A historical novel about 14th century Venice; with an emphasis on the Genoese-Venetian wars. The book is well written, full of action, danger, adventure, with even a little romance in the background.

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Those who do not care about war drama may find it tiring because it has a lot of detail of the naval battles. However, for those who do enjoy war drama, this book is a gem. It has a lot to offer. A lot of research has gone into the book.

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The main character is written to be satisfying to young readers.He has many admirable and inspiring characteristics. He is humble; hard-working; disinterested in the bustle of ‘society’; and spends his time improving his skills. He is courageous; inventive; trustworthy; and loyal. All of this pays off. His life in Venice goes from good to better. The main character was clearly intended by the author to arouse a desire for virtue and greatness in his readers. The is a young English teenager who went to historical Venice and excelled in everything, achieving every honour. Young readers get to mix themselves in dangerous adventures alongside him as well as enjoy the praise that he receives for his many successes.

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Alongside enjoying the exploits of a teenage boy the reader gets a realistic view of the days of pirates. Unlike many modern books that present pirates as 'fun', this more historically correct account shows the violent reality of pirates more authentically. It is therefore a far more interesting 'pirate' book. Readers also learn a lot about Venetian society in the 1300's.

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The author G.A. Henty has been accused of being racist, but if that is so there is no evidence of that in this particular book. I found nothing unprofitable in the book. It is a fabulous adventure for boys who would enjoy historical naval warfare, though, perhaps too long and tiresome for the rest of us. I would go as far as to say this book is mostly for boys, although it has enough interpersonal relationships to keep the story going strong, the emphasis is the detail of the various adventures with pirates and military enemies.