Saturday, March 24, 2012

These are characters I love, and books I want to keep.

"These are characters I love, and books I want to keep. [...]

Exceptional in style and quality, M. Kei’s “Pirates of the Narrow Seas” have won a prominent place upon my bookshelf. The stories are a grand seafaring adventure, and the characters – Peter and Tangle, chief among them – are true favorites.

The momentum never stops. These are tales of daring, heroic leaders of men who are also honorable, vulnerable, and caring. The characters are well-defined, and many are intriguing. There is humor in unexpected places. The clothing is beautifully depicted. The routine and activity aboard ship are spiritedly illustrated.

The battles at sea never cease to thrill me, as I follow the action, tracing the map from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea. The warships are vividly described, and the nautical detail is extensive! The vessels – the Ajax, the Amphitrite, the Arrow and the Sea Leopard – are magnificent characters in their own right.

M. Kei is a sailor-poet in the finest tradition. The imagery he creates is a celebration of the tall ships he loves, and a gift to all of us who have ever wished to sail them."--Yancy Carpentier.

Read the full review, covering the whole series, and Heart of Oak in particular, at: http://bookworld.editme.com/Review-Heart-of-Oak-by-M-Kei