Product Description

Oliver Tressilian, a Cornish gentleman who helped defeat the Spanish Armada, is betrayed by his half-brother, throwing him into circumstances where he becomes a barbary pirate and a follower of Islam.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #663507 in Books
• Published on: 2002-07-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Customer Reviews

Action from cover to cover
I find it hard at times to pick up novels written a century ago or so, the language can be archaic, the pace a little slow... Not so this novel. It amazed me how quickly I could adapt to Sir Oliver and his world. The heroes were larger than life, the villains deliciously captivating. I found it incredibly hard to put down. It's just nice to read about a hero that stands for something, a person true to their beliefs. Purists would say Sabatini relies on coincidence to move his plot forward, but the world he creates makes it all believable. If you are hesitant about reading the prose of classic swashbuckling literature, read the first three chapters, I guarantee you'll be hooked ;)

An engrossing, entertaining historical novel
This is one of the better Sabatini novels I've read--almost on par with Captain Blood. The story is completely different from the Errol Flynn movie it inspired. The hero is a Cornish gentleman accused of murder, kidnapped from England and forced into life as a Barbary corsair--a leader of "The Sea-Hawks." His anger at his brother, who caused his troubles, and fiance, who rejected him and his protestations of innocence, is easy to understand--and sympathize with. An all-around good novel.