The Buccaneers

Lawrence, Ian. The Buccaneers. New York : Delacorte Press, 2001.

Plot: After a series of adventures, John Spencer and the Dragon find themselves in the pirate-free Indies. Much to the crew's surprise, they discover a lone shipman rowing a worn boat in the middle of the Atlantic. The rescued sailor, known as Mr. Horn, works hard, but says little. A series of questionable events forces Spencer and the captain to confront Horn. The seaman to reveals he was castaway after his captain went rogue. Instead of obeying original orders, former naval leader Captain Grace pursues piracy and brutally punishes all perceived resistance. John must protect Mr. Horn while avoiding the murderous crew's intentions.

Genre: Adventure, Historical Fiction

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Treasure Island, The Smugglers

Personal Thoughts: While the book displays beautiful writing, it falls victim to its own set-up. Nautical terms cause readers to become lost in a series of naval jargon. Also, while the villain and heroes receive excellent backstories, the characters do not accomplish much during the actual story. For example, the story's climax takes less than one and a half pages. As a result, the text seems underwhelming.

The book is apparently the last in the High Seas trilogy.