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The Treasure of Peril Island follows a penniless young man who sets out on a perilous journey to recover a treasure that was hidden by an enigmatic man. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
“The Treasure of Peril Island” is a derivative work based on a 1903 public domain penny dreadful, “Peril Island” by Sidney Drew. The original book had many issues – it was very dated, had no clear protagonist (for example, the characters of Drayton and Dane were prominent in the early chapters, then faded completely into the background as the plot progressed), included a bumper crop of secondary characters who were mostly “ethnic” and written in dialects, and subplots that went nowhere. However, the basic story piqued my interest, and I used Drew’s basic plot as my playground. I jettisoned about two-thirds of the original, although I kept some chapters and scenes intact – well, mostly intact. I focused on and rewrote the characters (and ages) of Drayton and Dane, making them the protagonists, with Drayton as the POV character. I also added the romantic subplot and the paranormal elements, among other things.
Jack Drayton is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind his character’s development?
Jack changed quite a bit during rewrites. My developmental editor pointed out that his friend, Hector, was the stronger character and was taking over. As I worked through that, the relationship between the two changed, and Jack’s character began to assert itself. I just followed behind him, transcribing what he did and said.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I may be the only author on earth that doesn’t think he has any relevant comments or observations to make on the human condition. My aim is simple: create an enjoyable story with good characters. If any themes develop, fine, but that’s not a goal. I believe the reader’s background, experiences, biases, and beliefs influence how they interact with text, so any themes you put in the written word while change based on that anyway.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently working on another Young Adult historical fiction set in a 1941 Hollywood movie studio. I’m hoping it will be available in the first half of 2022.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon | Website
A penniless young man living on a barge on the Thames in 1903 London, Jack Drayton is unsure of where his life is heading. He’s trying to decide what to do with himself next when he meets a peculiar stranger. Needing a ride to shore one evening, Jack hitches a ride from this stranger, who speaks, dresses, and behaves as though he’s stepped out of another era. After Jack helps the man escape a fracas in town, he tells Jack that he is in fact Black Juan Gaskara, an infamous pirate, and claims that he’s on the run for his life.
Now, that would be all fine and good, except for the fact that the real Black Juan Gaskara would have to be over 112 years old; or more logically, dead.
Despite his disbelief however, Jack is intrigued by the man. Especially when he learns of the treasure that Gaskara has apparently hidden on Peril Island, a place only known to Black Juan.
Before Juan is murdered by descendants of the crew he double-crossed over the loot, he leaves Jack with a cryptogram and map that will reveal where the treasure is hidden. Now it’s up to Jack to recover the treasure before Black Juan’s enemies – who wish to use it to set up a global crime empire – get their hands on it first. With his best friend Hector at his side, Jack must venture on the dangerous ocean journey of a lifetime, following the cryptic clues to uncover the treasure before Gaskara’s foes put an end to his search…and his life!
Author C.W. James creates a fast-paced and thrilling historical novel that will capture the imagination of young adult audiences and hold them fast until the very last page. Perfect for casual readers and bibliophiles alike, The Treasure of Peril Island is the kind of book that will ignite one’s love of reading, or continue to kindle the existing flame. A classic story of adventure, mystery, pirate curses and hidden treasure, this is the optimal book to add to any teen library!
The Treasure of Peril Island
![The Treasure of Peril Island: An adventure novel for teens by [C.W. James]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WwPm2es2S.jpg)
The Treasure of Peril Island by C.W. James is a thrilling tale of pirates and treasure. A young man named Jack, meets an old man who claims to be Black Juan Gaskara, the famous pirate who disappeared nearly 80 years ago. Jack, and his wealthy friend Hector, decode a message written by Gaskara while he was in a fugue state. On the run from murderous pirates, Jack leaves behind the girl he loves and embarks on a riveting adventure with Hector to find the mysterious island and treasure. They soon discover that gold is not the only secret Peril Island is hiding.
This exciting adventure story reminded me a little of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson as I began reading it. The essence of adventure and sense of intrigue is imbued in this thrilling story right from the beginning.
The characters are intriguing and easy to picture as they are detailed and well described, but I found Jack to be a sharp and particularly compelling character. Although the writer used some creative spelling during the dialogue to let the reader know which characters spoke with accents, the practice was not so frequent as to be overwhelming.
This is an enthralling pirate adventure story that I think would be great for young adult audiences, as the action comes quickly and rarely lets up, so readers will surely be engaged with this story. But this is also a good story for middle grade readers as well, as there is violence in the book but the blood thirsty pirates are not as ruthless or cutthroat as they might be in a novel geared towards adults. This lends this novel an enchanting Pirates of the Caribbean feel while still feeling unique.
The Treasure of Peril Island is a swashbuckling fantasy that is consistently entertaining. If you’re a reader looking for a quintessential pirate adventure story, then you’ll have plenty enjoy in C.W. James well crafted novel.
Pages: 175 | ASIN: B095PW7VHL
LITERARY TITAN 