FLAT: An edgy voyage of accidental discovery

Description:

About this item:

An edgy voyage of accidental discovery


Embark on a swashbuckling adventure, teeming with betrayal, romance, murder, sea battles, and a healthy dose of satirical Renaissance humor. Between the final breath of the Spanish Inquisition, and Magellan's epic voyage, join unintended explorer, Lanning Delaford, plus an eclectic cast of characters including Ignatius Loyola, Ferdinand Magellan, (mostly) evil pirates, a mediocre Portuguese butcher, an alluring, bad-ass courtesan, and a peregrine falcon named Doug, as they traverse southern Europe onto the unknown Great Sea.


Will fear stop you at the edge, or will you dare to venture beyond it?

Review:

3.7 out of 5

73.33% of customers are satisfied

It never fell off the edge

L.T. · 17 June 2024

From the cover, it was clear that author Neal Rabin was going to take liberties in this 15th-century romp. And yet it was delightful how faithfully he hewed to history and captured the whole putrefaction of the time while giving the characters entirely modern vernacular. The juxtaposition created a sense that people haven’t changed all that much over time, only our hygiene has. Perhaps that was the point.The writing reminded of Monty Python famously not expecting the Spanish Inquisition; again, possibly the point and, of course, as good as comedy writing gets. Only Rabin took it beyond just punchy dialogue to genuinely cinematic storytelling—you felt and smelt the 15th century and when the adventure took us to pristine horizons, maybe you missed the old Moorish Squirrel & Mutton bar scene and guys mistaking the sidewalk for a toilet.Fell in love with El Afortunado—such a delicious character with the multitudes he kept hidden in his long beard. Also loved Doug and was wishing the killer falcon could have enjoyed even more star turns. Doug along with the captain and crew were so clever in keeping the ship afloat amid pirate attacks and raging waters right out of the Odyssey that it seemed contrived for sea dragons to suddenly leap to the rescue, but then there was a suggested resemblance to creatures we know and we had just ventured to the edge of the world, so maybe the adventure unfolded just right!Probably the best pirate encounter in the history of comedic literature and the hat tip to William Goldman’s work was delightful.They say that authors must have been there to write it the way they did. Seems Rabin is an old soul. Brilliant.Sometimes I found new characters being introduced at such a fast clip that it was hard to keep track without paging back a couple of times. Certainly, the palace intrigue and chicanery that launched the plot into the Strait of Gibraltar was difficult to keep straight. But Rabin did set it up well and brought us around in the end—so it was reader weakness, surely.On every other page, a little pearl of wisdom marked this as, well, an important book. For example, when the young man was approaching an aqueous frontier, aka the edge of the world, he asked how he would know when he’d arrived there. The answer came, “The moment when you overhear yourself and the world simultaneously.” Again, brilliant.

Creative, witty, fun.

A.H. · 20 June 2024

I found this book very entertaining. It’s historical in a good way (I’m not always one who loved my history, classes) and the characters are relatable despite them living in the 16th century. So in short, this is a good read, lots of wit and adventure. You’ll really enjoy the journey

Trite

A.J. · 25 July 2024

Too clever. Way too much dialog. All the characters speak like stand up comedians. Modern mechanical concepts mixed in with a 16th century setting. It does not work.

FLAT: An edgy voyage of accidental discovery

3.9

BHD9243

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by

Free delivery on orders over BHD 20

Return and refund policies

Product origin: United Kingdom

All product information listed on the site are from 3rd party sources, including images and reviews. bolo.bh is not liable for any claims or promotions mentioned on the product description or images with textual content. For detailed product information, please contact the manufacturer or Bolo support by logging into your account. Unless stated otherwise during checkout, all import taxes and duty are included in the price mentioned on the product page. bolo.bh follows the rules and regulations of sale in Bahrain and will cancel items in an order that are illegal for sale in Bahrain. We take all the necessary steps to ensure only products for sale in Bahrain are displayed. Product stock and delivery estimate may change with the seller even after placing the order. All items are shipped by air and items marked “Dangerous Goods (DG)” by the IATA will be cancelled from orders. We strive to process your order as soon as it is finalized.

Similar suggestions by Bolo

More from this brand

Similar items from “Contemporary”