REVIEW: Pirate Hunters by Robert Kurson

Posted on

pirateI read Shadow Divers years ago and was caught up in the journey of discovery and adventure it told. So when I discovered Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship by the same author (Robert Kurson) and the same diver (John Chatterton), I was hooked. Who doesn’t love a good pirate story?

The story is about salvage divers John Chatterton’s and John Mattera’s hunt for the Golden Fleece, the pirate ship of Joseph Bannister. If found, it would represent only the second confirmed pirate ship ever discovered.

Not having heard about Joseph Bannister, I enjoyed learning more about him and pirates in general as the divers researched the man whose ship they were hunting. Given Bannister’s daring and exploits, it is surprising that he isn’t as famous as Blackbeard.

I liked hearing more about what had happened to Chatterton since the adventures of Shadow Divers and learning more about Mattera.

Not only are Chatterton and Mattera hunting the ship, but they must also place their livelihoods on the line. They give up salvaging a near-sure find to hunt for the Golden Fleece. Because governments are changing the rules of salvage at the same time, they will have only a chance to find one ship – a galleon with treasure or a legendary pirate ship.

They must deal with setbacks and modern pirates in their hunt for the legend. It has remained hidden for centuries and while modern technology can help narrow the search, the divers must first narrow that search to the point where it becomes feasible to use modern technology. That is the hard part because pirates didn’t keep records or file sailing routes.

The story is more than just a diving adventure. It’s the story of a hunt for the ship and the research that goes into finding such a historical treasure.

The ending was a bit of a letdown. I think I expected there to be more recognition of the find. However, it is nice to know that with the uniqueness of the find, Bannister might finally get his place in history.

Although Kurson was working with good material, he still does a great job of rolling out the information for the reader to create an air of mystery and tension. It makes the Pirate Hunters easy to read and one you want to read because you want to see what happens next.

You might also enjoy these posts:



^