Synopsis

Set sail with the Salty Scoundrels in this swashbuckling pirate fantasy—a rollicking tale of clashing cutlasses, monsters and magic, and high seas adventure.

A once-legendary pirate and his loyal crew risk uncharted waters for a chance at freedom, treasure, and glory.

Captain James R. Hawk, aka Trusty Jack, and his Salty Scoundrels are do-gooder buccaneers leaving a trail of merry mayhem in their wake. Their credo: ignore the corrupt laws of the Jewel Island’s greedy regent and sail the tropical seas in search of adventure.

But when the royal navy teams up with a powerful mage, Trusty Jack’s sordid past catches up with him. Lost love, lost lives, and a lost ship haunt the legendary pirate, none more than Marian, his once-betrothed. That’s when a cunning gnome arrives from the mainland with a daring proposal. Will Jack muster his sea dog courage and sail through the illusion-filled mists to reach a forbidden island? The ghostly horrors and powerful curse at his destination will test more than his pirate mettle. He’ll have to weigh the price of gold against the risk of peril to himself, his crew, and those he loves… and face the rising tide of a haunting past.

The Curse of Dragon Tail Island: a standalone pirate fantasy adventure.

Quick Review

The Curse of Dragon Tail Island is simply great, lighthearted fun. The novel blends pirates with classic fantasy, all in a Robin Hood style package.

Full Review

The Curse of Dragon Tail Island takes all the fun tropes of a pirate tale (particularly the lighthearted swashbuckling you might find in a Pirates of the Caribbean film) and infuses it with some classic fantasy. The core of Captain Jack’s pirate crew is made up of characters such as the half-orc monk Lana, who serves as the first-mate, and the dwarvish Dûr Riggins who acts as the ship’s quartermaster and occasional blacksmith.

This all sets the stage for a fresh take on a familiar adventure, as does the lengthy prologue which author Jonathan Nevair uses to set the scene for the story to come. I know “lengthy prologue” is not appealing to everybody, but I think it was the perfect way to introduce the major characters and the situation Jack finds himself in come Chapter One—and it took me from interested in the story to excited about it. 

When I inevitably argue with somebody on social media about the importance of prologues (when used well) I will be presenting this book as a perfect example of how they can improve a story.

What follows is an adventure that feels very Dungeons & Dragons-like, as Jack has to assemble his old crew. Then, they must take on Dragon Tail Island. I won’t go into detail, but suffice it to say that you’ll encounter a fun mix of both pirate and fantasy tropes along the way, blending cursed treasure with magical rituals and more. 

All of that is mixed in with a fun Robin Hood kind of theme. Yes, Jack and his crew are pirates, but they are honest pirates, and often donate a portion of their treasures to people they deem in need of it, usually common folk without much wealth of their own. In this way, The Curse of Tragon Tail Island never feels like it’s treading new ground, but it does present these familiar concepts in new enough ways that it’s consistently enjoyable and endearing.

If I have one gripe with the book, it’s that the ending felt a bit rushed. It’s not that the final challenge the crew faces wasn’t foreshadowed well—it was—it just felt to me as though it didn’t quite belong in this book.

Our final moments with the crew are also a bit too sweet for my liking. Without digging into too many spoilers, this novel has a neat and tidy happily-ever-after ending. It’s not that the story is without risk, but the biggest losses they endure never felt all that big to me and some problems are solved very quickly. This is purely a personal preference, of course.

I recommend The Curse of Dragon Tail Island. Ultimately, this is a fun story that blends some familiar genres in really delightful ways. While some parts of the ending didn’t land for me, I absolutely loved the journey and the way Nevair blended piracy with fantasy with this almost Robin Hood-esque story. If you’re looking for something a bit different and lighthearted, you can’t go wrong with The Curse of Dragon Tail Island.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jonathan Welsh, and I have to say he did a fantastic job with this large cast that spans gender, age, and numerous fantasy species. Nevair even made him sing a sea shanty, and he handled it like a champ.