addiction problem.
Mort goes deeper than ever and Roddy, well he likes a beer. And Mriy, well she really doesn't have much to do!
Still good fun and great characters but not their most exciting adventure so far.
August 7, 2023
I am enjoying the Black Ocean series as a fun summer sci-fi read. The characters are interesting and get further developed with the additional episodes. This book has a lot of space westerrn themes, along the lines of Firefly, with its own flavor. No spoilers - the crew winds up getting blackmailed when one of them winds up taken hostage, but they cleverly devise a means to work the situation to their advantage.
I look forward to reading the next books in the series.
I look forward to reading the next books in the series.
April 21, 2024
In the short time with these characters, Tanny is more unlikable than likable, which is tough when the appeal of these books is traveling space with the crew. The story on this one would be better served with obscuring the Esper side of the story to reveal the plot more optimally.
Kubu is incredibly annoying. I hope we aren’t stuck with him after he served as a plot device.
Kubu is incredibly annoying. I hope we aren’t stuck with him after he served as a plot device.
October 24, 2017
Another solid entry. I like how the characters continue to develop, and thoroughly enjoyed the unusual ship names of the poetic pirates. Not necessarily a huge fan of the semi-intelligent alien dog that has joined the crew, but that's mostly just a personal pet peeve.
December 28, 2018
I don't think I'm going to unlock the secrets of the universe with this one. The author is really shooting from the hip with the blend of sci-fi and fantasy, but... it's good clean (maybe too clean) escapist fun.
April 29, 2019
This sheds light on what just happened in the last Mercy for Hire book I read, so if you are in those. .you might want to be sure to get here to understand more about Esper's enemies. The tale continues and I have still enjoyed it.
January 6, 2020
Carl and the team return and to make money are taking on a passenger and so there troubles begin!! Trapped between two pirate gangs and an undercover operative, the team struggle to come out on top. The team interactions continue to develop well and make these stories entertaining.
March 7, 2021
Another Good One
Just like the first two it is his mastery of great character interactions that make his books so enjoyable. Not being overly long about to begin my fourth one in like six days. Not being a fan of TV and stuck at home reading helps.
Just like the first two it is his mastery of great character interactions that make his books so enjoyable. Not being overly long about to begin my fourth one in like six days. Not being a fan of TV and stuck at home reading helps.
April 24, 2022
Magic and con the mix
Love the mix of magic and tech,with a bit of the con man thrown in. The characters in this third book are expanded more especially Tanny who you learn more of her story, A must read.
Love the mix of magic and tech,with a bit of the con man thrown in. The characters in this third book are expanded more especially Tanny who you learn more of her story, A must read.
August 10, 2025
This series is fun and truly feels like an episodic TV series where I can easily take days or weeks in-between episodes without missing much. obviously the series I'd compare it to is Firefly, which is nothing but intentional flattery.
September 22, 2017
Fun fast read
Really if you miss Firefly..just buy these books..a little magic a little sci-fi fun characters...a hot girl, a badass girl and a dog what's not to like
Really if you miss Firefly..just buy these books..a little magic a little sci-fi fun characters...a hot girl, a badass girl and a dog what's not to like
March 2, 2018
Another fun episode in the Black Ocean series.
May 1, 2018
There isn't a whole lot to say about this one, by this point you either enjoy the Black Ocean books or not. One highlight was the philosopher pirates. The ship names were a trip.
July 27, 2018
Fun space adventure sequel.
September 18, 2018
Another home run
Another great book in the series, they just keep getting better. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
Another great book in the series, they just keep getting better. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
November 15, 2018
Still just okay. I'm going to take a break from the omnibus...probably come to it later for a little lighthearted, if underwhelming, space opera.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews