Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess
Reviews
Brandy was born on a pirate ship, her father the infamous Erick Erasmus, known as The Plague. At the age of fifteen, after witnessing the gruesome deaths of her parents, Brandy hides out in Kingston, Jamaica with her Uncle Skinner. The two use the gold Skinny had stashed away to purchase an inn, which, over the next fifteen years, become a successful enterprise. Brandy’s not sure she wants to return to the sea, not sure of whether she agrees with the greed and violence of being a pirate. Then she meets John Edwards, the first officer on The Morning Star, under the command of Captain Joshua, a man with a mission to free the slaves in the Caribbean. Brandy never thought she’d fall in love, let alone return to a life at sea. But circumstances come to the fore when the man who murdered her father and stole his ship becomes a menace to all she holds dear.
Dan E. Hendrickson’s historical fiction novel, Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess, is a powerful novel that combines romance, history, and adventure at sea with great skill and precision in detail. The plot is well developed, beginning with the horrific events of Brandy’s parents’ deaths and following through her life in hiding until the tide makes a full circle and she now faces head-on the threat that her parents faced. The characters and setting are well described and the use of dialogue, sometimes with a touch of humor, is believable and enjoyable to follow. This is a fast-paced adventure that speaks volumes about the lives of the opposing powers at sea: the evil forces that took advantage of everyone and everything and the good forces that fought hard to make things right, to free those who would otherwise spend their lives as slaves. Although comfortable in her life working at her uncle’s inn, Brandy is forced to face a noble cause while fighting to save those she loves. A real page-turner that has the reader gripped from the very beginning
Emily-Jane Hills Orford
Readers’ Favorite
Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess is a work of fiction in the historical genre. It is suitable for all reading audiences and was penned by author Dan E. Hendrickson. The book follows the adventures of Brandy Erasmus, the daughter of two legendary pirates who were killed when she was a child. Now hiding in plain sight with her uncle in Jamaica, Brandy is called back to the way of life that killed her parents when the man she loves is placed in harm’s way, and the cause of the abolitionists she has joined forces with comes under threat. What results is a highly engrossing adventure tale that is sure to keep readers turning the pages from cover to cover.
Author Dan E. Hendrickson has crafted a thrilling piratical work of historical fiction with plenty of deep character work, clever plotting, and all-out action to offer its readers. One of the features which I found particularly impressive about this piece was its ability to balance the depth, research, and atmosphere required for authentic historical fiction versus the light-hearted and fast-paced narrative that will keep readers entertained in a dramatic adventure such as this. Hendrickson’s prose flows with artful tension, building suspense, exposition, and character development in an easy-to-read style. The dialogue was also very effective, serving to display the unique traits of the characters whilst moving the plot forward in a natural way. Overall, I would highly recommend Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess to fans of adventurous storytelling, swashbuckling drama, and readers of accomplished historical fiction everywhere.
K.C. Finn
Readers’ Favorite
Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess is a true swashbuckling adventure on the high-seas of the Caribbean. Author Dan Hendrickson brings to life the world of the cutlass, flintlock pistols, and rifles of the Caribbean pirates and British naval officers. Centered principally around the British territories of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, we meet the intriguing Brandy, a beautiful, flame-haired young girl, who was born and raised on the pirate ship Red Witch. Her mother was none other than the Scarlet Mistress and her father, the legendary pirate Eric Erasmus, also known as “the plague”. When the British navy finally catches up with them and with her father murdered by one of his traitorous crew and her mother executed by the British, Brandy and her uncle convince their captors that they are just mere slaves destined for the markets of the US. Delivered to Jamaica and freedom, Brandy and her uncle set about establishing and running a successful tavern near the docks in Kingston, Jamaica. When First-Mate of the Morning Star, John Edwards arrives in Brandy’s tavern one evening, the electricity between John and Brandy is palpable. Captain Joshua has spent the last seven years searching for news of what had happened to his wife and daughter who had disappeared on their journey to meet him in Kingston. What soon becomes obvious to all of them is that not only are their destinies linked together, their pasts may also be.
I have followed author Dan Hendrickson’s writing from his very first novel and what has impressed me from the beginning is his growth and development as an author. Never afraid to accept constructive criticism, this author’s work has improved in leaps and bounds. Something of a genre departure for him, Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess was an absolute joy to read. A conversational writing style and a real knack for character development make this author stand out from the others in this genre. For the action junkie, there is no shortage of fight scenes and the plot follows a clear and distinctive path that has been well thought out and meticulously written. Equally, the props to the story, the clothing, the weapons, the locations, the political climate of the time, all appear to be based on extensive knowledge and research. Hendrickson’s work invariably brings us a deeper message about ourselves that we should take on board and this story is no exception. What I enjoyed in this narrative was the idea that diversity should be celebrated, not demonized, that we are not responsible for the “sins of our fathers”, and that the power of love transcends all. I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s excursion into a different genre, which rewarded me with a truly swashbuckling, soulful, historical, romance. This is a superb book with a mesmerizing story and is a true winner for me.
