Pirate Latitudes Review and Acrostic
Summary:
Avast ye! Join the infamous Captain Hunter, an ex-Puritan and privateer of his Majesty King Charles, as he embarks on the most dangerous expedition in the Caribbean: A daring assault on the Spanish fortress at Matanceros Island, a fortification so strong and well-defended that black-hearted pirates and even brave English Admirals only dare to whisper its name, lest misfortune befall them. The year is 1665, in the Golden Age of Piracy, in a time where European powers compete and battle for colonial rights and control of vital shipping lanes. Enter Governor James Almont: the corrupt, and yet strangely adept supervisor of the English colony of Jamaica. In a time of Spanish control and dominance of the high seas, Almont must defend His Majesty’s colony at all costs, even if it requires hiring the most scummy and wretched of all men: Pirates. After being informed of a docked treasure nao at the fort of Matanceros, he hires his most trusted man: Captain Charles Hunter. He is dangerous man whose charm as a womanizer is matched only by his skill with a cutlass. As Captain of the sloop Cassandra, he leads the most interesting, yet deadly band of swashbuckling buccaneers to capture the glittering wealth that resides in the belly of the treasure ship. He will encounter many hardships as he realizes that pirates are not the only thing to be feared in the Caribbean sea.

Opinion:
I did very much enjoy this book. I for one have always been fascinated with history, especially that of the Age of Discovery, during the period of history where Europeans competed in intense colonization races and where the first true world wars stemmed from, such as the Seven Years War. In the heart of this time of excitement and exploration, another story is to be told: The men who profited from the conflict, the pirates and privateers who raided the intrepid excursions to the New World. This tale of the fictional Captain Hunter is teeming with its levels of adventure and adrenaline-soaked action. Swords are crossed, musket fire exchanged, and blood spilt. Any and all who love a good story with such things would enjoy this, including but not limited to, adrenaline junkies, pirate enthusiasts, and even those like myself, history nerds.

Theme:
The theme of this book, if there is any such thing in existence, is to convey to the readers the difference between the two similar, but separate titles of “pirate” and “privateer”, and how blurred the line between the definitions became in a period enshrined by fevers of greed and extreme violence. The theme is rather hard to discern, and can only be concluded by the lack of insightful thinking -- it is almost drowned out by the crack of muskets and the stench of cannonfire.
Acrostic
P: “Portside!” the Captain bellows as cannonballs graze holes in the ship.
I: Islands and cays; The Caribbean is abounding in the numbers of them.
R: Raids upon the King’s ships bring in massive loads of gold.
A: Assaulting Matanceros Island: A suicide mission for only the most daring of pirates.
T: Tracking down piratical ships, Spanish ships scour the seas.
E: Escapades, adventures, and mischief define the lifestyle of these audacious men.

L: Last words are uttered as blood flows into the warm, sun-soaked sands.
A: Armadas of Spanish ships inhabit the vast span of the ocean.
T: Tropical islands are inhabited by the most brutal of cannibalistic natives.
I: Inquiries are made to ascertain the fitness of a man to join privateering raids.
T: Treasure ships embark on a long, homeward-bound trip to Spain, begging God for safety.
U: Under the black flag, pirates sail toward glory and untold riches.
D: Decks plastered with warm, crimson blood and the cold metal of cutlasses.
E: Ensuing battle on a ship deck is wrought with musket fire, screams of wounded, and the clash of cutlasses.
S: Scurvy, the bane of any seaman, is combated with citrus and Vitamin C enriched fruits.

Two most important Lines?
Assaulting Matanceros Island: A suicide mission for only the most daring of pirates. This is the most important of all the lines, as the entire story of Captain Charles Hunter revolves around his daring attack on a supposedly “impossible” raid. All sane people in the Carribbean know that the Spanish fortress at Matanceros is near impenetrable. For him to attack is literally the stuff of stories, of myths, of legends. Considering that the entire plot hinges on his success, or conversely, his rather gruesome death, it is pretty safe to say that this is the king of the acrostic.

Under the black flag, pirates sail towards glory and untold riches. Following in a close second, this sentence defines the spirit of the book, the sense of adventure meant to be had by the reader. Pirate Latitudes is by no means meant to detail the grimy and rather gritty lifestyle that pirates truly lived, instead, it glorifies the lifestyle, much like Hollywood approach. It doesn’t tell of the cruelty, of the horrible living conditions. Instead, it is what audiences would want to see in a movie. As you tread into the treacherous waters of the Spanish Main beside Captain Hunter, there is no sense of repulsion or disgust as one would normally feel. In fact, you may find yourself rooting for his piratical band of brutes!

Conclusion: To finally lay this ship to rest, it was a very action-packed and enjoyable book. Don’t read this if you are looking for a deep, insightful experience. No, this is not a very meaningful book, but enjoyable nonetheless.