VOYAGE THREE :
Philip Berry 25 May 2016
Excellent as always! You can taste the sea air, feel Jesamiah's
pleasure and pain, and walk with a rolling gait after a voyage aboard Sea
Witch!
***** 5 stars
Little Angelic Rose 4 April 2016
Another triumph for Ms Hollick and her wonderful creation,
Jesemiah Acorne. In this next instalment we find out an awful lot more about
Jesemiah and begin to understand his family background. The world of the
colonies is brought to life with detailed settings on several rivers, a step
away from the sea, and a taste of small town life and people who, even then,
were dazzled by notoriety.
This novel is more violent than the previous two, with some stark
reality and cruelty of the kind that gave Blackbeard, the pirate Edward Teach,
his fearsome reputation. Not everyone gets what they deserve, but some do.
Could give you nightmares, but thankfully there are also people
like Jesemiah in Ms Hollick's world, to keep the likes of Teach in check.
***** 5 stars
Richard 26 February 2016
This is the third of Helen Hollick's magnificent pirate series,
the voyages of the Sea Witch, featuring its captain, Jesamiah Acorne, a
reformed pirate but not always a reformed man.
In this thrilling episode, his lover and White Witch, Tiola is
called to the Carolinas to help a lady who is having a difficult pregnancy, for
her healing powers are well known. Jesamiah decides to follow the ship that is
carrying her but encounters an old and very dangerous adversary – Edward Teach,
better known as Blackbeard. But in saving her ship from the pirate, Jesamiah
finds himself falsely accused of attacking it and once again finds himself
facing the hangman's noose. Unless....
In between all this, Jesamiah is haunted – mentally and physically
– by his dead father, whom he cannot find in himself to forgive.
Ms Hollick has written an action packed novel which is thoroughly
enjoyable and, in this volume, has upped the tempo with regard to the
supernatural powers of Tiola and their effects on Jesamiah. With the
introduction of Blackbeard, she paints a very realistic picture of the
(in)famous pirate and he almost steals the show. Almost.
Without a doubt, the best Sea Witch adventure yet and highly
recommended.
***** 5 stars
Bookworm 17 May 2014
Loved this book. Cannot wait to hook up again with Tiola, the
adorable Jesamiah and crew of Sea Witch. This is not my normal subject to read
but I have been captured.
***** 5 stars
Sparrow 15 October 2013
Have now read all of this series, a very entertaining series of novels.
Jesamiah, an all action hero with human flaws and frailties and a
glimpse into foreign lands.
You can smell the tang of salt in the air and hear the creaking of
The Sea Witch.
I recommend this read.
***** 5 stars
L. B. Lux 20 July 2011
Bring it Close is the last book in a trilogy, and I was drawn into
the fast paced adventure, pirates, sea chases, action, and thrills. What a
talented author, and she has done her research, not only the time period, and
Blackbeard the pirate, but the construction of a fighting ship. As a sailor
myself, I was impressed with descriptions of sail handling. I must now buy the
previous two in the series, and cannot recommend too highly you do the same!
***** 5 stars
Demonica 2 September 2009
She has done it again. The literary equivalent of a journey in a
time machine, Helen Hollick has transported the reader onto the deck of a
magnificent three master, The Sea Witch. So vividly realised, you will hear the
creak of the timbers, feel the buffetting of the wind in the sails and taste
the salt spray in the air. Meticulously researched as you would expect from one
of Britain's leading historical writers. This is a robust, exciting adult
adventure starring the charismatic rogue Captain Jesamiah Acorne and his
beloved Tiola. And the vilest villain to cast an evil shadow across the oceans,
Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. What more could you want in a pirate
novel!
***** 5 stars
Sue B 9 July 2009
I've just finished reading Bring It Close last night and hated to
see it end! And what an ending!! Wow! What a surprise that was!(I will not be
giving any of it away!) The entire book was fascinating and Jesamiah is just
such a bad boy, and so smart, and lucky, fun and sexy! I just love him and
Tiola together! This 3rd installment to the series is just great and I don't
know what more to say other than it keeps you on the edge of your seat,
laughing, crying, horrified (Blackbeard was so awful), and so very interested!
I can see each chapter playing out as if I were actually there! Thank you Helen
so much for such wonderful reading enjoyment! I am planning on re-reading Bring
it Close again very soon as I am sure I will find something that I may have
missed in the first go round. I was excited to be able to purchase this from Amazon.co.uk
as it is not yet available here in the USA!! I am so looking forward to the
next Sea Witch Series book from Helen! Bravo!!
