Tortuga Bay

Pirate of Panther Bay

Young Adult - Action
246 Pages
Reviewed on 09/07/2015
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

SR Staley (www.srstaley.com) is an award winning author he currently lives and teaches in Tallahassee, Florida. A full-time member of the faculty of the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, he is the author or editor of five non-fiction books on public policy and four novels. His most recent novel is "St. Nic, Inc." a re-imagination of the Santa Claus myth as a reality-based adventure and thriller published by Southern Yellow Pine Publishing. "Tortuga Bay," his fifth novel and the sequel to the "The Pirate of Panther Bay," continues the swashbuckling adventures of Isabella, an escaped slave turned pirate captain.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite

Isabella and her crew found themselves in a sticky position after being lured into a bad position by an enemy warship disguised as a merchant ship. The warship was well equipped with men and weapons, but they were no match for Isabella's quick wit. In the end, not only did she defeat the Spanish warship filled with well-trained sailors and marines, she captured the ship too, further fueling the fury of her pursuer - his Excellency Viceroy José María Ferdinand Rodriguez. In retaliation to the embarrassment of the several failed attempts to capture a mere pirate girl, Rodriguez sent in his people again, with strict instructions not to return without capturing her. Isabella was so tired of running and yet she knew she could not stop. She did not dare stop. Her fight for survival and the will to fulfill a prophecy that put the fate of the countless people oppressed by the laws of His Most Catholic Majesty King Charles III of Spain in her hands kept her going. After yet another encounter with the enemy, Isabella sought temporary refuge to plan her next move and then found herself in the thick of a revolution against slavery and on her path to her higher purpose.

Tortuga Bay (Pirate of Panther Bay) by SR Staley is a captivating pirate story delivered with absolute excellence. The idea of a teenage girl as the fierce captain of a crew of pirates is not an easy concept to imagine, let alone bring out on paper, but SR Staley brought her to life brilliantly and made her feel natural and genuine. Isabella is a compelling character with real depth. The character development, coupled with the flawless descriptive writing style and memorable setting vividly brought this story to life. With nonstop action and thrills right from the beginning, SR Staley delivered yet another winner in the Pirate of Panther Bay series. Tortuga Bay is an exceptionally well-developed story that gives a genuine touch to the theme and puts a fresh spin on the way pirate stories are told. Lovers of the genre will find the Pirate of Panther Bay series a worthy read.

Janelle Fila

I loved the concept of Tortuga Bay (Pirate of Panther Bay) by SR Staley. What kid doesn't love pirate ships and boats and islands, being on a ship and hearing the lingo and the accents, the parrots and the terminology? My son loved the Pirate of the Caribbean movies and loved playing games on the computer where he could build ships, launch attacks, and chase down other vessels. This book reminded me of that game so much and I know my son would love the setting and the concept of this story. When I was younger, one of my favorite books was set on a ship, so this setting is also very dear to my heart.

I also love stories that are educational. I think all fiction should try to teach young people something about a different culture or a different setting in a fun and unique way. That way, they are having so much fun reading the story they don't even realize they are learning! I loved learning about Hispaniola, Tortuga, the Spanish Viceroy, and all of the mutinies and fighting and politics described within these pages. It was a beautiful story that I think kids will love and want to reread multiple times because of all of the swashbuckling, excitement, and adventure. Almost like Zorro on a ship or a Pirates of the Caribbean on the page. Excellent job, I think you will have plenty of fans and followers of this adventure.

Roy T. James

Tortuga Bay: Pirate of Panther Bay Series Volume II by SR Staley opens with Isabella waking up to a raid in progress, with the ship's company of pirates busy fighting from their respective stations. In subsequent fights with the Spanish navy, especially dispatched with naval warriors hidden in a merchant ship, they fail to tame the pirates and Governor Rodriguez plans an attack on land. The operation gets planned with Juan Carlos and others in action. Juan Carlos sports a soft spot for Isabella and, to complicate matters, the Governor’s daughter, Rosa, has her eyes on him too. The pirate’s journey to Tortuga Bay progresses with plenty of adventure, a Voodoo priestess, a childhood prophecy, a potential slave uprising, and other events of intrigue en route.

Tortuga Bay: Pirate of Panther Bay Series Volume II by SR Staley is full of action. Staley has been very sparing when it came to elements other than action of this story; in the romantic encounters of Isabella or Rosa’s attraction to Juan Carlos, utmost temperance can be seen while narrating the flow of events. Whereas, when it comes to the action, the author is rather unrestrained, greatly enhancing the entertainment quotient of this book. The prevailing ambiance arising from the dreamy scenes and other unearthly elements of this story adds to its suitability for the young adult genre, which the author has in mind. This is a worthy addition to one's library, especially in the young adult genre, and I can confidently say Staley has produced a winner.