Going for a bit of a different direction this week. Instead of a genre, or trope, I'm going to rec books by a theme. And that theme is going to be pirates (blame Black Sails, ok?).
Compass Rose by Anna Burke
Content Warnings: violence, death
Synopsis: Rose was born facing due north, with an inherent perception of cardinal points flowing through her veins. Her uncanny sense of direction earns her a coveted place among the Archipelago Fleet elite, but it also attracts the attention of Admiral Comita, who sends her on a secret mission deep into pirate territory. Accompanied by a ragtag crew of mercenaries and under the command of Miranda, a captain as bloodthirsty as she is alluring, Rose discovers the hard way that even the best sense of direction won’t be enough to keep her alive if she can’t learn to navigate something far more dangerous than the turbulent seas. Aboard the mercenary ship, Man o’ War, Rose learns quickly that trusting the wrong person can get you killed — and Miranda’s crew have no intention of making things easy for her — especially the Captain’s trusted first mate, Orca, who is as stubborn as she is brutal.
Comments: Futuristic pirates! Lesbian pirates! Hate to love relationship pirates! What more do you want from these pirates! (No, but seriously. Do yourself a favour and read this.)
The Princess and the Captain by Anne-Laure Bondoux
Synopsis: Malva is the princess of Galnicia, destined to marry the Prince of Andemark, or so her parents think. On the eve of her wedding, she escapes at dead of night, little realising that she is letting herself in for a life of peril and adventure, including being shipwrecked in a huge storm and being captured as part of a harem.
Comments: I first read this book over six years ago. I'm not sure quite when because I think I've repressed all knowledge of it given how much it hurt me. One day, I'll work up the courage to reread it, but that's not going to be anytime soon.
These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch
Content Warnings: torture
Synopsis: Adeluna is a soldier. Five years ago, she helped the magic-rich island of Grace Loray overthrow its oppressor, Argrid, a country ruled by religion. But adjusting to postwar life has not been easy. When an Argridian delegate vanishes during peace talks with Grace Loray’s new Council, Argrid demands brutal justice — but Lu suspects something more dangerous is at work.
Devereux is a pirate. As one of the outlaws called stream raiders who run rampant on Grace Loray, he pirates the island’s magic plants and sells them on the black market. But after Argrid accuses raiders of the diplomat’s abduction, Vex becomes a target. An expert navigator, he agrees to help Lu find the Argridian — but the truth they uncover could be deadlier than any war.
Benat is a heretic. The crown prince of Argrid, he harbors a secret obsession with Grace Loray’s forbidden magic. When Ben’s father, the king, gives him the shocking task of reversing Argrid’s fear of magic, Ben has to decide if one prince can change a devout country — or if he’s building his own pyre.
As conspiracies arise, Lu, Vex, and Ben will have to decide who they really are... and what they are willing to become for peace.
Comments: Yeah, this might be a little bit of a cheat, because the whole piracy thing isn't that much of a plotpoint, but whatever. My recs, my rules. And I really loved this one, so I'm reccing it. It's probably one of the first fantasy books I've read that manages to create a whole fantasy world without homophobia too (even while having a society set up around a church that considers magic heresy and things like extramarital sex a sin).
Peter Darling by Austin Chant
Content Warnings: some transphobia
Synopsis: Ten years ago, Peter Pan left Neverland to grow up, leaving behind his adolescent dreams of boyhood and resigning himself to life as Wendy Darling. Growing up, however, has only made him realize how inescapable his identity as a man is.
But when he returns to Neverland, everything has changed: the Lost Boys have become men, and the war games they once played are now real and deadly. Even more shocking is the attraction Peter never knew he could feel for his old rival, Captain Hook — and the realization that he no longer knows which of them is the real villain.
Comments: You know you always wanted to read a story where Peter Pan was a trans man and had a relationship with Captain Hook. Don't try fool me. But even if you didn't, I bet you're now curious about it at least.
The Republic of Pirates by Colin Woodard
Content Warnings: lots of violence
Synopsis: In the early eighteenth century a number of the great pirate captains, including Edward "Blackbeard" Teach and "Black Sam" Bellamy, joined forces. This infamous "Flying Gang" was more than simply a thieving band of brothers. Many of its members had come to piracy as a revolt against conditions in the merchant fleet and in the cities and plantations in the Old and New Worlds. Inspired by notions of self-government, they established a crude but distinctive form of democracy in the Bahamas, carving out their own zone of freedom in which indentured servants were released and leaders chosen or deposed by a vote. They were ultimately overcome by their archnemesis, Captain Woodes Rogers — a merchant fleet owner and former privateer — and the brief though glorious moment of the Republic of Pirates came to an end. In this unique and fascinating book, Colin Woodard brings to life this virtually unexplored chapter in the Golden Age of Piracy.
Comments: Yeah, so this is a non-fiction book, but it's a really good account of the pirates of Bahamas. If you're interested in finding out more about the Golden Age of Piracy, you should read this (or watch Black Sails. Do that too).
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