Review of Shanghai'd

[Seqhatsi Shata]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Shanghai'd" by Curtis Stephen Burdick.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The book, Shanghai’d by Curtis Stephen Burdick is a historical fiction based on the California Gold Rush of 1849 that left increasing numbers of merchant sailing ships short of crew in San Francisco harbor. This short stuffing led the captain to resort to kidnapping drunken men from saloons, gambling, emporiums, brothels, and opium dens and forcing them into service on their ships. A young science-educated man and a Harvard graduate by the name of Joshua Cabot was met by this unforeseen forced recruitment. With seasickness, pirates at bay, and some minor wars, will Cabot make it out of it alive? I was mind-blown by the artistry in writing this book.

From the beginning, one cannot just guess what is going to happen next. Knowing the book's description, I just could not wait to make the acquaintance of Joshua Cabot and his connection to Major Bridges. Just after Cabot was “shanghaied,” I couldn’t tell whether he was or not. That’s how great this novel is. The jargon and terminology used perfectly create the context of the military and the sea and ships. This is in the light of words such as ‘Sea Witch’ as the ship’s name and ‘the vital dispatch from Colonel Mason.

In conclusion, I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars. It enlightened me of a lesson that life is unpredictable, and one’s education is not just a key to success but the only thing that keeps them alive in dire situations. Cabot’s metal education is a good example. The author is very descriptive of events, such as Moffet’s facial expression upon receiving a dispatch from Clayton. This book is well structured; every chapter begins with a setting, which improved my readership. The dialogue between the characters is lively and portrays how rude and controlling captains on board were during that period, taking Captain Stark on Pacifica as an example. However, this book is best suited for adults, especially those who don’t mind excessive use of profane language because it contains a lot of it. It was carefully edited for grammar, and I did not find any typos. There was nothing to dislike about the book. I recommend it to fans of historical books and to fans of fiction.

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Shanghai'd
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