Who Would Like This Book:
Get ready for a wild adventure with pirates, voodoo magic, zombies, blood-soaked swordfights, and legendary figures like Blackbeard himself. Tim Powers does a fantastic job blending real history with supernatural twists, creating a vivid world that's both authentic and utterly strange. If you love Pirates of the Caribbean, dark fantasy, or swashbuckling action with a clever edge, this book will be right up your alley. Anyone who enjoys imaginative worldbuilding, unexpected magic systems, and stories where history gets a fantastical upgrade will have a blast.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you prefer grounded, realistic adventures or dislike supernatural elements mixed into your historical fiction, this may leave you cold. Some readers found the pacing uneven, with too many villains and plot threads crammed into a relatively slim book. The main character's quick rise from puppeteer to heroic pirate can feel a bit implausible, and several readers were frustrated by the underdeveloped female lead and recurring 'damsel in distress' themes. Graphic violence and some unsettling content may also be a turn-off for sensitive readers.
About:
'On Stranger Tides' by Tim Powers is a swashbuckling tale set in the Caribbean during the golden age of piracy. The story follows Jack Shandy, a man thrust into the dangerous world of pirates, voodoo magic, and the quest for the Fountain of Youth. The book combines historical elements such as real pirates like Blackbeard with magical elements like zombies and sorcery, creating a fast-paced and adventurous narrative. The writing style is described as engaging, with intricate plotting and fantastical ideas that keep the reader entertained throughout the story.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Themes of violence, blood sacrifices, and graphic depictions of fighting, as well as instances of control over female characters and dark themes, necessitate medium-level content warnings.
Has Romance?
There is a romantic subplot involving the protagonist's feelings towards Elizabeth, though it is placed amidst broader action and thematic explorations.
From The Publisher:
The remarkable Tim Powers-who ingeniously married the John Le Carrè spy novel to the otherworldly in his critically acclaimed Declare-brings us pirate adventure with a dazzling difference. On Stranger Tides features Blackbeard, ghosts, voodoo, zombies, the fable Fountain of Youth…and more swashbuckling action than you could shake a cutlass at, as reluctant buccaneer John Shandy braves all manner of peril, natural and supernatural, to rescue his ensorcelled love. Nominated for the Locus and World Fantasy Awards, On Stranger Tides is the book that inspired the motion picture Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides-non-stop, breathtaking fiction from the genius imagination that conceived Last Call, Expiration Date, and Three Days to Never.
"Powers writes action and adventure that Indiana Jones could only dream of."
-Washington Post
"Tim Powers is a brilliant writer."
-William Gibson
Ratings (14)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (4) | |
Liked It (3) | |
It Was OK (4) | |
Did Not Like (1) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (49):
Read It (14) | |
Currently Reading (3) | |
Want To Read (24) | |
Not Interested (8) |
1 comment(s)
This book was the basis for Pirates of the Caribbean. It features much action and adventure and it is a good read if you enjoy pirate stories.
What can you read after
On Stranger Tides?
About the Author:
Tim Powers is the author of numerous novels including Hide Me Among the Graves, Three Days to Never, Declare, Last Call, and On Stranger Tides, which inspired the feature film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. He has won the Philip K. Dick Memorial Award twice, and the World Fantasy Award three times. He lives in San Bernardino, California.
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