Grant Leishman
Readers’ Favorite
Brandy Erasmus is the only child of The Plague, the most feared pirate in the Caribbean, and the Scarlet Mistress, a flaming red-headed beauty who teaches her daughter to be a feared warrior of the seas. However, when her parents are betrayed by one of their own and killed, Brandy’s life changes forever. Sometime later, she and her Uncle Skinner set up home running an inn. Skinner becomes Uncle Skynyrd and Brandy covers up her flaming red hair by using a black dye. Their identities are a well-kept secret. It isn’t until Brandy meets John Edwards, Captain Joshua, and Ralphie, officers of the Morning Star, in the inn one night that their world starts to unravel. Brandy is taken with the handsome John Edwards and Davonte, the inn’s server and Brandy’s friend, finds herself infatuated with Ralphie. Captain Joshua and his crew search the Caribbean not only for his lost wife and young daughter but also for runaway slaves which they transport to safe communities. Don Lomoche was part of the original crew of the Sea Witch, The Plague’s ship. Now he is raising a crew in hopes of destroying Edwards, Captain Joshua, and profiting from destroying the abolitionist colonies. Dan E. Hendrickson, the author of Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess, has written a very entertaining story set in the early 19th century.
This is a very captivating and entertaining story of Brandy, her Uncle Skynyrd, John Edwards, Zang Yong, and friends who set out to capture Don Lomoche and his cohorts, not only for what he did to Brandy’s parents, but what he is attempting to do to John Edwards and Davonte. Many secrets will be revealed throughout the book, but each one, as it is untangled, mingles with the next. Hendrickson has written a great story. While reading the adventure, it brought to mind a famous song of my era, which added to my intrigue for the story. All of Hendrickson’s characters are well portrayed, easy to visualize standing before the reader. The plot is excellent, as is the setting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess and will recommend others to read it as well. I specifically liked the interconnection created between all the characters, the storyline each character brought into the development of the plot while maintaining the good versus evil theme.
Teresa Syms
Readers’ Favorite
Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess is written by Dan E. Hendrickson. Born to the most feared pirates in the Caribbean, Brandy Erasmus has been raised to become as feared and ruthless as her mother, The Scarlet Mistress. When Brandy is just 15 years old her life takes a drastic turn when her father, the infamous pirate Eric Erasmus, aka The Plague, is brutally murdered by his second in command Don Lomoche just as a Royal Navy ship led by the ruthless Admiral Bennets is about to overtake their vessel. Bennets seizes the ship and executes Brandy's mother. Brandy and her Uncle Skinner escape with their lives and begin a new life running a tavern in Kingston, Jamacia, leaving behind The Red Witch and her rightful claim of ownership. Years later, Brandy's life is about to be turned upside down when sea captain Joshua and his handsome Lieutenant John Edwards enter the tavern. Although their main mission is to help the abolitionist movement and stop the transportation of slaves, Captain Joshua is also searching for his wife, a former prisoner of a slave ship, and their daughter. Will Brandy finally come face to face with the men who killed her parents and claim her rightful inheritance?
Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess is another gripping novel by Dan Hendrickson. There was fantastic action throughout and compelling plot layers that were revealed slowly as the story progressed. I admired how the author created such detail in every character and even the minor personalities had great depth and distinct personalities. I loved Brandy's character. She had so many aspects to her personality; on one hand, she was a fearless warrior and on the other, she possessed a huge heart and a beautiful soul. Lomoche and Bennets were two of the most sadistic characters I have come across; their actions at times were truly blood-curdling. The plot was constantly intriguing and compelling and that was a great deal to do with the obstacles that came thick and fast. Brandy and John constantly battled to outwit and defeat the evil Lomoche and Bennets. Another favorite character for me was Ralphie, who transforms from an unassuming young man to quite a selfless hero. His relationship with Davonte was incredibly heartwarming too. Be prepared for the unexpected throughout; there are some shocking plot twists and revelations especially involving Davonte and Brandy.
