DEADWEATHER AND SUNRISE

This promising new series starts out strong with a story filled to the brim with pirates, treasure, intrigue and swashbuckling suspense.

On his 13th birthday, Egg’s entire family is lost in a hot-air balloon accident. Egg lives quite comfortably for a while with the wealthy Roger Pembroke and his family, including his spunky, dreamy daughter Millicent. Then, one awful day, Egg realizes that his benefactor was responsible for the death of his family and is now, in fact, trying to kill him as well. Corrupt and exploitative Pembroke has discovered that there is a Native treasure on the ugly fruit plantation owned by Egg’s family, and he is desperate to find it. What does Egg have on his side? His wits and courage, a strange best friend named Guts, the questionable loyalty of the misfit pirates who once worked for his father and, perhaps most significantly, Millicent. Readers will really begin rooting for Egg after his family—who is actually pretty awful to him—is killed off and he is left to discover his strengths and make his own choices. Self-deprecating and funny, Egg’s first-person account is compelling, and the dialogue and vivid setting, as well as the full cast of quirky characters, make it easy to get lost in this adventure.

Fans of pirates and perilous quests will certainly enjoy this tale of hijinks on the high seas and eagerly anticipate the next installment of Egg’s story.