Review of Shanghai'd
Posted: 19 May 2025, 16:36
[Following is a volunteer review of "Shanghai'd" by Curtis Stephen Burdick.]
SHANGHAI’D is one of the best books that I have read this year. Set around the time of the California Gold Rush, this high seas adventure had me turning the pages as fast as I could to see what trouble these characters would get into next. If you are a fan of adventure novels such as Master and Commander or King Solomon’s Mines, you should give this book a try.
The author does an excellent job of weaving historical figures and events with his fictional characters. The writing is so descriptive that I often felt myself dizzy from the highest sails or nauseated from the storms.
I enjoyed the time spent on character development for each of the important characters in the novel. I cared about what happened to them which is no small feat with a crew of a merchant sailing ship.
The main character, Joshua Cabot, was quite sympathetic. One could see why the other characters liked and trusted him so much. Smart, handy, and good at problem-solving, Cabot proves an asset on the voyage in so many ways.
There are some sex scenes in the novel, but they are not erotic and are essential to the plot. Any reader of novels involving sailors shouldn’t be surprised that brothels are visited while in port.
There is quite a bit of violence as there are pirates, bandits, and other dangers encountered during the voyage. Again, this is not unexpected in a high seas adventure set in the nineteenth century.
Profanity is peppered throughout the dialogue of the sailors as well. Sailors are known to use profanity liberally and so this should also be expected in a novel about sailors.
The highest praise that I can give this novel is that I was disappointed to finish it. I wanted more! Thankfully, the novel ends in such a way that we might expect further adventures of Joshua Cabot and his companions.
I highly recommend this novel. Even though there were a few typos, I still give it five stars out of five. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
******
Shanghai'd
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
SHANGHAI’D is one of the best books that I have read this year. Set around the time of the California Gold Rush, this high seas adventure had me turning the pages as fast as I could to see what trouble these characters would get into next. If you are a fan of adventure novels such as Master and Commander or King Solomon’s Mines, you should give this book a try.
The author does an excellent job of weaving historical figures and events with his fictional characters. The writing is so descriptive that I often felt myself dizzy from the highest sails or nauseated from the storms.
I enjoyed the time spent on character development for each of the important characters in the novel. I cared about what happened to them which is no small feat with a crew of a merchant sailing ship.
The main character, Joshua Cabot, was quite sympathetic. One could see why the other characters liked and trusted him so much. Smart, handy, and good at problem-solving, Cabot proves an asset on the voyage in so many ways.
There are some sex scenes in the novel, but they are not erotic and are essential to the plot. Any reader of novels involving sailors shouldn’t be surprised that brothels are visited while in port.
There is quite a bit of violence as there are pirates, bandits, and other dangers encountered during the voyage. Again, this is not unexpected in a high seas adventure set in the nineteenth century.
Profanity is peppered throughout the dialogue of the sailors as well. Sailors are known to use profanity liberally and so this should also be expected in a novel about sailors.
The highest praise that I can give this novel is that I was disappointed to finish it. I wanted more! Thankfully, the novel ends in such a way that we might expect further adventures of Joshua Cabot and his companions.
I highly recommend this novel. Even though there were a few typos, I still give it five stars out of five. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
******
Shanghai'd
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon