The Reluctant Pirate

by John Guy

We don’t often review novels but this one is worthy of mention, particularly as it is about Somalia piracy which is a topical subject these days.

Brought up in Wales in a Somali family, Abdi goes to Somalia for an arranged marriage. He finds that the father of his bride is a local pirate leader. He is forced to join in a pirate attack. The attack is bungled but they capture a Greek,owned tanker with a multi national crew. They make a large ransom demand.

The shipowner is a high profile businessman with conflicting interests. He wrangles with the insurers over money and how to free the ship as the pirates struggle to protect their prize from rival gangs. Abdi is attracted to his arranged bride but contrasts her with the young female Norwegian second officer on the ship. His bride is submissive and will tie Abdi to his family and the past. The ship’s officer shows him another kind of woman, young and free.

She is desperate to escape. She uses Abdi to help her get away, leading to unexpected consequences. Their plight highlights Abdi’s conflicts between family and upbringing and the hypocrisies and hidden agendas which drive modern piracy.