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Raised by Wolves #4
Wolves
Wolves is a romantic gay historical novel and the fourth and final volume of the Raised By Wolves series. Raised By Wolves chronicles the relationship between buccaneers Will and his beloved matelot, Gaston, during the infamous Henry Morgan raids against the Spanish Main in the late 1660's. In this volume, the men are challenged by Churches, buccaneer greed and ambition, wives and babies, and a king, while trying to resolve matters with Will's father.
628 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2010
About the author
W.A. Hoffman
8 books104 followersW. A. Hoffman, aka Wynette A. Hoffman, is a middle-aged white woman of English/Welsh/Irish descent (with a little German and Spanish to add flavor). Born in March, 1964. Married for 16 years. A geek: comic book collector, movie fanatic, anime watcher, gamer, MMORPG player (multi-box World of Warcraft.) Lives in a big suburban tri-level in Aurora, Colorado, with two German Shepherd Dogs, two Siamese cats, and a pod of gerbils. She don't have any children. She drives a station wagon. She's allergic to soy and alcohol. She used to be an IT manager; before that she was an administrative assistant. Now she just writes. (That doesn't mean you can make a living at this: it just means she married well.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 18, 2013
As mentioned in another review, this review is for the whole series and not just the fourth book. No spoilers.
I loved this series. I am not joking in saying I spent about a week holed up, ignoring texts, emails and phone calls, feeling irritated when I had to stop and let out my dog or eat, staying up until 3 am unwilling to stop reading whatever part I was on. Last night, I stayed up until 4:30 am just to finish the series. (I was quite tired all day at work, let me tell you)
I still find it difficult to explain exactly what it is about this series I love so much. To be honest, I don't want to oversell it only because there are certainly things in it that I could see some people not liking or skipping. But at the same time, I couldn't say enough how little any of these things mattered to me. Even when I distantly noted those things I didn't care, because it wasn't important.
All the things that were important to me were extremely well done.
First, the main couple.
They are a VERY slow progression and I adored that about them. They went backwards, forwards, there were doubts and worries, there was blind faith, in some ways they were horrible for each other, in a lot of ways they are wonderful for each other. It also never takes the easy road AND really looks at how do you become a couple, how do you remain a couple, and how do you deal with the things that you learn about yourselves and each other along the way.
One of the main characters has a mental illness that makes him extremely dangerous and unpredictable at times, and as a result he's really looked down upon by many people. This series is set in the 1660s so things were especially not well understood at the time. The other main character appears at first glance to be relatively "normal," but you really come to learn all of his facets, and all the dark things that have dragged him down in the past and future.
What I especially love is that they complement each other so well. They really make sense and work as a couple, and what's especially interesting to me is that their problems, as it were, are just as yin and yang as their merits. Which is to say, they could tear each other apart or build each other up at any given point in time.
To me, that made for a very interesting read. Also, I love them both as characters-- their flaws and all-- and it doesn't hurt that they both sound quite attractive ;) (ginger-lovers, you'll be pleased)
Second, the storytelling and plot.
The series in a lot of ways adopts very much a meandering tale, and that too I loved. There are things that are explored that don't necessarily follow through to the future, even if they planned that it would. They go on side trips and get pulled into side plots and the background characters are appearing and disappearing doing things that might not be expected because we weren't in their mind the whole time. Yet, in context, it makes sense.
Also, this story is about pirates/buccaneers, and is set largely in Jamaica and the surrounding islands. It tells a really interesting story of the way people acted at that time... And explores the idea of fluid sexuality on varying levels, with homosexuality embraced in the buccaneer lifestyle but it still being at odds with the more civilized world where it was considered illegal and people could be burned at the stake.
It also considers the role of women at that time, and doesn't pigeon-hole women into any one trope or expectation. The same goes for servants, people of color (at the time many of whom were enslaved), and people from various countries. In addition, the relationships themselves (platonic and not) between various characters flex and wane quite a bit within the whole series, showing the way people change and the things about them that don't change no matter what.
As for the cast of characters as a whole, they're all quite human. There aren't any caricatures I can think of offhand, where there wasn't at least one part of that person that was unexpected or at least a slightly deeper layer than first presented. I don't want to go too much into the characters because it's really best to just read and see where everything goes.
Interestingly, I think if someone had said to me as I started the series, "The specifics of the plot are ____" I might have had preconceived notions of what to expect, and I might even have said, "Well, maybe I'll wait on reading it then because usually I'm not a fan of ___ or ___." But I had no idea of anything going into it, and everything transitioned so well that there were times I would suddenly realize that a character was acting very differently than even 100 pages prior, but for the life of me I couldn't pinpoint exactly where that shift had occurred. So for me, everything made sense the way it progressed, and I had no issues with any of it.
Truth be told, after getting next to no sleep the last week, the very first thing I wanted to do upon finishing the series was start over again. I understood the context of some things much better at the end than the beginning (when important details hadn't yet been revealed) and I grew very curious about seeing how everyone started compared to how the series as a whole ended.
Overall, I would say if you're someone who is interested in pirates, history, psychology, philosophy, if you like seeing the inner workings of a character, and if you like romances that aren't simplistic and linear but are all the richer for it, I think you should give this series a try. I like all these things, and I could not put it down.
My biggest complaint right now is that there isn't more to read and I don't believe there ever will be :( I need more Will and Gaston, please. Thanks :(
[ETA] I found this on the author's site in the Raised by Wolves Q&A section, and I agree with it, so I am pasting it over here to give even more of an idea of what the series is about:
So this is a story about a man wrestling with being gay?
Yes and no. This series is about two men falling in love. One of them has had to wrestle with being gay, and the other has had to fight being unloved because he has bouts of insanity. The Raised By Wolves series is about unconditional love, how it can be both a blessing and curse. And it’s about people choosing to be free to love who one wants and live how one wants.
I loved this series. I am not joking in saying I spent about a week holed up, ignoring texts, emails and phone calls, feeling irritated when I had to stop and let out my dog or eat, staying up until 3 am unwilling to stop reading whatever part I was on. Last night, I stayed up until 4:30 am just to finish the series. (I was quite tired all day at work, let me tell you)
I still find it difficult to explain exactly what it is about this series I love so much. To be honest, I don't want to oversell it only because there are certainly things in it that I could see some people not liking or skipping. But at the same time, I couldn't say enough how little any of these things mattered to me. Even when I distantly noted those things I didn't care, because it wasn't important.
All the things that were important to me were extremely well done.
First, the main couple.
