Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

This book also comes in an audio book. This review is of the paperback.

Recently at a book fair in South Carolina, I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Tarrin P. Lupo, author of Pirates of Savannah. How could I not approach his table when he was dressed in a pirate costume? When he asked me to review his book I was thrilled, not only did he ask me to review the written copy but also the audio copy. I enjoy historical fiction and it is even better when a few facts are thrown in.

In this stunning account of pirates the reader is transported back to the 1700s. The plot centers on a group of men and women that were criminals and outcasts. They were tired of living under the thumb of the harsh Red Coats. They wanted liberty at any cost. The brave men and women risked their lives to live as freemen.

I learned a lot of facts concerning pirates. Rulers and governments encouraged and benefited from privateers for many years until it back fired on them. Ambergris, is a gray waxy glob of whale sperm and is worth a great deal of money. Savannah was the first purposely planned /organized city in the south. It is no wonder small pox, tuberculosis and other diseases were rampant, hygiene was not at the top of the peoples list of things to do. Captains of the ships bought prisoners and sold them as indentured slaves/servants; they were forced to sign contracts to serve for 5-7 years. The pirates were very superstitious. When launching a new ship they poured rum on the deck. Black cats were considered good luck, along with dolphins. Keelhauling was the most severe punishment on a ship.

The reader will recognize the names of most of the places mentioned although the spelling might be a bit different in that era. Savannah, St. Augustine, St Simon Island, Jekyll Island, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach Charles Towne, Cape Fear and the Keys are just a few of the settings for this adventure.

While I very much enjoyed the book and felt the author did an excellent job, I preferred the audio book which is read by the author. He did a wonderful job of changing his voice and intonation with the characters. His female voice left a lot to be desired but I loved his Scottish brogue and the other inflections. The author has included a map of locations included in the book. In the back of the book he lists the facts and fictions of each chapter. Liberty for all is the theme that runs throughout this book. Not only has Lupo incorporated freedom for Scottish, African American, Indians and other nationalities but he also included women. The illustrations are wonderfully done and added depth to the text. At over 500 pages you would think this would be a daunting read but in reality I wanted the adventure to last longer. I found this book fascinating and highly recommend.