Review: The Mark of the Golden Dragon by L.A. Meyer

The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being An Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea by LA Meyer

Jacky Faber, soldier, sailor, spy, and sometime pirate, condemned for life to the English prison colony in Australia for high crimes against the Crown, has once again wriggled out of the grasp of British authorities. Back on her flagship, the Lorelei Lee, she happily heads back to England in the company of dear friends and her beloved Jaimy Fletcher.

However, due to a typhoon, an earthquake, tidal waves, pirates, and her own impetuous nature, Jacky is cast into a world of danger that extends from the South China Sea to the equally treacherous waters of politics in London's smoky dens of intrigue, deception, and betrayal.

Can she save herself from recapture and a final trip to the gallows? Can she also save her own dear Jaimy from the madness that seems to be overtaking his tortured mind? Devious Chinese businessmen, willowy Eurasian maidens, fierce Gurkhas, loyal friends, and wildly romantic highwaymen are all involved in this tale of love, courage, and redemption.

Review:

The Mark of the Golden Dragon was another rollicking good Bloody Jack adventure. Jacky Faber was up to her usual antics and her experiences are such fun to read about. No matter how many of these books LA Meyer writes I will keep on reading them. I love historical fiction, especially with a strong female protagonist and Jacky definitely fits the bill. There was never a dull moment in The Mark of the Golden Dragon and some of my favorite characters from the past entered the scene again. This series is officially one of my favorites and I could reread it again and again!

Jacky Faber is such a likable main character and her adventures and witticisms always bring a smile to my face. She always finds herself in some sort of trouble and unable to be with her fair Jaimy, and this time was no exception. A huge typhoon tears through the ocean separating Jacky from her crew, including Jaimy. From there Jacky encounters pirates, an earthquake, and old romances. Time never slows for her and she never knows what she'll have to face next.

I love all the different characters in this series. Jacky has met people from around the world and all of them are well developed and interesting. Her friends are loyal and kind, but her enemies are vicious and unyielding. There were lots of plot twists and exciting scenes in The Mark of the Golden Dragon and I can't wait to see what's next for Jacky and the gang.

There is just something about this series that I love and it will always have a special place in my heart. The Mark of the Golden Dragon was an exciting and edge-of-your-seat addition to the series and I know the next book in the series will be just as good. Sail on Jacky!

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

October 3, 2011/Harcourt Children's Books/384 Pages/Young Adult/Book 9

Source: Netgalley

Other books in the series: Bloody Jack, Curse of the Blue Tattoo, Under the Jolly Roger, In the Belly of the Bloodhound, Mississippi Jack, My Bonny Light Horseman, Rapture of the Deep, and The Wake of the Lorelei Lee