The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists

Company type	Novel
Industry	Literature
Founded	2004
Founder	Gideon Defoe
Products	Comedy novel
Parent	Orion Books

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists marks the inaugural entry in The Pirates! collection authored by Gideon Defoe, first issued in 2004 by Orion Books (). This narrative, revolving around a bumbling pirate band, was transformed into a stop-motion feature by Aardman Animations.

Plot

Taking place in the year 1837, the plot centers on "The Pirate Captain" alongside his eccentric crew. Their journey brings them into contact with a youthful Charles Darwin and Mister Bobo, a cultured "man-panzee" who has been banished from London following disputes with a rival scientist. After mistakenly sinking the Beagle, believed to be a Bank of England treasure ship due to Black Bellamy’s misinformation, the Pirate Captain commits to escorting Darwin back home and defending him against adversaries such as the vindictive Bishop of Oxford.

Characters

The Pirate Captain is characterized by his arrogance, innocence, and general ineptitude, yet he remains well-intentioned and commands respect from his crew. Unlike typical pirates, he forgoes standard weaponry but dons traditional pirate attire and sports a distinctive beard. His "pleasant, open face" can unsettle those unfamiliar with pirates, and he shares a strong passion for ham with his crew.

Members of the pirate crew are identified through descriptive nicknames like "the pirate with a scarf" or "the pirate with gout," a naming convention maintained throughout the series. They refer to their leader simply as "The Pirate Captain," treating it as his proper title.

Notable characters include Black Bellamy, the shrewd antagonist; Jennifer, a practical Victorian woman who becomes part of the crew; Charles Darwin as an ally; and the antagonistic Bishop of Oxford.

Series

This novel introduces motifs that recur throughout the series, such as the Pirate Captain’s bizarre plans, the crew’s fixation on ham—particularly the Captain’s treasured honey-glazed ham—and the interactions between the Captain and his men. The book also incorporates footnotes offering pertinent historical and scientific insights.

Film

In partnership with Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations adapted this work into a 3D stop-motion animated movie released on March 28, 2012. Directed by Peter Lord, known for Chicken Run, the screenplay was penned by Gideon Defoe himself. The film notably substitutes Queen Victoria for the Bishop of Oxford as the principal antagonist.

External links

• Book review (Archived)
• Author's blog continuing the Pirate Captain's adventures
• Author's blog