They are a VERY slow progression and I adored that about them. They went backwards, forwards, there were doubts and worries, there was blind faith, in some ways they were horrible for each other, in a lot of ways they are wonderful for each other. It also never takes the easy road AND really looks at how do you become a couple, how do you remain a couple, and how do you deal with the things that you learn about yourselves and each other along the way.
One of the main characters has a mental illness that makes him extremely dangerous and unpredictable at times, and as a result he's really looked down upon by many people. This series is set in the 1660s so things were especially not well understood at the time. The other main character appears at first glance to be relatively "normal," but you really come to learn all of his facets, and all the dark things that have dragged him down in the past and future.
What I especially love is that they complement each other so well. They really make sense and work as a couple, and what's especially interesting to me is that their problems, as it were, are just as yin and yang as their merits. Which is to say, they could tear each other apart or build each other up at any given point in time.
To me, that made for a very interesting read. Also, I love them both as characters-- their flaws and all-- and it doesn't hurt that they both sound quite attractive ;) (ginger-lovers, you'll be pleased)
Second, the storytelling and plot.
The series in a lot of ways adopts very much a meandering tale, and that too I loved. There are things that are explored that don't necessarily follow through to the future, even if they planned that it would. They go on side trips and get pulled into side plots and the background characters are appearing and disappearing doing things that might not be expected because we weren't in their mind the whole time. Yet, in context, it makes sense.
Also, this story is about pirates/buccaneers, and is set largely in Jamaica and the surrounding islands. It tells a really interesting story of the way people acted at that time... And explores the idea of fluid sexuality on varying levels, with homosexuality embraced in the buccaneer lifestyle but it still being at odds with the more civilized world where it was considered illegal and people could be burned at the stake.
It also considers the role of women at that time, and doesn't pigeon-hole women into any one trope or expectation. The same goes for servants, people of color (at the time many of whom were enslaved), and people from various countries. In addition, the relationships themselves (platonic and not) between various characters flex and wane quite a bit within the whole series, showing the way people change and the things about them that don't change no matter what.
As for the cast of characters as a whole, they're all quite human. There aren't any caricatures I can think of offhand, where there wasn't at least one part of that person that was unexpected or at least a slightly deeper layer than first presented. I don't want to go too much into the characters because it's really best to just read and see where everything goes.
Interestingly, I think if someone had said to me as I started the series, "The specifics of the plot are ____" I might have had preconceived notions of what to expect, and I might even have said, "Well, maybe I'll wait on reading it then because usually I'm not a fan of ___ or ___." But I had no idea of anything going into it, and everything transitioned so well that there were times I would suddenly realize that a character was acting very differently than even 100 pages prior, but for the life of me I couldn't pinpoint exactly where that shift had occurred. So for me, everything made sense the way it progressed, and I had no issues with any of it.
Truth be told, after getting next to no sleep the last week, the very first thing I wanted to do upon finishing the series was start over again. I understood the context of some things much better at the end than the beginning (when important details hadn't yet been revealed) and I grew very curious about seeing how everyone started compared to how the series as a whole ended.
Overall, I would say if you're someone who is interested in pirates, history, psychology, philosophy, if you like seeing the inner workings of a character, and if you like romances that aren't simplistic and linear but are all the richer for it, I think you should give this series a try. I like all these things, and I could not put it down.
My biggest complaint right now is that there isn't more to read and I don't believe there ever will be :( I need more Will and Gaston, please. Thanks :(
[ETA] I found this on the author's site in the Raised by Wolves Q&A section, and I agree with it, so I am pasting it over here to give even more of an idea of what the series is about:
So this is a story about a man wrestling with being gay?
Yes and no. This series is about two men falling in love. One of them has had to wrestle with being gay, and the other has had to fight being unloved because he has bouts of insanity. The Raised By Wolves series is about unconditional love, how it can be both a blessing and curse. And it’s about people choosing to be free to love who one wants and live how one wants.
June 18, 2016
This was a wild ride. I have taken these boys to bed with me for over months as I read the entire series. And it is sad to see them go. :(
October 9, 2013
This is the fourth and final segment of the four-part novel
Raised By Wolves
. Rating for the entire book/series - 4.25 stars.
I enjoyed this installment better than part three. There is more plot, more movement forward in both personal relationships and the resolution of the conflicts in the story. The author pulls off a happy ending that is satisfying, if almost too idyllic.
This series began to feel long and convoluted to me in book three, and I had that issue to some degree here as well. This had a lot of plot twists, and every time the two MCs were making forward progress they were stopped/drafted/captured/thwarted/forced to run. At times, it seemed as though they were passive, waiting for the next turn of events, when there were moves they could have made to secure their lives and loved ones.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy this book, and eagerly read my way through it. There were some sections that were very engaging between the two MCs, and some worthwhile plot elements. Their introspection and metaphors had more purpose, and moved forward more, than in book 3, and there was some exciting action as well.
As a whole, this series is worth reading if you like historical context, introspective and philosophical MCs, secondary characters, internal angst and healing broken/traumatized heroes, and a twisty, drawn-out and adventure-laden plot, with a HEA. And if you have some time to dedicate to a story of this length and complexity. I don't think it's one that would do well one section at a time, given all the detail involved. I may reread this, skipping through some parts to find the meat of the books. I enjoyed the unusual characters in a loving M/M relationship where the obstacles are internal trauma and insanity, and external threats, but never a big-misunderstanding or petty jealousy and game-playing. Will and Gaston love each other, from partway through the first book on, and that doesn't change. Their love is the light at the heart of the story.
I enjoyed this installment better than part three. There is more plot, more movement forward in both personal relationships and the resolution of the conflicts in the story. The author pulls off a happy ending that is satisfying, if almost too idyllic.
This series began to feel long and convoluted to me in book three, and I had that issue to some degree here as well. This had a lot of plot twists, and every time the two MCs were making forward progress they were stopped/drafted/captured/thwarted/forced to run. At times, it seemed as though they were passive, waiting for the next turn of events, when there were moves they could have made to secure their lives and loved ones.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy this book, and eagerly read my way through it. There were some sections that were very engaging between the two MCs, and some worthwhile plot elements. Their introspection and metaphors had more purpose, and moved forward more, than in book 3, and there was some exciting action as well.
As a whole, this series is worth reading if you like historical context, introspective and philosophical MCs, secondary characters, internal angst and healing broken/traumatized heroes, and a twisty, drawn-out and adventure-laden plot, with a HEA. And if you have some time to dedicate to a story of this length and complexity. I don't think it's one that would do well one section at a time, given all the detail involved. I may reread this, skipping through some parts to find the meat of the books. I enjoyed the unusual characters in a loving M/M relationship where the obstacles are internal trauma and insanity, and external threats, but never a big-misunderstanding or petty jealousy and game-playing. Will and Gaston love each other, from partway through the first book on, and that doesn't change. Their love is the light at the heart of the story.
