THE REQUIEM SHARK
Based on the final voyage of the most successful captain in the history of piracy, The Requiem Shark is the tale of William Williams, a pampered young man forced into service aboard the ship of the dreaded Bartholomew Roberts – also known as Black Bart. With a level of education that sets him apart from his illiterate shipmates, Williams becomes the biographer of the captain – and slowly grows to manhood in the violent world of piracy, struggling to retain his humanity while sailing the blood red seas. A graphic, rousing literary debut, rich in historical detail, this novel will transport readers to a distant age when all a man needed was the wind at his back, the open seas, and the feel of cold, sharpened steel in his hands.
PRAISE and REVIEWS
“Relentlessly thrilling … fresh, powerfully evocative prose.”
—San Diego Union-Tribune
“Colorful characters and exciting adventures abound in this novel that just might be the beginning of a new series to take up where Patrick O’Brian left off.”
—Dallas Morning News
“Reminds me of the sweep and majesty of Moby Dick … (Griffin) pulls readers onboard the storm-tossed deck, where we smell unwashed bodies, hear the screams of seagulls and even savor succulent fresh fruit from tropical islands … a gripping novel … a fine literary work.”
—Rocky Mountain News
“A skillfully crafted hypnotic tale abounding in murder and mayhem.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Remarkable … a vivid and authentic picture of life at sea that is second to none.”
—Daily Mail
“Griffin excels at describing the physical reality of disease, death and sex with pox-ridden whores. His gripping accounts of the disastrous effects of cannonball injuries and of the ship’s inexpert surgeon as he severs limbs with a hacksaw while slugging at a bottle of rum will cause many a reader to blanch. The atmosphere of lawlessness and the period detail are faultlessly rendered.”
—The Independent