Adventure and change are in young Gareth Radnor’s blood. The desire to get out and see the world often conflicts with the stay-at-home wishes of his mage father and loving mother. Along with his steadfast friend, Knoll N’b’ry, Gareth wants nothing more than to see the world, leaving his seaside home as a deepwater sailor, or pirate. But when tragedy strikes, and the reviled Linyati slavers attack Gareth’s home and slaughter all but a few, Gareth finds more adventure than even he could imagine. He, Knoll, and their fellow friend and survivor Thom Tehidy find new homes with those willing to take them in, with Gareth going to live with his uncle’s family in the town of Ticao. There, Gareth finds new friends: the adventurous and tomboyish Cosyra, and the huge Labala.
Life in Ticao is, if anything, duller, with Gareth finding a trade as a clerk in his uncle’s mercantile empire. Yawn. Surely not what the young man was looking for. With his friends, he engages in mischief and pranks when the mood is right and the night allows, wreaking havoc in the city, and occasionally harassing the Linyati slavers when they dare come into the city to conduct business. But this life can’t last forever.
A chance encounter, a prank gone awry, and a noble is dead, Gareth responsible and imprisoned. Only bitter fortune and capricious luck prevent him from meeting his death at the headsman’s axe, or worse; the king’s disfavor regarding the man he killed and that man’s patron is just enough to spare Gareth’s life. But to prevent further difficulty, Gareth’s uncle secures him a place aboard a merchant vessel. He’s going to sea at long last, even if not in the manner he expected. So begins an adventure that’ll lead to glory, fame, and war.
As months pass, Gareth learns much of the sea, becoming a sailor in truth as well as disposition, absorbing all he can of the knowledge and ways of that life. Years pass, and he becomes quite accomplished, a skilled fighter and a masterful sailor, assuming more responsibilities, and indulging his hatred of the Linyati when and as he finds them. At last he returns home, where he once more hooks up with his old friends, Thom and Knoll, and then with Cosyra. Life is good.
Good, but not dull. As preparations are made for Gareth, Thom, and Knoll to embark upon a new journey as crew above the Steadfast, old enemies reemerge and put Gareth and Cosyra in dire jeopardy. Once more, Gareth finds himself fleeing the scene of violence, and seeks refuge at sea, this time with his friends backing him up. The sails are raised, the wind is right, and the voyage begins in earnest.
Only to run into complication after complication: death, betrayal, dark dealings, slavery, and mutiny. Before he knows it, Gareth’s assumed control of the Steadfast and its unorthodox cargo, and is leading its crewmen on a violent path of vengeance and piracy against the Linyati, freeing their slaves, stealing their ships, and claiming their treasure. Their success spreads, their names on everyone’s lips, their deeds legendary. But when they return home, it’s to be treated as criminals, guilty of treason, imprisoned at once as an object lesson. Life is not good.
But it’s hard to keep Gareth Radnor down. Finding favor in the eyes of the king, wanted dead by the Linyati, Gareth is granted power, prestige, a title, land. It’s not enough. Gareth has other plans. And once they’re put into motion, he and his friends will journey deep into the heart of the Linyati territory, to attack them head-on, and take prizes of incalculable wealth. The undertaking promises treasure, ships, and more adventure than ever before. If he survives this voyage, he’ll strike a blow against the Linyati, learn one of their deadliest secrets, and lose someone dear to him. But if he doesn’t survive, hundreds will die with him. It’s the seafaring adventure of a lifetime for the young man, and he’ll live it to the fullest.
Corsair is a good, salty, wind-in-the-sails, swashbuckling, cutlass-swinging, ship-sinking, battle-filled, rousing maritime escapade on a scale to make Errol Flynn or Douglas Fairbanks green with envy. It’s fast-paced, exciting, and fun all the way, with larger-than-life characters and a tight plot that bounces from one thrill to the next. Gareth is a thoroughly entertaining protagonist, and his friends provide the perfect backdrop and accompaniment for his exploits. It’s fantasy with just the right twist, taking it out to sea where magic and monsters await, as well as the thrill of the hunt and the joys of victory and booty.
Luckily, while the book has a satisfying ending, it leaves itself open to further exploration, all but promising that we’ll hear more of Gareth Radnor and his comrades and crew. As long as Bunch can keep the balance of character development and all-out action steady, this could very well be a fun series. Corsair is recommended, not just for fantasy lovers, but for those who have the call of the sea in their blood.