September 5, 2020
These books are truly like nothing else in the genre. Beautiful and unforgettable, and absolutely deserving of a reread (or rather, of many rereads). This last installment took a lot out of me emotionally, but the conclusion compensated for all that. It was the perfect stopping point after Will and Gaston’s long, arduous journey — not so perfect as to be completely unbelievable, but just right.
Words can’t express my love for this amazing series.
Words can’t express my love for this amazing series.
May 3, 2017
It took me a while but at last I found another complex and absolutely epic m/m historical series. Raised by Wolves follows the lives of lords, buccaneers and Matelot's, Will and Gaston and their many many friends who tag along in their cart. It's packed with adventure and well worth the weeks it has taken me to get through, and come the end I really didn't want to let Will and Gaston go. My only 'very tiny complaint' is that
February 8, 2019
So. This story/series happened to me. It took me about four months - mostly because RL was very busy, and in small part due to the book itself.
You can see my overview of book #1 here.
I need a graph for how my feelings towards this series changed while reading it, but overall I loved it.
I loved Will and Gaston and hated anyone who wanted to sabotage their love or anything they had planned. I often found them selfish in their plans for the potential children and the women in their lives, but they were men of their time (I would imagine better than most, but still) and some misogyny and self-centeredness was expected. Still, I loved Will's voice and he kept me reading.
Book #4 was a bit of a challenge because I was so tired of people trying to thwart their plans all the time and I just gave up on reading it for about a week. It didn't help that I was reading two more books filled with angst at the same time. The ending came almost too easily with everything tied up in a pretty bow and no loose ends. Or maybe I felt it was too easy because nothing ever came easy for Will and Gaston.
Still, I'm glad I was persistent enough to finish the series. Rating: 4.5 stars.
You can see my overview of book #1 here.
I need a graph for how my feelings towards this series changed while reading it, but overall I loved it.
I loved Will and Gaston and hated anyone who wanted to sabotage their love or anything they had planned. I often found them selfish in their plans for the potential children and the women in their lives, but they were men of their time (I would imagine better than most, but still) and some misogyny and self-centeredness was expected. Still, I loved Will's voice and he kept me reading.
Book #4 was a bit of a challenge because I was so tired of people trying to thwart their plans all the time and I just gave up on reading it for about a week. It didn't help that I was reading two more books filled with angst at the same time. The ending came almost too easily with everything tied up in a pretty bow and no loose ends. Or maybe I felt it was too easy because nothing ever came easy for Will and Gaston.
Still, I'm glad I was persistent enough to finish the series. Rating: 4.5 stars.
April 17, 2017
4.5 stars. Phew, made it through to the end of this epic historical m/m series. Will and Gaston are complex beautiful characters that will live with me for a long time. Told with well researched historical accuracy and full of classical allegory, this series is like nothing else in the m/m genre.
Gaston sighed. He placed his fingers on my lips and his brow knotted with thought. "Let us make a pact," he said seriously. "We will live every day as if it is forever, and as if it is our last. And we will not speak of that other place until we decide to return there."
Gaston sighed. He placed his fingers on my lips and his brow knotted with thought. "Let us make a pact," he said seriously. "We will live every day as if it is forever, and as if it is our last. And we will not speak of that other place until we decide to return there."
Read
May 13, 2022Ho finito. Non sono sopravvissuta. Non ho più spazio per leggere altro nella mia vita, la mia capacità emotiva si è esaurita.
April 11, 2022
Thank you again to Calen for recommending this series. I absolutely loved it and the conclusion to the story went in directions I didn’t predict.
Most of all I love the author’s characterization. You really feel like you know these people and emphasize with what they are going through even though it was all quite foreign to my own life experience.
The writing reminded me quite a bit of Anne Rice’s vampire chronicles and Mayfair Witches books but based on pirates or buccaneers. The story and plotting was secondary to the characters inner thoughts, philosophical thought process and relationships with each other and the secondary characters.
I’m yearning for more.
Most of all I love the author’s characterization. You really feel like you know these people and emphasize with what they are going through even though it was all quite foreign to my own life experience.
The writing reminded me quite a bit of Anne Rice’s vampire chronicles and Mayfair Witches books but based on pirates or buccaneers. The story and plotting was secondary to the characters inner thoughts, philosophical thought process and relationships with each other and the secondary characters.
I’m yearning for more.
May 1, 2015
I don't like the blurb; it makes it sound pulpy when it's not.
I have no idea what to think of this series. It's complex and multi-faceted and not completely a pure epic in that there are parts that seem pulpier, but overall, it's still got that je ne sais quoi epicness about it. There's so much constant evolution that reading gets a bit exhausting. I read this over a course of days where I usually reads things in hours. Of course, this is also a great deal longer than the usual pulpy romance fare.
I wouldn't say it's a pure romance in that the romance is not the central focus. It is a focus and an important aspect, but there's a larger goal and such.
Below is a series of disjointed and possibly incoherent thoughts I had and typed out while reading:
"...this fate could have been avoided if gay marriage were legal."
Seriously, guys. All this clusterfuck of who needs to marry whom and in what time/manner and for what reason...if Gaston and Will were officially, in the eyes of official people, married, all of this could have been avoided.
I don't know if this is purely historical or not because there are things that are just so amazingly (in my mind) modern, like Gaston's views on medicine, and also the artificial insemination thing, and etc. I dunno. Maybe my impression of history as perpetual dark ages is perhaps a tad incorrect. (It's not even to that extent. It just feels like it's weird that they have these things, like syringes, even if it's Pascal's syringe and not a hypodermic one, and dildos, with literally that term [although what was the thing about a turnip. was that a butt plug?])
It's weird because medically speaking, they have moments of surprising modernity, and then they have moments where they're horrified at having to pull a decaying infant corpse out of a wound in pieces, how it's evil (religiously, I'm assuming? The priest was the one who said it, I believe?), and they go around dosing people with laudanum all over the place, too.
Maybe I'm looking at this too impersonally. I'm seeing it as he'd described, as a putrefying wound that needs to be cleaned. They, however, see it as a baby (albeit dead, but a baby nonetheless) and that dismantling it to remove is rending apart a baby.
