Remarkable Rascal
Book 1 in the Bilge Rat: Pirate Adventurer Series
by Kevin C Smith
William Eden and brother Toby are two helpless orphans in early 1700 London. Taken in by an aged clerical uncle, the boys are assigned specific maintenance duties in the cavernous Saint Agnes of Agony Basilica. William discovers that he has a natural talent that enables him to duplicate all manner of sounds and voices. From that point on, he decides to keep his fabulous talent secret and changes his name to Echo thereby hiding this special talent in plain sight.
At night, the boy’s assignment is to venture down into the creepy bowels of the church to eradicate the pesky rodent population. Charged with a daily bounty of rat tails or be penalized their one daily meal, Echo devises a variety of methods to reach their rattail goal.
Reviews for Remarkable Rascal by Kevin C Smith
More about Remarkable Rascal
Due to William’s ability to capture his prey, the boys have time on their hands and begin exploration of London at night.
At the same time, the brothers are tormented by a vicious bully, Scarf Rockingham. By a series of unique ruses, Echo implicates Scarf in several dastardly deeds. His efforts lead to the villain receiving a series of severe punishments, thereby establishing an undying hatred for the brothers. Echo is eventually forced through duplicitous machinations to flee his homeland and joins Handy for a voyage to the New World.
Beginning as a cook’s assistant, Echo learns the vital art of navigation and survival aboard ship. Haunted and persecuted by the vessel’s bullying First Mate, Echo must devise all manner of tricks and gambits to simply remain amongst the living.
Saturated with fanciful pirate tales and yarns, this series provides a first-hand view of this illustrious period of history. Written in a unique first-person point-of-view, the Bilge Rat: Pirate Adventurer Series provides an accurate and fanciful account of piratical exploits.
Sneak Peak at Remarkable Rascal!
Read an excerpt of the YA High Seas Adventure by Kevin C Smith
Plots, People, and Pirates
People and places of note in the first young adult adventure book
London, England
- William Echo Eden-orphan and narrator
- Toby Eden-Echo’s younger brother
- Arch Deacon Williamson Archibald (Old ghost and Uncle Arch)-Echo’s elderly uncle
- Vicar Walters– superior of Saint Agnes of Agony Basilica
- John Block-Master Builder
- Scarf Rockingham-vicious bully
- Brutus-John Block’s hound
Slugger O’Toole’s Sport Emporium
- Slugger O’Toole– owner/operator of pub
- Yankee Sullivan-bare-knuckle fighter
- Frenchie Flook-bare-knuckle fighter
- Lipless Billy Winder– Scarf’s young assistant
- Big Jack Masters-Slugger’s head bouncer
- Bloody Beast-canine champion
- Poxy Mary– pub doxy
- Gwen Corder-street hag
Amafata
- Jedediah Potts (Handy)– Galley master and Echo’s friend and mentor
- Achilles– Handy’s former ship in seatale
- Edmund Spriggs– black cat victim in Handy’s seatale
- Creeping Jeremy– storyteller and mate
- Beloved– ship in Creeping Jeremy’s seatale
- Samuel Conway– Captain of Amafata
- Mr Bass– First Mate
- Matt Pyewicket (Stuttering Matt)– whipping victim of Mr. Bass
- Jemme Buttons (Grommet Jemme)– suspected jonah and dullard
- Ajax Rowe (Bigmouth Ajax)– Mr. Bass’ cuddleup
Saint Domingue
- Guy Beamount– cruel plantation owner in Voodou tale
- Bortu– informal slave leader in Voodou story
- Silve– Bortu’s daughter and suicide victim
- Cap-Francis– Saint Domingue’s major city
- “Palais Le Monde” (Palace)– Saint Domingue’s house of pleasure
- Monique La Montaine– Palace owner and operator
- Rue La Montaine– Monique’s daughter
- Slash Buckets– pirate storyteller
- Max Liberty– mate on “Lone Vulture” in Slash’s tale
- Tiny Eyed Pete– nick-a-bottle winner
- Ding-Dong– injured island mutt
- Babar Kismet (Lion)– Turkish pirate
- Black Tarantula– pirate scourge of the Caribbean
- Angry George– pirate storyteller
- Papa Legba– Voodou loa
- BouLongo– Voodou high priest
- Zombie Jemme– Grommet Jemme in disguise
- Adams sisters:
- Gertrude– naturalist and healer
- Willamina– palm reader
- Hortence– aspiring stage actress
Book Details
Remarkable Rascal by Kevin C Smith
Beginning as a cook’s assistant, Echo learns the vital art of navigation and survival aboard ship. Haunted and persecuted by the vessel’s bullying First Mate, Echo must devise all manner of tricks and gambits to simply remain amongst the living.