An irresistible tale of swashbuckling pirates in the New World from master storyteller Michael Crichton Jamaica, in 1665 a lone outpost of British power amid Spanish waters in the sunbaked Caribbean. A barren, inhospitable country barely under the rule of law. A sleazy seaport of rum and villainy! and the last place imaginable from which to launch an unthinkable attack on a nearby Spanish stronghold. Yet that is exactly what renowned privateer Captain Charles Hunter plans to do, with the connivance of Charles II's ruling governor, Sir James Almont. The target is Matanceros, considered impregnable with its gun emplaqcements and sheer cliffs. And Hunter's crew of buccaneers must battle not only the Spanish fleet but other deadly perils -- raging hurricanes, cannibal tribes, even sea monsters. But if his ragtag crew succeeds, they will make not only history! but a fortune in gold. A tale rich in research and historical detail, 'Pirate Latitudes' is in the best tradition of Crichton's storytelling powers.