Blood Diamond: A Pirate Devlin Novel
In Blood Diamond, set in the year 1720, the pirate Devlin must steal the largest diamond in the world (the infamous Pitt diamond) in order to save the South Sea Company and, perhaps more importantly to Devlin, earn the pirate and his crew pardon for all of their crimes against the English. He is given this task by none other than the Prince of Wales, the future George II.
Despite what might seem to be an exciting plot, the book takes a while to become engaging and never becomes ‘unputdownable’. Another negative is that the characters have little depth or likeability, so one becomes quite impartial to them and their fortunes. However, it must be said that the book is very well researched and may appeal somewhat more to those particularly interested in the period.
In conclusion, it is a book that promises to be extremely good, with extensive knowledge of the period and a well-thought-out plot, yet somehow fails to deliver. I cannot therefore honestly recommend it to those like myself who do not have a special interest in the period; those who are especially interested in the stories from the Golden Age of Piracy may feel otherwise.
