Pirate Latitudes

By Michael Crichton

From one of the best-loved authors of all time comes an irresistible adventure of swashbuckling pirates in the New World, a classic story of treasure and betrayal.
'Fast-moving, gripping' Daily Mail'Full of non-stop action, danger, thrills and blood'GUARDIANJamaica 1665. A lone British outpost in Spanish-controlled Caribbean waters. Its capital, Port Royal, a cutthroat town of taverns and bawdy houses - is the last place anyone would expect an attack to be launched on a Spanish stronghold. Yet that is the plan of renowned privateer Captain Charles Hunter and Charles II's ruling governor, Sir James Almont.the target is the sheer-cliffed and impregnable Matanceros, guarded by the bloodthirsty Cazalla. Hunter's ragtag crew of buccaneers must brave raging hurricanes, cannibals, sea monsters and the Spanish fleet, but if they succeed they will make history ... and a fortune in gold.'Up there with the best of his work' DAILY tELEGRAPH

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Jan 16, 2010
• ISBN: 9780730448426

Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton (1942-2008) was the author of the bestselling novels The Terminal Man, The Great Train Robbery, Jurassic Park, Sphere, Disclosure, Prey, State of Fear, Next and Dragon Teeth, among many others. His books have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide, have been translated into forty languages, and have provided the basis for fifteen feature films. He wrote and directed Westworld, The Great Train Robbery, Runaway, Looker, Coma and created the hit television series ER. Crichton remains the only writer to have a number one book, movie, and TV show in the same year. Daniel H. Wilson is a Cherokee citizen and author of the New York Times bestselling Robopocalypse and its sequel Robogenesis, as well as ten other books. He recently wrote the Earth 2: Society comic book series for DC Comics. Wilson earned a PhD in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as master’s degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. He has published over a dozen scientific papers and holds four patents. Wilson lives in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews for Pirate Latitudes

[readingover50 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not his best book, but still a good read. Seemed to be a lot of historical facts that were interesting.

[karenduff · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this but the part where they are fighting the kraken was just really stupid and should have been cut.Other than that if you want a quick read where you will be entertained and you won't have to engage your brain then this is the ideal book.

[bravenewbks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ending was a little hasty and unfinished-seeming but I enjoyed the rest of it very much; it read more like a Clive Cussler novel than a Michael Crichton one, but I've always enjoyed the former so that was okay by me. Would have easily been for stars if the ending hadn't been so abrupt.

[justagirlwithabook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was the first Michael Crichton novel I've ever read and I was really surprised in some ways with how much I enjoyed it. It had a bit of a feel of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' in a way. I love the swashbuckling and the overall adventure of the story.

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A story of Caribbean pirates, Port Royal and the Spanish Main. This story follows an English "privateer" captain and his crew as they pursue treasure from Spain. I didn't realize until I was finished that it was published posthumously. Which perhaps explains a lot. It was lacking in purpose, or it didn't connect with me, or perhaps I'm simply tired of pirates? Anyway, the story itself was certainly action-packed, the characters going from one pirate catastrophe to another, really, it seemed that they were only there to illustrate the life of pirates in the 17th century. I think perhaps there is a reason Mr. Crichton hadn't submitted it for publication. The story was finished, but the spirit was lacking.The reader, whose name I don't remember, was OK, a bit monotone, but at least his accents didn't sound like Dracula.

[budbarclay · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A tremendous work of short fiction by the famous Mr. Chricton. It would make an excellent adventure movie is someone was so inclined. I wonder when this was written during his career. He will be greatly missed as an author.

[reodon · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Excellent, fast-paced, full of action...finished it in two days...

[tommie1_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Pretty good story. Not along the lines of his earlier novels.

[lkernagh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My love for rollicking adventure stories continued with my read of Crichton's Pirate Latitudes. Building upon an actual event and grounded in a rather accurate portrayal of 17th century Jamaica, it is easy to see why a number of readers may compare this story with the movie The Pirates of the Caribbean. I admit I did, more so for the mere fact that both are adventures with boats, treasure, damsels in distress and a crew of potential disreputable individuals than for any noticeable direct comparisons. The characters are lively, with some wonderful banter and I will admit that I always seem to have a soft spot for ship captains who like to play things fast and loose while still abiding by a personal moral code of ethics, be they pirates or privateers. Part of the story dragged a little bit, and yes, I did catch myself rolling my eyes when the kraken makes its appearance but overall, this was a decent read and is what it is - an adventure story, pure and simple.