I find it interesting what they say about faith, though, and all that, and in some ways, perhaps my beliefs mirror theirs. Greek, though; never did like the Roman versions, although I'm not so averse to them now.
I like this series a lot. It's got very interesting explorations into human nature, the nature of sanity and/or lack thereof, religion, sexuality, etc.
I still hate Christine.
I dislike Sarah. Vivian I didn't hate, but then tragedy happened.
Fuck's sake, the book descends into madness by about the halfway point. The world has gone mad around me and I don't even really know when it happened, but now I'm surrounded by madmen and even those I thought to be sane can no longer be relied upon for reason.
Also, I've been reading too much Williams and the story started disappearing and at a point, all I saw were words on a page. Damn you, postmodern poetry.
It was amazingly epic at one point and incredibly thought-provoking and stuff, but then it again went somewhere completely weird and I had absolutely no idea what was going on and how we got there. I mean, seriously, what the fuck. It's almost like it descended into farce, but unlike with the Dark Servant series, it wasn't slapstick (thank the Gods).
I mean, we're somewhere completely gone, and I'm flabbergasted and poleaxed and mourning times gone by. When hope was high, and life worth livi- no.
Seriously, though, this is a great example of why gay marriage should be legal. There was so much damn shuffling around of who was with whom in name so that the world at large would be appeased and oh ma fucking gawd what the fuck is going on.
Although they seem to have settled into a pattern that works for them.
I have no idea what to think of this series. It's complex and multi-faceted and not completely a pure epic in that there are parts that seem pulpier, but overall, it's still got that je ne sais quoi epicness about it. There's so much constant evolution that reading gets a bit exhausting. I read this over a course of days where I usually reads things in hours. Of course, this is also a great deal longer than the usual pulpy romance fare.
I wouldn't say it's a pure romance in that the romance is not the central focus. It is a focus and an important aspect, but there's a larger goal and such.
Below is a series of disjointed and possibly incoherent thoughts I had and typed out while reading:
"...this fate could have been avoided if gay marriage were legal."
Seriously, guys. All this clusterfuck of who needs to marry whom and in what time/manner and for what reason...if Gaston and Will were officially, in the eyes of official people, married, all of this could have been avoided.
I don't know if this is purely historical or not because there are things that are just so amazingly (in my mind) modern, like Gaston's views on medicine, and also the artificial insemination thing, and etc. I dunno. Maybe my impression of history as perpetual dark ages is perhaps a tad incorrect. (It's not even to that extent. It just feels like it's weird that they have these things, like syringes, even if it's Pascal's syringe and not a hypodermic one, and dildos, with literally that term [although what was the thing about a turnip. was that a butt plug?])
It's weird because medically speaking, they have moments of surprising modernity, and then they have moments where they're horrified at having to pull a decaying infant corpse out of a wound in pieces, how it's evil (religiously, I'm assuming? The priest was the one who said it, I believe?), and they go around dosing people with laudanum all over the place, too.
Maybe I'm looking at this too impersonally. I'm seeing it as he'd described, as a putrefying wound that needs to be cleaned. They, however, see it as a baby (albeit dead, but a baby nonetheless) and that dismantling it to remove is rending apart a baby.
I find it interesting what they say about faith, though, and all that, and in some ways, perhaps my beliefs mirror theirs. Greek, though; never did like the Roman versions, although I'm not so averse to them now.
I like this series a lot. It's got very interesting explorations into human nature, the nature of sanity and/or lack thereof, religion, sexuality, etc.
I still hate Christine.
I dislike Sarah. Vivian I didn't hate, but then tragedy happened.
Fuck's sake, the book descends into madness by about the halfway point. The world has gone mad around me and I don't even really know when it happened, but now I'm surrounded by madmen and even those I thought to be sane can no longer be relied upon for reason.
Also, I've been reading too much Williams and the story started disappearing and at a point, all I saw were words on a page. Damn you, postmodern poetry.
It was amazingly epic at one point and incredibly thought-provoking and stuff, but then it again went somewhere completely weird and I had absolutely no idea what was going on and how we got there. I mean, seriously, what the fuck. It's almost like it descended into farce, but unlike with the Dark Servant series, it wasn't slapstick (thank the Gods).
I mean, we're somewhere completely gone, and I'm flabbergasted and poleaxed and mourning times gone by. When hope was high, and life worth livi- no.
Seriously, though, this is a great example of why gay marriage should be legal. There was so much damn shuffling around of who was with whom in name so that the world at large would be appeased and oh ma fucking gawd what the fuck is going on.
Although they seem to have settled into a pattern that works for them.
July 9, 2015
1 STAR.DNF @65%. I DID NOT LIKE IT
I give up. I can't anymore. Fuck this. Book 2 wasn't enough, something of the same had to happen in this fucking book? Fuck this! And to think they were once my favorite characters but now they're just pathetic fools who get led around by their dicks. Don't get me wrong, I would have enjoyed this series very much but i just couldn't with all this women getting in between and this pathetic men who couldn't hold on their love. . And I lost all my love for the main couple because fuck them. I'm done.
I am fucking disappointed with this series.
I give up. I can't anymore. Fuck this. Book 2 wasn't enough, something of the same had to happen in this fucking book? Fuck this! And to think they were once my favorite characters but now they're just pathetic fools who get led around by their dicks. Don't get me wrong, I would have enjoyed this series very much but i just couldn't with all this women getting in between and this pathetic men who couldn't hold on their love. . And I lost all my love for the main couple because fuck them. I'm done.
I am fucking disappointed with this series.
March 1, 2013
"How are we?"
Tanto per cominciare sono enormemente sollevata di non dover più leggere questa domanda e di aver finito questa vaccata. Non che la saga in generale fosse un capolavoro della letteratura, ma fino al terzo libro era stata decisamente gradevole, il quarto è invece un libro fondamentalmente pieno di niente in cui i protagonisti non fanno che ripeterci quanto si amano e quanto siano perfetti rispetto al resto del mondo, con gli Dei dalla loro parte e la forza dell'amore per contrastare accuse di sodomia che in un ambientazione un pelo più seria di questa li avrebbe non dico uccisi ma portati a nascondersi. Ma no, ovviamente.
