Review of Baltimore. Book 3

[Eriny Youssef]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Baltimore. Book 3" by Tony Bryan.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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This novel is a fictitious account of The Sack of Baltimore that took place in 1631. However, the author chose to alter the story's setting to be in the 1730s—a period he believes witnessed pivotal historical events that were beneficial to the plot. The book is the third, and last, in the series.

There were multiple storylines in this novel, but they were all connected in one way or another. Perhaps the most dominant storyline was that of beautiful Gertrude and the Irish adventurer, Daemon Quirk. Van Eyck, Gertrude's father, insisted that Dieter Van Gahl should be his son-in-law. Unlike Daemon, Dieter was a suitable match for the daughter of a plantation owner, but the father's decisions didn't comply with Gertrude's independent character. After all, she was the one who took care of the farm, livestock, and slaves of the plantation. Eventually, the mutual love between Gertrude and Daemon, together with the newly revealed scheme between Van Gahl and Van Eyck, played the bigger role in the couple's decision to change the course of events. They decided to start a new life and sail towards the unknown. Their journey took them to a small place named Baltimore. Unfortunately, the path wasn't as smooth as they had wished.

From Barbados to Maryland to New York, the two of them looked for every opportunity they could benefit from, and Daemon's past adventures lead him to an old acquaintance. Señor Don Bosco helped the couple realize some working capital out of Gertrude's valuable jewels that she inherited from her mother. Don Bosco proved to be a trustworthy gentleman to count on, but his wife's previous entanglement with Daemon put the future of this assembly in jeopardy.

My favorite part was Gertrude and Daemon's venture into the nothingness. The lesson learned from their story was that a person can start anew and still prosper. All it takes is dedication, a healthy mindset, and, preferably, a companion of the same character by your side. I also liked Gertrude's character. In those times, a woman had a planned-out path and a role to fit in. However, Gertrude showed a strong conviction to live by her own rules and be happy. I liked the fact that the author seemed to be well informed about all the era's aspects. This included the way people addressed each other, the various nationalities involved in the historical events, geography, customs, and many other facets.

The only problem I had with the book was the introduction of too many characters at once. I get that this is the third book, and some characters may have already been introduced, but still, a brief summary of a character's background could've been useful. As you can tell, the novel was full of events and side stories, which made it challenging enough to follow. Therefore, I think the characters needed more vivid introductions.

I give Baltimore. Book 3 by Tony Bryan 3 out of 4 stars. A star was deducted because I did find several errors in the text. In general, the book seemed to be professionally edited, but it could still use another round of proofreading. Other than that, I think this rich novel was a successful account that will satisfy the reader's historical curiosity.

I recommend this novel to fans of historical fiction. The intricate details and the various characters will have you engrossed in a journey worth your time. Finally, I should mention that slavery is one of the underlying themes of this saga. Accordingly, this book displays some of the ugly faces of the subject. A brief, yet explicit, instance of grotesque mutilation is described. So, if you feel that may not be suitable for you, maybe you can skip this one.

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Baltimore. Book 3
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[Aisha Yakub]

I agree that a person could start anew and still prosper. Great review.

[Elijah0007]

A complete series alone is commendable. This book seems interesting enough, to say the least. Thanks for the review

[Mojo22]

I am just reading the final chapters of Baltimore book 3. I have followed these characters from book 1 and 2 so I am very excited to see how it plays out at the end. I have loved being on this epic journey. I don't want it to end. I will be finishing it tonight so will be reviewing soon.
MJD

[Eriny Youssef]

I agree that a person could start anew and still prosper. Great review.

Thank you for taking time to read it

[Eriny Youssef]

A complete series alone is commendable. This book seems interesting enough, to say the least. Thanks for the review

Thank you for reading it

[Eriny Youssef]

I am just reading the final chapters of Baltimore book 3. I have followed these characters from book 1 and 2 so I am very excited to see how it plays out at the end. I have loved being on this epic journey. I don't want it to end. I will be finishing it tonight so will be reviewing soon.
MJD

Yes, books with multiple parts are always a great choice, especially if the story is good. Looking forward for your review.