Corsarios de Levant is the sixth edition of the captain Alatriste series of novels. See the plot of the movie version of captain Alatriste.
The title is translated as the Pirates of Levant.
Captain Alatriste has accepted a job offer from the king and is set to work as a mercenary inside a Spanish yacht. He sets for work together with Inigo who also happens to be his foster son. As they begin the journey from Naples, they figure out that as much as they may understand the kind of adventure that awaits them, they cannot comprehend the extent to which it will stretch.
They are set to go through terrible and isolated areas of the Spanish empire. These include Algeria, Morocco, and then complete the journey in Malta where one of the most dangerous battles is expected to take place. Alatriste is adequately prepared to face it all having spent almost his entire life working in the army. Gauging from his bravery and expertise, he is not afraid. However, the magnitude of this war is enough to ignite fear in the most competent fighters.
Meanwhile, Inigo is a young energetic lad of 17 years. He has collaborated with his foster father ever since Balboa his father died. However, he now feels that his time to leave is prime. Having spent most of his years in the company of his foster father, he sees him as his mentor. Of course he has learnt a lot from him yet the reader will be curious to find out how he will perform on his own. Will he make the same mistakes Alatriste made or will he stay longer and grow wiser with age?
About The Novel
In the beginning, the novel covers the adventures Alatriste and Inigo faced in the La Mulata galley when they encountered Dutch pirates while on transit to Oran. The city of Oran lies along the north coastal area of Africa. Here, they meet their comrade Sebastian Copons who has been stuck there hoping to find an authorization document to enable him travel back to Spain. Alatriste and is foster son have to make do with the hardships of this area which is described as a difficult to survive territory.
In the company of Sebastian is Mogataz Gurriato. These two characters join Alatriste and Inigo in their adventurous escapades. They go by the Mediterranean past Turkish boats and navigate through Naples and Malta. Here, Inigo reunites with Jaime Correas, a friend he made during the Flanders war. He also picks a quarrel with a gambler from Florentine. The team later prolongs their journey all the way to Xio the Geek coast.
They wind up their escapades with a military fight between the Mulata and 8 Turkish galleys, Cross of Rhodes, and the Black charity. All the three are Christian galleys. The battle takes place near the present day Smyrna.
While there, Inigo receives a letter from Angelica informing him that she has in store huge things in the event he still has some love towards her. The author however does not go into detail on that and leaves the reader in suspense. Alatriste also receives a letter from Francisco de Quevedo that makes him realize that Gualterio Malatesta has not been executed.
The novel is set up around the Mediterranean in the year 1627. It showcases the continued struggle that the Spanish soldiers went through in the quest to uphold their honor, pride, dignity in the face of a deteriorating empire. The author manages to catch the reader’s attention by maintaining his characteristic creativity witnessed in his previous books. This novel is an interesting and irresistible adventure filled release which also culminates in Inigo noticing the cracks that have began appearing in his foster father’s armor, a clear indication that his years in the army are almost coming to an end.