Silver: My Own Tale as Written by Me with a Goodly Amount of Murder

By Edward Chupack

Book Overview

"I am Silver, and there is no other pirate like me on these waters." This being the last testament of the infamous pirate Long John Silver, you would do well not to trust a word in its pages. Held captive aboard his own ship, the "Linda Maria, " he is to be taken to England, where he will hang at the king's pleasure. But he has another plan: to tell a tale of treason, murder, a lost treasure that would rival King George's own riches, and what really happened on Treasure Island . . . if Long John Silver is to be believed. But is he?His beginnings as a pickpocket on the streets of Bristol are as dark as the rest of his deliciously devious life. Taken to sea by the pirate captain Black John, Silver soon learns the arts of his trade: the sword, saber, and pistol. He makes his trade in plundering, cheating, ransacking, and murder---more murders than he can bother to count. British, Frenchmen, Spaniards, and Portuguese all fall before him. He takes exceptional pleasure in murder, but never such pleasure as he finds in his search for a most uncommon treasure. To find that treasure he must heed the words of a dead man, solve the ciphers in a well-worn Bible, forgo the love of an extraordinary woman, and climb over the corpses of friend and foe alike to arrive at Treasure Island and find his fortune.But Silver's tricks are never done. Before he greets the hangman at Newgate Square, he will have one last secret to reveal. Hidden in these pages are clues that lead to his remarkable discovery. And although King George's bounty for this notorious scourge may be handsome indeed, the captain who has captured Silver would not mind adding Silver's riches to his own purse. He will let Silver tell his tale in the hope of learning clues to the treasure's location. And if "you" were to mark his words as well, you might discover the whereabouts of that treasure yourself. So we shall, for now, allow Long John Silver to spin his stories, tales of adventure and betrayal, gold and jewels, love and murder.And he will never leave out the murder. Not Long John Silver.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312373651
• ISBN13: 9780312373658
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.1" x 1.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

There's A New Pirate In Town (Or At Least On The Seas)

Forget Johnny Depp. There is a new pirate on the black waters, and it is Long John Silver. Silver, as imagined by Edward Chupack, is a fun-loving, witty, daredevil who happens to stick a sword or saber into anyone who dares defy him. Is he a hero? I think not, but we can't help but like the rogue-really like him-because he does everything that we want to do. Ever want to tell your boss what you really think? Ever want to hose down your neighbor? Ever want to be in total command of...anything? You can do it vicariously through Silver. The writing is stellar, and there is a surprise on every page because of Chupack's mastery of language. If Nabokov wrote a prirate book, this would be it. Please someone, make a movie of this book!

A Great Ride

This book takes on the rhythm of the high seas and carries the reader on for the ride. It is a lively, rollicking story and Chupack really captures the sound and feel of the times and the pirate way of life. I found it hard to put down - a wonderful reading adventure.

Silver is a treasure!

From the first page to the last, Silver held my interest by its lyrical character descriptions, humorous dialog, and insightful observations about human nature. The language and images of the book are at once funny and sharp-witted, as is Long John Silver himself. Who would expect a tale of mayhem and murder to be first rate character study with a sense of humor? And a page turner! The treasure in this book is the narrative of Long John Silver as he matter-of-factly reveals his exploits as a pirate, and his relationships with his shipmates and others. Is there adventure? Yes. Is there intrigue? Yes. Most of all there is an artfully written and appealing story. I would recommend Silver to any readers who enjoy literary descriptions, comic observations about human nature and a twist reminiscent of O'Henry.

Pirate Poetry

This is an exciting saga about a deceptive, deceitful, and dishonest pirate. Long John Silver revels in murder and personal gain, often bragging about his heartlessness. "Where there is good and evil there is damnation and salvation. You may presume that I am not fit to treat on salvation. I am. Only the damned are fit to treat on salvation because only they understand what they have been denied." Silver is exceedingly clever and forthright in a way that makes the reader see his immorality as likeable. We are in awe of his malevolent exploits, and revel in his brazen murders. However, there is more to Silver then just murder. He is truly a rich multidimensional character. The pages of this "autobiography" are filled with rhythmic almost poetic prose. There are several stories, past and present, being told throughout this book. Not only do we get a story about Silver's life, we get a treasure hunt too. The way in which these threads intertwine makes the book stay fresh and keeps the reader entertained. In a society where pirates have become the norm, this book breaks the mold. It has all the aspects of a good pirate tale (murder, deception, and most of all treasure) but it explores these aspects in a fresh way. Chupack has created a thoroughly enjoyable page turner.