Black Tarantula - Kevin Smith C

Welcome to the Golden Age of Piracy!

The Bilge Rat, Pirate Adventurer series paints a vastly different recreation of the raucous and brutal world of pirates. Expunged are the heroic swashbuckling duels amongst rivals, the fictitious histrionics of rescuing damsels in distress and the silver screen's fantasy of marching captured prisoners to their everlasting doom by walking the plank. In absolute contrast, this intriguing and action-packed series furnishes a far more realistic chronicle of pirate lifestyles and behavior.

The nautical hero of this series, Echo, is an exceptional lad in all respects. He, with the assistance of three adopted elderly aunts, is further schooled in many valuable arts and skills. Included in this education is crucial knowledge of natural healing, including the use of lethal and dangerous substances such as Belladonna. He utilizes this special knowledge to solve a series of dilemmas and predicaments as they arise. Additionally, when it comes to naval warfare, our hero is schooled by wily sea dogs on the fine art of nautical combat including the essential mastery of ship cannons.

At the same time, a vicious and bloodthirsty new pirate threat arises in the form of the dreaded Black Tarantula, whose nefarious reputation and stories of abject cruelty and horror begin to spread throughout the region. Meanwhile, Echo is engaged in a battle of wits with the ship's bullying First Mate. Only his superior intelligence and utmost cleverness will allow him daily survival as he prepares for the battle of his life against this nefarious foe.

Catastrophically, our hero's vessel is eventually seized by a cutthroat band of pirates and Echo and crew are forced to "go on the account" or perish. Having little choice, he and his crewmates experience the life of a pirate first-hand. As he becomes accustomed to his new career, the pirate captain ever jealous and suspicious of any potential rival, targets Echo for elimination. 

Given this perilous situation, our hero must labor mightily to outwit and defeat this new adversary. With the assistance of potent natural substances, Echo manages to outwit the pirate villain. Given a void in leadership, the pirate crew vote Echo their new captain. With this elevation in status, he renames himself Captain William Bilge. Our hero then proceeds to reshape and retrain his new crew in the fine art of naval warfare including the development of novel and devastating weaponry.

While dealing with this training, Captain Bilge receives word that the Black Tarantula has invaded Saint Domingue and has taken a strong fancy to his true love, Rue. Failing to capture the lass, she eludes the odious reprobate. Aware of her dire predicament, Captain Bilge is forced to devise an immediate and imperative strategy to locate and save his endangered lover.

Written in a unique first-hand point-of-view, the Bilge Rat Pirate Adventurer series provides readers with a candid and realistic glimpse of piratical life and times. Chocked full of captivating and jaunty sailor's yarns and enthralling adventures, this unique and imaginative series is a must read for every pirate aficionado!