This book failed to deliver my intended purpose for getting it.
Due to a traumatic incident several years back, I have sought after any pirate-themed book I could acquire in hopes of discovering the perpetrators of my great offense.
For my fifteenth birthday, my grandparents took me to Pirate Island Adventure. A pirate-themed family-oriented pizza, video game, roller rink, miniature golf with a bar in the back of the establishment. Being the pirate fan that I was (I loved "Muppets Treasure Island" and "Cutthroat Island") it seemed a fitting place to celebrate. After all, I did make the honor role that month at my home school. No easy feat given the demands of the program my mother put on the six of us kids. Being held back last year, made the coursework a bit more familiar to ease the heavy workload she put on us for the three hours of class time in the four day weeks.
While enjoying the festivities in the ball pit with my grandma, grandpa headed off to the bar to meet up with his friends. Like the times before, clothes somehow go missing in the ball pit during horseplay. It was while we were looking for my grandma's shirt, that we were attacked by pirates whole smelled of alcohol. Initially, it was pretty exhilarating being at a "pirate" establishment and all. It was natural to think the "attack" was part of the show.
Things changed when the pirates became violent by descending the ball pit, held me down, grabbed my underwear by the waistband and raising it till my feet were off the floor of the ball pit. Then, they threw me down into the balls and told me to "stay there or we will make it a lot worse for you!!" They then grabbed my shirtless grandma by the wrist, threw her over one of the pirate's shoulders and left the ball pit.
Fearing for my life, I stayed hidden in the ball pit.
The next morning, while the Pirate Island Adventure employees were preparing for the day prior to opening for business, I was discovered sleeping in the ball pit. After a police report was filed, my parents were called to pick me up. I had to my recollection offered up a description of what the pirates looked like to the police sketch artist, but the best he could come up with were portraits of various cast members from Gilbert and Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance."
I realized then, that justice would not be served unless I found the criminals myself.
Upon receiving this book and carefully reviewing it, I found it abundantly full of wonderful artwork. Careful and hastily constructed characters, environments, props and written prose enlightening the viewer to the brilliant creative process of the game's development. So much time went into the research the history of pirates is very evident in the book. Far more abundant in quality and variety than the two "Art of" books to "Pirates of the Caribbean."
All of which, served of little use to me in what I was looking for.
