The seas are wicked and dangerous at the best of times. The ancient gods of old still lay claim to the ocean realm man cannot hope to conquer. Very few still make offerings to those unforgiving deities in faith for clemency; fewer still have learned the secrets to coexist with such vengeful beings…

…and only one among those was ever favored with the title, Queen of the Seas.

In a world ruled by men and gold, Callisto was no fool. If she wanted something, she had to take it by any means necessary, and it was because of her bold, unruly nature that everything she had dreamed for had changed… with the whisper of a god and a bloodied dagger… twice.

The life of a pirate had never been her dream, until the moment she seized control of the Poseidon’s Fury. Right there and then, it had become her destiny. One she had been born for. Chosen for.

And one which men had begun to fear.

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review

Despite loving the history and lore of pirates, I’ve never read any fiction centred around pirates. I’ve come close with some steampunk works, but not true pirate fiction. When the chance to read something not only fully focussed on pirates, but about a crew taken over and led by a female really caught my attention.

The Pirate Queen weaves a wonderful narrative infusing ancient religions, piracy and high octane action. Not for the faint of heart, the story follows Callisto SinClair as young girl visiting the corrupt upper class businessman that holds her fishing family in a vice-like grip. With a mere word he can see them survive or plunged into the depths of poverty. Watching him mutilate her father sets off a chain reaction of events that alter the course of her life.

Theft, deceit, murder and piracy all fuelled by the ancient gods and a pursuit for riches make for a thoroughly exciting read. Once I started, I struggled to put this book down and would certainly love to hear more exploits from Captain Callisto SinClair and her crew.

My rating: