Best of
Pirates

2009

The Fiddler's Gun


A.S. Peterson - 2009
    She s had it with the dull life of the orphanage, and she is ready to marry Peter and escape the ever-watchful Sister Hilde. But an unexpected bond forms between Fin and the fiddle-playing cook, Bartimaeus, setting her on a course for the high seas of the American Revolution.

The Pirate-Cruncher


Jonny Duddle - 2009
    Captain Purplebeard and his crew of cut-throat pirates are off to find an island packed with treasure! But could their greed be leading them into some monstrously big trouble?

The Gingerbread Pirates


Kristin Kladstrup - 2009
    Jim’s favorite is Captain Cookie, who carries a gingerbread cutlass and has a toothpick peg leg. The captain is much too good to be eaten, so Jim keeps him close by his bed. But late that night, when Jim is fast asleep, Captain Cookie steptaps away on a daring adventure to find his pirate crew — and rescue them from that mysterious character he’s heard about: a cannibal named Santa Claus. At once contemporary and timeless, suspenseful and joyous, this masterfully illustrated tale is destined to be a new holiday classic.

Dread Pirate Fleur and the Ruby Heart


Sara Starbuck - 2009
    Now orphaned, Fleur has little choice but to leave her home and join the man who comes to claim her - her estranged uncle, William Hart. But William is a terrifying and ruthless pirate and Fleur is thrust into life on board the Libertine. Living amongst a devilish crew of battle-hardened buccaneers is dangerous for a young girl and earning their respect seems impossible. But Hart blood runs in Fleur's veins and when she gets the chance to avenge her father's death she might just prove to be the fiercest pirate of them all ...

Red Siren


M.L. Tyndall - 2009
    . . An ambitious Naval Officer longing for a promotion . . . Is their love strong enough to defy the noose?Can ladies be pirates? In 1718 Charleston, there are few other choices left to women in need of large sums of money. And Faith Westcott needs such a fortune to protect her two sisters from forced marriages or their aloof and often-absent admiral father will do just that upon his return from overseas. The only problem is, he has assigned a naval officer to keep guard over Faith and her sisters while he is away—a very handsome naval officer, and one whom Faith recognizes as a victim of her piracy from long ago.Dajon Waite longs to make a success for himself in the British Royal Navy, not only to cover a host of past sins but to prove to his father and brother that he isn’t the wastrel they accuse him of being. When he is stationed in Charleston, Carolina to rid the nearby seas of pirates, he is thrilled to meet up with his long-time mentor, Admiral Westcott. But Dajon must pass a test before receiving the promotion he desires: protect the admiral’s unruly and headstrong daughters! Not an easy task when Dajon’s past dealings with women ended in disaster and shame—including a run in with a lady pirate.

Scimitar Moon


Chris A. Jackson - 2009
    With that oath, their lord, Captain Bloodwind, would build a nation of pirates. He doesn't want much, after all... just everything. And what he cannot have, he will destroy. The only man to ever stand against him, the legendary seamage Orin Flaxal, paid that price. But his orphaned daughter, Cynthia, has plans of her own, and revenge is top on her list. She is no warrior, and thanks to Bloodwind's murder of her parents, she will never be a seamage. But she has one family trait that nobody can destroy: she can build ships, like her grandfather did. She will build ships that no corsair can match, and use them to starve the pirate nation to death. And with the help of a bedraggled seasprite, a crippled old sailor and a retired ship's cook, who could stand against her? But Bloodwind has spies and assassins in every port, and Cynthia's new ships would make fine additions to his pirate fleet. Meanwhile, Odea, goddess of the sea, has her own plans for Cynthia Flaxal. So when Cynthia's ships finally set sail, both Captain Bloodwind and Odea are ready.

Destiny's Hand Omnibus: Ultimate Pirate Collection


Nunzio DeFilippis - 2009
    His final wish before he dies is to find the legendary Devil's Eye.And who does he appoint to lead his fearless crew in search of the lost treasure, but Olivia Soldana, a brash 16-year-old girl who can outdo any man!Includes Volumes 1-2 and the never-before-released Volume 3!

