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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
O...M...G!!! To say I enjoyed this book is a complete understatement. I adore this book! I revere this book! I FREAKIN' LOVE THIS BOOK!!! Anybody who's a fan of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean -- movies and/or ride -- should read this. Since the book has the Disney logo all over it, I assume it is now canon...as it should be. A. C. Crispin is a phenomenal writer who gets it. She weaves a totally plausible, exciting tale of how Jack became Jack, answering questions we true fans have always wondered about along the way...such as how he became a captain, how he acquired the Black Pearl (and why he's so attached to it), and the reason he made that infamous deal with Davy Jones. We find out why Cutler Beckett is such an expletive little expletive and why he detests Jack so much. It's just a wonderful, wonderful book!!!
I found out that "The Price of Freedom" was supposed to be the first book in a series -- which was fantastic, since it seemed logical that the following books would've explained how Captain Barbossa became Jack's first mate...and then staged a mutiny and stranded Jack on an island, effectively becoming the captain of the Black Pearl. Oh, how I was looking forward to that!!! *rubbing hands together* When I searched for information, however, I discovered that A. C. Crispin had passed away and no further books exist. I am sorry for her family's loss...and I am sorry for the literary world's loss. She was truly an extraordinary author.
I found out that "The Price of Freedom" was supposed to be the first book in a series -- which was fantastic, since it seemed logical that the following books would've explained how Captain Barbossa became Jack's first mate...and then staged a mutiny and stranded Jack on an island, effectively becoming the captain of the Black Pearl. Oh, how I was looking forward to that!!! *rubbing hands together* When I searched for information, however, I discovered that A. C. Crispin had passed away and no further books exist. I am sorry for her family's loss...and I am sorry for the literary world's loss. She was truly an extraordinary author.
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
As a POTC fan, this was such a treat for me to read! I had been looking for it *everywhere* and could only find it as a super-expensive paperback/hardback, so I was so happy to find it on IBooks for a tenner. And it is a really good read.
I really love the detail that the author went in to create not just the history of the setting, but also the lore and worldbuilding of the POTC franchise. It's not by any means Patrick O'Brian level detail, but enough to give you a sense of some of the more *real*/historical aspects, as well as the supernatural, mythos parts. I loved seeing familiar characters, like two of my faves Davy Jones and Cutler Beckett, and I adored a lot of the backstory that was inserted. Jack Sparrow appears in the movies, already with a huge reputation and legendary status, and it was interesting to see how that past was interpreted - I especially liked the call-forwards, like how the Black Pearl came to be, and certain little details even down to the clothes Jack wears in the films. It is the same with Cutler Beckett - who is such a great villain, and whose motives in this book really gel up with the later franchise. Ngl, his chapters were some of the best in the story. It takes a little while to get used to the author's style of jumping back in time and filling big chunks of the chapters with the narrative of back-story, but it was pulled off relatively well - certainly as so much interweaved together.
As well, there were new faces who felt like they could easily be part of the movies. I particularly enjoyed Princess Amenirdis and Esmeralda, although I wish there hadn't been a love triangle slapped in (I'll let that off a little as the author is a woman, but seriously, Esmeralda is a pirate captain with a vengeful oath and she is straight? Sounds fake to me haha. Seriously though, I feel like she could have had more of a story than just being there to propel Jack's along.)
It is a hefty book (granted, it didn't seem so much as I was reading it on my Ipad) but most of it gripped my attention all the way. The sea battles were really great and exciting, and I thought the engagement with darker aspects of history (the slave trade, British colonialism, the savagery of some pirates) was also well-done. As well, the whole story is a testament to how much of an accomplished genre fanfiction is! Some of the best things I've read and come across has been fanfiction, and I will stand by that!
I really love the detail that the author went in to create not just the history of the setting, but also the lore and worldbuilding of the POTC franchise. It's not by any means Patrick O'Brian level detail, but enough to give you a sense of some of the more *real*/historical aspects, as well as the supernatural, mythos parts. I loved seeing familiar characters, like two of my faves Davy Jones and Cutler Beckett, and I adored a lot of the backstory that was inserted. Jack Sparrow appears in the movies, already with a huge reputation and legendary status, and it was interesting to see how that past was interpreted - I especially liked the call-forwards, like how the Black Pearl came to be, and certain little details even down to the clothes Jack wears in the films. It is the same with Cutler Beckett - who is such a great villain, and whose motives in this book really gel up with the later franchise. Ngl, his chapters were some of the best in the story. It takes a little while to get used to the author's style of jumping back in time and filling big chunks of the chapters with the narrative of back-story, but it was pulled off relatively well - certainly as so much interweaved together.
As well, there were new faces who felt like they could easily be part of the movies. I particularly enjoyed Princess Amenirdis and Esmeralda, although I wish there hadn't been a love triangle slapped in (I'll let that off a little as the author is a woman, but seriously, Esmeralda is a pirate captain with a vengeful oath and she is straight? Sounds fake to me haha. Seriously though, I feel like she could have had more of a story than just being there to propel Jack's along.)
It is a hefty book (granted, it didn't seem so much as I was reading it on my Ipad) but most of it gripped my attention all the way. The sea battles were really great and exciting, and I thought the engagement with darker aspects of history (the slave trade, British colonialism, the savagery of some pirates) was also well-done. As well, the whole story is a testament to how much of an accomplished genre fanfiction is! Some of the best things I've read and come across has been fanfiction, and I will stand by that!
adventurous
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wish this hadn't taken forever to get through. There is some absolutely fascinating lore here, particularly when it comes to Cutler Beckett's connection with Jack Sparrow, as well as some additional lore regarding Davy Jones and the Black Pearl. But this book is painfully dry and slow for the majority of its page count, and I struggled to keep reading. I'm hoping in the future, I'll be more patient and charitable on a re-read, but for now I'm just glad it's over and I've read it.
I hope you read this on the near future, I just don't have the interest in continuing to read it at the moment.
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
loved this read. once you get used to the fanfiction vibe, it fades into the background and really allows you to enjoy the story. i LOVED this jack sparrow adventure—it fit perfectly into the existing canon. the characters were so lovable. the author did a great job of treating something so sensitive with great care and poignancy. if you’re a potc fan, this is 100% a must read
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Slavery
Minor: Rape
adventurous
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I LOVED this book!!!! From start to finish, it was wonderful! I loved how you knew it was the same Jack we all know and love, but he was not as mature and still had some lessons to learn.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes