The Pirates! in an adventure with Whaling(or with Ahab if American) draws it humour from slapstick, Monty Python, Carry on and Blackadder. Its not for children, as much of the humour relies on an adult appreciation of cliché and irony, though children may well enjoy it. This one is one long mickey take on Moby Dick.

When they are not belting out a lusty sea shanty or arguing about the best way to prepare ham, there's nothing pirates like more than a rousing adventure. And this is what the Pirate Captain, (the best leader in the Pirate world because of his beard and rugged good looks but not the sharpest cutlass in the armoury) and his shipful of variously named pirates--the scarf-wearing pirate, the pirate with an accordion, are going to get.

It also only 180ish pages long in a hand size paperback so its not going to be a heavy read. Highly recommended second of series and according to Aardman Animations website, author Gideon Defoe is working with producer/director Peter Lord on the screenplay and with writers Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil Hyperdrive (TV series) to turn the first two books from the series into a movie. ( )

Gideon Defoe's second foray into pirate humor, The Pirates! In an Adventure with Ahab (or Whaling, if you read any edition but the American) is an utterly silly short book filled with non sequiturs, unexplained (and inexplicable) plot twists, and that distinct brand of dry wit that can and should be only deployed by Certain British Authors.

In this adventure, the Pirate Captain and his crew (who aren't generally given names, but are described throughout as "the pirate with ____ [insert feature here]" - the red scarf, gout, the hook for a hand, &c.)" must find a way to repay the dauntingly dangerous Cutlass Liz (of Nantucket) for their new ship. After various attempts (a variety show in Vegas, the discovery of the 'ultimate treasure') they meet up with Captain Ahab and take up his offer to hunt down the White Whale in exchange for a reward. Hilarity ensues, of course.

Punny and amusing, this is a good diversion.

http://philobiblos.blogspot.com/2008/... ( )

I found the humor in "The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists" kind of one-note, so I'm really not sure why I read the sequel. It's been a few weeks now and I've almost completely forgotten it. But I believe I was somewhat pleasantly diverted for about an hour at the time? ( )

If anyone ever needs a good giggle to cheer them up, all they need to do is pick up one of Gideon Defoe's books! They're all short - The Pirates! In an Adventure with Whaling is only 152 pages long, but it's incredibly funny and packed with such mad-cap characters as "The Albino Pirate", "The Pirate in Green", "The Scarf-Wearing Pirate" and, of course, "The Pirate Captain" himself! This time they meet up with Captain Ahab and go chasing after the great white whale (via Nantucket and Las Vegas) to repay a debt to the horrid Cutlass Liz. High-jinks on the high seas have never been so hilarious!

From all accounts, Defoe started writing his Pirates! books in order to impress a girl. I may not be the one he intended to impress, but impressed I am! This little book is the perfect gift for a friend who could do with a smile. ( )

This is completely goofy good fun. It made me smile a lot, but there weren't enough laugh-out-loud moments to make me rate it higher than a 3.5. ( )