Isle of Fire Hardback - 2008

Picking up where it�s prequel, Isle of Swords, left off, Isle of Fire plunges right into the action.After the terrible flood in New Providence, pirate Bartholomew Thorne escaped prison and is now on the loose. With new-found allies, he is planning a devilish attack on England, bent on slaking his revenge-thirst with the destruction of his enemies.A new enemy has arisen and joined forces with Thorne, and it will take all the combined strength of Declan Ross, The Brethren, and the British Navy to defeat the two. The Merchant is as evil as they come: cunning, deceitful, and ruthless. He strikes a bargain with Thorne, giving him information and requiring his son, Cat, in return.Cat is a teenager with amnesia and terrible mental and physical scars. He struggles with his memory loss, snippets of his old life taunting him at every turn. He fears that he is just like his father, the infamous Thorne. Growing up steeped in bloodshed, he fears losing control and killing senselessly, like his father.Called back to England, Commodore Blake, his wife Dolphin, and orphan Hopper search Dolphin�s father�s mansion, looking for some clue to unravel the mystery of her past. When they appear at court, a traitor in league with Thorne perfidiously accuses Blake, twisting words and facts, resulting in him being stripped of his rank and command, and is all but prisoner.As if it couldn�t get any worse, Anne, Cat, and a handful of others are trapped in the Merchant�s undersea labyrinth with death just around the corner.The characters are realistically drawn, and the action is exhilarating. The love between Dolphin and Blake is a sweet, genuine portrayal of marriage, and adoption is handled in a heart-warming way. The plot is extraordinarily well constructed, and its twists and turns hold you spellbound, wondering how it will end.A stunning tale of pirates, treachery, and valor, Isle of Fire is a thrilling book filled with never-ceasing action.

Celebrilomiel

"Isle of Fire" picks up shortly after the conclusion of its predecessor, "Isle of Swords". Cat is staying with the Brethren Monks, training with them while trying to regain his memories of his past life. But he isn't all that certain that his past is something he wants to remember. Meanwhile, Captain Declan Ross and his daughter Anne sail the sea recruiting pirates for his "Wolf Pack," a group of former pirates paid by the British Government and the Brethren to hunt down other pirates. Villains, new and old, make their appearance quickly as well. Some are brutal and heartless, consumed by their desire for revenge; others are more subtle, content to wait until the proper moment to strike. Wayne Thomas Batson paints a broad, sweeping tale that spans the Atlantic Ocean in this tale of treachery, truth, and tempests. Things are not always what they seem--even chapter titles can be deceiving. One rarely sees the newest--and cruelest--villain, The Merchant, but his influence is felt nonetheless. As in Batson's other books, some of the secondary characters are so much "larger than life" as to feel almost caricatures of reality and yet they seem perfectly real at the same time. However, the main characters internal dilemmas are as clear and real as their external ones. Overall, I preferred "Isle of Fire" to "Isle of Swords". There were fewer extreme characters--or perhaps I just knew the characters better and so they felt more real--and the story is less obvious. One knows the good guys have to win, but how is very much uncertain. Also, I liked the fact that Declan, Anne, Cat, and the others, aren't searching for treasure but rather truth. And they all find Truth and therefore, true treasure. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys adventures on the high seas. But make sure you read "Isle of Swords" first!

RienTakhid

A swashbuckling drama from the best-selling author of Isle of Swords and The Door Within Trilogy, Wayne Thomas Batson. A long line of the evilest men in history, The Merchants, have funded and planned the worst catastrophes in the world... it's time to for them to strike again. The legendary blood-thirsty pirate Bartholomew Thorne has convinced a group of technologically advanced heathen Vikings to help him burn London. It's up to Cat, struggling with his terrible past, and Declan Ross's crew of extremely entertaining pirates to stop them. Add a hurricane, Greek-fire, a particularly nasty group of Berserkers, a gullible king, and a strange, bald lad named Hopper, and you've got the best book since Isle of Swords! For anybody who likes bang-bang action and plenty of pirates. ARG!

cson

The evil Bartholomew Thorne has returned! Through forming a deadly alliance with both the Merchant and the Raukar, he takes possession of a terrible weapon that is seemingly unstoppable. Will London survive? Will Declan Ross and Commodore Blake be destroyed? Will Cat turn to his father's evil ways? Find out in Isle of Fire! Isle of Fire (sequel to Isle of Swords) is an amazing book written by the mastermind author Wayne Thomas Batson. It's about pirates, a topic that I have found to be handled strangely in other books, but the author weaves a believable but still spellbinding tale. I love the spirituality in this book, as well. It isn't too in-your-face but can be greatly appreciated by believers, and unbelievers might get curious about God. It doesn't justify the horrible acts of pirates, which I have found to be a problem elsewhere, and doesn't have objectionable content besides some violence which is not explicit. This book is great for about middle school students to adults.

Alexandria12345

Isle of Fire Awesome read. Taking to the high seas again we are in the midst of a struggle that holds in suspense but reveals little pieces to us as we sail. With the evil merchant in the mix, we wonder where Cat will lay hi allegiances. Something that also caught my interest was looking at the cover of the book and seeing what looked to be a Viking ship (Must read to understand.) Again the story set on the high seas and to some interesting locals creates a story with beautiful settings and compelling characters.

BDEastman