[hanque_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

While the book has a good pirate tale in it, the story telling is deeply flawed and a disappointment. Hunter, the chief character, is commissioned by the governor of Jamaica to prey on Spanish shipping. He sails off and is captured by the Spanish. He is freed by one of his men who hides in the bilges of the ship breathing through a straw for several days. Crichton doesn't explain what the guy ate and drank during that time. Hunter's men are great at killing the Spanish. One kills the entire crew of a ship single-handedly. Another slips into a room with ten sleeping soldiers and kills all of them without waking any of them up. The book is filled with nonsense like this. There are also several episodes whose only purpose is to increase the conflict and add to the word count. These episodes have nothing to do with advancing the plot and could be eliminated without changing anything about the story.I give it one out of five stars.

[anigl-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm reading this because pirates, but I will note that it still doesn't come near the shores of the POTC movies. The verdict is still out on the POTC novel though; that's next in line to read.

[levasssp · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nice quick read. It feels like it is missing something, but you'll be entertained for a few hours.

[saramllr · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Eh. Not his best work. There may have been a reason that Crichton left this one in a drawer.

[justpeachy_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The year is 1665. Port Royal, Jamaica is a lone English outpost in the Spanish-dominated Caribbean. Word reaches Port Royal that a Spanish treasure ship has been separated from its fleet and has sought safe harbor at Matanceros, a well-defended Spanish port several days away. Captain Charles Hunter gathers a crew and supplies and sets sail from Port Royal to capture the ship and its treasures. Capturing a ship from the well-armed Spanish is no easy task. Hunter and his crew encounter hurricanes, giant squid, attack from a Spanish warship, and hostile natives. This is a good old swashbuckling pirate adventure story, and is great fun to read. This novel was discovered on Michael Crichton's computer after his death in 2008. Several of his books have been made into movies before, and this story almost reads like a Hollywood script. In fact, Steven Spielberg will be directing the movie, based on a script written by David Koepp.

[trgllylibrarian · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

2 1/2 stars for this one; my least favorite of Michael Crichton's so far. Impeccably researched as usual, but I just don't think historical fiction suits his style as well as the science fiction does.

[es135_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a departure for Crichton. I can't help but think that if he were alive during the publication, things may have been different. The novel is truly a straight forward Pirate adventure. Coming from Crichton, I expected some kind of interesting twist on the genre. What I got instead were the kind of lewd jokes and predictable plot that one would expect from a great B movie. Despite this, I devoured the novel in an afternoon. I guess this is a great B novel from a usually A author.

[docwalt10 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Fast read. Character development was okay. Held my interest enough to finish the book.

[cenneidigh · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I loved it, I was shivering from the cold just reading this. The suspense was good and the romance was scary.

[debs913 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I admit to feeling trepidation when I read the jacket and discovered the manuscript for this book was discovered in Michael Crichton's files after his death. Sometimes an author puts away a book for good reason and does not want it published.

Turns out, this was a quick and entertaining read, though it had a "Pirates of the Caribbean" feel to it and I found myself thinking how odd it was that I was familiar with so many of the islands mentioned in the book, from playing Sid Meyer's Pirates video game.

Crichton writes swashbuckle with the best of them. We have a roguish hero, a damsel in distress, and evil villain, a crew both treacherous and true, a lady pirate who bares her breasts to stun her enemies just before she cuts their throats, and even a sea monster.

Recommended for those who enjoy light, adventure fiction that is well-written.

[snukes-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am grateful Michael Crichton left behind one last book. The novels he published most recently before his death were so disappointing. This novel, while not his best, went a long way toward redeeming him as a storyteller. Pirate Latitudes returns to the tradition of Eaters of the Dead and the Great Train Robbery as he explores a time and place in history that has been the source of many myths and much romance. The book read a bit like a sampler of pirate lore; it was an adventure covering one of each possible kind of pirate escapade, from storms to encounters with other pirates to sea monsters to cannibals to betrayals and beyond. I liked that there were definite protagonists and antagonists without anyone being given the moral absolute. I never could side with the pirates, but I also found the Spanish and English to be bastards, and leave the book having the impression that the this century was morally dark all around. Overall, this was a fun and satisfying read.

[dickmanikowski · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting and seemingly accurate details about the business of privateering in the Caribbean in the 17th Century. Complete manuscript was found after Crichton's death in 2008.

