The Pyrates: A Swashbuckling Comic Novel by the Creator of Flashman

by George MacDonald Fraser

Book Overview

In THE PYRATES, the author of the celebrated Flashman novels pays tongue-in-cheek homage to the swashbuckling books and movies that have always stirred his imagination. In these rollicking pages... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1585748005
• ISBN13: 9781585748006
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Lyons Press
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

The funniest book you'll read in years

Imagine the fantasy and imagination of The Princess Bride; take the joie de vivre of Pirates Of The Caribbean; mix it a little with the eccentricity of Carry On Don't Lose Your Head (leaving out the tackier parts of the humour) and then take each of your favourite pirate stereotypes (bad guys, good guys, black spots, needlessly evil Spaniards, sword fights and derring-do) and turn it into one of the most joyous and hilarious books you'll ever read. Oh, and some of the characters really existed, too, just to add a slight historical edge. The Pyrates is perhaps the funniest book you'll read all year, perhaps it's the funniest book you'll read in many years. For a long, long time I thought it was the funniest book I was ever going to read. One gets the clear impression while reading this book that GM Fraser, the author, has thrown caution to the wind. Normally his books are considered, paced and quite recognisably scholarly, for all their adventure and humour. With Pyrates, however, we get a writer having the most fun he's had in years, and sharing it with his readers. Reviews can be used for many purposes; the purpose of a review may be to critique a novel from a particular standpoint, or it may be to throw interesting light on it by placing it in a broad context. The possibilities are almost endless. In this case, I'm going to nail my colours to the crow's nest: I'm writing this review simply to tell you how much I loved this book, pass on some of the happiness it gave me, and thoroughly recommend that you get a copy of it as soon as you can. I hope it makes you laugh out loud as often, and as heartily, as I did!

Best book I've read in a long time

I was first introduced to Fraser through the Flashman novels, which were very well-written. The pace of the book was great and while I think he could have left out a couple parts, I would highly recommend this book. It was very funny, in a subtly overt way.

"He's an honest man- I hate him!"

"The Pyrates" is the first book I read by the wonderful George Fraser, and it's a great place to start. A pretty unique achievement, the book blends every bit of pirate lore, atmosphere and outright clichés into a marvelously funny and entertaining read. The plot is rather difficult to explain; it follows the dashing Captain Avery as he attempts to recover a priceless treasure, sometimes helped and sometimes hindered by the roguish Colonel Blood, falling in love with Lady Vanity (who describes herself as "gorgeous, proud, and insufferably spoiled"), fighting pirates, winning battles, getting stranded, imprisoned, rescued, rescuing and virtually every other thing that has ever happened in a pirate story (including, of course "The Black Spot"). It's all such huge fun, and Fraser's writing is so delightful, you can't go wrong. An absolute must for fans of swashbucklers (literary or cinematic). Be sure to stick around for the "Afterthought", where Fraser discusses the real life figures he placed in his story. The bit about the real Colonel Blood is by itself worth the price of the book. Recommended. GRADE: B+ (If you like this book, PLEASE check out Fraser's lesser known "The General Danced at Dawn". It's even better.)

I wish I had written this!

I am a huge fan of Fraser's "Flashman" series, and have enjoyed "Mr. American" and "Black Ajax" as well. "Pyrates" only enhanced my appreciation for this author. It is one of the few books I have ever read that actually made me laugh out loud. It is hilarious from start to finish, especially the side comments from the pirate "greek chorus" at different spots throughout the book. You don't have to be a fan of swashbucklers to like this story. You just need to enjoy well-written, well-crafted, and unbelievably witty writing. Thank you, Mr. Fraser...you are a master of your craft. I know you wrote this book while working on screenplays for Hollywood -- any chance THIS story will ever become a movie? We can only hope!

A wonderful read, a great story told by a great storyteller.

You've seen them countless times before, the dashing heros and evil villains in those classic pirate movies. But you've never seen them as they are in George MacDonald Fraser's labor of love, The Pyrates. Fraser, author of the Flashman books of historical fiction, wrote The Pyrates as his personal tribute to the many pleasurable hours he spent with Daniel Defoe and Robert Louis Stevenson, Basil Rathbone and Errol Flynn. Giving a nod to both Hollywood and history, Fraser has crafted a wickedly funny version of the English navy's run-in with the Coast Brethren. With tongue firmly in cheek, Fraser launches his Hero, Captain Ben Avery, on a mission that quickly goes astray. Forced to team up with the Anti-hero, Colonel Thomas Blood (British Army, cashiered), Ben must recover rare jewels o' price, rescue the Heroine, Lady Vanity, from the fell clutches o' evil pyrates, and rid the Spanish Main o' every tarry-handed mother's son in the Brotherhood. For spice, Fraser throws in a fascinating array of knaves, kings, despots, wayward admirals, Lost Indian Tribes, kidnapped damsels, thieves, sultry piratical temptresses, and shifty pawnbrokers. The Pyrates is a splendid read, a great story told by a great storyteller, and I'm past due for a new copy. But this book also shows Fraser's immense skill as a writer. He breathes life into every character, no matter how minor the role, and he writes with a precision and economy that leaves me amazed. So clap yer deadlights on The Pyrates, wi' a wannion, and blame y'rself if you leave emptyhanded, for this be a right fine read, by the Powers, devil a doubt, or scupper me wi' a marlinspike...else.