 Pirates and Privateers
The History of Maritime
Piracy
Cindy Vallar, Editor
& Reviewer
P.O. Box 425,
Keller, TX 76244-0425
Books for
Adults ~ Fantasy
Of a Great Deep
By Chad R. Hunter
CreateSpace, 2016, ISBN 978-1530487870, $20.00
In 1716, Captain
Nabopolassar “Bo” Travis and the crew of
the Requiem celebrate their
success in defeating the skeletal army of
Aqua Morti. Some drink and carouse, while
Bo enjoys a delightful evening with the
mayor’s daughter. Before the night ends
this pirate, adventurer, and seeker of
legends and treasures is drugged and
kidnapped by men swathed in black. Nor is
he the only member of his crew under
attack. Quartermaster Winter Burke (the Requieum’s
only female crew member), navigator
Glover, and first mate Ghassan Alnasseri
are also taken, and so is the ship
herself.
A former pirate, who works for a secret
society, needs Bo and his crew to
undertake a dangerous mission – one in
which they must succeed if the world is to
survive. Francis Verne, a dying
missionary, must go with them, for he
plays a key role in achieving victory.
Also accompanying the Requieums is
Ghassan’s son, who has a chip on his
shoulder because his father abandoned the
family. These motley adventurers must
follow an old treasure map, but first they
must rendezvous with someone specially
trained in deciphering the ever-changing
markings that will lead them to the
treasure. When they reach the prearranged
meeting place, they find a kraken where it
doesn’t belong and only one surviving map
reader. To rescue the woman, Bo employs a
secret weapon – one that might unleash an
even greater threat than the kraken.
Captain George “Bloody Face” Fiddick fears
that he will die without making his mark
in history. He acquires a talking skull
and, if he heeds certain instructions, the
skull promises this path will lead him to
greatness. He and his men sail the Crimson
Lady to a land of wind and ice where
beautiful women live, only to discover the
truth of the adage, “Beauty is only skin
deep.” The women hide a hideous secret,
and only the quick actions of a
shipwrecked Spanish boy save Fiddick and
his men from a terrible fate.
A liar, a cheat, and a murderer,
Lieutenant Clarence Lanford is relegated
to guard duty one night when a shadowy
warship unleashes untold horrors on the
city. In trying to escape, Lanford utters
a wish and is dragged into the depths of
the sea and aboard the Malediction,
a vessel of the damned. He lives in hell,
but has the right stuff for what Captain
Rhodes needs. The adjustments to living
and working among skeletons and ghosts are
a lot worse than Landford imagines.
Greed and an unsuspected enemy guide these
three disparate groups toward a collision
course. To survive Bo must confront his
painful past; George must work with,
rather than against, Bo; the Alnasseris
must reunite and forgive; and Francis must
embrace his destiny. Otherwise, the devil
and the damned will rule the world
forever.
Hunter expertly interweaves folklore and
superstition with biblical knowledge and
history to spin a tale of dark fantasy.
His story snares the reader from the first
page and doesn’t relinquish its grip until
the back cover closes. He imbues his
characters with depth and unique traits
until they become real people. They show
that nothing is black and white, that
there is more to each person than first
meets the eye. Of a Great Deep
explores the depth of parents’ love for
their children and how far they will go to
protect their offspring regardless of the
consequences. If ye be a pirate who enjoys
the unexpected and if beasties and
nightmares be not disturbing your sleep,
set sail aboard the Requiem for
bold and exciting adventure called Of
a Great Deep.
Review Copyright ©2016 Cindy
Vallar
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