Review of The Old Corsair
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Devapriya Bhattacharya
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- Latest Review: The Old Corsair by Michael DeStefano
Review of The Old Corsair
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Old Corsair" by Michael DeStefano.]
REVIEW- The Old Corsair
The Old Corsair takes the reader back in time, when violent pirate ships with their blazing guns and cannons versus newly independent America were too real. Thrown into the mix is an old buried secret and the war on terror. Terrie Murphy, a young, astute naval intelligence officer, is tasked with investigating an old site in Portsmouth, a supposed site for the first intelligence office and presently a construction site. But what she discovers is a material that is far more complicated than originally planned. With connections deep within the pages of history, Terrie Murphy must not only uncover the secrets of the past but also connect these threads to the dangerous events of the present.
With a slow start, which could be attributed to context creation, the plot is quick to pick up pace in the later chapters. The plot line is sufficiently twisted to provide the reader with a healthy dosage of curiosity that incentivises the reading experience. The description of every aspect, especially naval ones, is very detailed, boasting through research on the author’s part, creating a visual treat for the reader’s imagination. In terms of the setting, it was refreshingly modern to make most high-ranking naval officers female by gender. Dealing with the subject of mystery, the plot line fits into the genre quite perfectly. But there are a few questions that remain unanswered, leaving an unsatisfying feeling at the end. Additionally, a few action sequences seem a bit too forced. And the growing relationship between Terrie and her love interest feels unduly accelerated. Perchance a more slow-burning passion would have sweetened the tale more.
Moving on to the subject of character portrayal, the heroine Terrie Murphy may seem abrasive and even obnoxious at first, but she grows on you as one progresses with the story. Her somewhat overly defensive attitude redeems itself with her photographic memory, vast knowledge base, and relentless pursuit of truth. The other characters—many of them—play a simple supporting role within the plot without too many personal motivations. It is effective but reflects a lack in the sense of development and could have gotten better with more perspectives of their own and the heroine too. And in some cases, a few of their actions had betrayed the setting, such as cavalier use of misogyny in front of your female boss masked in the garb of office banter between employees. But overall the book serves us with a tight mystery, at the centre of which is a heroine with an exquisite eye for details battling it all to find the ultimate truth.
******
The Old Corsair
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
REVIEW- The Old Corsair
The Old Corsair takes the reader back in time, when violent pirate ships with their blazing guns and cannons versus newly independent America were too real. Thrown into the mix is an old buried secret and the war on terror. Terrie Murphy, a young, astute naval intelligence officer, is tasked with investigating an old site in Portsmouth, a supposed site for the first intelligence office and presently a construction site. But what she discovers is a material that is far more complicated than originally planned. With connections deep within the pages of history, Terrie Murphy must not only uncover the secrets of the past but also connect these threads to the dangerous events of the present.
With a slow start, which could be attributed to context creation, the plot is quick to pick up pace in the later chapters. The plot line is sufficiently twisted to provide the reader with a healthy dosage of curiosity that incentivises the reading experience. The description of every aspect, especially naval ones, is very detailed, boasting through research on the author’s part, creating a visual treat for the reader’s imagination. In terms of the setting, it was refreshingly modern to make most high-ranking naval officers female by gender. Dealing with the subject of mystery, the plot line fits into the genre quite perfectly. But there are a few questions that remain unanswered, leaving an unsatisfying feeling at the end. Additionally, a few action sequences seem a bit too forced. And the growing relationship between Terrie and her love interest feels unduly accelerated. Perchance a more slow-burning passion would have sweetened the tale more.
Moving on to the subject of character portrayal, the heroine Terrie Murphy may seem abrasive and even obnoxious at first, but she grows on you as one progresses with the story. Her somewhat overly defensive attitude redeems itself with her photographic memory, vast knowledge base, and relentless pursuit of truth. The other characters—many of them—play a simple supporting role within the plot without too many personal motivations. It is effective but reflects a lack in the sense of development and could have gotten better with more perspectives of their own and the heroine too. And in some cases, a few of their actions had betrayed the setting, such as cavalier use of misogyny in front of your female boss masked in the garb of office banter between employees. But overall the book serves us with a tight mystery, at the centre of which is a heroine with an exquisite eye for details battling it all to find the ultimate truth.
******
The Old Corsair
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Old Corsair by Michael DeStefano
