I have to admit I bought the second book in the series before the first book because there was a discount on it. I figured that at least I wouldn't w..Show More »aste a lot of money... (admit it, you have said that too)
Well, this was the surprise of the year for me. Katherine Kellgren really brought the characters to life, with not only different voices well-suited for the characters, but with energy and pacing that suited the text. AND she can sing a nice song!
This was my first contact with any L. A. Meyer novel. I was looking for an easy listen to help get through the four 12-hour drives that faced me in the last 2 months. I got my money's worth, and the Wife and I were sad to get to the end of the book. There is some violence, and the encounters with some of the "women of ill repute" are a bit creepy. Might be some good discussion opportunities with your daughters.
Personally, I'm looking for more books from both this author and this reader! Five stars for each!

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I absolutely LOVE this series, and especially this third book. I have to admit I got a bit annoyed with Jacky when she was landlocked in the second b..Show More »ook, but in Under the Jolly Roger, she is back at sea, and the story is the most exciting one yet (and I think the best in the series, having now listened to all of them up to Book 7, The Rapture of the Deep). There were parts that had me cheering out loud and clapping, or covering my mouth in horror as I listened to this on my commute and around the house. Kellgren continues to dazzle with her narration -she one of the best narrators out there, and in fact is definitely more of an actress than a reader. Each book is a real performance, and it's like I'm watching a movie in my head while she reads. It's amazing how well she even does the male characters - I forget that I'm listening to one female doing all the parts - it feels like a full cast.

I had no problem waiting a month for my new credits between the first and second book, and the second and third book, but when Under the Jolly Roger reached it's breathtaking conclusion, there was no possible way I could wait, and ended up buying the fourth book sans credits, and it was well worth it, as I've now listened to the third and fourth books twice each.

Don't hesitate to buy this audiobook - it is Jacky Faber at her most resourceful and brilliant, and the entire cast of characters is fantastic - from the loyal Werewolves, to the wonderful and trusty Higgins (I wish I had my own Higgins!!), to the gaspingly evil villain Captain Scroggs. The final scenes of the book are easily the most beautiful and dramatic of the entire series thus far. This book is not to be missed.

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I've been a member of Audible for three years now and this is only the second time I have purchased books over and above my 2 credits a month. My cred..Show More »its went to the second and third books in the Jacky Faber series, Curse of the Blue Tattoo and Under the Jolly Roger, and when finished those mid month, I immediately purchased the fourth, the Belly of the Bloodhound.

Since I couldn't stop listening to how the Lawson Peabody girls were planning to escape the Bloodhound, sadly I finished it four whole days before new credits enter my account to continue my adventures with Jackie Faber. No worries, the fifth book, Mississippi Jack is downloading as I write and Ill have credits for book six.

Why am I telling this...to warn my mates that these tales will capture you and nothing short of good keel hauling will stop you from listening.


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I am a 40-yr old fan of this series. I read book 3, but did audio for 1,2 & 4, and let me tell you, I wish I had done it for #3 - I really felt I mis..Show More »sed out on something! Kellgren is impossibly brilliant in her voicework and narration. If I had read book 4, I would have never heard her take on Mike Fink, and that is very scary, as it is the most annoyingly hilarious thing thus far in the series...or as funny as hearing mam'selle call Jacky "preciousssss". I now walk around saying "Well, helloooooo, preciousssssss", but no one understands.

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I don't think I've enjoyed a story or reader yet that is as engaging and "In the Momemt" as L.A. Meyer's Jack series read by Katherine Kellgren. Once..Show More » again I feel like I am there, beside Jack the whole way, rather than reading what will surely become another account of her adventurers.

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I originally got book one for my son, but pre-listened to it.

I don't think the series is appropriate for an 11 year old boy (in my opin..Show More »ion), but I LOVED it. I've listened to all seven now and can't wait for the next one. The narrator is phenomenal, and the stories and fun and lively.

