The Black Banner by Helen Hart
‘Gold and Glory!’ The pirates took up the chant. ‘Gold and Glory! Gold and Glory!’ Instantly our men surged from their hiding places, weapons primed… Between snatches of smoke and billowing sulphurous fumes I caught glimpses of fighting… Musket shot whistled through the air and splintered the deck timbers. A dozen pirates became two dozen, and then three as Logan’s men massed on the deck…
1719, and the high seas are plagued by the lawless. Pirates rule the crystal waters of the Caribbean, hunting heavily-laden merchant ships with savage ferocity. Entire crews are condemned to die beneath a cutlass blade unless they swear allegiance to the black banner.
Penniless Becky Baxter (13) is determined to escape a life of poverty. Cropping her hair and dressing in breeches, Becky leaves the backstreets of Bristol far behind to embark on a new life of adventure and fortune on the high seas. But when the ship she’s sailing on is captured by pirates, Becky faces a stark choice: join the pirates, or pay with her life…
Publisher: SilverWood Originals (an imprint of SilverWood Books)
Length: 240 pages
Language: English
Print: ISBN 978-1-906236-46-5
Amazon (UK) paperback (buy): http://amzn.to/p84Ahd for £7.99
Amazon (UK) Kindle (buy): http://amzn.to/pptP82 for £3.58
Amazon (US) paperback (buy): http://amzn.to/qTOIEV for $14.00
Amazon (US) Kindle (buy): http://amzn.to/oFhCQT for $5.00
Author website (buy): http://helenhart.co.uk/
great book, great read – if you’re looking for something to keep your piratical midshipmen happy and quiet. This is it.
A pirate adventure for all ages…. and author Helen Hart lives in Bristol in the UK. With Bristol City docks on the doorstep and all of the history attached, it’s easy to see where Helen found her inspiration!
It sounds like such a fantastic read and I do love a good pirate! Or a bad one come to that 😉
She also brings her experience of the Caribbean beautifully to the story. An agent jumped on this one, I gather. Well done, Helen!
I have this book on my TBR list and looking forward to it. The review has just whetted my appetite.
Looks like a great swashbuckling read for teens – or grown-ups! I actually think my son (in his mid-thirties) might enjoy this!
I’m going to get this book for my daughter; I think it’s one she’d like. And of course for me too!
CJ x
Ooh maybe one for my grandchildren too! Congratulations Helen – and Melanie 🙂
I can’t WAIT to read this!! I love a good pirate story and this one has my imagination captured before I even started. Becky Baxter… Ahoy me’hearties! Thanks to Melanie for bringing this feature, and congrats to Helen on writing what sounds like an amazing book. XX
Spiffing cover!!!! 🙂
This is a lovely read! Great feature 🙂
This sounds like a great read and I love the cover!
Sounds like so much fun! Reminds me of the books I loved as a child!