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

Rapture of the Deep Book Review

Rapture of the Deep by L.A. Meyer

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Release date: September 28, 2009

Source: Publisher

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

On the very day that Jacky Faber is to wed her true love, she is kidnapped by British Naval Intelligence and forced to embark on yet another daring mission—this time to search for sunken Spanish gold. But when Jacky is involved, things don't always go as planned. Jacky has survived battles on the high seas, the stifling propriety of a Boston finishing school, and even confinement in a dank French prison. But no adventure has quite matched her opportunistic street-urchin desires—until now.

Review:

Wow, if you haven't read this series before- you need to! It's amazing. L.A. Meyer is a fantastic writer and he brings his characters to life. I've read each book in this series about three times each and I know this one will be read again and again as well. I've gotten both my family and friends hooked on this series and now I can't wait for the next one to come out! Jacky is realistic, funny, loving, caring, and an all together fabulous main character. I've learned so much about the 1800s from reading this series. Another thing I really like about this series is it's well written. Meyer is an amazing writer and his books are just terrific. When reading I always feel like I'm right there alongside the characters and experiencing everything they are. I highly recommend this book to anyone who's read the rest of the series and for people who haven't, definitely go check out Bloody Jack today!

* May contain spoilers for people who haven't read the rest of the series*

I knew it was too good to be true when reading the prologue that Jaimy and Jacky were actually going to be married. Of course it wasn't going to happen. Jacky was whisked away on another mission for England and this time ventured down to Key West with the other jolly members of the Nancy B. Jaimy and the Dolphin crew weren't far behind, but a lot of Jacky's past lovers also happened to be there- Richard Allen, Flaco Jimenez.. and some of her enemies too- Flashby. Rapture of the Deep took place in a setting none of the other books have ever taken place in and I enjoyed reading about Jacky's adventures as a diver- I knew her swimming would pay off! I really like little Joannie and she reminds of Jacky when she was younger. The characters in Rapture of the Deep were just as alive as in the rest of the series and I really liked how this book took place mostly on the open sea. I'm definitely keeping a weathered eye on the horizon for the next book in the series. Keep up the good work, Mr. Meyer!

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars