The Blackbirder: Book Two of the Brethren of the Coast

by James L. Nelson

Book Overview

In a blind rage, King James, ex-slave and now Marlowe's comrade in arms, slaughters the crew of a slave ship and makes himself the most wanted man in Virginia. The governor gives Marlowe a choice:... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060007796
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.8" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

Even better than 'The Guardship'

A premonition - and suddenly the comfortable world of Marlowe is turned on its head.King James, the freed slave, slaughters the crew of a slave ship in a fit of passion, and to save face and reputation, Marlowe has to run him down and bring him to justice. Meanwhile, his sworn enemy is intent on destroying all that Marlowe holds dear ... This sets the scene for another gripping tale in the same vein as 'The Guardship' - the same flowing prose and command of language endows this book with the mark of a master storyteller coming into his stride. Many threads, at sea and at home, combine to make this a thrilling, un-put-downable period story.As the tale unfolds, we are taken into the minds of the protagonists, taking a glimpse behind the facade that each one has created, seeing the tale from several different perspectives, each with its own ideals and agenda, making us more and more involved in this wonderful complex story.Even better than 'The Guardship' - and that's saying something. *****Look out for 'The Pirate Round', book 3 in the series.

Uncommon topic

The quality of Nelson's writing improves measurably with every book. Here he balances a complicated three part plot masterfully right up to the inexorable end. He obviously has done extensive research on the historical and geographic details. While dealing with some strong subject matter he yet maintains a level that would be fully acceptable to a bright junior high school reader and certainly anyone older. I have come to regard these later works as on a par with Patrick O'B!

Could not put this one down!

Like all of Nelson's books that I have read, this one is fast-moving and historically accurate, but for some reason the characters and the plot grabbed me even more this time. Maybe because of the many twists the plot takes, or the unusual situations, but I loved this book! Read The Guardship first, to know where the characters are coming from (you won't be dissapointed) and then read The Blackbirder.

The best yet!

Once again, James L. Nelson shows that he not only is a master of the English language, but in the tradition of the sea, this old salt knows how to spin a yarn. This story starts out running and almost immediately splits into three different but parallel stories. They are masterfully progressed until, just short of the last page, they all come together in an explosive climax. Don't start this book if you have chores waiting. You won't be able to put it down until it is finished. This book has more action per page than any in recent memory.

One Great Yarn

As usual, James Nelson delivers. A worthy sequel to The Guardship, The Blackbirder takes the reader on an amazing journey, not only to historical Boston but to the shores of Africa. Nelson's imagery is as sharp and as beautiful as ever, and its impossible to put the book down. If you're a fan of Forester, O'Brien, or of Nelson's other novels, this is a must have.