Per chi ama Will e Gaston ed è convinto che siano due belle persone che si meritavano belle cose, immagino che questo libro sia il migliore della serie. Per come la vedo io, invece, questi due non sono altro che due egoisti del cavolo che per cinque anni hanno rovinato la vita a circa una ventina di persone, ma invece di scusarsi finiscono col pensare che fosse loro dovere farlo - essendo loro centauri a capo di un branco di pecore, qualche lupo e un occasionale leone - (e tutti: sì, è vero! Grazie Will! Grazie Gaston!), pertanto non solo mi sono annoiata a morte leggendo le interminabili paginate dedicate al loro eterno amore che vince la pazzia e l'odio, ma li ho anche odiati dall'inizio alla fine, perché qualunque cosa accada per loro si risolve sempre bene senza che debbano alzare un dito. I due non solo finiscono per liberarsi di chiunque volesse loro male, non solo fanno pace con nemici del passato che chiedono perdono, non solo hanno i figli che volevano, la ricchezza che gli serviva a campare le venti bocche da sfamare di cui sopra, una casa e la libertà di vivere come vogliono... ma soprattutto - wait for it - ottengono il sottinteso riconoscimento del loro essere un coppia di fatto anche da Carlo II d'Inghilterra.
Ricordiamoci un attimo che siamo nel 1600.
Certo, alla fine amici, amanti, mogli e figli si ritrovano tutti quanti ad avere un mucchio di soldi che non avrebbero mai avuto se non fosse stato per l'amore puro, eterno, in grado di vincere la pazzia e l'odio di Will e Gaston; ma tutto questo è possibile solo perché questo non è un romanzo ma una fanfiction che l'autrice ha scritto per trastullarsi con uomini vestiti da pirata che scorrazzano nella giungla. Ora, niente in contrario al desiderio di divertirsi con i pirati che amano altri pirati, ma allora non me lo chiamare romanzo.
Non entro neanche nel merito di quello che è stato fatto a Striker e Pete in questo libro, che si è concluso con lo sfacio totale - e per altro gratuito - di una relazione decennale in favore di una threesome, prima (e ci stava anche) e di un ridicolo cambio di bandiera da parte di Pete, poi. Quando mi descrivi un mondo dove il matelotage è dapprima dipinto come vero affetto e cameratismo, poi come sodomia di comodo, poi di nuovo come uno stile di vita, io non accetto che l'unico vero gay della storia finisca a sposare una donna - la quale per altro voleva vivere come un uomo (Stai a vedere che era solo una fase per entrambi!).
In generale, in questo libro (ma anche negli altri, in realtà, solo che qui è peggo) è interessante tutto ciò che non coinvolge nè Will nè Gaston e che quindi accade offscreen, mentre noi siamo costretti a leggere per la milionesima volta la metafora del carretto trascinato su per la collina.
Tanto per cominciare sono enormemente sollevata di non dover più leggere questa domanda e di aver finito questa vaccata. Non che la saga in generale fosse un capolavoro della letteratura, ma fino al terzo libro era stata decisamente gradevole, il quarto è invece un libro fondamentalmente pieno di niente in cui i protagonisti non fanno che ripeterci quanto si amano e quanto siano perfetti rispetto al resto del mondo, con gli Dei dalla loro parte e la forza dell'amore per contrastare accuse di sodomia che in un ambientazione un pelo più seria di questa li avrebbe non dico uccisi ma portati a nascondersi. Ma no, ovviamente.
Per chi ama Will e Gaston ed è convinto che siano due belle persone che si meritavano belle cose, immagino che questo libro sia il migliore della serie. Per come la vedo io, invece, questi due non sono altro che due egoisti del cavolo che per cinque anni hanno rovinato la vita a circa una ventina di persone, ma invece di scusarsi finiscono col pensare che fosse loro dovere farlo - essendo loro centauri a capo di un branco di pecore, qualche lupo e un occasionale leone - (e tutti: sì, è vero! Grazie Will! Grazie Gaston!), pertanto non solo mi sono annoiata a morte leggendo le interminabili paginate dedicate al loro eterno amore che vince la pazzia e l'odio, ma li ho anche odiati dall'inizio alla fine, perché qualunque cosa accada per loro si risolve sempre bene senza che debbano alzare un dito. I due non solo finiscono per liberarsi di chiunque volesse loro male, non solo fanno pace con nemici del passato che chiedono perdono, non solo hanno i figli che volevano, la ricchezza che gli serviva a campare le venti bocche da sfamare di cui sopra, una casa e la libertà di vivere come vogliono... ma soprattutto - wait for it - ottengono il sottinteso riconoscimento del loro essere un coppia di fatto anche da Carlo II d'Inghilterra.
Ricordiamoci un attimo che siamo nel 1600.
Certo, alla fine amici, amanti, mogli e figli si ritrovano tutti quanti ad avere un mucchio di soldi che non avrebbero mai avuto se non fosse stato per l'amore puro, eterno, in grado di vincere la pazzia e l'odio di Will e Gaston; ma tutto questo è possibile solo perché questo non è un romanzo ma una fanfiction che l'autrice ha scritto per trastullarsi con uomini vestiti da pirata che scorrazzano nella giungla. Ora, niente in contrario al desiderio di divertirsi con i pirati che amano altri pirati, ma allora non me lo chiamare romanzo.
Non entro neanche nel merito di quello che è stato fatto a Striker e Pete in questo libro, che si è concluso con lo sfacio totale - e per altro gratuito - di una relazione decennale in favore di una threesome, prima (e ci stava anche) e di un ridicolo cambio di bandiera da parte di Pete, poi. Quando mi descrivi un mondo dove il matelotage è dapprima dipinto come vero affetto e cameratismo, poi come sodomia di comodo, poi di nuovo come uno stile di vita, io non accetto che l'unico vero gay della storia finisca a sposare una donna - la quale per altro voleva vivere come un uomo (Stai a vedere che era solo una fase per entrambi!).
In generale, in questo libro (ma anche negli altri, in realtà, solo che qui è peggo) è interessante tutto ciò che non coinvolge nè Will nè Gaston e che quindi accade offscreen, mentre noi siamo costretti a leggere per la milionesima volta la metafora del carretto trascinato su per la collina.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2021
I weirdly felt disappointment by this, the final book in the series. Things were wrapped up, but somehow too neatly and too quickly, and a lot of the characters I came to love became people I liked a lot less.
As a whole, I really liked this series and would recommend it to everyone, even if the final installment left a displeasing aftertaste on my tongue.
As a whole, I really liked this series and would recommend it to everyone, even if the final installment left a displeasing aftertaste on my tongue.
March 9, 2014
rating: 4/5
In this fourth and last part, Will and Gaston, rouge lords and buccaneers, continue on their epic journey as they fight Spaniards, family, politics, bounty hunters, religion, superstition, and the raging seas.
