Cover of The King of Pirates

The King of Pirates

  • 1719 first published
  • 381 pages
  • 14 editions

Published in 1719, The King of Pirates is a pirate adventure and adventure fiction novel by Daniel Defoe. It takes readers to Madagascar in 1695. It features John Avery. Key subjects include pirates.

8 Open Library readers have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 14 editions. On Project Gutenberg it was downloaded 439 times in the last 30 days.

At about 381 pages, most readers finish it in 6–7 hours. It is in the public domain in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg.

About The King of Pirates

"The King of Pirates" by Daniel Defoe is a historical adventure narrative likely written in the early 18th century. The text recounts the exploits of Captain Avery, a notorious figure in piracy, presenting his own account of events to challenge the "ridiculous and extravagant" stories that have circulated about him. The narrative purports to offer a more authentic portrayal of his escapades, including details about his adventures at sea, encounters with other pirates, and his life on Madagascar. The opening of the book introduces the purpose of the narrative, which is centered around Captain Avery's attempts to set the record straight regarding sensationalized and false accounts of his life. Avery begins by dismissing the absurd tales that have been published about him, such as marrying the Mughal princess or achieving grand riches, and aims to provide a genuine recounting, starting from his early experiences at sea. He outlines his journey from a logwood cutter to becoming a pirate, detailing his adventures and his ambitions for wealth and success in the harsh and treacherous life of piracy. The initial chapters establish both Avery's character and the perilous, often violent world of the pirates, setting the stage for the epic tales that follow.
Summary from Project Gutenberg (automatically generated)

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Setting

  • Madagascar

Era

  • 1695

Characters

  • John Avery

Subjects

  • Pirates
  • Picaresque literature
  • Adventure fiction
  • Sea stories
  • British and irish fiction, Fictional works by one author
  • Action & adventure
  • Adventure stories

Publisher

Quick answers

Who wrote The King of Pirates?

The King of Pirates was written by Daniel Defoe and first published in 1719.

What genre is The King of Pirates?

It is usually shelved as Pirate Fiction and Adventure.

How long is The King of Pirates?

The median edition has 381 pages, about 6–7 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

Is The King of Pirates free to read?

Yes. It is in the public domain in the United States and can be read free on Project Gutenberg in EPUB, Kindle and HTML formats.

What books are similar to The King of Pirates?

Readers who like it often enjoy Captain Blood, The Coral Island and The Sea-Hawk.

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