AGE OF SAIL - FICTION
"Captain Blood" by
Rafael Sabatini 
With a title like "Captain Blood" and an author named Rafael Sabatini, this book gets two stars before even opening the cover. Peter Blood is an Irishman who has been off adventuring in Europe serving as a mercenary. He returns to England and settles down to practice medicine in the town of Bridgeport. He was educated as a medico for before his mercenary days. It is 1685 and Lord Monmouth is leading a rebellion against James the First. After the rebellion is ruthlessly put down, Blood in convicted of treason for treating a wounded rebel. He is tried and convicted by the dreaded Lord Chief Justice, Lord Jeffreys, and sentenced to hand. Greedy King James thinks there might be good profit in selling the convicted as slaves in the West Indies. Thus Blood is sold as a slave in Barbados. There Blood meets his love, Arabella, the niece of the cruel plantation owner Colonel Bishop. While in Barbados, Blood earns respect as a doctor. He is doing so well that the other two doctors on the island help him plan to escape. When the town is attacked by Spanish Privateers, Blood and the men he was planning to escape with, sneak aboard the Spanish frigate and capture her. The next morning they blow all the returning Spaniards to pieces, keep the town's ransom, and take Colonel Bishop as hostage. Thus begins the career of Captain Blood, the gentleman and elusive pirate.
There is lots of great action, interesting characters, historical and geographic information, and many turns of events. A bonafide classic and great fare for lovers of nautical fiction.
Reviewed by Kenneth S. Smith 26
April 2000
McBooks Press
Ithaca, New York
www.mcbooks.com
