Pirate Latitudes

Good novel with lots of historical fiction. Some of the names were changed, but the premise is accurate. Really enjoyed reading the book.

A great action adventure story by Michael Crichton!

Great book of a great time in the world. Would love to have seen it in a film. Theres always time.

Lots of action especially between people...Creighton's best attribute. I was up all night because I couldn't put it down

This is a great classic story, a fictional tale based in a factual world with the suspense and twists, and attention to detail that Michael Crichton should always be remembered for. If you enjoyed his Novel "Eaters of the Dead" then this is a must read.

Enjoyed this pirate tale very much for what it was - a fun story. It was readable, authentic sounding, and had attention to detail without bogging the reader down. Story line was nicely tied up at the end (which isn't meant to imply that it was a "happy ever after" ending). I'm glad the author's family decided to publish this book - it was a wonderful "final gift".

I read "Pirate Latitudes" in just few days. I did realize that Crichton is a master story teller. He doesn't focus on single arena like some others. So he is not pure Medical Examiner, nor MD, nor lawyer, nor symbolist writer. He writes good stories: just take a look at his performance. He did write about dinosaurs, Medieval times, global warming, science fiction, train robbery, etc. I do agree with some other critics that characters are not too deep. Yes, it still doesn't change the fact that the book makes you read itself. I wish I could look forward to other books from him.

This was a classic Crichton novel. This book makes me hope they find more completed works on his hard drive. The suspense was great and the descriptions made you see a movie in your head. I cant wait until this book is made into a movie.

I'm guessing that Michael Crichton never knew what a gift "Pirates Latitude" would be. We've all enjoyed his gifts before. Personally, I admired "Great Train Robbery" and "Eaters of the Dead" for historical fictions with great accuracy; "Sphere" and "Terminal Man" for their terrifying glimpses into the human mind; "Jurassic Park" for a better understanding of the genetic age we are entering; "State of Fear" for calling the media, junk science and popular causes out on the carpet. I've seen others criticize this book for not having that typical "Crichton feel", and on some levels, I would agree. Had Crichton only written books like "Pirates Latitude" he would never have become one of the world's most popular writers. People fell in love with Crichton for his attention to detail, for his insistence that facts and truth be presented as nothing other than what they are. Had cancer not robbed him of a chance to see "Pirates Latitude" published, I believe Crichton would have done what he does best. He would have added that detail, thus robbing us of this final gift. This bare-bones manuscript is a testimony to something I took for granted: details, facts, figures, and ethics aside, Crichton was an extraordinary writer! It's a great story: funny, sometimes light, sometimes heavy, fast-paced and brash in one paragraph, quiet and elegant in the next. And unless by some fate there is another desk with a manuscript to be discovered, it is the last work of his I will read anew. I will miss him. Sorry for turning this into a Eulogy of sorts...but since I've already crossed that line, I think I'll close with a quote from "The Lost World": "You smell the salt in the air? You feel the sunlight on your skin? You see all of us together? That's real. Life is wonderful. It's a gift to be alive, to see the sun and breathe the air. And there isn't really anything else." Rest well, Mr. Crichton. You've earned it.