What a great way to finish this epic tale! There was family drama, pirating, sailing, murder, long-time coming resolutions, confrontations, more sailing, friendships, love love and more love, romance, sexing, more sailing and pirating and murder, doctoring, running, and yet more sex all wrapped up in a happy bubble (but not too happy) of an ending. I even loved the gradual slowing down of the ending after Will and Gaston's climactic showdown with their ultimate foes (Will's father and Shane). The only downside is my disappointment in the Striker/Pete storyline...
Throughout the four novels, the love between Will and Gaston grew and matured slowly and beautifully. Both their characters developed as the story progressed while they learned from their experiences and each other. I will miss my lovely, rouge, blasphemous, murdering, loving, smart-ass buccaneers greatly as sadly this story has come to an end.
Even as the plot became more and more fucked up and soap-operaish (and despite a few grammar and punctuation errors), I just couldn't put the book down. It was enjoyable and hilarious, and a very satisfying read (even if it did make me cringe and wonder how I could root for characters with such questionable morality). Sigh... can't explain it, I just liked it (I've even come to like some previously disliked characters such as Christine)!
Follows in the Raised by Wolves series:
Brethren Vol. 1
Matelots Vol. 2
Treasure Vol. 3
In this fourth and last part, Will and Gaston, rouge lords and buccaneers, continue on their epic journey as they fight Spaniards, family, politics, bounty hunters, religion, superstition, and the raging seas.
What a great way to finish this epic tale! There was family drama, pirating, sailing, murder, long-time coming resolutions, confrontations, more sailing, friendships, love love and more love, romance, sexing, more sailing and pirating and murder, doctoring, running, and yet more sex all wrapped up in a happy bubble (but not too happy) of an ending. I even loved the gradual slowing down of the ending after Will and Gaston's climactic showdown with their ultimate foes (Will's father and Shane). The only downside is my disappointment in the Striker/Pete storyline...
Throughout the four novels, the love between Will and Gaston grew and matured slowly and beautifully. Both their characters developed as the story progressed while they learned from their experiences and each other. I will miss my lovely, rouge, blasphemous, murdering, loving, smart-ass buccaneers greatly as sadly this story has come to an end.
Even as the plot became more and more fucked up and soap-operaish (and despite a few grammar and punctuation errors), I just couldn't put the book down. It was enjoyable and hilarious, and a very satisfying read (even if it did make me cringe and wonder how I could root for characters with such questionable morality). Sigh... can't explain it, I just liked it (I've even come to like some previously disliked characters such as Christine)!
Follows in the Raised by Wolves series:
Brethren Vol. 1
Matelots Vol. 2
Treasure Vol. 3
July 12, 2014
Sometimes I wonder why I read some books...
This is the fourth of the series and it doesn't get better. I studied psychology and history and it is somewhat wrong on both accounts. I thought it would never end but, end it did, and after all the unbelievable dramas, it is "happily ever after" - which was predictable.
I remember I was infuriated with some Darkover books by Bradley and went on reading because all the improbabilities and worldbuilding made me think and ponder more than a better book could have ! I guess it is the same here.
This is the fourth of the series and it doesn't get better. I studied psychology and history and it is somewhat wrong on both accounts. I thought it would never end but, end it did, and after all the unbelievable dramas, it is "happily ever after" - which was predictable.
I remember I was infuriated with some Darkover books by Bradley and went on reading because all the improbabilities and worldbuilding made me think and ponder more than a better book could have ! I guess it is the same here.
August 23, 2010
Fans of the series will not be disappointed.
June 28, 2022
As the end of the series, I did like this book, but I was slightly disappointed with how some things were resolved. However I still loved the writing and the story itself. This was a great series overall, but the first book was definitely my favorite. I loved following Gaston and Will’s journey though, and I know this is a series I would read again to get second thoughts on it.
January 12, 2018
Continued to be a lovely mix of historical fiction and engaging character development. I realized with this book or maybe the last one that the story is told almost exclusively through dialogue between characters. And because of that things get repeated often to the wide cast that the author creates. The downside is that makes these books excruciatingly long.
April 30, 2020
This series truly gave me ups and downs. Throughout I can say the writing style of the author is very well done with good description and thought provoking ideas however, this could not hold together the complete hurricane of a story line and character development. In the beginning I loved the characters of Gaston and Will and part of me still down but I find it completely unbelievable and almost ignorant how they have stuck together over the books. I enjoy an intriguing plot line with twists and turns but the complete 180 on the development of certain characters continues to erk. And unfortunately I lost all respect for the relationship between Gaston and Will after Gaston cheats multiple times, rapes one of them, and impregnates two women. I understand the writing that lead up to them but can’t bear to think that the Will and Gaston of vol. 1 would think of themselves in Vol. 4.
There are parts of the book that work for me and parts that don’t.
If you enjoy M/M, M/F, M/M/F novels with good writing but the constant threat of any gay relationship being trounced by a female then this book is definitely for you.
If not then I would suggest reading the first book but be weary as you continue on as I don’t want someone to hate the main characters as I did near the end.
There are parts of the book that work for me and parts that don’t.
If you enjoy M/M, M/F, M/M/F novels with good writing but the constant threat of any gay relationship being trounced by a female then this book is definitely for you.
If not then I would suggest reading the first book but be weary as you continue on as I don’t want someone to hate the main characters as I did near the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2020
Sometimes there are series I read and they make me sad when they end because all I want is the story to keep going. This series, really one book divided into 4 parts, is one of those. I'd love to see it continue another year, establishing their new home and life in the shadow of this new dragon, but then I'd probably still want more because I love the characters this story has created.
Some won't like the philosophical and self-psychoanalytical bent the series takes and the long seemingly meandering paths this wanders down while the characters, mostly Will/John as all told from his view point, discover who they are and what they want, but I love this book. There are some parts of it I don't love, but even those parts don't detract enough from where this finished off to make me not love this book.
Are there there hotter/steamier books for those who want them? Yes
Are there kinkier books for those looking for that? Yes
Does this series stand out from all the books I've read as something unique and beautiful? Yes
Some won't like the philosophical and self-psychoanalytical bent the series takes and the long seemingly meandering paths this wanders down while the characters, mostly Will/John as all told from his view point, discover who they are and what they want, but I love this book. There are some parts of it I don't love, but even those parts don't detract enough from where this finished off to make me not love this book.
