Product Description: John Williams, the Viscount of Marsdale, libertine, duelist, dilettante, haphazard philanthropist and philosopher, is asked by his estranged father to start a plantation in Jamaica in 1667. He doesn't realize that he is going to the right island for the wrong reasons until he meets buccaneers and learns he has far more in common with the wild Brethren of the Coast than he does with the nobility of Christendom. Still, he questions joining them and leaving his title and the plantation behind, until he meets Gaston the Ghoul, a mysterious French buccaneer who is purportedly mad. He quickly decides that the freedom of the buccaneer life and even the mere chance of love that a man such as Gaston might offer are better than anything he could ever inherit. But even though Gaston seems intrigued by him, can the crazy Frenchman ever love him?
Highly Recommended!!! All I can say is I loved every single thing about this book. After the first few pages I was so engrossed in the story, I couldn't put it down! All the characters are so lovable. Even though they have their own serious issues, you can't help but want the best for them. W.A. Hoffman is a very talented writer and I'm so glad I discovered these books. JUST BUY THE BOOK!!! I PROMISE YOU'LL LOVE IT!!!
Adventure, Adventure, Adventure and Much More! The first few pages had me wondering if I'd just wasted my money on this book; the language was dense, sometimes awkward, with word and phrase repetitions. I wished a bit of editing would have tightened it up a bit and got me immediately involved in wanting to invest my time in this 500+ page novel. But I soldiered on and was gradually caught up in the incredible adventure! Now and then a few typos or odd usages and such would pop up, but I no longer cared. The prose (reminiscent of classic 19thC adventure tales), began to just flow, perhaps as I became more accustomed to it, but more, I think, I was just caught up as the characters were introduced and the story was established.
It's a fabulous picaresque narrative, set in 1667, told in first person by Lord John Williams, Viscount of Marsdale who has been adventuring in the capitals of Europe as a duelist, assassin and all around rogue, bedding both women and men in an audacious manner that would give Casanova a run for his money. He's been away from England for a decade, ever since some major unpleasantness between he and his cousin--and total lack of regard from his father. But weary of his dissolute lifestyle, he returns, only to find he's still not ready to settle down (he's still just 26 years old). When his father proposes that he act as his agent in his investment in a Jamaican plantation, he agrees to go. Even though he takes his responsibilities seriously, once he arrives he is intrigued by the buccaneers who are based out of Port Royal. When it is suggested that he may find it interesting to go roving with a ship in search of Spanish prizes, it doesn't take him long to sign on.
Introduction to the life of a buccaneer through Will's eyes is just fascinating. If you love sea adventure, there's a ton of it here as Will's first trip encompasses raiding pigs, making the dried meat boucan, careening, taking a galleon and being shipwrecked. He also acquires a matelot: a bunk-mate; Gaston, an aristocratic Frenchman who is said to be mad. But Will senses a kindred spirit in Gaston--or at least a well-read and agile mind in a man of a similar background, whom he can befriend-- although he eventually hopes it will become much more than that. Unfortunately, both of them are scarred by their pasts, Gaston even more than Will, so the course of true love runs far from smoothly.
Aside from Will and Gaston--two unforgettable and intricately drawn characters, there are many others, most amazingly sympathetic given the wild frontier-like quality of Port Royal and the Caribbean, such as the helpful agent, Theodore and the core of friends Will makes among the buccaneers: Striker and Pete and the Bard. The book is full of complex and interesting characters, both good and bad. The historical background seems solid enough, the details feel real. This is a substantial book, with a depth and richness that is not often encountered in most sub-genres. It is a world filled with people and events that one can immerse oneself in thoroughly and hope to never leave.
It's a fascinating read that deserves its accolades. I don't feel I can adequately express how good this book is! I can't wait to read the subsequent books in this amazing series.
The Most Enjoyable Book I've Ever Read I was very surprised at how much I fell in love with this book. It sounded remotely interesting since it contained a slash (M/M) romantic pirate story with some hints of angst. It's so much more than that. This book is fantastic. The angst and hurt/comfort were better than I ever could have dreamed. I won't spoil anyone, but these themes are much stronger than the book description suggests.
Beyond that, this book was written amazingly well. I have never read a book before that made me feel completely absorbed into the story. I wasn't reading to find out what happens next or to get to the good parts. The point of view allows you to feel like you're part of the story. The descriptions were so vivid, I felt like I was really there. When I stopped reading, I felt like I was transported back to a different world. The book is that engrossing.
Another thing I love about this book is that the secondary characters all have depth as well. You get to watch them grow as the story progresses. No character is truly minor, and they all end up important in some way. Details you thought in the beginning were just filler, end up important. It all comes together in the end.
Finally, I've noticed that most independent slash books have poor grammar and spelling, which you must overlook to read the story. This book has no such problem.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend this book to any fan of slash, historical fiction, hurt/comfort, or angst. It's the angst, hurt/comfort, and romance that make the story one of the best I've ever read, but even without all of that, this book has merit simply for the quality of its writing.
gardeningmae This is an excellent book. I enjoyed the history although some of it may not be accurate. It is predominately about two men coming to terms with their past lives and how it has affected their present ones. Both men grew throughout the book. The sex scenes were tastefully written. Will and Gaston fell in love with each other the fact that they were both men was secondary. I enjoyed the supporting characters - they were interesting and three dimensional. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading the sequel.
Good but overblown I bought "Raised by Wolves" thinking it would be a rattling good read. It is, but it is marred by poor editing, historical inaccuracies and a peculiar use of English. The main character, Will Marsdale, writing in 1666, claims to have lived through the Reformation (which took place in the previous century); he is, of course, referring to Cromwell's Commonwealth. He searches London after the fire looking for the "block" in which the family home was situated. London had a medieval street pattern. "Blocks" were never a feature of English towns. He also speaks of going to "mass" at a time Catholicism was proscribed and Catholics persecuted.
The author's attempts at seventeenth century English result in clotted verbiage which at times is nonsensical; for example, "I didn't think he'd be so conducive" (to what?) and "I will endeavour to try" (try to try?) Pepys never wrote like this! There are also elementary spelling mistakes - "miniscule" and "supercede" for "minuscule" and "supersede".
In the afterword to the book Hoffman speaks of having studied the subject of pirates in depth, which is commendable. Unfortunately she is too anxious to share her research with us at length and devotes several passages to aspects of pirate life we would rather not know - the curing of pigs, the origin of words and other irrelevant details. Other aspects of seventeenth century life, for example the laws on primogeniture and entail, she ignores.
Despite these shortcomings the reader still wants to know what happens to her amoral characters. It is a pity that more pruning and checking wasn't done at the editing stage. Reading "Raised by Wolves" would have been far more enjoyable. It would have really rattled on then!
Anything Goes Trivia
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