Black Tarantula

Book 2 in the Bilge Rat: Pirate Adventurer Series

by Kevin C Smith

The nautical hero of this series, Echo, is an exceptional lad in all respects. He, with the assistance of three adopted elderly aunts, is further schooled in many valuable arts and skills. Included in this education is crucial knowledge of natural healing, including the use of lethal and dangerous substances such as Belladonna. He utilizes this special knowledge to solve a series of dilemmas and predicaments as they arise. Additionally, when it comes to naval warfare, our hero is schooled by wily sea dogs on the fine art of nautical combat including the essential mastery of ship cannons.

At the same time, a vicious and bloodthirsty new pirate threat arises in the form of the dreaded Black Tarantula, whose nefarious reputation and stories of abject cruelty and horror begin to spread throughout the region. Meanwhile, Echo is engaged in a battle of wits with the ship’s bullying First Mate. Only his superior intelligence and utmost cleverness will allow him daily survival as he prepares for the battle of his life against this nefarious foe.

More about Black Tarantula

Catastrophically, our hero’s vessel is eventually seized by a cutthroat band of pirates and Echo and crew are forced to “go on the account” or perish.

Having little choice, he and his crewmates experience the life of a pirate first-hand. As he becomes accustomed to his new career, the pirate captain ever jealous and suspicious of any potential rival, targets Echo for elimination.

Given this perilous situation, our hero must labor mightily to outwit and defeat this new adversary. With the assistance of potent natural substances, Echo manages to outwit the pirate villain. Given a void in leadership, the pirate crew vote Echo their new captain. With this elevation in status, he renames himself Captain William Bilge. Our hero then proceeds to reshape and retrain his new crew in the fine art of naval warfare including the development of novel and devastating weaponry.

While dealing with this training, Captain Bilge receives word that the Black Tarantula has invaded Saint Domingue and has taken a strong fancy to his true love, Rue. Failing to capture the lass, she eludes the odious reprobate. Aware of her dire predicament, Captain Bilge is forced to devise an immediate and imperative strategy to locate and save his endangered lover.

Reveiws for Black Tarantula by Kevin C Smith

Reader Reviews for the High Stakes Pirate Action YA Novel

Sneak Peak of Black Tarantula!

Read an excerpt from the YA Adventure novel by Kevin C Smith

The Battlegrounds of the Black Tarantula

Outstanding spaces and places in the second high seas adventure young adult novel

  • Asset 27

    Amafata - English Merchantman

  • Jedediah Potts (Handy) – Galley master and Echo’s friend and mentor
  • Creeping Jeremy – Storyteller and shipmate
  • Captain Samuel Conway -Amafata’s Captain
  • Mr Bass – Malevolent first mate
  • Jemme Buttons (Grommet Jemme and Zombie Jemme) – Suspected Jonah, dullard and Echo’s friend
  • Muttering Moses Hart – Shipmate and fife player
  • Fighting John English – Shipmate and fiddle player
  • Geovanni Perilli (Doc) – Shipboard physician
  • Moses Hayes (Chips) – Shipboard carpenter
  • Asset 29

    Midnight Crow - Pirate Ship

  • Rambling Dirk Shivvers – Pirate Captain
  • Booby Bird Doole – Addled pirate crewman
  • Danny Goldtooth
  • Little Joe
  • Penny Short – Pirate conspirators involved in Cursing Challenge
  • Black Monk – Ghost story of cleric who was convicted of demonic worship
  • One Eared Pete & Pig Snout Jones – Pirate Fight Night combatants
  • Strumpet Janie – Trollop in love with One Eared Pete and Pig Snout Jones
  • Rooster Bill – Monstrous sized pirate and Fight Night combatant
  • Jumping Jimmy – Pirate storyteller aboard Midnight Crow
  • Bowlegged Billy – Tortured victim in swamp ride tale
  • Spanish Petey – Pox victim in pirate tale
  • Crosseyed Mary – Poxed wench in pirate tale
  • Tiger Eyes – African slave and son of tribal chieftain
  • Scuttle the Hunchback – Rescued castaway and accomplished blacksmith
  • South Seas Tan – Pirate mate and hand-to-hand fighting expert
  • Rambling Dirk Shivvers – Pirate Captain
  • Asset 28