Are there there hotter/steamier books for those who want them? Yes
Are there kinkier books for those looking for that? Yes
Does this series stand out from all the books I've read as something unique and beautiful? Yes
November 25, 2013
It was amazing read. Quite the saga. It's amazing to read about all these characters and how their own personal interest collided against the others'. I would take half a star simply because I hated Christine/Chris. Despite understanding her reasons and behaviour, there were several times throughout the series that I wished her death, in lessening the heroes' ordeal. I'll stick to the 5 star rating for all the wondrous adventures I embarked upon alongside Will and Gaston. But my feelings for Chris remain unchanged.
I laughed, I cried, I rejoiced, I sat tense in waiting, I struggled with despair. There wasn't an emotion I did not feel while I accompanied this unusual group of people as they made their way between aspirations and plotting to find happiness. I will admit the ending seemed a tad bit forced towards it happily ever after. But after all that Will and Gaston went through, they were entitled to it.
I was truly inside the book, living each peril, experiencing each feeling and overcoming each hurdle. For this alone, the series is worth reading.
I laughed, I cried, I rejoiced, I sat tense in waiting, I struggled with despair. There wasn't an emotion I did not feel while I accompanied this unusual group of people as they made their way between aspirations and plotting to find happiness. I will admit the ending seemed a tad bit forced towards it happily ever after. But after all that Will and Gaston went through, they were entitled to it.
I was truly inside the book, living each peril, experiencing each feeling and overcoming each hurdle. For this alone, the series is worth reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2016
This was a good conclusion to a great series. It's probably my least favorite book of the series, however, and took me the longest to complete. The books in this series are LONG, yet they are the type of book that can be read over a long period of time - picking up where one leaves off is never hard. I think my difficulty with this book - if it can even be called that since I enjoyed the book - was that Will and Gaston seemed particularly selfish and morally cavalier in this book. I'm not sure about some of their choices. Yet it all worked out in the end. I'm still confused also about what comment these books are trying to make on religion. Lastly, I was disappointed with Pete and Striker's storyline.
August 27, 2020
This final book is a wild ride, right from the beginning! It rarely lets up—there are a few slow/calm moments, but they're relatively short and infrequent.
And how satisfying, which is perhaps the most important thing about a long series (or any series); you want the end to be worthy of the characters and story the author (and reader) has invested so much time into. Definitely a worthy conclusion. Am I thrilled with all that happened? No. But for 98% of what happened?? Yup! Excellent!! And again, as with the earlier volumes, you can never be QUITE sure how things are going to play out. Lots of surprises. Most of them quite good.
(As a note, most of this review is about the series in general and not this book in particular.)
I am so happy I found these books and still wonder how I never came across them before (or maybe I did but ignored them because the covers (pieces of famous early 20th century pirate paintings) look weird; never judge a book buy its cover!!!!). I'm also glad I didn't let the length turn me off (while noting that the page counts listed here on GR are... not quite generous enough). For those following along, this book was about 279,000 words, which puts the entire four-volume series at 1,069,000 words. The Harry Potter series is 1,084,000. And if you add on the little in-the-future short story that follows this book (Better You than I), which is 15k, then this series also 1,084,000. Crazy!
A couple of other notes... these books are genuinely funny. Will's and Gaston's voices are funny. I shared some of my favorite kindle highlights from all four books, and some of their humor is in there, but a lot of it is so subtle that I don't know how well it comes across in snippets. But I can't count the number of times I actually laughed out loud. We're not talking crying-laughing, but nice little chuckles. Very welcome amid all the angst and terrible things—of which there are plenty!
I also really enjoyed how the author addresses things for which they didn't have names at the time—like fetal alcohol syndrome (Will calls it "pickled baby"). And the way they handle Gaston's (and Will's) mental health is really one of my favorite things. They both have PTSD—which isn't Gaston's only issue—and the way they care for one another and try to understand one another and take time to address their issues is...well, I love it.
I'll also mention that there is a looootttttttt of talk about religion. Will and Gaston are endlessly philosophical, and a ton of their discussion revolves around religion: what is religion, different religions, different ways to be religious, God's part in it all, and all sorts of stuff that I found really fascinating (I'm an atheist, and a lot of Will's arguments resonated with me). Plus you have the Church of England and Catholicism looming over the whole series (this is more an issue in the final book...and maybe the third, I can't quite remember where each one starts and leaves off), and one of the character's even lost his mom because she was burned at the stake when he was younger. Lots of psychology-type stuff, too (and a few mentions that Will would make a great psychiatrist, although they didn't know what to call it).
The author includes a big list of resources at the end of each book, so it certainly seems she did her homework. I really knew nothing about the West Indies or even general history from this time period (beyond the most basic stuff we learned in school), and it's all interesting and I feel like I can trust it's as accurate as possible.
There are so many characters, and they're just about all wonderful —and not a single one is perfect. You can really get attached to someone over a million words! And in case it isn't clear from my reviews or others', these books are really one big book that was broken into 4 parts. I think each part ends in a fine place—none ends on a cliffhanger—but it's mostly all one enormous story. Each book wraps some things up, but I would say that if you commit to the first book and enjoy it, you're really committing yourself to them all.
At the heart, this series is a romance about the power of unconditional love. Not what I would expect to enjoy, but here we are!
And there's just SO MUCH MORE to all of it that I just don't even know what else to say. Go forth and enjoy the pirates. ♥
//
Lots of content warnings, which I rarely mention because I hate things that are too spoilery, but there are so many...
Plantations and slavery, rape (M/F (not graphic but there is one instance that is talked about a lot) and M/M (graphic and also discussed)), trauma survival (and discussions of the traumas), a graphic (and very sad) childbirth scene, typical pirate/war violence, incest (not glorified or anything like that), murder, torture, alcoholism, mild BDSM (warning? promise?), infidelity, racism and misogyny (a lot is era-typical and Will fights them as much as he can), and probably a bunch of stuff I'm forgetting. Lots of laudanum use, but 99.8% medicinally—Gaston didn't have much else accessible by the way of painkillers.
And how satisfying, which is perhaps the most important thing about a long series (or any series); you want the end to be worthy of the characters and story the author (and reader) has invested so much time into. Definitely a worthy conclusion. Am I thrilled with all that happened? No. But for 98% of what happened?? Yup! Excellent!! And again, as with the earlier volumes, you can never be QUITE sure how things are going to play out. Lots of surprises. Most of them quite good.
(As a note, most of this review is about the series in general and not this book in particular.)
I am so happy I found these books and still wonder how I never came across them before (or maybe I did but ignored them because the covers (pieces of famous early 20th century pirate paintings) look weird; never judge a book buy its cover!!!!). I'm also glad I didn't let the length turn me off (while noting that the page counts listed here on GR are... not quite generous enough). For those following along, this book was about 279,000 words, which puts the entire four-volume series at 1,069,000 words. The Harry Potter series is 1,084,000. And if you add on the little in-the-future short story that follows this book (Better You than I), which is 15k, then this series also 1,084,000. Crazy!
