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The Brotherhood of the Black Flag: A Novel of the Golden Age of Piracy Kindle Edition

by Ian Nathaniel Cohen (Author), Luke Reznor (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 35 ratings
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"Cohen delivers a solid, compelling, and briskly paced story that blends adventure and romance within a rich historical setting." -- The BookLife Prize

An empire in peril. A quest for redemption. The high-seas adventure of a lifetime!

His once-promising naval career in tatters, Michael McNamara leaves the newly-United Kingdom behind in search of a new life. With no other skills but the sword, he joins forces with a pirate turned pirate hunter, determined to rid the Caribbean of the Brotherhood of the Black Flag once and for all. Eager for a worthy cause to fight for, McNamara pits himself against treacherous seas and battle-hardened buccaneers... and uncovers an international conspiracy that threatens the lives of thousands.
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  1. Print length
    427 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    September 19, 2017
  5. File size
    2550 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A real swashbuckling tale! This book has all the elements of a classicexciting adventure. It is good versus evil, although the evilelement is initially disguised as good. Loved the story line. The author is obviously familiar with the time and place of which he writes andwell educated in the art of swordsmanship. His knowledge shines throughin his writing." -- The International Review of Books

"Powerfully imaginative and with a keen eye on the entertaining, Cohen has penned a book that is not only an enthralling epic adventure set during the Golden Age of Piracy but one that is also witty and inspired. I loved everything about this story." -- Mary Anne Yarde, The Coffee Pot Book Club

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B073WCW7Z9
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 19, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2550 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 427 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 35 ratings

About the author

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Ian Nathaniel Cohen

Ian Nathaniel Cohen

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Ian Nathaniel Cohen is a native of Miami, Florida, where he grew up immersing himself in swashbuckler literature and film. He graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2003 with a BA in Radio/Television Production and a Minor's Certificate in Applied Computer Science. He also received his MA in Asian Studies from Florida International University in 2006, where he teaches the course Asia Through Film as an adjunct lecturer. In 2010, his essay "Heroes & Villains of the East", analyzing the evolving depiction of the Japanese in Chinese and Hong Kong martial arts cinema, was published in FIU's Japan Studies Journal.

He also writes a review blog, the INCspotlight, focusing on classic films, comic books, and video games.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
35 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

nemea
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and well written classic swashbuckling adventure!
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2022
Verified Purchase
I picked this up on a whim, and I'm so glad I did! It was both not what I was expecting and exactly what I was looking for, if that makes any sense. I was attracted by the cover, thinking it reminiscent of a poster for a classic Errol Flynn film, but also assuming it would probably be a young adult fantasy, set in a make-believe world so as to avoid having to be grounded in any historical reality. I couldn't have been more wrong! I was something much, much better — a meticulously researched historical fiction adventure of a kind hard to find these days, something in the tradition of Alexander Dumas or Rafael Sabatini (the author who penned the books upon which the great Hollywood swashbucklers The Sea Hawk, Captain Blood, and Scaramouche were based); there's even a nice nod to Sabatini in the book — it's the name of one of the pirates. Reading this book brought back memories of curling up as a teenager in front of the TV and watching a great Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power movie — in the best way possible.
I won't rehash the plot; others have already done so, and there's little to say that wouldn't be a spoiler. But I will say that I admired the historical accuracy, the clean, straight-forward writing style, the attention to detail (while not letting too much description bog down the story), and the way that the author both acknowledged the unpleasant realities of the era while also striving to present a hero with sensibilities more aligned to modern ones. His MC was easy to like, something I really appreciated; there seem to be too few likable characters in books these days. There was also just enough romance to satisfy me and plenty of swordplay, all of it well and accurately described, and a clever plot — in short, this book has all the right ingredients. I will say that there's a little set-up at the beginning so it takes a while to get into the story — up until the introduction of the larger-than-life Stephen Reynard, reformed pirate extraordinaire, a figure I could easily imagine being played by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. at his most charismatic. It was in this section, where the MC McNamara is trying to decide what to make of the enigmatic captain, that I got fully invested in the story, and I was happy that there was an ending I found entirely satisfying. To say more would be to spoil it, which would be a shame. I highly recommend that you read it!
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JTC
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining pirate adventure
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2018
Verified Purchase
Michael McNamara is an ex-British naval officer and fencing instructor looking for a fresh start after being drummed out of the navy and then losing employment with fencing instruction. He signs up for a two-month voyage on a ship, the Southern Cross, bound for Jamaica. His first day in Kingston finds McNamara embroiled in a brawl with five former pirates. His heroics in that fight triggers the start of an adventure that sees McNamara joining the reformed pirate Captain Reynard in a hunt sanctioned by the British crown to capture other pirates on the high seas.

