On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers
So, while I am waiting for my copy of this book to arrive (move faster, Amazon) , I was wondering how many people have read this, the original inspiration of Monkey Island according to Ron Gilbert (and also mentioned as an inspiration for the upcoming Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island)...
Have you read it? Did you enjoy it?
Have you read it? Did you enjoy it?
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(4/4 stars in my anobii library)
Lorn
Some other Pirate books I can recommend for the Monkey Island fan are
The Pirates! in and adventure with scientists, and sequels
by Gideon Defoe
The Pyrates, by George Fraser
Peter and the Star Catchers, and its sequels by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, its a "childrens novel" but its pure fun.
Although one problem, I always picture the scenes in the book in SMI style with Shandy as Guybrush. It's weird - anyone else do that?
I hate you all :mad:
I literally bought my copy used from Amazon for $0.25 and shipping some time ago.... Now it seems that the book is priced really high on amazon and ebay... glad I bought it when I did.
So thank you, thread, for making me aware of this book's existence!
Any one got any more good piratey-book recommendations to pass the time until Chapter 2? Apart from Treasure Island, I haven't read much pirate-fiction.
So far its great...
the novel has a trailer LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lJ5Fe_vHF8
Oh and I read that Speilberg has bought the rights for a film adaptation... should be good.
Also: the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie will be called On Stranger Tides and follow the basic plot of the book, which was expected after the way At World's End ended. I'm interested in seeing a movie adaptation of my favorite book, but I'm not quite so excited about seeing the characters replaced with characters from the PotC franchise.
I am still reading the beginning so he is just now trying to get a crew together...
because Disney bought the rights to the book.
I don't read a lot of pirate fiction. I do own like over ten historical books on the subject though.
I'm relatively certain it was still in the first or possibly second draft. Threads are set up that never go anywhere, and characters are introduced who seem to be important but aren't.
The whole thing just reads unfinished and flat.
After reading Pirate Latitudes, I wanted to wash the taste out of my mouth, so I finally broke down and ordered Flint and Silver off of Amazon. (By John Drake).
Treasure Island is a particular favorite of mine - I make it a point to reread it every year.
I've read just about every prequel and sequel to Treasure Island written...(with the exception of Porto Bello Good, which I've yet to get to).
I held off on picking up Flint and Silver for a year or so...every review that I'd read mentioned that it was a very adult novel (for both violence and adult themes), and I wasn't confident that it would mesh with the original novel.
After Pirate Latitudes, I knew I needed something better...so I ordered it.
I never should have waited.
For the first time, I feel that a worthy addition to Treasure Island has been written. I've enjoyed most of the other prequels and sequels, and filed them away as "alternate universe" stories, but never really part of the official canon.
Flint and Silver *feels* like Robert Louis Stevenson to me, even if the novel is MUCH more adult than Treasure Island was.
Some adaptations or additions try so hard to imitate the characters, that it's obvious that they're aping. The words coming out of Long Johns mouth in this novel FEEL like Long John.
(It also has the benefit of being the first in a trilogy of prequels!)
Even so, I've been reading this novel slowly...I want to savor every page.
So...sorry for the threadjack...but for those looking for additional GOOD pirate literature, you can't go wrong with either On Stranger Tides or Flint and Silver. If it were me, I'd leave Pirate Latitudes on the shelf.
Lorn
As for Pirate Latitudes I have not finished it but I enjoy it so far... but I do agree it probably was not a final draft... seeing as how it was found on his computer after his death.
Interesting stuff. I also read Treasure Island at least once a year, but I never really bothered with all the sequels and prequels. I'll give Flint and Silver a shot, thanks for the suggestion!
It's an "alternate universe" story, and not a retelling of Treasure Island - but if you want to hear Long John raging and yarning his way through a fairly good tale (though perhaps one that goes on a bit too long), it's another favorite.
