Review of Shanghai'd
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Tina Keefover
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Review of Shanghai'd
[Following is a volunteer review of "Shanghai'd" by Curtis Stephen Burdick.]
Shanghai’d, The Adventures Begin by Curtis Stephen Burdick:
This novel, starting in the year of 1848, spins the tale of a young Joshua Cabot. A brilliant young man from Boston who learned the art of the sciences at Harvard University.
Mr. Elias Moffet, a wealthy businessman, received news from Major Jeremiah Bridges of gold being discovered in California.
Mr. Moffet put together a team that would travel in eleven days to San Francisco, California to establish and oversee an assaying office, smelting foundry and mint for E. B. Moffet and company. Moffet’s team members for this journey would include Joshua, Barnabas Keyes, chief engineer and his partner, and Ethan Poole, his nephew and assistant to Joshua.
Joshua was very apprehensive about the situation, but guarantees of a fortune needed to establish his own scientific lab, a feat which was his personal ambition and goal, he agreed to the job.
Traveling by ship, Joshua quickly learned he was prone to violent sea-sickness. He quickly became friends with the young Ethan, and depended on him greatly during his illness. In return, Ethan was a quick learner and eagerly embraced Joshua’s teachings. Joshua was also skilled at metallurgy, and this would help him throughout his journey.
The trio reached San Francisco and began setting up the assaying offices. Joshua, feeling quite ill with an ongoing cough, met Annabelle Whitman. Annabelle was the hardware store owner’s daughter. She brought Joshua hot broth with fresh vegetables and a cotton cloth soaked in boiled eucalyptus leaves and mint.
Joshua and Annabelle courted, conceived a child and married.
In 1849, in Muller’s Ford, a mining camp turned town, where they opened the new Sacramento-Stockton Moffet & Co. Assay Office, Annabelle and eight-month-old Jonas were killed in a fire that devoured the town.
The event put Joshua on a drunk downward spiral filled with bad decisions. Ethan looked over Joshua and was concerned about his deteriorating mental state. The murder of a team member, gambling and drunk, found the unfortunate young Ethan and Joshua shanghaied to a merchant brig, The Pacifica. The adventure of being shanghaied starts here. Will the nausea prone Joshua and his faithful companion, Ethan, survive being seamen for the cantankerous Captain Stark?
The author told a compelling tale filled with descriptive characters. It was a great adventure novel that should be rated for appropriate audiences due to sexual encounters, violence and profanity.
The author was well-versed in the historical context. I enjoyed reading the novel, and could see it being made into a film.
There are many grammatical errors throughout the novel, and it could use another professional edit.
I rated this novel 4 out of 5 stars due to the errors; however, I recommend reading this exciting adventure.
******
Shanghai'd
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Shanghai’d, The Adventures Begin by Curtis Stephen Burdick:
This novel, starting in the year of 1848, spins the tale of a young Joshua Cabot. A brilliant young man from Boston who learned the art of the sciences at Harvard University.
Mr. Elias Moffet, a wealthy businessman, received news from Major Jeremiah Bridges of gold being discovered in California.
Mr. Moffet put together a team that would travel in eleven days to San Francisco, California to establish and oversee an assaying office, smelting foundry and mint for E. B. Moffet and company. Moffet’s team members for this journey would include Joshua, Barnabas Keyes, chief engineer and his partner, and Ethan Poole, his nephew and assistant to Joshua.
Joshua was very apprehensive about the situation, but guarantees of a fortune needed to establish his own scientific lab, a feat which was his personal ambition and goal, he agreed to the job.
Traveling by ship, Joshua quickly learned he was prone to violent sea-sickness. He quickly became friends with the young Ethan, and depended on him greatly during his illness. In return, Ethan was a quick learner and eagerly embraced Joshua’s teachings. Joshua was also skilled at metallurgy, and this would help him throughout his journey.
The trio reached San Francisco and began setting up the assaying offices. Joshua, feeling quite ill with an ongoing cough, met Annabelle Whitman. Annabelle was the hardware store owner’s daughter. She brought Joshua hot broth with fresh vegetables and a cotton cloth soaked in boiled eucalyptus leaves and mint.
Joshua and Annabelle courted, conceived a child and married.
In 1849, in Muller’s Ford, a mining camp turned town, where they opened the new Sacramento-Stockton Moffet & Co. Assay Office, Annabelle and eight-month-old Jonas were killed in a fire that devoured the town.
The event put Joshua on a drunk downward spiral filled with bad decisions. Ethan looked over Joshua and was concerned about his deteriorating mental state. The murder of a team member, gambling and drunk, found the unfortunate young Ethan and Joshua shanghaied to a merchant brig, The Pacifica. The adventure of being shanghaied starts here. Will the nausea prone Joshua and his faithful companion, Ethan, survive being seamen for the cantankerous Captain Stark?
The author told a compelling tale filled with descriptive characters. It was a great adventure novel that should be rated for appropriate audiences due to sexual encounters, violence and profanity.
The author was well-versed in the historical context. I enjoyed reading the novel, and could see it being made into a film.
There are many grammatical errors throughout the novel, and it could use another professional edit.
I rated this novel 4 out of 5 stars due to the errors; however, I recommend reading this exciting adventure.
******
Shanghai'd
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Anticipation Day by Jeff Michelson
