Book Review: Operation Darksail

Let me say first, that I enjoyed this book from beginning to end! The story is built on the premise of how things might go down if Blackbeard made a pact with the Devil to be allowed to come back to life in the modern world to recover his treasure and seek revenge against the descendants of Lt. Maynard, who is credited with having killed him back in November of 1718.

Blackbeard’s time travel is achieved through the mechanism of a storm, similar to that which sent the USS Nimitz back in time in the 1980 movie The Final Countdown. In the book, Commander Maynard, the last descendant of Lt. Maynard is serving aboard the USS Spruance when Blackbeard and the Queen Anne’s Revenge first appears in modern times. But instead of being obliterated by modern weapons, the QAR survives unscathed. 

The story revolves around Blackbeard’s quest to recover his treasure and achieve revenge against Maynard. Maynard (and the US Navy) must figure out how to destroy him when none of their modern weapons have any effect on him. There are interesting sub-stories of Jeremy Ratliff, a sailor on the QAR who didn’t die with the others in 1718 but has come forward in time with them, and also around Angela Killian, a passenger on a yacht they capture who develops a love interest in Blackbeard. 

It also involves bringing the USS Constitution back into service, which for me was a fun part of the story, as I got to tour that ship when I was in Boston in 2012. 

Mr. Hayden served in the Navy in the Spruance, so the naval procedures and tactics are authentic and believable. His experience also makes the tactics utilized on the QAR believable.

All in all, this is an enjoyable tale that despite getting a little technical at times should appeal to a wide range of readers.

New review of my book!

I thought you might enjoy reading this latest review of my book:

This book is nonfiction analogy written about events, particularly centering on pirates and their activities. Despite being a historical compilation of real-life events that took place back in the sixteenth century, in the areas known today as the United States of America and the islands surrounding the Caribbean Sea, yet the story is as thrilling as any farfetched fiction could be.
Reading through this book can make anyone have a feeling of déjà vu especially if you’ve watched movies like Pirates of the Caribbean and the likes.
Set during the era of wooden ships, the plot revolves around the activities of pirates operating on the Whydah ship, especially how they attacked ships took prisoners and also looted goods.
Samuel Bellamy is the principal character as well as a chief pirate the book dwelt on. It recounted his adventures and forays as one of the most notorious pirates in recorded history.
The author wrote the book more like a narrative than a novel, and also recounted most of the trends of that era, including how the authorities battled to contain piracy as well as the punitive measures that were taken against pirates that were caught.
Another good thing about the book is the fact that each chapter is followed by a glossary that explains certain terms as used in the book.

Original web site:

Book review

http://iloveuniquebooks.com/book-review/the-whydah-pirates-speak-volume-2

La canción del Pirata

José de Espronceda - La canción del Pirata

Con diez cañones por banda,

viento en popa a toda vela,

no corta el mar, sino vuela,

un velero bergantín;

bajel pirata que llaman

por su bravura el Temido

en todo el mar conocido

del uno al otro confín.

La luna en el mar riela,

en la lona gime el viento

y alza en blando movimiento

olas de plata y azul;

y ve el capitán pirata,

cantando alegre en la popa,

Asia a un lado, al otro Europa,

Y allá a su frente Estambul:

-Navega, velero mío,

  sin temor

que ni enemigo navío,

ni tormenta, ni bonanza

tu rumbo a torcer alcanza,

ni a sujetar tu valor.

Veinte presas

hemos hecho

a despecho

del inglés

y han rendido

sus pendones

cien naciones

a mis pies.

Que es mi barco mi tesoro,

que es mi Dios la libertad;

mi ley, la fuerza y el viento;

mi única patria, la mar.

Allá muevan feroz guerra

ciegos reyes

por un palmo más de tierra,

que yo tengo aquí por mío

cuanto abarca el mar bravío

a quien nadie impuso leyes.

Y no hay playa

sea cualquiera,

ni bandera

de esplendor,

que no sienta

mi derecho

y dé pe...

English translation

C.D. Warner, et al., comp.  The Library of the World’s Best Literature. An Anthology in Thirty Volumes.  1917.

The Song of the Pirate

By José de Espronceda (1808–1842)

THE BREEZE fair aft, all sails on high,   Ten guns on each side mounted seen, She does not cut the sea, but fly,   A swiftly sailing brigantine; A pirate bark, the ‘Dreaded’ named,         5 For her surpassing boldness famed, On every sea well known and shore, From side to side their boundaries o’er. The moon in streaks the waves illumes;   Hoarse groans the wind the rigging through;         10 In gentle motion raised, assumes   The sea a silvery shade with blue; While singing gaily on the poop, The pirate captain, in a group, Sees Europe here, there Asia lies,         15 And Stamboul in the front arise. Sail on, my swift one! nothing fear;   Nor calm, nor storm, nor foeman’s force Shall make thee yield in thy career,   Or turn thee from thy course.         20 Despite the English cruisers fleet,   We have full twenty prizes made; And see, their flags beneath my feet   A hundred nations laid. My treasure is my gallant bark,         25   My only God is liberty; My law is might, the wind my mark,   My country is the sea. There blindly kings fierce wars maintain   For palms of land, when here I hold         30 As mine, whose power no laws restrain,   Whate’er the seas infold. Nor is there shore around whate’er,   Or banner proud, but of my might Is taught the valorous proofs to bear,         35   And made to feel my right. My treasure is my gallant bark,   My only God is liberty; My law is might, the wind my mark,   My country is the sea.         40 Look, when a ship our signals ring   Full sail to fly, how quick she’s veer’d! For of the sea I am the king,   My fury’s to be feared; But equally with all I share         45   Whate’er the wealth we take supplies; I only seek the matchless fair,   My portion of the prize. My treasure is my gallant bark,   My only God is liberty;         50 My law is might, the wind my mark,   My country is the sea. I am condemned to die! I laugh;   For if my fates are kindly sped, My doomer from his own ship’s staff         55   Perhaps I’ll hang instead. And if I fall, why what is life?   For lost I gave it then as due, When from slavery’s yoke in strife   A rover I withdrew.         60 My treasure is my gallant bark,   My only God is liberty; My law is might, the wind my mark,   My country is the sea. My music is the north wind’s roar,         65   The noise when round the cable runs, The bellowings of the Black Sea’s shore,   And rolling of my guns. And as the thunders loudly sound,   And furious as the tempest rave,         70 I calmly rest in sleep profound,   So rocked upon the wave. My treasure is my gallant bark,   My only God is liberty; My law is might, the wind my mark,         75   My country is the sea.