***** 5 stars
Anna B April 19, 2015
I am addicted to Jesamiah. Not so much Tilia, however much I like
her... Yet another swashbuckling tale in which Jesamiah's past is revealed. I
love how elegantly Ms Hollick weaves together her fictional characters wit real
life persons, such as the despicable Edward Teach, a.k.a. Blackbeard.
Well-researched, this is a fun and absorbing read that leaves me wanting more!
**** 4 stars
M. Rieth December 2, 2013
I love Helen Hollick as an author. She brings the reader into the
story with her vivid descriptions of events and her character development. I
gave this book 4 stars rather than 5 because I didn't like all the new age
philosophy she brought into the witchcraft of Tiola. My eyes were rolling every
time the "good witch" vs the evil of Teach narrative was expounded.
It was bad against really bad to me. Other than that it was a great story, well
told by Hollick's talented hand.
***** 5 stars
KRM May 25, 2013
I really love this series from Hellen Hollick. As usual she is
very meticulous with historical facts and as usual you won't be able to put it
down.
***** 5 stars
Mary C. Hunt November 16, 2012
this is a great series i think is part of the priating series she
has
excellent read...i am just about finished with all Helen has
written
***** 5 stars
B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree
Amazon Customer July 31, 2012
Who doesn't love a great pirate story? Bring It Close is a 2012
B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree which means it is well worth your time and money!
***** 5 stars
vvb August 9, 2011
Arggg! Captain Acorne starts off quite the pirate rogue in his
regards to his relationship with Tiola.
In addition, his life gets rocky as the past is revealed to us and
catches up with him.
I love how there are strong female characters in this story and
how they fend for themselves.
Again, loved the details of ships, sailing and the beauty of the
sea.
****
4 stars
Blodeuedd July 26, 2011
My thoughts:
Oh Jesamiah you really should learn to keep it in your pants.
Though I still do not hate him, despise him a bit yes, but not hate since
Hollick is just too good making her point.
Lots happened on the last book. Jesamiah came back alive from his
spying trip, he learnt new truths about his family, his brother was not his
brother at all. And now he is happy but bored since he is not a pirate any
more. Of course then things goes to hell when Alicia, his brother's wife and
former whore shows up and Jesamiah, oh you know. Tiola leaves and he goes after
her. This book also deals with pirates again and the darker sides as the
attention moves to Virginia and North Carolina where Blackbeard can be found.
Jesamiah is going to deal with him once and for all.
Here we finally meet real pirates. Bloodthirsty men who rape, kill
and torture without a second thought. They are real pirates and they should be
feared. I am not saying Jesamiah is a choir boy, no he has done bad things but
there is still good in him. Blackbeard on the other hand is a crazy psychopath
and Hollick has made Jesamiah a part of his story.
This book is also a bit darker as many will suffer direct and
indirect at the hands of pirates.
But there is still adventure to be had and we learn more about
Tiola's craft, as she is a witch sent to guard against the dark. Poor Tethys is
not around much, but instead we have the ghost of Jesamiah's father telling his
story.
Conclusion:
The book will promise you adventure, evil pirates, tragic love
stories and witchcraft. So be prepared for a wild pirate adventure.
**** 4 stars
LAS Reviewer July 25, 2011
The troubled, guilt-ridden spirit of Charles Mereno (Jesimiah's
father) prowls the pages of Bring It Close striving to set right his many wrong
doings during his earthly life. The spirit's story reveals how Jesimiah
suffered because of his father's faulty judgment and how Evil personified in
the person Black Beard came to be.
Jesimiah Acorne and Tiola Oldstagh maneuver to survive as they
deal with Evil's ambassador Edward Teach (Black Beard), a pirate protected by
the Devil and controlled by malevolent Dark Powers. How Jesimiah is connected
to Black Beard is a dark thread woven into this intriguing tapestry of this
tale.
The bright, shining thread in the design is Tiola, the eternal
soul of a White Craft witch-woman in a beautiful, young woman's body. She uses
her abilities as a midwife and healer for good. She has to tread cautiously
since the people in the early eighteenth century did not deal kindly with
witches. Neither would the Dark Malevolencies if they could locate her as the
source of light and good that stands against them.
Jesimiah is a variegated thread in the tapestry, somewhat of a
chameleon, who fits in with whichever segment of the population he needs to in
order to stay alive and prosper. Now a "retired" pirate with amnesty,
he still sails into life-threatening situations used by self-serving people who
are not concerned about whether he lives or dies just so long as they get what
they want.
