Let me start by saying this book is not my typical read.
I signed up for this tour for Celebrate Lit and was the last person to receive a book, so this one was it.
A pirate novel?
Seriously?
Yes.
And I was pleasantly surprised.
I really liked Sebastian, whose father is a pirate. He has been raised on a ship and longs for an ordinary life. His character is well-developed and you feel empathy for him.
I don't like his father, which I guess is to be expected, because he's a pirate.
This book is full of adventure, just as you'd expect, but it is also thought-provoking.
I'd highly recommend it to young lads and lasses intent on an adventure...
and to some older lads and lasses, too.
Thank you to Celebrate Lit for allowing me to participate in their blog tours. This will be the last post I make for them, as I've found myself immersed in a new job and a tad bit overwhelmed. I have so enjoyed getting to read new books and become familiar with new authors such as Chautona (who is now one of my favorites!)
I did receive a complimentary copy of this book. This is my honest review.
About the book:
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Legends-Vengeance-Adventure-Chautona-Havig-ebook/dp/B00KWWDT1S/
Son of the feared pirate, Nicolo Soranzo,
Sebastian longs for a life on land--a life free of crime, fear, and the
embarrassment of wearing dresses during battle. For ten years, their ship, The
Vengeance, has sailed through Mediterranean waters, and even the Barbary
Corsairs flee in the wake of their arrival.
To pass the time at night, the boatswain and long-time loyal friend regales the crew with exciting stories of adventure. But when Jaime begins a new tale, Sebastian learns to understand a little of why his father allows his hate of injustice to drive him to seek revenge against those who prey on others.
The only question in his mind: Is it right to seek revenge at all?
This book is the first in the Legends of The Vengeance series.
To pass the time at night, the boatswain and long-time loyal friend regales the crew with exciting stories of adventure. But when Jaime begins a new tale, Sebastian learns to understand a little of why his father allows his hate of injustice to drive him to seek revenge against those who prey on others.
The only question in his mind: Is it right to seek revenge at all?
This book is the first in the Legends of The Vengeance series.
Blog Post from Chautona Havig about Legends of Vengeance:
“So whatever made you decide to write about pirates? Isn’t that a bit incongruous
with a Christian fiction youth novel?
I mean, aren’t they your protagonists?”
They talked—my favorite Denny’s server and a guy she met. “Shanetta (she can’t get my name right to save her life) writes in booth 14 every night.”
“Writes what?”
Angela gave him a “duh” look. “Books?”
Again, the guy asked, “What genre.”
I’m sure she didn’t know what she was in for when Angela said, “Christian fiction.”
The man’s response? Priceless. “So, what, she makes up lies about Christians?”
As I said in THIS POST, I used to use Christian fiction as a general explanation of what I write but it wasn’t the “simple answer” that I’d expected. So, then I started saying, “Well, this one is…” and I’d fill in the blank. Mystery, romance, suspense, historical, contemporary, youth—you name it, I’ve probably written it. Well, except for erotica. And true sci-fi? Yeah. That probably won’t happen either. Horror? Not my thing.
Once I’ve explained my odd genre choice for this particular book, I tend to point out that most of my fiction follows under the general heading of Christian fiction. Inevitably the question follows, though. “Why Christian?”
It would be easier to answer why not. I could just say, “As a Christian, I find it almost impossible to leave my faith and worldview out of my writing.” It’s true, but I did manage. Once. Even then, if you look deep into the core of that little story, you’ll still find basic Biblical themes and truths. They’re just less overt.
But people never ask why not write something else. They ask why I write Christian fiction. So I tell them. I start with my purpose. “I write stories to point Christians to the Master Storyteller.” I write about Christians for Christians. I don’t write evangelistic fiction, although occasionally someone comes to Jesus in my books. The reason I do this is because I’m writing to encourage the body of Christ. If I wrote to introduce the lost to Jesus, I’d be writing mainstream to whet people’s thirst for the Word and the Lord.
But that’s not my goal. How I achieve my goal is my website’s tagline. “Christian fiction without apology or pretense—lived, not preached.”
In the books featured in this blog tour, you won’t find people, as a general rule, spouting sermons disguised as prayers. I show a faith-filled life lived… or not, as the story requires. I show you why Christians believe things that I may not even agree with. And I hope, that with each word, I create a desire for just one more minute in the Word.
Part of me wants to agree, you know. I mean, theft,
murder, vengeance… what about that is encouraging to youth? How does it deepen
faith in younger Christians?
But you see, that’s partly why I wrote it. The world
offers the youth of today exciting characters in difficult situations and says,
“When it’s hard, that makes it okay to do what you might otherwise not be
comfortable with.”
Translation: It’s okay to do what’s wrong if you’re in a
difficult circumstance.
Hogwash.
However, one thing I see these books do that I think can
be beneficial is teach sympathy—not just for those in difficult circumstances
but for how easy it is to justify sin. I mean, isn’t that what we do all the
time? Every day. I hear it in stores, as people walk past my house, in my own
heart. “Well you made me mad and I…”
Made you? I am not responsible for my response if you are
responsible for provoking me? Since when?