Lesley Jones
Readers’ Favorite
Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess by Dan E. Hendrickson is about a girl raised by pirates. Brandy’s mother is the hot-tempered Scarlet Mistress, and her father is Captain Eric Erasmus, better known as “The Plague.” Both of Brandy’s parents have been pirates since before her birth on the Red Witch 15 years ago. First mate, Don Lomoche, kills Captain Erasmus after notifying Admiral Bennets of the Navy Fleet who the Scarlet Mistress is. Her mother’s real name was Katrina Mooney, who had killed her master after being sold into slavery when she was 13-years-old. Her master was King George’s cousin, and she has been on the run from execution ever since. Admiral Bennets prepares to hang her onboard her ship, but before he can, she curses the crew by telling them only her heir can release them from the Red Witch curse, flings herself overboard, and hangs herself. Brandy and her Uncle Skinner disguise themselves to blend in with the prisoners below deck and taken to Jamaica as slaves. Before her death, Brandy’s mother tells her she has two choices: she can either reclaim Red Witch or live life on land. Admiral Bennets gives Don Lomoche ownership of the Red Witch. What life does Bandy choose? Does she rightfully take back the Red Witch?
I like many things about this book. Firstly, the author uses subheadings that helped me understand the distance traveled between locations. Secondly, the author provides vivid descriptions of the events on the Caribbean islands and the sea. I could easily imagine the pirate battles on the ships, the slaves fleeing for safety, and ships cresting huge waves during hurricanes. Thirdly, the book was full of suspense and kept me guessing as to how it would end. Finally, there are a few lessons to learn in this book. Some of my favorites are that free men work harder when they earn something they can appreciate and enjoy, love is more powerful than hate, and the reality of fate is that it can be both kind and cruel.
There was nothing I disliked about this book. I had to appreciate that pirates do not know how to speak or think using correct grammar. I continually had to stop myself from wanting to count errors that were not actual errors. When incorrect grammar was not in dialogue, I had to pay close attention to whom the thought processes belonged. This book is fast-paced and action-packed, with battles and love mingled throughout the plot.
The author has done a great job writing this book and keeping the plot flowing from page to page. The book appears to have been edited by a professional editor, as I only found two small errors in the entire book. For these reasons, I gladly give this book 4 out of 4 stars.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction about pirates. There are some borderline profanity and mild sexual content, but it is appropriate for teenagers and older. The gory battle scenes and slavery conditions may make sensitive readers uncomfortable. I will caution atheists that there is a small amount of religious content involving prayers and discussion of the Bible, but it probably will not be offensive to most readers.
Online Book Club
Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess is an outstanding book about facing adversity and overcoming your past. This is a great story that depicts pirate life at the time in history when the slave trade was happening in the Americas. This story follows the life of Brandy as she goes from being a swashbuckling kid to an adult who is trying to find her way in the world and not fall into the past. With the help of some new friends and her uncle. This story takes you all over the Caribbean and truly highlights the struggle that the indigenous people and slaves went through at the time. You'll enjoy the character development and learn to love so many people in the book. From Brandy to her best friend Zhang you will want to read about them more and more. Its hard to pick a favorite! This is a great book with some historical accuracies that any young adult reader would love to read. If you enjoy any type of pirate fiction novel that tries its best to be accurate to the time and location. I would love to see this become a series.
Online Book Club
Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess is an exciting story centering around the slave trade, Caribbean Sea pirates and the life of a young girl, Brandy, being turned upside-down. Born to pirates, raised on her father’s ship, The Red Witch, Brandy has learned the skills required to survive in this unrelenting world. She was raised to be as strong as the crew, unrelenting and unforgiving. When she suddenly finds herself losing the only life she's ever known, she must use all that she’s learned to survive her new life. As she grows older, she vows to never return to the sea, but everything changes when she meets John, the handsome first mate of The Morning Star. Working together, they fight to protect runaway slaves, save those they love, and uncover the truth about the past. Can Brandy learn to open her heart to love, and the sea, once again?
From the very first page, this book was filled with action, adventure, and excitement. Once I began reading, I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed watching Brandy's character grow and develop through the story, from a young, resentful woman, to one who accepts fate, love, and the future. There is quite a leading female feel to this book. Dan Hendricks does an amazing job of developing not only Brandy’s character, but each character in the story. There are no loose ends, no unanswered questions at the end of this book. Each character gets an ending. While this book discusses quite a few difficult subjects such as slavery, racism, abuse and death, Hendricks uses a fictional story to bring awareness to history in a tasteful and thrilling way.
There are some coarse language and details in the book, but they only added to the narrative.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was beautifully written, well edited, and very engaging. I did not notice any grammatical or spelling errors. I did not have anything I didn't like about the story. This is one of those books that we wish we have a sequel to because we’ve gotten to know these characters so well. This story draws you in from the very first chapter. The last chapter gives closure, but also makes the reader wish there were more. Hendricks makes you fall in love with the characters and its like parting with good friends when you finish the last page.