Lorn
The next PotC movie On Stranger Tides isn't directly based off the book, but they did option it for the title and similar plot elements. Good for Powers, I'm sure he got a nice chunk of change, but it sucks because it pretty much means we'll never get an actual OST movie.
i wonder how it will turn out
Aye, Powers sold the film rights to Disney back in September. I can't see it being a faithful adaptation, the characters of Pirates of the Caribbean don't fit into the characters in the book very well. Jack Sparrow =/= Jack Shandy, Barbossa =/= Blackbeard. I have no doubt it will still be an amusing romp in any event.
I'm glad I got my copy for $0.25 a couple of years ago.
I disagree, but only so long as the film makers have a good long think about the book. My suggestion in an earlier thread was that
(Incidentally, "Pirate Latitudes" was clearly not a final draft. I'm not even sure that it was *intended* as a novel, as I read it I got the strong impression that Crichton was planning the story for use in a movie not as a book, but that he was prose-ing it out prior to working out his script)
I am currently re-reading On Stranger Tides for about the 5th time.
Oooh me too!!
Regarding POTC4, I assume the major similarity to the book will be the search for the
Me: Where can I find "On Stranger Tides"?
Clerk: Hold on second and I'll check, are you looking for it because of that new PoTC movie?
Me: Not really no.
Clerk: (looks in computer) it's out of stock and they won't ship it to the store anytime soon....
Me:With the new PoTC movie that's coming out soon, they'd probably ship it back to the store....
Clerk: I hope so, I was really looking forward to getting the book.
Me: Awesome! Are you into Pirates?
Clerk: What do you think? (shows me the medallion from PoTC and a bunch of pirate tattoos) I also work part time as a pirate down by the pier (I live near the beach)
Me: Wow. So have you played MI?
Clerk: Heard of it, never played it.
Me: Then I recommend playing MI, it's an awesome game about pirates.
Clerk: Alright! I recommend (and here he began to list off all the pirate books titles for me in an almost pirate voice).
And after that we parted our ways. Easily one of the coolest Clerks I've ever met.
...but yeah no luck so far finding it.
As far as the PotC movie goes, they've said it isn't directly based off the book, but since the movie will deal with Blackbeard and the fountain of youth, they figured they would option the book due to the similarities. Best way to look at it is that it's really only similar in title only, especially since the main storyline with Shandy and Whatsherface probably won't be in the movie (it's essentially the already-covered Will/Elizabeth story anyway, just better lol).
The thing that really sucks is that it kills chances of an actual OST movie.
http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Tides-Tim-Powers/dp/1930235321/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264804790&sr=8-1
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/On-Stranger-Tides/Tim-Powers/p/9780441626861
also also here is what Tim Powers said about Disney using his book for POTC 4
more can be found here
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2009/10/surprised-author-tim-powers-finds-himself-setting-sail-with-pirates-of-the-caribbean-.html
And I love it :-)
This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read.. and I read a lot of books :-)
I have read on some German side about PotC 4 : On Stranger Tides...
Apparently Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley won't appear in the new movie.
This is fitting to OST since they need to introduce a complete new character for Shandy and Beth. Some with no pirate experience at alll.
I can imagine that they will have Jack Sparrow take over the role of Phil Davies. The only Problem is that at the time Jack enters the story that Davies just gets his new ship..but I think they will handle it some way that he can keep the Pearl..
In my opinion they simply have to introduce a new character as Blackbeard. There is no point in letting Barbossa do that.
The question is just what to do with him..
The only question is what they will do with him.. either they add a new role for Babossa or he will play some minor part.. e.g. Venners the rebelling (almost)quartermaster..
Well. .. any ways I am curious how it will turn out..
After the bad 3rd movie the need a good one.. and the script they got is a good one ^^
Well, a really amazing book is "Long John Silver - The True and Eventful History of My Life of Liberty and Adventure As a Gentleman of Fortune", by Bjorn Larsson.
It doesn't feel like Stevenson at all in fact... it feels like Silver himself, from whose pov is written
Highly recommended!