Jesimiah, a complex character, lives by the pirate code for the
most part, but an underlying morality tempers his judgment much of the time. At
times he slips and finds himself isolated from his soul mate Tiola, who is his
only true comfort. His inability to mentally reach her leaves him desolate as
he gets into situations that bring him to the brink of death.
The supernatural elements in Bring It Close play major roles.
Jesimiah's father's spirit, with the help of the old witch woman, crosses the eternal
river to return to earth and set right his wrongdoings. His character fills in
the back story that led up to the horrific childhood Jesimiah suffered that led
to his pirate life. Many things alluded to in the first two books of this
trilogy, Sea Witch and Pirate Code, are explained in Bring It Close. Some of
the graphic descriptions make one shudder.
Helen Hollick weaves in a multitude of characters, like the
durable Alicia, the determined Sam Grant, the tried and true Rue, and many
others, as she creates a tale of people struggling to build lives in the New
World along the eastern coast of America and the Caribbean. Evil stalks the
area and flourishes on the greed and fears of the people. How Good copes, with
Evil running rampant, makes captivating reading with adrenaline-pumping
actions, dreadful situations, and a love as solid as a rock and as soft and
gentle as a sigh. That love is the foundation for Jesimiah and Tiola's
relationship.
The organization and POV changes in Bring It Close were a little
distracting for me. At times I felt pulled too far away from the hero and
heroine. However, having read the first two books of the trilogy, I loved
traveling with Jesimiah and Tiola as they get ever closer to their
happy-ever-after.
Ms. Hollick's incredible ability to weave in history,
superstitions, moralistic judgments of the time, unique terms and sayings,
levels of society, women's place in the hierarchy, supernatural elements, and
fantasy makes the story rich. Her wonderful descriptions and her spectacular
character development make the story throb with life.
Bring It Close is an amazing armchair adventure into the world of
pirates and settlers along the eastern coast of America in the eighteenth
century.
Originally posted at The Long and Short of It Romance Reviews
***** 5 stars
fictionaddiction July 17, 2011
This story takes place shortly after the conclusion of Pirate Code
and sees Captain Jesemiah Acorne off on another ocean adventure without his
dearest love. Well, he's got his `ship luvver' but not his human (`white
witch') one. I enjoyed Tiola more in this book than in Pirate Code, because she
seemed more gainfully occupied and stronger in character. It is less about her
and more about the people she is trying to help. Finding themselves on
different ships, headed in the same direction, Tiola doesn't realize that
Jesemiah has to confront Captain Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard) in order to save
the ship on which she is travelling. Helen successfully takes this story out of
the jurisdiction of the two previous voyages, back to Jesemiah's home in
Virginia. There, haunted by the voice of his long dead father, Jesemiah has to
come to terms with himself and his roots.
Blackbeard is a very enthralling character to weave into this tale
or perhaps I should say Jesemiah has been woven into Blackbeard's (no, not his
beard, his tale). Ms Hollick definitely has a way with conversational
phraseology. Blackbeard's accent is heavy and cumbersome, but for me that added
to the overall effect, because I was forced to slow down as I read his words,
thus creating a spinechilling overtone to the manner in which he converses.
Evil and deadly, I just couldn't wait for his next appearance. Shame he's dead!
(whoops......spoiler)
Helen doesn't shy away from courageous descriptions of squalid
prison life, gruesome floggings and blood-curdling swordfights and that is one
of the things I enjoy most about her writing; its honesty and integrity. She is
able to bring it all to life with a very shrewd, fluent and skilful style which
makes for a true page turner. Pick this book up today. I promise you won't
regret. And did you know that a 'bring it close' is another name for a
telescope? I learn something everyday, I hope...
**** 4 stars
Paula Jane Mon April 21, 2011
This series about the adventures, misdemeanours and narrow escapes
of the sometimes Pirate but always charming Cpt Jesamiah Acorne just keeps
getting better. The pace of the narrative is fast but there is still room for
enough descriptions to totally immerse you into his world. His world can be
violent and chaotic and some of the scenes make you recoil in horror but they
do not cross the line into gratuitous cruelty or have you waking in a cold
sweat in the middle of the night. Jesamiah's love for his two mistresses- Tiola
and the Sea Witch- is portrayed so beautifully that you ache for him when he is
parted from them. The descriptions of life at sea are so realistic you can
actually feel the difference between the boat pitching and rolling. A
remarkable writing feat. I eagerly await the next installment.
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