Yarr! Reccomend me some pirate-y books

[Someone]

I can´t recommend enough On stranger tides and Treasure island.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I've read Treasure Island and Count of Monte Cristo -- both excellent.

May have to dig up my copy of On Stranger Tides, though. It's been a while since I read it last.

 

[Piratecat]

For funny pirates, I'll second both Fraser's The Pyrates (one of my favorite books ever) and Gideon Defoe's Pirate novels. I spent a lot of time laughing.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks. I found my copy of On Stranger Tides, and there is a two-books-in-one of The Pirates! : An Adventure with Scientists & An Adventure with Ahab (Vintage) on Amazon, so I ordered that. That should shiver me timbers.

Kinda surprised that there doesn't seem to be much in the way of semi-serious stuff in that vein, though.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

WHile it is non-fiction Under the Black Flag is one of my favourite books about pirates. It has an easy to read prose to it and digs deep into the myth and mystique of the pirate.

 

[Mycanid]

Kinda interesting no one has mentioned "The Pirate" by Sir Walter Scott. It takes place in and around the Orkneys in northern Scotland. Classic Sir Walter Scott stuff. If you love his stuff you love it (like I do) if you hate it ... you REALLY won't like this one.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers. Pirates and dark Earth Magic - great fun

Yep. Ditto that. Now I gotta dig it up and re-read it. I am also quite disappointed in myself that I never did create a character and name him Woefully Fat.

 

[mmadsen]

Also, while not specifically piratey (or even nautical) my favorite Sabatini book is far and away Scaramouche, which, aside from missing pirates and ships specifically, is still a great example of swashbuckling panache.

If I may hit the obvious, Treasure Island is one to read and reread and rereread.

Slightly less obvious, but only slightly, is The Count of Monte Cristo. The book lacks ninjas, but it has just about everything else possible to make it the perfect adventure novel, including a healthy dose of pirates.

Let me second -- or third -- these fine suggestions. In particular, let me point out that Pielorinho's everything-but-ninjas comment is spot on.

 

[Ebonyr]

Also try Corsair by Chris Bunch

 

[Desdichado]

http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/s#a640

Rafael Sabatini on Project Gutenburg. It's got Captain Blood, The Sea Hawks and Scaramouche. Sadly, it does not have The Black Swan, though.