Master of the Sweet Trade: A Story of the Pirate Samuel Bellamy, Mariah Hallett, and the Whydah


Elizabeth Moisan - 2009
    For eighteen months he sails the Caribbean under the black flag, allowing this means to an end-this sweet trade of piracy-to claim him. In February, 1717, he seizes the Whydah, a slave ship returning to England with incredible riches in her hold. With more than enough plunder to line his pockets, he turns the Whydah north to Cape Cod and his greatest prize, Mariah. While Sam is away, Mariah Hallett's secret is discovered and she is not only charged with murder, but faces accusations of witchcraft, as well. Confronting a harsh winter and an uncertain future, she struggles to survive alone on the rough Cape Cod moor that edges the sea. With unshakable faith that Sam will return to her, she walks the cliffs overlooking the wild Atlantic and watches for his ship.

The Tale of Billy Turner and Other Stories (Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow)


Rob Kidd - 2009
    The story also tells the origin on one of the beloved characters from the films, Bootstrap Bill Turner! In addition, five rare Young Jack Sparrow back-up stories that appeared in magazines and on websites as promotional pieces and short fiction are included, as well as a preview of the upcoming second wave of chapter books, Jack Sparrow and the Young Pirates of the Caribbean. If that weren't enough, there's also an exclusive short story based on the Legends of the Brethren Court series. All this AND original concept sketches from the series' development PLUS a gatefold cover featuring every major character that's ever appeared in a Young Jack Sparrow book!

Fate's Fortune


Laurie Carroll-Kuna - 2009
    Now, the ghost of her murdered father is calling her to avenge him and her twin brother. But her powerful, ruthless enemy will stop at nothing to retain an empire built through deceit and murder. How can Meg hope to bring peace to her father's and brother's restless souls? To gain her own revenge and win back her legacy? After twelve years in America, Hugh Stevens has returned to England to right a terrible wrong and recover two priceless family heirlooms. Meg Windgate was eight years old when last he saw her. Now a woman grown, Hugh finds himself strongly attracted to the daughter of the man he's sworn to ruin. When Hugh discovers Meg's enemy is his as well, he suggests pooling their resources. She refuses. Instead, directed by her father's ghost, she goes to sea to rob their enemy's ships and bring down his empire from afar. Hugh, convinced Meg and he are fated to be together, strives to help her in any way he can. But he doesn't know the secret she keeps from him. A secret that could destroy their love . . .

Magic & Mechanica


Bill Ward - 2009
    From the all out war of dragon-riding sorcerers against an army of self-replicating, clockwork robots in Christopher M. Cevasco's "Gambit," to the discovery of an alien submersible by pirates in Christopher Heath's Azieran tale "Savior in a Flask," further still to Nicholas Ian Hawkins' collision of a wizardly scholar and the newly-invented printing press that will ruin his career in "Knowledge and Dust," you will certainly be amazed at the breathtaking imaginations of fifteen authors. Dragons, steam-powered tanks, Aztec warriors, angry gods, assassins both large and small...Magic & Mechanica is unlike any collection of fantasy you've ever seen.

Fireship: The Terror Weapon of the Age of Sail


Peter Kirsch - 2009
    Packed with incendiary (and sometimes explosive) material, it was aimed at its highly inflammable wooden target by volunteers who bailed out at the last moment. Although it often missed its target, the panic it caused among the crews--who generally could not swim and had no method of safely abandoning ship--did the job. The most famous example of its use was the English attack off Gravelines in 1588 that led to the rout of the Spanish Armada and the adoption of the fireship as an integral part of the British fleet. The author explains how increasingly sophisticated fireworks were designed into specially-built ships, and how doctrines were worked out for their deployment. In covering some of the most dramatic battles of the sailing era, this heavily illustrated book reveals the full impact of a much used but little understood weapon on naval history.

A Is for Arrr!: A Pirate Alphabet (Alphabet Fun)


Laura Purdie Salas - 2009
    Fun topics like pirates and pom poms make these alphabet books stand out! Loaded with facts about kids' favorite things, these ABC's get an A+!

The Magic Cutlass


Giles Andreae - 2009
    

Pirpires of the Cacaobean


Kerry Allen - 2009
    The first five chapters in the ongoing saga of fanged swashbuckler Malcolm Maximilian Marrs and confectionery heiress Reese Hershey, wherein girls dress like boys, pirates mostly behave like gentlemen, and a cacao bean suffers a horrifying ordeal.