A couple of other notes... these books are genuinely funny. Will's and Gaston's voices are funny. I shared some of my favorite kindle highlights from all four books, and some of their humor is in there, but a lot of it is so subtle that I don't know how well it comes across in snippets. But I can't count the number of times I actually laughed out loud. We're not talking crying-laughing, but nice little chuckles. Very welcome amid all the angst and terrible things—of which there are plenty!
I also really enjoyed how the author addresses things for which they didn't have names at the time—like fetal alcohol syndrome (Will calls it "pickled baby"). And the way they handle Gaston's (and Will's) mental health is really one of my favorite things. They both have PTSD—which isn't Gaston's only issue—and the way they care for one another and try to understand one another and take time to address their issues is...well, I love it.
I'll also mention that there is a looootttttttt of talk about religion. Will and Gaston are endlessly philosophical, and a ton of their discussion revolves around religion: what is religion, different religions, different ways to be religious, God's part in it all, and all sorts of stuff that I found really fascinating (I'm an atheist, and a lot of Will's arguments resonated with me). Plus you have the Church of England and Catholicism looming over the whole series (this is more an issue in the final book...and maybe the third, I can't quite remember where each one starts and leaves off), and one of the character's even lost his mom because she was burned at the stake when he was younger. Lots of psychology-type stuff, too (and a few mentions that Will would make a great psychiatrist, although they didn't know what to call it).
The author includes a big list of resources at the end of each book, so it certainly seems she did her homework. I really knew nothing about the West Indies or even general history from this time period (beyond the most basic stuff we learned in school), and it's all interesting and I feel like I can trust it's as accurate as possible.
There are so many characters, and they're just about all wonderful —and not a single one is perfect. You can really get attached to someone over a million words! And in case it isn't clear from my reviews or others', these books are really one big book that was broken into 4 parts. I think each part ends in a fine place—none ends on a cliffhanger—but it's mostly all one enormous story. Each book wraps some things up, but I would say that if you commit to the first book and enjoy it, you're really committing yourself to them all.
At the heart, this series is a romance about the power of unconditional love. Not what I would expect to enjoy, but here we are!
And there's just SO MUCH MORE to all of it that I just don't even know what else to say. Go forth and enjoy the pirates. ♥
//
Lots of content warnings, which I rarely mention because I hate things that are too spoilery, but there are so many...
Plantations and slavery, rape (M/F (not graphic but there is one instance that is talked about a lot) and M/M (graphic and also discussed)), trauma survival (and discussions of the traumas), a graphic (and very sad) childbirth scene, typical pirate/war violence, incest (not glorified or anything like that), murder, torture, alcoholism, mild BDSM (warning? promise?), infidelity, racism and misogyny (a lot is era-typical and Will fights them as much as he can), and probably a bunch of stuff I'm forgetting. Lots of laudanum use, but 99.8% medicinally—Gaston didn't have much else accessible by the way of painkillers.
August 19, 2020
I don’t even know where to begin. This four-book series has held me enthralled from beginning to end. It’s an exciting journey through a period of history I’ve never considered before, but which came alive in the author's telling. It’s a journey of heart and soul that’s left me swinging back and forth from heartache to joy as Will and Gaston grapple with each other, with themselves, and with the forces that would tear them apart. Their triumph is ultimately not one over their circumstances but of love, love that binds them together and never lets go. I’m in awe of what this author has created.
February 10, 2023
My review is more of a compliment to the author on capturing the essence of communication between men. There is adventure indeed and so much romance and intimacy between the characters however, it’s the never ending conversations between the two that are the heart of this beautiful story.
I don’t review the books I read but these were special to me it captures the essence of any great romance and proves the importance and power of effective communication in same sex relationships. I loved this and look forward to reading more y W.A Hoffman in the future.
I don’t review the books I read but these were special to me it captures the essence of any great romance and proves the importance and power of effective communication in same sex relationships. I loved this and look forward to reading more y W.A Hoffman in the future.
April 20, 2017
DNF at around 40%. I'm not sure if it's just reading this in a marathon with the previous books or what, but I am just sick of Will and the repetitive metaphors. I may pick this up again at a later date to see how it all turns out, but for now I'm going to stop trying to make myself like it. I did enjoy the previous books in the series, so I'm not sure what's not clicking here.
November 9, 2011
The ending seemed dragged out, and all the focus was on Gaston and Will. Don't get me wrong, I liked the ending, but I felt once we hit the climax with Shane and everything it could have ended there and it would have been better. Again I felt like the other characters needed some more focus.
November 8, 2022
I'm not sure why this author decided to write three wonderful books with amazing characters and yet turn them into people I utterly despised in this book. I devoured the first three - I even took a day off work because I was so addicted.
BUT...
In Book 4, the constant - and I mean *constant* references to the gods guiding everything Will and Gaston do became unbearably tedious. Will became an almost Christ-like figure, preaching to all about love and tolerance. He's a 17th century buccaneer!! The political correctness of the 21st century being imposed on the 17th century was absurd. The obsession with making sure that all characters got married and had kids was tedious. And the Pete and Striker storyline was so unbearably disappointing that I almost threw the book out the window when murdering, masculine-man-loving, woman-hating Pete .... fell in love with a woman, got married and had a kid. I've never felt so utterly let down by an author. I notice her bio demands her "artistic freedom". Well, I have a reader's freedom to say I will never read your books again.
BUT...
In Book 4, the constant - and I mean *constant* references to the gods guiding everything Will and Gaston do became unbearably tedious. Will became an almost Christ-like figure, preaching to all about love and tolerance. He's a 17th century buccaneer!! The political correctness of the 21st century being imposed on the 17th century was absurd. The obsession with making sure that all characters got married and had kids was tedious. And the Pete and Striker storyline was so unbearably disappointing that I almost threw the book out the window when murdering, masculine-man-loving, woman-hating Pete .... fell in love with a woman, got married and had a kid. I've never felt so utterly let down by an author. I notice her bio demands her "artistic freedom". Well, I have a reader's freedom to say I will never read your books again.
November 12, 2017
Very good
This was not my favorite of the series but great emotional book all the same. There were some far fetched parts of the story but it all add up to a beautiful ending. This will go on my read a again list.
This was not my favorite of the series but great emotional book all the same. There were some far fetched parts of the story but it all add up to a beautiful ending. This will go on my read a again list.
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