You see, so much of Christian fiction geared to young
people is rather pietistic—and by that I mean stripped of reality. Sunday
school moral lessons of being tempted to cheat on a test, but praying and that
temptation is all gone.
Look. That happens. It does. But just as often, kids today
see horrors happen that I couldn’t have imagined back when I was in school. The
world tells them that their feelings can dictate their actions. And when their
only Biblical reference doesn’t seem to apply, they fall prey to those lies.
In the Legends of
the Vengeance series, I wanted to set difficult situations in a familiar
setting that kids know isn’t right.
Kids know pillaging, plundering, and murder are wrong. I wanted to show both
how someone could get caught up in such a terrible life… and that there’s never
an excuse for it.
Will the story offer redemption? Of course. Will there be
confusing moments where it appears characters are doing “good” with their evil
deeds? Definitely. Will readers see that “there is a way that seems right to a
[kid] but the end leads to destruction?” Absolutely.
And that’s kind of my point.
I also wanted to show how family legacies, both godly and
sin-focused leave a lasting impression on later generations. I’m not writing
about generational curses that practically trap someone into a life they
wouldn’t have chosen—but the effects of one man’s choice, whether good or bad,
on the generations to come.
My characters in the first book aren’t Christians… most of
them, anyway. And it’s going to take a while for that to happen. But the
adventures and lessons that are to come will make a difference in more than
young Sebastian Soranzo’s life. And I hope to show the emptiness of a life
built on vengeance and the worth of
one built on faith.
November is National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo)
and the month where I get to write WHATEVER I want. Guess what I’m writing this year? Yep. It’s time for Sebastian to “save the
day.” I think he’s earned that.
Blog Post from Chautona Havig about this book tour:
They talked—my favorite Denny’s server and a guy she met. “Shanetta (she can’t get my name right to save her life) writes in booth 14 every night.”
“Writes what?”
Angela gave him a “duh” look. “Books?”
Again, the guy asked, “What genre.”
I’m sure she didn’t know what she was in for when Angela said, “Christian fiction.”
The man’s response? Priceless. “So, what, she makes up lies about Christians?”
As I said in THIS POST, I used to use Christian fiction as a general explanation of what I write but it wasn’t the “simple answer” that I’d expected. So, then I started saying, “Well, this one is…” and I’d fill in the blank. Mystery, romance, suspense, historical, contemporary, youth—you name it, I’ve probably written it. Well, except for erotica. And true sci-fi? Yeah. That probably won’t happen either. Horror? Not my thing.
Once I’ve explained my odd genre choice for this particular book, I tend to point out that most of my fiction follows under the general heading of Christian fiction. Inevitably the question follows, though. “Why Christian?”
It would be easier to answer why not. I could just say, “As a Christian, I find it almost impossible to leave my faith and worldview out of my writing.” It’s true, but I did manage. Once. Even then, if you look deep into the core of that little story, you’ll still find basic Biblical themes and truths. They’re just less overt.
But people never ask why not write something else. They ask why I write Christian fiction. So I tell them. I start with my purpose. “I write stories to point Christians to the Master Storyteller.” I write about Christians for Christians. I don’t write evangelistic fiction, although occasionally someone comes to Jesus in my books. The reason I do this is because I’m writing to encourage the body of Christ. If I wrote to introduce the lost to Jesus, I’d be writing mainstream to whet people’s thirst for the Word and the Lord.
But that’s not my goal. How I achieve my goal is my website’s tagline. “Christian fiction without apology or pretense—lived, not preached.”
In the books featured in this blog tour, you won’t find people, as a general rule, spouting sermons disguised as prayers. I show a faith-filled life lived… or not, as the story requires. I show you why Christians believe things that I may not even agree with. And I hope, that with each word, I create a desire for just one more minute in the Word.
My Social
Media Links:
My
newsletter (sign up for news of FREE eBook offers): https://chautona.com/newsletter
Chautona Havig lives and writes in California’s Mojave
Desert. So, if her theology seems a little dry, or she gets a little long-winded,
there’s an obvious reason for that. But she loves Jesus and the weather helps
keep her on fire for Him! For more about why she writes, visit her website Bio
page: https://chautona.com/bio
Pinterest Board for Legends of the Vengeance (quote images): https://www.pinterest.com/chautonahavig/legends-of-the-vengeance/
Blog Stops
September 28: Reader’s cozy corner
September 29: The Scribbler
September 30: Just Jo’Anne
October 1: Quiet Quilter
October 2: Inklings and notions
October 3: Fizzy Pop Collection
October 4: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
October 5: Carpe Diem
October 6: Have A Wonderful Day
October 7: A Baker’s Perspective
October 8: Christian Bookaholic
October 9: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses
October 10: His Grace is Sufficient
October 11: Blossoms and Blessings
This is one of the few Chautona Havig books I haven't read yet. You convinced me to try it!
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