Reviews: (by author)

Lawrence, Iain. The Smugglers. Delacorte Press, New York, 1999. 178 pages. $15.95 hardcover. ISBN 0385326637.

This book begins with a journey by coach, during which the protagonist, 16-year-old John, and his father receive a dire warning from a mysterious stranger - just before their coach is held up by a scarlet-clad highwayman bristling with pistols, a highwayman who shoots John's father in the chest.

And then the story gets exciting.

Luckily, John's father hasn't been shot; the pistol having apparently misfired. But that's about the only thing that goes right for John in this tremendously exciting adventure, reminiscent of the classic Treasure Island and a fine introduction to historical fiction to children who are beginning to overdose on contemporary series fiction.

John's father has purchased, with the last of their savings, a ship called the Dragon, and it is this ship that the mysterious stranger warns them against, saying that it was christened in blood and will bring good to no one. True enough. The remainder of the book is a thrilling tale of mysterious bodies washed up against the boat, untrustworthy sailors and captains, shifting treacherous shoals and enshrouding fog. John's father engages a hot-tempered pilot to guide the ship to London and leaves John in charge to bring a load of wool in, a load of wool that will begin to repair the family fortunes. But when the captain that John's father hired is mysteriously killed, John accepts the pilot as captain and allows him to hire the crew. The Dragon sits in the bay, its sails sagging with no breath of air, though the other ships about her have full-bellied sails. It is not until the stranger from the coach is discovered in the water that the Dragon starts moving through the water.

John discovers a smuggler's diary in the dead man's coat and decides to sail to France to take on the illicit load of brandy, planning to capture the smugglers at the other end. They make a midnight run across the Channel and take on the cargo, only to be pursued through fog by revenue agents as they approach the shore of Kent again. Betrayal, bloodshed, unexpected humor and colorful characters - this is a thrilling book that has it all. Adults will note with pleasure that, although this book has the kind of action and even violence that is appropriate to the adventure tale, it does not have the kind of overwrought gore and near sadistic pleasure in excruciating detail that mars other books of its kind.

Recommended reading level: Age 9-13

Reviewed by Jamie Madden

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