Pirates of Savannah, A Book Review

I must admit, I am a tad bit jealous of Tarrin Lupo. He is a man of many talents, not the least of which is his ability to tell a story. His book, "Pirates of Savannah," is a well crafted historical fiction that recounts a time nearly forgotten and hardly ever mentioned in the study of United States history. Through the eyes of Patrick Willis, a man condemned to live out his years in the king's debt prison, we experience the new world of the colonies a few decades before the Americans declared their independence from the English crown. It is an exciting and sometimes disturbing tale, an interesting mix of fact and fiction that will keep the reader turning the page to learn the fate of the main characters.

We often forget that history, as life, is the day to day mundane interspersed with exciting events every so often. It is the mundane that is most important to most people and the excitement is usually not such a good thing. This is especially true if one lives under the rule of a tyrannical despot and the excitement involves his henchmen exercising the king's power to steal and punish. As Americans we might forget the blood, sweat and tears our forefathers had to suffer in order to establish this nation. We have almost certainly forgotten that they withstood decades of oppression before they finally screamed "enough!" and became independent of sovereign kings. It was a shout that the whole world heard.

Mr. Lupo's novel concentrates on the exciting events that change the hearts and minds of men. He does an excellent job of inserting the message of freedom into his story. The reader is reminded of what freedom is and why it is so important. I think that too many people have forgotten the trials and tribulations our forefathers struggled through to get to the point we're at today, and too many people are willing to take steps backward and allow the tyranny to once again take hold in the body politic. While "Pirates of Savannah" may be a work of historical fiction, the principles upon which it was based remain true and relevant to this day.

"Pirates of Savannah" is a quick and exciting read. The characters are likable and believable. The historic facts are interesting and engrossing. All and all, it was quite an enjoyable book. I highly recommend it.