I think this is a great series for girls ages 12 and up, and their moms too...

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...for the entire series. Buy it Buy it Buy it!!!! Jacky Fabor is a character to end all characters. Pippi Longstocking, Anne of Green Gables and Huc..Show More »kleberry Finn all rolled into one. I must admit I was quite surprised to find the author was male. The entire series was swashbuckling fun from start to finish and pure joyful fanciful escapism. I hated to see the series come to an end.It is good to know there will be more and I can hardly wait. KUDO's to Katherine Kellgrin!! She is absolutely incredible what a talent!!! I truly believe her narration made for an incredible audio book. I am not surprised that two books from this series won 2010 Audie Awards.

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First, let me say that I am a massive, massive fan of this series, and as long as Mr. Meyer keeps writing them, and Ms. Kellgren keeps performing them..Show More », I will keep listening.

That being said, this one could have been better. I finished listening to this last night, and find myself feeling a bit unsatisfied, and a bit disappointed in our heroine. Those who enjoyed the increased involvement and "piratization" of Mr. James Emerson Fletcher in Wake of the Lorelei Lee will be disappointed here. Jaimy hardly appears at all, due to certain circumstances which I won't elaborate on. Despite these circumstances, I don't understand why we could not still have gotten some narration from his point of view.

Also absent in this volume is Joseph Jared, who reappeared in rather dramatic fashion at the end of WotLL, so the Jacky/Jaimy/Jared love triangle conflict that fans may have expected never really materializes. Instead, another of Jacky's former paramours takes center stage in this book, and the bulk of the plot involves much gallivanting around London. I agree with Davey and Tink (those stallwart members of the Dread Brotherhood of the Dolphin) that Jacky should have been more focused on the Jaimy situation. Oh, how I longed to see Jacky and Jaimy having adventures together for once.

Complaints aside, this is still an enjoyable audiobook. Katy Kellgren continues to dazzle, and there is now a pretty nice setup for the next book, "Over the Hills and Far Away." I will choose to think of this as the transitional book needed to wrap up the "Transported for Life" storyline so that Jacky can get back to action in the next book. Just don't go into this expecting an epic adventure on the scale of Lorelei Lee, Bonny Light Horseman or Jolly Roger.



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I came to this series very late, but made up for that this summer by devouring all nine then available in an embarrassingly short time. For those..Show More » very familiar with the series, take what I write with the knowledge that my favorites were the first, second, fourth, sixth and eighth, and that I ccan only be said to have been disappointed in the ninth. I was so disappointed that I worried about this book as much as I eagerly awaited its release.

Mark of the Golden Dragon with what I considered to be an overly convoluted plot and uneven pacing made me wonder what the rest of the series would hold, particularly with its emphasis on Jacky's nights on the town and involved scheming. This time around though, we have something I think is far more akin to Bonnie Light Horseman, with Jacky hopping from place to place, balancing her attempts to learn what's going on in a given locale and building relationships with the friendly or not so friendly people she meets, particularly every young male in sight. There is also action distributed fairly regularly throughout to keep things lively, and of course, Jacky is cursed with as much bad luck as she's blessed with good. I think Jamie's side-chapters were at their best with Mississippi Jack and Lorelei Lee, where he was actively pursuing her. Having him on his own, while better than watching him go insane, doesn't really add much if you're not overly invested in that aspect of the story aside from wanting it to reach some sort of conclusion. All the same though, it is not so distracting as in the last installment. Also, there is no nautical action in this outing, but a return to running around continental city streets and countryside looking to bring confusion to Napoleon's forces.

Happily, this book continues to deliver the constants that will always make this series a favorite, regardless of the odd turns it might take. The writing is still hilarious, Jacky is still a lovable scoundrel and Katherine Kellgren's performance is simply top notch.

If you were at all hesitant, I urge you to sail on. And if you haven't tried the series before, this installment means you now have one more adventure to look forward to than you did before.

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