[chaghi-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Very easy reading, but in the end, the novel is just "meh". The plot is extremely simple, almost predictable, and at the same time, it manages to throw in the mix every pirates novel cliche.
I don't think Pirate Latitudes would have been published had Crichton been alive. At least not in the way it was published. I've read (and enjoyed!) several Crichton novels, and this is by far the weakest, at all levels.

[delta351 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Decent story about privateers and sea battles, based in Jamaica but moving around a little. Makes me want to read about Henry Morgan sacking Panama.Definitely a beach read

[akreese · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I know I wasn't the only person out there who was thrilled to find out that Michael Crichton had left behind a fully completed manuscript in his files before he died. His books have been some of my favorites ever since junior high school when I read through his science fiction stories (Sphere and Andromeda Strain were my favorites).

Personally I wasn't too picky about the subject matter of this, his last book. I was just so happy to have one more chance to read a Michael Crichton work that I took this opportunity to savor the story since I know that there will be no more after this.

Pirate Latitudes gets off to a bit of a slow start in the first few chapters with descriptions of Jamaica, the Governor and the general culture there. The pace really picks up though once the privateers set sail. From that point on it is filled with action, deceptions, and complicated attack plans reminiscent of those from the movie Ocean's Eleven (which I loved).

The reader knows that the privateers are going to make a dangerous attack on Matanceros (a heavily fortified Spanish outpost), but the details of how a few privateers are going to overcome a garrison full of Spanish soldiers are not revealed until they unfold in the story. Just when you think you have a handle on what's going on, surprise twists are thrown into the plot and you are once again wondering just how Captain Hunter is going to escape certain death. While I will never know how realistic all of the battle scenes are, I really didn't care because they were so much fun to read.

Who will like this book? Fans of Michael Crichton's writing, lovers of pirate stories, and anyone who likes a good action-packed adventure tale.

[koalamom_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Set in the 17th century we have Charles Hunter, a privateer (not a pirate, which is punishable by death) seeking to take a Spanish ship said to be filled with gold and other wonderful things. In cahoots with the English governor of Jamaica, who should try and hang Hunter for piracy, Hunter goes off with men whom he trusts to take said ship - all to get spoils, of course. After many hazardous adventures he returns to Port Royal with his prize only to find himself on trial for piracy. Why? Well, ...

[piersanti-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A good book, but not a great book, because of course, Crichton didn't get a chance to finish it. There are parts that are very well developed, but then there are more parts that read like they didn't get past the first or second draft. However, I also felt like this provided interesting insights into the author's writing process.

[fbswss · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fabulous writing. The story felt so "true life" like you just can't make this stuff up - yet Crichton did. Amazing.

[kr_patterson · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Here's what I think happened: Michael Crichton thought it would be fun to write about pirates. So he did a lot of research and wrote the book around that. Indeed, probably the biggest positive of this book is that it's researched very well. In the end, he must've realized the story didn't hold up, so maybe he tucked it away to work on later. In a nutshell, it felt very realistic (except for the kraken parts) but was very slow story-wise. But I'm still glad I read it.

[authorpsbartlett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I must say first that no, this wasn't the best pirate story I've ever read but it was definitely a great one.
Being a pirate storyteller myself, I appreciated this book on a whole different level than let's say, the more contemporary or classic books I've read. The reason is; I read pirate novels not only for entertainment but for research.
I was excited that so much of this story takes place in Port Royal, Jamaica because I recently spent quite a few hours researching that area of the world during the Golden Age of Piracy and found his descriptions really brought the place to life for me.
I read this book while my last novel was being edited and my head swirled with ideas and imagery that I felt my own story was lacking. The end result? Several rewrites on my own novel. :)
I suppose my hope is to someday reach the level of success this gentleman did. Even if writing on a topic that is near and dear to my heart was not his forte, I could tell he was having a lot of fun with it and I wanted to climb into the story and enjoy it with him!

[atdcross · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another fun book by Crichton with adventure, betrayal, unexpected turns, exotic locations, and...a fabled monster.However, it seems to me this may be a book that was draft form, which Crichton himself may not have finished before his death. It reads as if someone sort of fleshed it out, trying to keep as best he could in step with Crichton's style. If so, the anonymous co-writer doesn't succeed to well, in my opinion, for two reasons: (a) it's not as sharp and fast-paced as past books by Crichton, and (b) there's some sexual innuendo (nothing too explicit) that, unless I'm mistaken, is not Crichton's style.Nevertheless, worth the read for sure!