Even after his death, Michael Crichton still thrills readers with his sea-faring, buccaneering adventure novel, Pirate Latitudes.
The manuscript to Pirate Latitudes was found after Crichton's death and was then published posthumously. It follows the story of Capt. James Hunter, an English privateer living in the colony of Jamaica, as he attempts to attack the Spanish island of Matanceros, which is heavily guarded by the Spanish pirate Cazalla.
However, as in all pirate novels, nothing quite goes right. For one thing, Hunter's crew (as well as his ship Cassandra) are captured by Cazalla himself. They manage to make their escape, but are then confronted by various other dangers, including cannibals and a kraken.
The story itself is absolutely riveting - it reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean. The action never stops, and the fast pace of the novel makes it hard to put down, as something new is continually happening to the characters.
But Pirate Latitudes is not without its faults. For one thing, way too much action is packed into the 312-page book. Hunter's crew goes through so many trials and encounter so many problems that it is almost hard to believe that all of this could happen during just one voyage.
Additionally, most of the story is semi-believable. Many of the events in the story have taken place in other pirate novels, and so to see them again in another book is hardly surprising. It seems like good historical fiction. Until, that is, the kraken makes its appearance. It is then that the story takes on an air of fantasy and is harder to take seriously.
Though it has its faults (which could be because Crichton's death left the manuscript unfinished), Pirate Latitudes is a good way for a reader to escape the never-ending monotony of the Ohio University Winter Intercession and take an adventure of their own.
3 Culture
Jessica Lohner
