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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers is a great historical fantasy adventure that formed the basis for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. I love how Tim Powers combines real world history and magic. As I've come to expect from Powers, his writing is complex, descriptive, quite visual, and magical in its own right. The only issue that keeps me from giving this novel a full five stars is that the pacing is a little too slow at times. Overall, I need to read more from Tim Powers and just plain more historical fantasy with pirates.
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
More main characters should have occupations that aren't Stock Fantasy Hero Character Classes, and/or acquire them. For example, how about a puppeteer/cook/pirate/dabbler in the dark arts?
Yup.
Yup.
If you're expecting the novelization of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, you'll be disappointed...but in the best possible way. This book is filled with rich characters, mystery, danger, and magic. The protagonist (John Chandagnac/Jack Shandy) is delightfully realistic, except for his superhuman strength of will (which comes, we assume, from recognizing the horrible mistake he made with his father years ago). The book pulls no punches- John gets hurt, fairly badly, many times. But he is our eyes into this mysterious, vodun-filled Caribbean pirate world and all its nuanced laws. Historical pirates make side appearances (Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, Jack Rackham, Charles Vane, and Phil Davies), which delighted me. And the attitudes that would lead one to a life of piracy (and its attendant hardships) are fully represented.
And of course, it didn't hurt that the love interest's name is Beth. ;)
There are a few points during the narrative where the main plot seems to have gotten lost, but stick with it- the subplots do weave around the main story (and events that occur within the conclusion). Overall, I recommend this for lovers of classic, golden-age (and post-golden-age) pirates, dark magical realism, and historic fantasy.
And of course, it didn't hurt that the love interest's name is Beth. ;)
There are a few points during the narrative where the main plot seems to have gotten lost, but stick with it- the subplots do weave around the main story (and events that occur within the conclusion). Overall, I recommend this for lovers of classic, golden-age (and post-golden-age) pirates, dark magical realism, and historic fantasy.
This is another one of those books I picked up because the blurb sounded interesting, and after all how wrong can you go with pirates and zombies?
The protagonist of On Stranger Tides is John Shandy, the son of a puppeteer who is in the Caribbean in search of his uncle and revenge - his uncle swindled John's father out of a fortune, faking papers to make it appear he was already dead when instead he was living in penury. Shandy comes into contact with pirates, just as the pirating trade is starting to come to a close, and puts his plans for vengeance on hold, choosing a piratical life over having his brains blown out.
It's an entertaining enough book, if a bit in need of some editing. And Powers really needs to learn how to write female characters, or indeed make a plot that requires them to be something other than passive and pushed around by circumstance. The obligatory romance sub-plot is dull, with the main interest (for me at least) coming in some of Shandy's friendships with the other pirates which are far more convincing than any scene with his love interest.
The protagonist of On Stranger Tides is John Shandy, the son of a puppeteer who is in the Caribbean in search of his uncle and revenge - his uncle swindled John's father out of a fortune, faking papers to make it appear he was already dead when instead he was living in penury. Shandy comes into contact with pirates, just as the pirating trade is starting to come to a close, and puts his plans for vengeance on hold, choosing a piratical life over having his brains blown out.
It's an entertaining enough book, if a bit in need of some editing. And Powers really needs to learn how to write female characters, or indeed make a plot that requires them to be something other than passive and pushed around by circumstance. The obligatory romance sub-plot is dull, with the main interest (for me at least) coming in some of Shandy's friendships with the other pirates which are far more convincing than any scene with his love interest.
On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers is a tale of piratical adventures on the high seas at the height of Blackbeard's reign of terror. Powers nicely blends historical fact with magical/fantastical fiction into a story that's a great yaaarrrrrrn. (sorry I couldn't resist)
I really, really, really liked this story. I'm really, really, really irritated with whoever edited the galleys on this book. There are so many typographical errors I almost stopped reading. Some sentences ended without periods, or used commas instead of periods, or had commas in the wrong places. At other times, one could find any of the following variations of ship names: the Jenny, the Jenny, theJenny. It was sooooo annoying.
I really, really, really liked this story. I'm really, really, really irritated with whoever edited the galleys on this book. There are so many typographical errors I almost stopped reading. Some sentences ended without periods, or used commas instead of periods, or had commas in the wrong places. At other times, one could find any of the following variations of ship names: the Jenny, the Jenny, theJenny. It was sooooo annoying.
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I only got through the first 5 chapters. I'm planning to come back to this one, but for right now, I can't get through the thick prose.
This was a fast-paced, exciting read! It's rare these days when I come across a book where I am compelled to find out what happens next, and this book held my attention the entire time; there wasn't a dull moment. Incredibly well-written, the author's keen attention to detail lent just the right amount of realism. The characters were delightfully colorful, consistent, and interesting. I was also very impressed with how Powers handled magic in the novel, creating a unique connection between the historical world and his own invented fantasy. Everything felt seamlessly tied together and the result was a darkly engaging, occasionally funny, perfectly piratical story.
Fantastic ideas and incredibly detailed research make this novel an absolutely ripping yarn. Highly recommended.