A high-seas tale of plucky buccaneers, savage Spanish colonialism and the most fearsome captain of the Caribbean, translated into English.
An icon of Italian and Spanish literature, Salgari’s novel is one of the greatest archetypes of the genre and boasts recognition from such luminaries as Jean-Paul Sartre, Umberto Eco and Jorge Luis Borges as the book that captured the imagination of their childhood. The Black Corsair—a brooding, if not melancholic, pirate—is obsessed with avenging the deaths of his pirate brothers, the Red and Green Corsairs, who have been slain by the ruthless and traitorous Duke Van Guld, governor of Maracaibo, after he betrayed their alliance in a battle against the Spanish. Driven from his Italian estate, nobleman Emilio Roccanera, Lord of Ventimiglia, is transformed into the renowned and much-feared Black Corsair who vows to track the duke across the globe, traversing the jade waters of the Caribbean—from the pirate haven of Tortuga to the nearly impassable jungles of the Spanish Main—in his effort to enact vengeance. Aiding the corsair in his journey are his faithful compatriots L’Ollonais, Michael the Basque and Henry Morgan, each more than willing to sacrifice his life to the cause as per the code of the Brethren of the Coast. Though pirate lore would have you believe all pirates are scoundrels of dastardly deeds, the Black Corsair’s aristocratic background makes him a gentleman at heart, which attracts the attention of a fair-haired duchess whose family ties will ultimately test the limits of the Black Corsair’s sanity in his blood-lusting quest. Though the story suffers from brief periods of tedium as it plods along and makes frequent and obvious use of foreshadowing, the book is eminently readable and great fun. It’s easy to see why this novel has captured imaginations for more than 100 years, as it’s a perfect example of escapist pleasure for both children and adults. As for translation itself, the language is clear and concise, and Lorenzutti nicely maintains the tempo and pace of the original, making for a fast-paced reading experience. This work is faithful to the original and does a great service to reintroduce this classic to a new generation of readers. A true page-turner and classic adventure story, Salgari’s tale of exotica is a welcome diversion.
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2011
ISBN: 978-0978270780
Page Count: 285
Publisher: ROH
Review Posted Online: Feb. 14, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Thought-provoking and charming.
A sophisticated robot—with the capacity to use senses of sight, hearing, and smell—is washed to shore on an island, the only robot survivor of a cargo of 500.
When otters play with her protective packaging, the robot is accidently activated. Roz, though without emotions, is intelligent and versatile. She can observe and learn in service of both her survival and her principle function: to help. Brown links these basic functions to the kind of evolution Roz undergoes as she figures out how to stay dry and intact in her wild environment—not easy, with pine cones and poop dropping from above, stormy weather, and a family of cranky bears. She learns to understand and eventually speak the language of the wild creatures (each species with its different “accent”). An accident leaves her the sole protector of a baby goose, and Roz must ask other creatures for help to shelter and feed the gosling. Roz’s growing connection with her environment is sweetly funny, reminiscent of Randall Jarrell’s The Animal Family. At every moment Roz’s actions seem plausible and logical yet surprisingly full of something like feeling. Robot hunters with guns figure into the climax of the story as the outside world intrudes. While the end to Roz’s benign and wild life is startling and violent, Brown leaves Roz and her companions—and readers—with hope.
Thought-provoking and charming. (Science fiction/fantasy. 7-11)Pub Date: April 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-316-38199-4
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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