The Black Corsair

This was one of the first books I've ever read. Probably the second or third, because it came in a huge collection my dad gave me for my 12th. birthday(I'm 28 today!).Above the beloved Verne's and Duma's of my collection, was this book I took years to find again. I've read it in Portuguese and it was called "The Black Corsair".This book was so nice, with the brave and highly motivated main character; the Black Corsair; who would work as a Pirate in the Caribbean but still keep high moral standards and fight "the good battle".Facing his enemies in battles at sea or land, surviving fencing duels, risking his life to save those he loved... This book had it all! :) I mean, all those things that once made kids dream and wish they would be someone as brave or as powerful when they grew up. Like, who would ever imagine kids would want to become a Pokemon one day? :)It's been many years since I last read this book, but I still remember the exciting opening scene where the Black Corsair faces a fencing duel to death in a bar in the Caribbean. The scene was so richly described that it took me days to imagine the whole scenario. :) And the fact that his brothers were The Green Corsair and the Red Corsair sounded soooo cool at the time!It's hard to write a review for a book rated for kids. All I can say is that I read this book at an early age and I loved it. It was one of my favourite ones. And even today, after having read so many different books, I still have this book as one of my favourites. I would certainly buy it to my kids, if I had them, because I believe it boosts the imagination and it fills those young minds with important dillemas and some good values. And it was terribly fun to read too!

Salgari was the first of "pure adventure" Italian authors, and I am sure to have found some Salgari in the novels by E.R.Burroughs. This book is about an Italian noble forced to leave Italy and to find revenge becoming a corsair in Caribbean sea in the "pirate age". The plot is the typical adventure plot of the late 19th century novels with the hero, the arch-villain, the impossible love story, the revenge, the drama, the cloak and sword plot: if you love the sea and the pirates' adventures, like "The treasure island", don't miss this book and enjoy it.