Guest Post – My Favourite Literary Pirates by Bryony Pearce

---

In a future world where fossil fuels have run out and democracy has collapsed, an outlawed pirate crew fight for survival on their ship, the Phoenix, kept afloat by whatever they can salvage or scavenge on the debris-filled seas.

Toby has never known anything other than life onboard the Phoenix and he’s desperate for adventure. But when trouble comes hunting the Phoenix down, Toby realizes that what you wish for isn’t always what you want.

He meets beautiful Ayla from the Banshee, a rival pirate ship and sworn enemy of the Phoenix, and his world is thrown into chaos.

---

I am delighted to be kicking off the brilliant blog tour for Bryony Pearce’s new YA novel, Phoenix Rising, which is out today, 1st June 2015, published by Stripes Publishing this will be followed by the exciting sequel Phoenix Burning in 2016!

I have recently received a proof copy of this book and from what I have read so far it’s set to be an amazing read!

Today I have an awesome guest post from Bryony all about her favourite literary pirates!

You can also check out a fab Q&A with Bryony Pearce here

But first who will you pledge your allegiance to?

 Are you #PhoenixCrew or #BansheeCrew?

I swear my allegiance to the #BansheeCrew !  We are feared and fearless!  We are merciless and amoral!  We believe in the ideals of strict hierarchy.  We are mercenary and we will not show weakness!  We will survive at all costs!

We are determined to get to the island before our sworn enemies, the #PhoenixCrew!

 Are you #PhoenixCrew or #BansheeCrew?  Do you think my allegiance will change when I have finished reading the book or will I stay true to the #BansheeCrew?

Only time will tell….check back soon to find out!

*Hands skull and cross bone flag over to Bryony*

---

My favourite literary pirates by Bryony Pearce

I’ve always loved pirate stories. My favourite kind of hero is an anti-hero and pirates in literature embody my idea of an anti-hero – a bad person who turns around and does the right thing.

 There are a great many pirates in literature, who are soon to be joined by Captain Wright (Nell), Captain Ford (Barnaby), Ayla, Toby, Peel, Crocker, Marcus and the rest.

 Here are some of my very favourite.

 The Dread Pirate Roberts / Westley from The Princess Bride by William Golding

What I am about to tell you I have never said before and you must guard it closely.” I of course said I would. ‘I am not the Dread Pirate Roberts,’ he said. ‘my name is Ryan. I inherited this ship from the previous Dread Pirate Roberts just as you will inherit it from me … The original Dread Pirate Roberts has been retired fifteen years and has been living like a king in Patagonia.

Captain Alberic / Captain Shakespeare from Stardust by Neil Gaiman

In the novel the original captain of the Sky ship Perdita is Captain Johannes Alberic

It wasn’t entirely fortune that we found you … It’d also be true to say that I was keeping half an eye out for you.

The Captain, however that I (and probably most viewers) really love is Captain Shakespeare – a version of Alberic rewritten into a flamboyant cross-dresser for the film and played by De Niro

 Captain James Hook from Peter Pan by JM Barrie

            “Proud and insolent youth,” said Hook. “Prepare to meet thy doom.”

…“Dark and sinister man,” Peter answered. “Have at thee.”

 The Fiddling pirate from The Pirate Cruncher

 There are rubies and diamonds the size of balloons

Silver and guineas and golden doubloons

But grab it all quick or he’ll have your entrails

Now, Fiddle de dee, let’s spread those sails

The Fiddling Pirate who appears to the sound of the fiddle floating on the wind, is possibly the creepiest character in children’s literature today. In this children’s picture book, much beloved by my son, the fiddler leads Captain Purplebeard and his crew to find an island of gold, filled with treasure. On the way pirates mysteriously disappear, and the pirates begin to worry, but are seduced into carrying on by the idea of the treasure. But the island is perched on a monster’s head and when the pirates land he eats them all. It is only at the end that you realise the old fiddler is really a puppet – the monster’s puppet and only when you look back over the pictures do you see the strings holding him up on each page, and the shadow of the monster who was with them the whole time.

 Captain T-Rex from Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs

Another favourite of my son and in here because no other pirate has a better battle cry.

            Yo ho ho, yo ho ho, pirate dinosaurs go, go, go

 Captain T-rex eats children with ketchup and his crew sings the best shanties:

We’ve stolen all the treasure

We’ll use it at our leisure

And won’t it be a pleasure

For us all to live like kings.

And don’t think we’ve forgotten

That this pirate’s rather rotten

So let’s barbecue his bottom

With some spicy chicken wings.

 I know that I am missing out some obvious favourites – Long John Silver, Captain Nemo and Captain Jack Sparrow all deserve a mention (Sparrow now has his own series of books by Rob Kidd). It seems crazy that a pirate T-rex beats Sparrow, Silver and Nemo, but my son made me read the stories of the pirate dinosaurs over and over and so they have a special place in my heart.

 I hope you enjoy my own pirates.

---

About Bryony Pearce

Bryony lives with her husband and two children in a village on the edge of the Peak District. She was a winner of the 2008 Undiscovered Voices competition and is the author of Angel’s Fury and The Weight of Souls.

You can find out more about Bryony on her website here

Or check out her other books or order Phoenix Rising here or why not order it in at your local bookshop 🙂

You can also follow Bryony on twitter – @BryonyPearce

---

A huge thank you to Bryony for the fab guest post and to Jessie at Stripes for sending me a copy of the book and for having me on the tour!

Check out what Bryony’s reaction to her cover reveal was here

Check out a fab Q&A with Bryony here

Also find out which Phoenix Burning Character You Are here

I also chatted to Bryony at the #UKYAExtravaganza in February 2015 – you can find the full post and goings on here

When I spoke to Bryony at an event in Birmingham she told me a little about Phoenix Rising in her own words….warning – I asked her to describe the book in five words!!  I am a very cruel Captain Chelley!

Don’t forget to follow the rest of the brilliant blog tour! 

 Who are your favourite pirates in literature?  Are you looking forward to reading Phoenix Rising?  Have you read it already?  Which crew would you like to be or were you assigned to?   I would love to hear from you!  Why not leave a comment using the reply button at the top of this post or tweet me on twitter using @chelleytoy !

Happy pirating!