The Pirates!

The Pirates! series

Company type	Novel series
Industry	Literature
Founded	2004
Founder	Gideon Defoe
Products	Novels

The Pirates! is a comedic novel series consisting of five books authored by British writer Gideon Defoe. The initial volume was published in 2004 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, while the fifth book, titled The Pirates! in an Adventure with the Romantics, appeared in 2012 under Bloomsbury Publishing.

Books

1. The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists (2004)
2. The Pirates! in an Adventure with Whaling (2005)
3. The Pirates! in an Adventure with Communists (2006)
4. The Pirates! in an Adventure with Napoleon (2008)
5. The Pirates! in an Adventure with the Romantics (2012)

The Pirates

• The Pirate Captain – Serving as the central figure of the series, he is marked by a blend of arrogance and innocence. Though lacking expertise in navigation and often unsuccessful at piracy, he leads his crew through escapades involving notable historical and literary personalities. His good intentions and distinctive beard earn him respect.
• The Pirate with a Scarf – Acting as the Captain’s dependable and pragmatic deputy, he is suggested to manage most of the ship’s affairs, providing a counterbalance to the Captain’s impulsiveness.
• The Pirate in Red – A cynical crew member known for his sharp wit and skeptical outlook.
• The Pirate in Green – Represents the relatable, average member of the pirate group.
• The Albino Pirate – Known affectionately as the ship’s cheerful simpleton.
• Jennifer – A Victorian-era woman who becomes part of the crew during An Adventure With Scientists.
• Other pirates include characters such as the Pirate with Gout, the Pirate with Bedroom Eyes, and the Pirate with a Hook for a Hand, often depicted as interchangeable members.

The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists

• Charles Darwin, a naturalist who presents his educated primate companion, "Mr. Bobo the Man-Panzee."
• Robert FitzRoy, captain of HMS Beagle.
• Bishop of Oxford, serving as the antagonist.

The Pirates! In An Adventure With Whaling

• Captain Ahab, a fictional character from Moby-Dick, obsessed with capturing the White Whale.

This book was first published in September 2005 in the U.K. under the title The Pirates! in an Adventure with Whaling, later released in the U.S. in October 2005 as The Pirates! in an Adventure with Ahab, and reissued in January 2012 as a U.K. paperback titled The Pirates! in an Adventure with Moby Dick.

The Pirates! In An Adventure With Communists

• Karl Marx, philosopher and founder of Communism, who is mistaken for the Pirate Captain.
• Friedrich Engels, Marx’s collaborator and companion.
• Richard Wagner, composer scheming to undermine Communism.
• Friedrich Nietzsche, inaccurately identified as the originator of Fascism, depicted wearing a mechanical exoskeleton intent on European domination.

The Pirates! In An Adventure With Napoleon

• Napoleon Bonaparte, French military leader, confronts the Pirate Captain on St. Helena.

The Pirates! In An Adventure With Romantics

• Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein and romantic interest of the Pirate Captain.
• Percy Bysshe Shelley, Romantic poet and Mary’s fiancé.
• Lord Byron, boisterous Romantic poet.
• Charles Babbage, inventor opposing Romantic ideals.

Supporting characters

• Black Bellamy, the primary adversary of the Pirate Captain.
• Cutlass Liz, proprietor of a second-hand boat shop.
• The Pirate King

Movie adaptation

The 2012 3D stop-motion movie The Pirates! Band of Misfits was produced by Aardman Animations in collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation, based on The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists. Directed by Peter Lord, the film features voice performances by Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, among others. It grossed $118 million against a production budget of $55 million and was met with favorable critiques. Additionally, the DVD and Blu-ray editions included the short film So You Want to Be a Pirate!.