Wake of the Perdido Star
Synopsis
A world-renowned actor and an eminent underwater archaeologist have combined their remarkable talent and experience to write an amazing first novel—a rousing adventure of men and the sea, full of authentic historical and nautical detail, at once a morality tale and a saga of heroism, friendship and love.
Jack O'Reilly is a 17-year old New Englander who, in 1805, sails with his parents on the Perdido Star to Cuba, his mother's birthplace, to claim the land she has inherited. But for Jack, the trip that began with high hopes and the excitement of a new life becomes a descent into violence and revenge. Tragedy strikes, Jack is forced to rejoin the Star as a member of the crew, sailing through the world's most treacherous waters under a drink-crazed captain.
His soul seared and his heart calloused, his obsession to gain revenge dominates his life. And so the boy Jackson O'Reilly becomes the pirate "Black Jack," the relentless scourge of any who stand in his path to retribution -- until a daring rescue of two of his mates teaches him that there are other emotions than anger, other feelings than hatred and mistrust.
Jack O'Reilly is a memorable central character, and he is surrounded by an equally unforgettable cast: Paul Le Maire, the aristocratic intellectual whose own misadventures bring him onto the Star and into Jack's confidence; Quince, the first mate, Jack's mentor and defender, as brave a man who ever sailed the ocean; Quen-Li, a mysterious Chinese cook, with more than culinary skills; Old Hansumbob, the ship's poet, whose simplicity belies a wisdom born in the heart; Yatoo, a native king, whose hospitality proves indispensable to the survival of the Star's shipwrecked men, and the Count De Silva, evil incarnate, a murderer's soul breathing beneath his surface charm.
With this book, Hackman and Lenihan have revived a genre of adventure novels that will have wide appeal to men and women of all ages. A saga as engrossing as it is substantial, Wake of the Perdido Star marks a stunning debut for a remarkably talented new writing team.
Reviews
"A swashbuckling sea story written like a classic sea story should be written, with all the legendary action. A fascinating read you can't help but enjoy." Clive Cussler
"Hackman and Lenihan bring a fresh perspective and lots of gung-ho enthusiasm to the historical maritime genre...the action throughout is fast-paced and exciting, sometimes surprising, and all of it drenched in salt water and realistic descriptions of the period's seamanship, underwater salvage operations and deep-sea diving...The novel's descriptions of the sailors' battle with the winds and waves are breathtakingly realistic....Fun. " Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 5, 1999
"The sea has always been a good setting for adventures; from Joseph Conrad to Patrick O'Brian, there has been no shortage of stories about shipwrecks and pirates. An unexpected addition to the genre comes from actor Hackman and underwater archaeologist Lenihan. [Jack O'Reilly's] adventures [are] always entertaining...Readers will absorb some arcane information [on] the 19th-century version of scuba diving. The characterization is well-done; Jack and his intellectual friend Paul are joined by an interesting, well-drawn cast of both friends and villains. Recommended. " Library Journal
"Lenihan's extensive knowledge and deep love of the sea coupled with Hackman's uncanny ability to breathe life into characters make Wake of the Perdido Star a knockout of a first novel. " Nevada Barr, author of Blind Descent
"An intriguing coming-of-age adventure full of information about early 19th-century diving, salvage and piracy...The authors do a fine job of blinding historical and technical details into their narrative. Of particular interest are sections—including a well-constructed, exciting ending—in which the crew of the Star must learn to accomplish takes modern sailors take for granted: how to stay under water for more than five minutes without drowning and how to refloat a sunken ship. " Publishers Weekly, September 6, 1999
"In Wake of the Perdido Star, Jack O'Reilly leads a memorable crew of characters on an astonishing globe-circling adventure. Hackman and Lenihan have crafted an epic tale of honor and betrayal, of revenge and hope, and ultimately justice and redemption. " Tom Grace, author of Spyder Web
"An American swashbuckler [with] satisfying action and rousing derring-do. " Kirkus Reviews
"A stirring yarn, filled with heroes and villains who are larger than life, with a knowledge of seamanship and the diving technology and physiology of the day that equals the great sea writers who have set the standard. " Arthur J. Bachrach, Ph.D., Historical diving expert; contributor to The British Museum Encyclopaedia of Underwater and Maritime Archaeology
"A rousing good tale...the action explodes off the pages...It's rare to find good action backed by solid research and knowledge of the sea. " James Delgado, President, Council of American Maritime Museums
"It's what booksellers like to call a page-turner, a corker, a cracking good yarn." Richard Benke, Associated Press, December 6, 1999 
