Empire of Blue Water

Captain Morgan's Great Pirate Army, the Epic Battle for the Americas, and the Catastrophe that Ended the Outlaws' Bloody Reign

By: Stephan Talty

Narrated by: John H. Mayer

He challenged the greatest empire on earth with a ragtag bunch of renegades - and brought it to its knees. Empire of Blue Water is the real story of the pirates of the Caribbean.

Henry Morgan, a 20-year-old Welshman, crossed the Atlantic in 1655, hell-bent on making his fortune. Over the next three decades, his exploits in the Caribbean in the service of the English became legendary. His daring attacks on the mighty Spanish Empire on land and at sea determined the fates of kings and queens, and his victories helped shape the destiny of the New World.

Morgan gathered disaffected European sailors and soldiers, hard-bitten adventurers, runaway slaves, and vicious cutthroats, and turned them into the most feared army in the Western Hemisphere. Sailing out from the English stronghold of Port Royal, Jamaica, “the wickedest city in the New World,” Morgan and his men terrorized Spanish merchant ships and devastated the cities where great riches in silver, gold, and gems lay waiting. His last raid, a daring assault on the fabled city of Panama, helped break Spain’s hold on the Americas forever. Awash with bloody battles, political intrigues, natural disaster, and a cast of characters more compelling, bizarre, and memorable than any found in a Hollywood including the notorious pirate L’Ollonais, the soul-tortured King Philip IV of Spain, and Thomas Modyford, the crafty English governor of Jamaica - Empire of Blue Water brilliantly re-creates the passions and the violence of the age of exploration and empire.

©2007 Stephan Talty (P)2007 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"Before he became rum, Cap'n Morgan humbled the Spanish Empire....Talty's well-researched account weaves together myriad political and financial interests in the New World." (Booklist)

"Talty strips away the legend to recreate a pivotal era in this accessible portrait of the pirates of the Caribbean." (Publishers Weekly)

“Talty’s vigorous history of seventeenth-century pirates of the Caribbean will sate even fickle Jack Sparrow fans....A pleasure to read from bow to stern.” (Entertainment Weekly)

Excellent!

Really enjoyed this book. Great look at Henry Morgan, and the society of Port Royal, and how privateers operated and organized.

I particularly enjoyed the narration of John H. Mayer. Best narrator I've heard.

amazing book

loved it! learn so much about the history of Captain Morgan stuff I never knew.

The greatest pirate story

If you don't like pirates, listen to this book and you will! Great story and well read. I may listen a second time.

Empire of Blue Water

Excellent historical account of piracy in the New World. There's a well-balanced touch of descriptive storytelling.

Everything you want in a non-fiction audiobook.

I loved everything about this book. The writing delivered a clear, concise and entertaining story about not only the Pirates and Henry Morgan, but the European powers of the time. And the narration was absolutely magnificent! I actually found this book searching for other works narrated by John H. Mayer. If you like this book and want more of the same narrator check out The Floor of Heaven.

Legendary Buccaneers

Henry Morgan was only 20 when he came to the Caribbean, and in his lifetime saw—and led—the rise of piracy that terrorized the Spanish Empire and shaped the future of the New World, and then collapsed as quickly as it appeared.

Stephan Talty’s highly approachable history is peppered with surprises. The buccaneers called themselves “The Brethren,” and more often than not fought their battles on land like a terrestrial army. Ships were for transportation, often including canoes and small fishing boats, while engagements at sea like those in the movies were the exception.

They were a vicious lot of drunks and murderers who, inspired by techniques of the Spanish Inquisition, were also inventive practitioners of torture. They lived to plunder, squander their money on debauchery, and return to the hunt. There were also generous benefits, including a share of the loot plus bonuses for sustaining injuries, or for exceptional bravery.

But they never aspired to colonize what they conquered. “As soon as the dream of great riches evaporated, the buccaneer army atomized into a thousand separate pieces. The pirates would never threaten the systems they destabilized with a nation-state of their own. Because they had no faith, no laws, no institutions that would hold them together beyond the next raid.”

They were very, very good at the business of raiding.

John H. Mayer is a pro who delivers a warm narration with an audible twinkle in his eye. I was expecting something more like an adventure novel, but this history quickly grew on me.

I love Pirate history

I'm obsessed. This story was great. It was filled with all the glorious tidbits I'd hoped it would be and more! The narrator is perfect. I'm sad my pirate story has ended :(

Generally Enjoyable

The true story of Captain Morgan (the man, not the rum) and piracy in the Caribbean. Morgan was one of the truly successful buccaneers, who not only captured lots of loot but also lived to retire, enjoy his riches...and turn on the bretheren. It is also the story of Port Royal, Jamaica, which was one of Britain's earliest footholds in the Caribbean and an interesting tale in its own right.

If you enjoy this book, you may find "The Pirate Hunter" by Richard Zacks (the story of Capt. Kidd) an interesting complement.

History Come to Life

An excellent historical account told in a way that brings it to life. highly recommended.

Great story and narration

This book was everything I never knew about the Privateers.
I enjoy the historical narrative that comes directly from memoirs and writers contemporary with the story. The book held me for hours at a time and the narration was wonderful.
I recommend the book and will probably listen to it again