Online Book Club
Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess, by Dan Hendrickson, is a tale about a young woman who is in the process of breaking generational cycles, finding her self, and searching for her one true love.. with a twist! While Brandy and her uncle are trying to escape the life they once lived as crew members and family of the two most ferocious pirates in the seven seas, they encounter and befriend several unique individuals: a freed slave with a mysterious past, a Chinese priest with training in combat and medicine, an esteemed Captain searching for his lost family while working as an abolitionist, and two of his crew - the best sailor and navigator in history and a young sailor with a heart of gold. Each of them playing a bigger part in each other’s lives than they can foresee.
Together they face against racist, despicable sailors, corrupted governors, and pirates who are all working for the man responsible for the death of Brandy’s parents, Lomoche. Will the Captain find answers to the disappearance of his wife and daughter? Will the abolitionists survive against the attacks from Lomoche and his slave selling, money hungry mates? Will Brandy finally come face to face with her parents killer after 15 years of hiding?
I really enjoyed the effortless visualization that occurred when reading this novel. Wether it was a sword fight, a stroll on the beach, or a lesson being taught by Zhang, Hendrickson did an absolutely fantastic job of using descriptive words that created a clear vision of what was occurring and made the words on the page come to life.
This novel is incredibly witty, detailed, action packed, and energetic from the very first line. Due to this, and the incredible story and twists that unfold, I have absolutely nothing negative to say. I rate this novel 4 out of 4 stars.
I recommend Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess to young adults and adults who enjoy the following genres: historical fiction, action fiction, and romance. I recommend this audience due some of the language and situations found in the book. For example:
In Chapter 1, several crew members are violently murdered. In Chapter 3 and Chapter 15, a disgusting sailor by the name of Faustin sexually assaults and sexually harasses Davonte, the freed slave. He also calls her a derogatory name in Chapter 3.
Online Book Club
Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess written by Dan E. Hendrickson tells the story of the trial and tribulations Brandy faces throughout her life. Brandy is the daughter of a well-feared pirate couple. Her Father is long-time Captian of the Read Witch Eric Erasmus aka The Plague and her mother Katrina Mooney aka the Scarlet Mistress. For 15 years Brandy had only lived a pirate life until her parents were killed and she escaped with her uncle to start a new life away from the sea. Brandy and her uncle settle in Jamaica where they open and run a tavern together. As fate has it the past can never stay in the past and Brandy must choose to leave the past where it belongs or reclaim the ship and crew to save the one she loves.
I enjoyed many aspects of this book. I liked the pace of the story. It didn't feel as though it was taking too long to get to the action or that it was moving too fast to keep up. I also like that the author provided detailed descriptions of the settings and events. I like to immerse myself in the stories I read and the descriptions provided made it easy to imagine the events as if I were there watching them unfold.
There was nothing about this book that I did not enjoy. At times there were words used that I did not understand immediately, but it was easy to decipher them through context clues. I had to keep in mind that the grammar we use today is not the same as what was used in the past. Overall though I enjoyed reading this book.
I would rate this book a 4 out of 4 stars. I truly enjoyed reading this. The author did a wonderful job of packing the story with action and excitement without losing sight of the plot. I also found no errors throughout the book which is why I am comfortable rating the book so high.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction that is full of pirates and romance. It does contain some borderline profanity and mild sexual content, so I would recommend it more to older teenagers and up. There are small references to religion that pertain to praying and the Bible, so if that makes you uncomfortable I would warn you against reading this book.
Online Book Club
This book had me hooked from the start and I couldn't put it down. There are lots of plots going on to keep you interested and great character development. I read through this in only a couple of days and enjoyed every minute of it. Don't hesitate, read this book! You won't regret it.
Emily K.
Amazon
This is an amazing pirate story with hideous, smelly pirates, beautiful ladies, and noble heroes. This story is just as full of collusion as a good pirate story should be. This book is a good mixture of lovable characters, action, and even romance. I truly had a good time with Brandy and her peers. Only sad thing is that the story was over way too soon!
Kirsi C
Amazon
I genuinely enjoyed reading this book. It's so different from the pirate books I've read before. I also loved the variety of themes included in this book. It has politics, Chinese culture, naval facts, slave freedom discussion. And I do appreciate the slow-burn romance.
