The Pirate

by Frederick Marryat

Captain Frederick Marryat (10 July 1792 - 9 August 1848) was a British Royal Navy officer, a novelist, and an acquaintance of Charles Dickens. He is noted today as an early pioneer of the sea story, particularly for his semi-autobiographical novel Mr Midshipman Easy (1836), for his children's novel The Children of the New Forest (1847), and for a widely used system of maritime flag signalling, known as Marryat's Code.

Genres: Pirates, Classics, Historical Fiction, Adventure

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1836

About the author

Captain Frederick Marryat was a British Royal Navy officer and novelist, an early pioneer of the sea story.

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic...

Reviews

[Claire (Clairby11xxx) · Rating 4 out of 5]

(8/10) This wonderful short novel tells the story of twin brothers separated in a shipwreck when they were babies and is full of swashbuckling adventure and incredibly detailed naval terminology. The only downside to this book is the very backward and insulting language used to describe the African characters, sadly a product of its time.

I have never read Marryat's novels before but after this I definitely will be, this is very well written, the descriptions are wonderful and at times I found him very funny. It's very impressive to have such a detailed and developed story in a little over 100 hundred pages. I'm surprised this isn't more widely read and rated.

[Kris Turner Moskol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A contemporary of Charles Dickens, Captain Frederick Marryat was an officer in the Royal British Navy who, also a novelist, certainly followed the old line about writing what you know. The result is an accessible, deeply immersive, high-seas adventure full of chases, battles, baddies getting their comeuppance, the proven loyalty of friends, romance, and reunions.

Fair warning that this is a novel of its time, using slurs against and references to captive slaves out of Africa we would not tolerate today.

[João Luís Ferreira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Qualquer pessoa brinca em ser pirata quando é criança.
Este livro consegue transportar-nos para uma época que tem tanto de fantástico como de cruel.
Aventuras fabulosas e acção marítima vertiginosa.
Fantástico!

[Robert Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of fun if you enjoy Victorian sea adventures and can get past the (unpleasant and wrong) racism. The writing is technically ace. Pure pleasure (excepting the racism, of course).

[Zuzana · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an adventure story set in the early 19th century mostly in the West Indies on board of different ships. It's not great literature, but it was fun to see where the whole genre of Age of Sail adventures (Hornblower, Aubrey/Maturin, etc) began.

[Carl R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Capt Marryat always entertains with humor, adventure, and drama. He is one of few of his era that can detail without being pedantic.

[Martin Rundkvist · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's full of melodrama, improbable coincidences and racism. But it's also an adventurous tale told with gusto and good humour!

[David Sipes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time hasn’t been kind to this book but still an interesting read.

[Amy Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, action-packed book. Unfortunately, not for young readers. There are references throughout the book about a child being born outside of wedlock. The accusations are untrue but still there. Best for students old enough to read The Scarlet Letter.