Captain Rum: A Wondrous Adventure

This is a fascinating book. It is written as a series of Captain Rum’s journal entries, which slowly draw you in until you’re sailing along with the tale. I also enjoyed the historical anecdotes, both in the text and the footnotes. However don’t think for a second that you’re just getting a bland history lesson here. The story unfolds with a few twists that edge it toward the surreal, or, as the editor himself says, stranger than anything that he could invent. The end result is a very satisfying book, with the entertainment factor increasing with each passing day. .

This is a challenging story, yet at the same time it has a real joy about the plot, particularly in the latter stages. It begins with the sailor, Fintan McAdam, stocking and preparing his ship for a journey. The realism of the descriptions, and the side cast of historical figures and places, have you wondering if this is biographical rather than fictional. However once the captain sets sail, the fictional side of the story unfolds, and you are taken on an up and down journey across the seas. Without giving away the plot, which has a few unexpected turns, he befriends not only a few humans on his travels, but some animals as well. This book really drew me in, and by the time I was finished I was inwardly cheering. I give this book 5/5 stars.

"Captain Rum" is a compelling tale. Don't expect to get straight "historical fiction' however; this book contains elements that stretch the bounds of truth so much that they are almost mystical, but I managed to cling to them as fact all the same. The story begins in London in 1821. The writer evokes the period nicely, and includes a host of real historical figures which add to the realistic sense of setting. The protagonist is Fintan McAdam (i.e. Captain Rum) who, after a series of tragedies, decides to sail over the oceans to help him forget his troubles. On his journey he encounters a host of fascinating situations that I wont divulge here, but that I found very entertaining. I also enjoyed his internal struggles, particularly with the haunting memories of his Beth, his departed wife. If you like adventure, particularly that set in the past, and can let your mind go so that reality slides seamlessly into fiction, then you will thoroughly enjoy this book. It is a ripping yarn in the best tradition of old sailors' stories.