School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-As an orphan raised by a monk, 15-year-old Emmet can read Latin and Greek, and is a very bright, if sheltered, teen. When Father Parfoothe dies, he wonders what will become of him. His question is answered by a surprise visit from an unknown cousin, a man named Francis Drake, who offers Emmet a place as a page on his ship. Emmet's life aboard the Pelican is extremely hard. He is small and ignorant of the ways of seafaring life, and has a difficult time adjusting to this strange, rough world. Captain Drake is a harsh taskmaster, and it isn't long before Emmet realizes that he is sailing with pirates and begins to think of a way to escape. Lawlor's novel is very different from most pirate stories, as Emmet sees nothing adventurous or glorious about this life. The tone is dark and grim, and there are scenes that might horrify younger readers. Sailor lingo and Spanish terms are sprinkled throughout with no help from a glossary. But the story is authentic and harrowing, and the historical details are well done. This book would be perfect for older teens who love historical fiction, or want more on pirates.-Anna M. Nelson, Collier County Public Library, Naples, FL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Fifteen-year-old Emmet wrestles with the morality of pirating as he accompanies his cousin Francis Drake on a three-year voyage. The sixteenth-century setting is vividly evoked and the dialogue is flavorful, but Emmet's angst and character are secondary to Drake's imposing presence, which dominates the novel. An author's note fills in some history behind the story. Map. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Most know him as Sir Francis Drake, learned no doubt from sanitized and less absorbing textbooks, but in the late 16th century, he was El Draque: The Dragon. In this historical adventure, Drake recruits his young cousin Emmet to be his servant on the upcoming voyage on the Pelican, about to be renamed the Golden Hind. Emmet soon realizes the expected trading voyage is really a pirate's quest, and Drake is leading a government-sponsored pirate fleet on a three-year, 40,000-mile madman's caper. Life on a ship is a whole new world to Emmet, and never would he have expected cruel initiations, shooting the Strait of Magellan, talk of monsters, giants and cannibals, executions of traitors and the loss of new friends. Soon, he is sick of it all: "Sick of the voyage, sick of what it is doing to us, sick of myself and what I am becoming." Based as closely as possible on the sometimes-scant historical record, Lawlor's work is full of adventure and lively detail; a solid afterword and author's note continue the story. (Fiction. 10-14) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 6-9. At 15, Emmet Drake is essentially shanghaied by his elder cousin, Francis Drake, to serve as page aboard the Pelican, later renamed the Golden Hind. he expedition, billed as a trading trip, stretches into more than a year of wretched deprivation, piracy, and violent clashes with New World peoples as the unscrupulous, ambitious Francis pushes forward to achieve his goal of girdling the globe. Lawlor's obviously exhaustive research comes through in the precise documentation of the stops along the way, in the colorful nautical slang, and in two comprehensive endnotes and an archival map of Drake's route. Unfortunately, the emotional conflicts given to Emmet (particularly his dismay over becoming no better than the worst pirate ) seem patched on. But the close-range view of a historical icon as bold and daring as Satan himself will appeal to readers who have studied the explorer, and the stark portrayal of his legendary journey encourages reflection on the human toll behind the achievements touted in history books. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2005 Booklist