Eunice Geres
Amazon
I know the author personally and have read all of his books. Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess is Dan's best to date, in my opinion. Dan has a knack for character development and brings those characters to life with entertaining and captivating story lines. This book is no exception. Most books about pirates focus upon men and their daring exploits. It was refreshing to see how a strong and resourceful woman could hold her own in that time period and culture. It is a good and enjoyable read.
Amazon Customer
Amazon
I am going to be completely honest, I do not like historical romance anything. This book held my interest and kept me captivated the entirety of the read. It is a great book. I would recommend it to anyone.
latishia quinn
Amazon
Absolutely one of my new favorite books. This story was a refreshing take on a pirate family and how having a daughter born on board a pirate ship can affect everyone on board. It is hard to believe a woman pirate would continue her violent pursuit of piracy after having a child. Brandy is in an unique position being raised on a pirate ship among so much violence. She escapes the pirate life eventually settling down on a Caribbean island. The story continues revealing much of her current life and how being raised on a pirate ship has affected her whole adult life.
Goodreads
This story is wonderfully written...I think Brandy is a strong character in this story for many reasons...for having no fear in the face of her enemies..keeping her head strong as she diligently faced her enemies ,and not letting her unknowns in her personal life effect the objective that she was able reach, Wich was claiming back what was rightfully hers...The fact that she didn't come from the best parents but she didn't let it define her she used her power for love and out of love and claimed victory for the war she was in..There were alot of unknowns about who was on her side ,,but she seemed to still find love..she was able to protect Devonte while being held captive.and also saved her own hero in the midst this is a true story of Strength...Faith ... belief...and love.. and the value of having a strong family with unconditional love ..And to stand up for what you believe in no matter who the enemy is
she's a hero in her own right..for doing what's right and acting out of love...Story also shows me you don't need everyone on your team you only need the Good ones!
I'll be reading this book again.
Goodreads
I loved the all around setting in this book. The author done a wonderful job at grabbing and keeping my interest. I didn’t like how Brandy and her mother had a terrible relationship. I believe it could have been a lot better. I would most definitely recommend “Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess” to anyone who loves a good adventure book and anyone who enjoys being pulled into the story. Pre-teen adolescents and older would be the age range in my opinion. I am going to end up reading this book again. That’s just how intriguing it was to me.
Goodreads
I loved this book for so many reasons. This is not the not the normal type of book I read. With that being said the action in the book was amazing. I loved the Chinese priest and his lessons in this book as well. Very diverse, well written, and made me emotional. Not many books I read actually made me emotional, but this book did
Goodreads
This book has plenty of reasons to like it. A pirate turned into a better person. And a nice man to make a woman who refused to fall in love, fall in love.
Goodreads
The daughter of pirates reconnects with her past while investigating a diabolical scheme in this historical novel.
In 1829, no pirate is more feared than Katrina Mooney, known as the Scarlet Mistress. For years, Katrina and her husband, Capt. Eric Erasmus, have sailed their ship, The Red Witch, throughout the Caribbean with their daughter, Brandy. When a betrayal by first mate Don Lomoche leads to Eric’s death and the ship’s capture, Katrina places a curse on the vessel that only 15-year-old Brandy can break. Brandy and her uncle Skinner escape to Kingston, Jamaica, where she dyes her distinctive red hair black and he changes his name to Skynyrd. Fifteen years later they run a successful tavern called Katrina’s with a Chinese immigrant named Zhang Yong, an employee and musician, and Davonte, a waitress. Brandy believes she has left the pirate’s life behind her until she meets first mate John Edwards and the crew of the ship The Morning Star. After Edwards and Midshipman Ralphie Austin are attacked by a sailor named Faustin Reece, Brandy and Skynyrd discover that the culprit is connected to Lomoche. When Lomoche conspires with corrupt officials to expand the slave trade in the Caribbean, Brandy discovers the only way to stop him is through reclaiming her family legacy, a mission that grows complicated when she falls in love with the dashing Edwards. This latest novel from Hendrickson is a briskly paced work of historical fiction that seamlessly blends action and a love story. Brandy is an amiable hero whose romance with Edwards unfolds at a leisurely pace as she struggles with the question of whether to reveal her family history to him. Lomoche is an effective villain whose criminal activities lead to well-staged action sequences at the tale’s climax. That said, the dialogue reads like a summary of events. At one point, Austin tells Edwards after their assault: “They explained to the captain of the garrison what had happened earlier at Katrina’s with the one we now know is Faustin Reece. The garrison captain said he talked with one of those black-clad people he calls ‘The Night Watch.’ ”
An appealing pirate adventure.
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About
Born in Sheridan Wyoming in 1962 near the rustic Big Horn mountain range, to Carl and Helen Hendrickson. Dan went to school in…
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