GoodRead - The Pirates! In An Adventure With Moby Dick

Earlier this year, I read The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists (not read the review. Here you go!). And I really liked it. I couldn't stop smiling it when I read it. And, because of that (and the Pirate Captain's luxuriant beard), Ian from Bloomsbury was awesome and kind as he gave me books 2, 3 and 4 in the series. And I didn't even ask for them! So, I owe him a big thank you and I plan to read them over the course of the summer till the DVD release of The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists and, also, when book 5 in the series, The Pirates! In an Adventure With Romantics is released.

The Pirate Captain can't seem to keep out of trouble, can he? After he splashes out on the fancy new ship, the Lovely Emma, he finds himself spending six thousand doubloons he doesn't have. In debt to the beautiful but deadly Cutlass Liz, who will happily cut them easily in two, he and his crew must get the cash. And fast!

Along the way in their desperate race to find the cash before time runs out (Cutlass Liz gave them an hourglass, filled with the sands that are actually grounded-up bones from pirates who didn't pay on time), the Pirate Captain and his crew go from Nantucket, Las Vegas and then in search of a mythical white whale...

Now, I really have high hopes for this, and though it wasn't up to par with Scientists (am going to use shorthand, if that alright), it is just as mad, bonkers and funny as its predecessor. (Although from chapter 11 onwards, I started see Black Bellamy as Jeremy Piven... not sure if Black Bellamy is meant to be a hottie, but whoever rocks your boat... [just realised, after quick research, that he's the voice of Black Bellamy in the movie. How did I not know that?])

And, this series was written for adults in mind... Apparently. But you guys will get the stupidness of the Pirate Captain!

GoodRead - The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists

A random surprise from Bloomsbury, this was! And I like random surprises! And I decided to read this after getting an email from Ian, head of the Children's publicity. Why, I hear you ask? Well, in his email, he wrote "as you are clearly of a piratical nature" and this had me laughing my head off! How did he know my secret...?! ;P

So, The Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists (the inspiration for the new Aardman movie and, yes, that is a LONG title) tells the story of the Pirate Captain and his pirate crew as they search the sea for adventure. After raiding a ship, they meet the young Charles Darwin who is in need of help. And the Captain Pirate agrees, leading the pirates back to London where they encounter a diabolical Bishop, grisly murders, vanishing ladies, a Man-panzee... and the joys of ham.

Now, I'm not sure how to review this book without going "This was awesome!" or "There's something about it that reminded me of the Worse Witch by Jill Murphy". So, I won't. It's one of those rare books where I found myself smiling as I read it as it was completely stupid and silly, utterly surreal and yet, wonderful!

Not much else to say. Expect I want to read more about the Pirate Captain. And his luxuriant beard...