If A Pirate I Must Be...

The Call of the Endless Sea

In If A Pirate I Must Be…, Richard Sanders sweeps readers aboard the _Crimson Serpent_, a feared privateer vessel that charts its course through the turbulent waters of the Caribbean in the early 18th century. When young cabin boy Finn O’Malley witnesses the brutal boarding of a Spanish galleon, he is plunged into a world where honor clashes with avarice and survival demands unflinching courage. Against a backdrop of salt-lashed decks and thunderous cannonade, Finn must learn swiftly that every decision—whether to fire a swivel gun or spare a captive’s life—can tip the balance between life and a watery grave.

Bound by Code and Conscience

Under the watchful eye of Captain Mariana “Red Tide” Reyes, whose scarred visage belies a strategic mind as sharp as any cutlass, the crew of the Crimson Serpent forms an uneasy alliance of seasoned rogues and greenhorn adventurers. Amid whispered mutinies and stolen maps, friendships are tested by the lure of buried treasure and the siren call of revenge. Finn’s own loyalty is torn between the captain’s unorthodox sense of justice and the ruthless Quartermaster Sinclair, whose cold pragmatism threatens to unravel the fragile camaraderie. As tropical storms gather on the horizon, alliances forged in desperation must withstand both the wrath of nature and the treachery aboard.

The Legacy Carved in Salt and Steel

From the shadowy coves of Tortuga to the glittering courts of Port Royal, Sanders masterfully blends swashbuckling adventure with moral complexity. Finn’s journey from naive stowaway to pivotal figure in a war for control of the Spanish Main becomes an odyssey of self-discovery. Each engagement at sea and every clandestine meeting beneath lantern light reveal that piracy is not merely a life of greed, but a crucible in which choices are etched into legend. As the final broadside echoes across calm waters, Finn must decide whether his destiny lies in the plundered gold or in the unbreakable bonds he has forged.

. Richard Sanders is a British maritime historian and novelist celebrated for his vivid recreations of Golden Age piracy, immersive sea battles, and nuanced character studies that bring the high seas to life.