The author does a good job of crafting historical detail into the bones of this novel. He also immerses you in the settings for each scene and makes it really easy to visualize the sights and sounds and smells of these places quite well. His description of sword play in action scenes is excellent and really brings those set pieces to life. I also found Reynard and McNamara to be compelling and interesting characters.

One drawback to the story is that the dialogue tends to meander and gets a bit heavy on the exposition. There are many instances where what the characters are saying to one another feels less like a real conversation and more like a vehicle for filling in backstory for the audience. It tends to impede the flow of the narrative at times.

Fans of historical fiction and nautical adventures will find that The Brotherhood of the Black Flag suits their taste. It offers an entertaining and engrossing adventure from start to finish.
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Mercedes Rochelle
5.0 out of 5 stars Swashbuckling adventure
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2018
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I’m pretty much a stranger to pirate novels, but was very pleased to rediscover my fondness for old-fashioned hack-and-slash, morality-style swashbuckling just like the good old days of Captain Blood. Although the Errol Flynn look-alike in this novel was the pirate captain rather than our protagonist, our hero Michael McNamara had enough gumption to prove himself the most resourceful firebrand amongst a gang of reprobates. What was the real motivation behind Captain Reynard’s proposed voyage? Along with McNamara, we want to believe that Reynard is everything he claims to be, but something just keeps getting in the way—for instance when they discovered the wretched survivors of a defenseless port city after a bloody attack by their antagonist. McNamara objects to just sailing away and leaving the unfortunate victims to their fate, but Reynard callously puts him in his place:

“You will not challenge me on this or any other matter, or by God, I will make you suffer for it. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”
McNamara swallowed nervously, terrified by the fury of Reynard’s gaze. “Yes, Captain.”
“Good. Now get back to the ship.” McNamara nodded silently, his heart still pounding in terror. It was not the threat itself that terrified him as much as the venom in Reynard’s eyes and tone as he had spoken. Good God, no wonder his men fear him so. Still, he could not take his eyes off the surviving residents of Ciudad d’Esperanza huddled together trying in vain to comfort each other, or prevent himself from hearing their cries of anguish. With a heavy sigh, he followed the rest of Reynard’s men back to the beach.

This is a difficult book to review without giving the story away, but suffice it to say that the action is nonstop and quite gratifying. The characters are believable, the threat is potentially catastrophic, and McNamara gets himself out of a fix with some quick thinking—and a little help from his friends, both male and female. The hint of a romance with a damsel in distress who can actually take care of herself is icing on the proverbial cake.
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Top reviews from other countries

Sara Kjeldsen
4.0 out of 5 stars A fast-paced high seas tale
Reviewed in Canada on June 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
This is a true high seas adventure where the main character, Mc Namara, becomes the hero he always wanted to be.
I was impressed with Catalina who could hold her own in many situations and seemed to be a great match for Mc Namara.
The villains are truly evil and the good people stand up to them without faltering. All the elements of a swashbuckling story are in this story. You likely won't be disappointed if you enjoy books about pirates or the age of sail!
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A Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars A SWASHBUCKLING MASTERCLASS!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
Oh, my goodness, what a fun read! Genuine swashbuckling entertainment with an engaging hero, hiss-worthy villains, and a smart, imaginative plot that kept me guessing all the way. And all of it beautifully written, with just enough historical detail to keep it grounded, and an abundance of superbly staged, and perfectly described action set pieces. It’s not entirely clear to me if this is the start of a series, but I sincerely hope it is. I want to know where these characters go next! This is truly first-rate stuff from an author to watch. Highly recommended!
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L. L.
4.0 out of 5 stars Villains and heroes collide
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2019
Verified Purchase
Fab swashbuckling adventure that sweeps you along. If you are familiar with the stories of Black Beard and Charles Vane or if you're looking for a book to keep you entertained in the spirit of Black Sails, then you need to read this! I wish someone would adapt this for the big screen.
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