Product Description

Connor Tempest may only be fourteen but he's taken to the life of a pirate like a duck to water. But his loyalties are divided between his shipmates and his sister. Grace isn't finding the pirate life so appealing. She cannot shake the feeling that all is not well on the vampirate ship she left behind. Sidorio may have been expelled from the vampirate ship but his dark deeds are just beginning...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33892 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

About the Author
Justin is well-known as a children's books publicity consultant, working on high profile campaigns including the launch of Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series and events at the Roald Dahl centre. Less well-known is his interest in vampires and that he's a dab hand at sword-fighting. Vampirates brings together both his interests, creating a world to delight children and adults alike.

Customer Reviews

Vampirates Tide of Terror
Again what a brilliant book, it is nice to learn more about Connor and Grace. The second book is a contiuation of the first book and I love the way Justin Somper is developing his characters making them more realistic. Yes in places it is predictable and that is what makes the story so good. Again the book keeps you on the edge of your seat and I am looking forward to reading the next two books.

Average but enjoyable
When I stared reading the first Vampirate story I was captured by Somper's brilliance. Engaging the reader using mysterious dialogue to engage the reader and to make them carry on turning page after page of suspense and mystery.

The sequel to the successful first is interesting to read but unfortunately can't live up to the brilliance of `Demons of the ocean'

The story focuses upon Conner and Grace as they journey together in a life of piracy. The reason the first story worked so well was because readers were being told two different tales from different ships. This sequel is attempting to do the same and I always felt it never captured the composure and tension that the first carried so well. Through tense dialogue there is always interesting elements encouraging the reader to read on however it is predictable at many points and in terms of context is irrelevant at frequent points.

There are many different stories going on involving Conner and Grace but also Sidorio the evil Vampirate and personally I thought that was the reason this book failed to match the first. A change and different angle was needed for the sequel but this attempt failed to work. All the actions and the plot is predictable and didn't capture my attention.

The characters are developed well with them involved in different emotional and exciting scenarios.

This book also differs from the first by having a more fantasy horror styled genre with more in-depth looks at the Vampirates and their actions and also Grace's visions, which personally I thought were exaggerated. Her attachment to the Vampirate ship isn't believable and blown out of proportion.

However because of the mysterious dialogue and interesting twists the book is very encouraging and therefore exciting.

The ending is weak and leaves many questions inside the reader's mind for the third instalment.

Average exaggerated follow up

6.5/10

Extreme Maritime Survival!
Short Attention Span Summary (SASS) of book one:

1. Twins escape horrid fate
2. Fate decides to give it another shot
3. They get separated at sea
4. One gets to talk like a pirate every day
5. The other's with a crew that sucks
6. Reunited, and it feels so good


Following right on the heels of Demons of the Ocean, "Tide of Terror" opens with a night surfer aggressively riding the waves of a deserted cove until the very waves give up the fight, depositing him gently on the sandy shore. Within a few pages however, we learn that this is no ordinary surfer, as the unexpected appearance of a brilliant moonbeam sways him from his intended mission.

Meanwhile, back on The Diablo .....

"Sound the cannon!"
A pirate attack
By eights and by fours
Time to plunder and sack

Victory cries
Soon silenced for good
An error of judgment
The target withstood

Following this great debacle, Connor and Grace (who are both aboard the pirate ship "The Diablo") have to make a tough career decision. Connor needs little convincing, but Grace feels her heart tugging in another direction, towards the Vampirate ship and Lorcan, the vampire who sacrificed his future to protect her.

A temporary respite is granted as the twins are permitted a one week all-expenses-paid trip to the Pirate Academy, where they renew an acquaintance and make some new ones. Despite his early misconceptions, Connor adapts easily to the Academy way of life, and impresses the tutors with his piratical prowess.

Meanwhile, on the Vampirate ship ......

Things are NOT going well.


Although this is a continuation of the first book, there's enough background information to make it possible to enjoy this even if you haven't read the first (but you really SHOULD read it anyway). Book two is a little slower, and more predictable, but there are both page-turning moments and dramatic twists, setting the stage for book three, Blood Captain.

Recommended for swash-buckling, blood-thirsty readers from nine and up.




Amanda Richards