Rapture of the Deep: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy [Audio CD]

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!

Rating;

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Ending: 10/10

Enjoyment: 10/10

Cover: 9/10
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Overall: 49/50= 98%

Series:

1- Bloody Jack
2- Curse of the Blue Tattoo
3- Under the Jolly Roger
4- In the Belly of the Bloodhound
5- Mississippi Jack
6- My Bonny Light Horseman

I really, really wanted to love this book. I pre-ordered it months in advance and sat down determined to finish it in one sitting, only to periodically close the book, stare off into space in disbelief, and finally articulate: "What?"

What struck me at once was the almost total lack of the energy that crackled through the previous books. There are virtually no stakes: the ruthless British intelligence agents who lent such an air of menace in "My Bonny Light Horseman" (and who were the unfortunate targets of Jacky's spectacular verbal and physical smackdown in the previous book) are reduced to nothing more than slightly-annoying cameos that seem to exist solely as a plot device to ensure that Jacky's wedding is once again postponed. The Spanish naval officers and assorted Bad Pirates (as opposed to the designated Good Pirates who also play a role) are so underdeveloped as to be completely nonthreatening, and alligators, eels, and the bends do not frightening dangers make. The villains and dangerous situations that so tested Jacky's courage and cunning in earlier books are totally absent, and the remaining plot is so generic that at one point I found myself wanting to watch a more entertaining documentary on the same subject. The storytelling principle that Meyer has lost sight of is this: If there is no worthy antagonist, then what makes your heroine so special?

In this book, as in the others, Jacky remains convinced that Jaimy is "the one" and spends a good bit of time moping that their future sex life has once again been delayed --oddly enough, and despite all of her encounters and observations of her friends, Jacky still hasn't figured out that mutual lust alone doesn't make a relationship; yes, I know she's a teenager, but despite the stereotype, teenagers, though hormonal, aren't stupid-- but after the events of the last few books I can't help wondering why Jaimy's even there, since all he seems to want to do is marry Jacky, stuff her in a cottage somewhere, and then go off to have his naval adventures while she raises his kids; the day Jacky gets fed up with his nonsense and throws something at his head will be the day that Meyer wins my undying worship. Yes, Jaimy is clearly a product of his time, but his unwavering stiffness and suppressed personality have rendered him so limp and lifeless that I can't remember what it was that Jacky saw in him to begin with, especially when compared to other reoccuring suitors like Joseph Jared, Jean-Paul, etc. (and returning character Lord Richard Allen's Crowning Moment of Pure Badassery makes me wonder why the heck HE isn't Jacky's officially recognized love interest.) As usual, every new male character, good or bad, has a main goal of getting into Jacky's pants, a plot device that is quickly becoming formulaic bordering on the absurd. (At one point I actually rolled my eyes and said aloud "Cue Attempted Sexual Assault #7 in three...two...one...") The scenes of attempted rape (which seem to be becoming the hallmark of these books) are also becoming more and more unlikely as Jacky grows older and more skilled. Just why is it that the Jacky who could mop up the floor with Bliffil in the previous book can't manage a good solid crotch shot when she really needs one? Yes, her risky lifestyle brings her into contact with some very unsavory characters, and yes, she's physically small, but this is getting ridiculous.

What I found to be one of the more disturbing aspects of this book, aside from Jacky's sudden helplessness in the presence of Various Rapist(s), are the moments that make me wonder whether I even like her anymore. In a scene in Charleston, Jacky actually buys the elderly slave Jemimah, ostensibly to rescue her from certain death in the cotton fields, and then purposely postpones telling Jemimah of her intentions to set her free because, as she tells Higgins, "we need a cook". Jacky brushes off Higgins's shock and puts off telling Jemimah of her new freedom until after Jemimah proves her cooking skills (which struck me as a very low attempt to get a free meal out of the poor woman.) In a separate incident Jacky demonstrates more astounding hypocrisy when, after becoming upset at the cruelty of a bullfight and remembering the horrible bearbaitings she witnessed in London, she immediately begins training a rooster for a cockfight. (She manages to rationalize this by claiming that he would have been killed and eaten anyway. Odd, wasn't that the intended fate of her pet piglet Saro, whom she released into the wild to rescue? Oh, wait, it doesn't matter-- she couldn't have made any money off Saro, could she?) The introspective moments from the earlier books when Jacky is actually troubled or unsure of the morality of what she's doing are totally absent here, and her entire demeanor and the way she rationalizes every little thing she does smacks of a very disturbing "Yeah, well, it's okay when it's ME who's doing it" attitude that culminates in a shocking act of violent revenge that leaves our heroine totally unrattled. La Belle Jeune Fille sans Merci, indeed.

As for other characters, the wonderfully dry Higgins has been essentially muzzled, Jemimah is simply Crow Jane with a different cultural background and more dialogue who tells Brer Rabbit stories as pure filler, and the appreciative winks to other famous sea stories (including "Treasure Island", "Moby Dick", and in paticular Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey-Maturin series with the characters of Captain Hudson and Dr. Sebastian) are losing their charm--the character of Flaco Jimenez is such an obvious tribute that my reaction changed from the usual grinning "Heh, I see what you did there," to a sighing "Oh, come ON."

A bitter, bitter disappointment. I can only hope that this was a fluke and that the next book "The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Adventures of Jacky Faber, on her Way to Botany Bay" will be an improvement, but right now, I don't know if I have any desire to find out.

A rip roaring good read. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I felt as if i was part of Jacky's adventures. When I read the part of the alligator attack, I screamed out loud, I was in a public place and received some pretty amazing looks from the people around me. I pointed to the book and told them,"You HAVE to read this". Read all of the books in the series so you can get to know Jacky and her loves, crew, friends and enemies. Any fan of the "Bloody Jack" series, will want to read this. I can't wait ot read the next in the series. Mr Mayer is a "Great" storyteller. I hope he continues with the series.

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