Porto Bello Gold

It took me years to track this book down. On any recommendations or lists I've ever heard or read, "FOR FANS OF TREASURE ISLAND, ETC.", Porto Bello Gold has been listed as number one. But of course, it's out of print. However, it's worth the search and the drama of searching. This book is great; it's dramatic, exciting, adventurous. It's deeper than a simple pirate yarn, both younger and older fans will enjoy. Like most pirate, etc., novels I've read recently, it took me a while to get through (maybe a week, of moderate-to-mild reading), meaning that it's kind of long. But it's extremely entertaining. Worth the read.

Though the 1934 classic film version of Treasure Island makes reference to a character that appears only in this novel, not in RLS' original (proving that somebody involved in making the film had read it), Porto Bello Gold is almost forgotten today, which is a shame because it is a rousing adventure and a worthy prequel to the classic adventure. RLS never told us much about the origins of the treasure, the implication being that it was accumulated from many raids over some considerable period of time. It was A. D. Howden Smith's inspiration to have it all come from the taking of a single treasure galleon, carrying the yearly mining production back to Spain, and that the portion hidden on Treasure Island was considerably less than half the total. Young Robert Ormerod's life just got a lot more complicated. Pirates are attacking just off New York harbor, he's just met a fascinating Irish lassie, Moira O'Donnell, and the great uncle he never knew about, Andrew Murray, a notorious Jacobite and pirate in partnership with Flint, has made him an offer he can't refuse: assist him in his latest scheme willingly or over his father's dead body. Accompanied by his father's friend, Peter Corlaer, a giant of a Dutchman who insists on being taken prisoner as well, an unwilling Robert plays his part in Murray's grand scheme: to take the Porto Bello treasure galleon and use most of the swag to finance another Jacobite conspiracy. As in Treasure Island the key relationship is between a naive young boy and a Machiavellian old man whose true intentions are difficult to read. Though Murray forcibly uses his grand nephew, he is also trying in his own way to provide him with a glorious future, whether Robert wants it or not. Also present are the younger versions of the RLS characters we know so well: Long John Silver, a Machiavellian not quite the equal of Murray who practices his famous charms on Robert, Billy Bones, Blind Pew, Black Dog, Ben Gunn, etc. In addition we get Smith's vision of Captain Flint (a roaring monster) and even Darby McGraw of "Fetch aft the rum!" fame. As you might have guessed, Murray's scheme doesn't go quite as he expected. Soon Robert, Peter, and Moira are attempting to stay alive amidst a maelstrom of conflicting conspiracies, and although events are considerably constrained by the plot of Treasure Island, there's still room for plenty of twists and surprises. In fact the ending fairly demands another sequel, a sequel that Roger L. Johnson delivered 77 years later in Dead Man's Chest : The Sequel to Treasure Island.

Arthur D. Howden Smith is not well remembered but his books are all fine pieces of writing. I approached Porto Bello Gold with some doubts even so but he handles Stevenson's characters so well and with such flair that I was seduced into loving the book. This is a worthy part of the Treasure Island saga and a wonderful read for anyone who appreciates rousing adventure stories, pirates, and buried treasure.

This book, which almost no one else has ever heard of, is a lot of fun. A great pirate story. The only distracting thing is that all curse words are deleted in favor of blank spaces. That really _____________ ______________, man!

Avast mates! Never has a finer tale of the sea to be had. Meet Long John, Captain Flint, Ben Gunn, and some of the other scurvy crew from 'Treasure Island'. Learn where the treasure came from. Fights at sea and ashore aplenty.