Debut author, Nicole Castroman has a thing for pirates. Her debut novel Blackhearts, is all about them. In a guest post she tells us why pirates are the new vampires.
When people hear the word ‘pirate,’ it’s safe to assume that images of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow come to mind.
For the past decade, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has set the standard for the genre, with a new film reportedly set to come out the summer of 2016. (The studio announced they are still working on a script, but thankfully, Johnny Depp is indeed reprising his role as Captain Jack. I will forever mourn the loss of Orlando Bloom.)
For those of you who aren’t Disney fans, perhaps the word ‘pirate’ evokes an image of this. On the popular website,
If this is still not to your liking, fear not. It appears Hollywood is attempting to break the mold, with harsh and unflinching portrayals of what life was like for those who sailed the seven seas. Starz, the cable network, is producing Black Sails, a gritty prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Produced by Michael Bay, here is the show’s official synopsis:
“The first season of the pirate adventure centers on the tales of Captain Flint and his men, and takes place twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Treasure Island. Toby Stephens (Die Another Day) stars as Flint, the most brilliant and most feared pirate captain of his day, takes on a fast-talking young addition to his crew who goes by the name John Silver. Threatened with extinction on all sides, they fight for the survival of New Providence Island, the most notorious criminal haven of its day – a debauched paradise teeming with pirates, prostitutes, thieves and fortune seekers, a place defined by both its enlightened ideals and its stunning brutality.”
Black Sails has already been given the green light for a second season. Since it is on cable, expect lots of violence and nudity. (Just a side note: Dame Maggie Smith, of Harry Potter/Downton Abbey fame, is Toby Stephens’ mother. Somehow I doubt we’ll see either of them visiting the other’s set.)
Not to be outdone, NBC is launching its own pirate show, Crossbones, slated to begin on May 30, 2014. It’s a fact-based drama that focuses on one of the most notorious real-life pirates, Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard.
“It’s 1715. On the secret island of Santa Compana, Edward Teach, better known as the barbarous pirate Blackbeard (Emmy winner John Malkovich, “Death of a Salesman,” “Red”), reigns over a rogue nation of thieves, outlaws and miscreants. Part shantytown, part utopia, part marauder’s paradise, this is a place like no other.
Blackbeard has designs on the longitude chronometer, an invention that will change the world. During a massive attack on an English vessel, his most trusted pirates attempt to steal the device. But on board is Tom Lowe (Richard Coyle, “Covert Affairs”), an English spy working undercover as ship’s surgeon. Lowe’s mission is to prevent the chronometer from falling into the hands of pirates – and to assassinate Blackbeard, should the opportunity arise.”
Both shows promise entertainment with great locations and swashbuckling adventure, but only time will tell if the small screen is ready for them. If they succeed, I anticipate a spike in the sale of corsets. One would think with over 100 pirate festivals celebrated nationwide, as well as untold Comic Con cosplay attendees, the fan base is there.
There is even an International Talk Like a Pirate day. Every September 19, people the world over channel their inner buccaneer. On Facebook, you can change your settings so the language is converted to ‘pirate’ talk.
If you’re lucky enough to have a participating Krispy Kreme doughnut store near you, on September 19, you can walk in and get a free doughnut if you talk like a pirate. For the lad or lass who dresses up, they’ll give you a dozen free doughnuts. What’s not to love?
People have always been fascinated by pirates. (I’m not talking about present-day pirates. I’m speaking historically, about the crews during the Golden Age of Piracy, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.) They’ve been romanticized. At the time, they were the freest people on earth, separated from society, with no thought for the future. Theirs was a democratic existence, with everyone on board having a vote, from the captain down to the cook. The crew honored the code and all members were required to sign and abide by the rules. Lying, stealing or fighting on board were punished. (Fighting on shore was allowed.) I believe that is what appeals to people, not the pillaging, plundering or killings.
Pirates have been around for years and it’s safe to say that they’ll be around for many more.
About Nicole Castroman
Nicole Castroman’s love of pirates inspired her to write her debut YA novel, Blackhearts. It will be available from Simon&Schuster in 2016. Inspired by the tale of Blackbeard, it’s the story of a forbidden romance between a servant girl desperate for freedom and the master’s son who dreams of a life at sea. But they are caught up in something bigger than their circumstances: a love that changes the course of history.
You can find her on Twitter @nicolecastroman or on Facebook.