Published by Granite Publishing and Distribution, 337 pages, $14.95
Reviewed by Jennie Hansen
“With the thick cloud cover, this dark night would be the perfect opportunity for pirates to sneak upon them . . . Just as the thought crossed his mind he heard something to his left and a little farther from the Warwick than John himself. Several oars sliced almost noiselessly through the water . . . the hair stood straight out on the back of his neck.”
For those with a yen for square rigged sailing vessels, months at sea, and ominous pirate ships, the historical novel, Search for the Bark Warwick is a long-awaited treat. Author Sherry Ann Miller has spent many years researching the mid-sixteen hundreds and particularly the fate of the Little David and the bark Warwick along with mariner John Dunton who mastered the Warwick.
Much of her research comes from Dunton’s journal.
It is a fact that John Dunton and his son were captured by pirates sometime between 1631 and 1636. They were taken to the pirate stronghold at Sale’ in North Africa where they, like 30,000 other British subjects, were sold at auction as slaves. John Dunton, as a slave, resumed his position on the Warwick when the bark was turned into a pirate ship. He appeared to cooperate until the ship approached England where he ran it aground. He later became instrumental in mapping the pirate stronghold for the British armada which attacked it, and he later served aboard one of the ships in that fleet.
While staying as close to known facts as possible, Sister Miller fictionalizes John and his son, giving them voices and making them vital to her fictionalized romantic plot. Though the real son’s name is unknown as is the boy’s mother’s name, Miller calls the boy Thomas. Among the real historical figures she introduces are Lord Henry Vaine, The Earl of Winchester, Christopher Willoughby, and even the pirate Aligolant. Mixing real historical characters with totally fabricated ones she places a young woman, Rebecca Webster, the runaway fianc of Edward Blackwell III on the Warwick where John’s young son befriends the badly abused stowaway.
Among this novel’s strengths are real letters pertaining to the historical events in the story which are used at appropriate times. The brief quotes from the journals of historical figures who were involved with events of the period or from the Bible are great lead-ins to the action in each chapter. Both a strength and a weakness in the novel are the detailed descriptions of the ships, meal preparations, and daily activities. These descriptions create a vivid picture of mid-seventeenth century life in England and on the high seas, but at the same time they interrupt and distract from the story. It’s impossible to write about the murder, abduction, and enslavement of more than 30,000 people without any violence, and the author’s avoidance of graphic violence at some points feels a little too sanitized. In other places she handles such scenes with professional flair, leaving no doubt in the reader’s mind of the events occurring, and she manages to do so without becoming offensive.
The romance in the story is both too abrupt and too brief to substantiate the intense love the main characters supposedly feel for each other. The reader is more impressed with their loyalty, honor, and commitment than their romantic love.
Some scene transitions are a little rough, but the overall flow of the story is excellent. The characters could be developed a little more fully however.
This book is not overtly LDS since the time period when the story takes place is before the restoration of the gospel, but members of the Church will pick up on and understand familiar concepts Rebecca follows in her life and in her struggle to teach John to place blame where it belongs rather than on God. The young boy, Thomas, also adheres to a faith that is gospel-centered. Sister Miller is to be commended for allowing her readers to explore the timeless concepts of both individual and government responsibility in overcoming evil.
Search for the Bark Warwick is one of those books readers will remember long after they close the cover. It is a satisfying adventure story, but even more, it is a fascinating glimpse of a time, not too different from our own in many ways, when terrorists waged war, killing or capturing innocent victims without conscience. The pirates recognized only their own desire to amass wealth, to rule, and to control. It is an interesting tale, rich in the concepts of honor and integrity.
This is a book men and women both will enjoy.
