Wake Of The Bloody Angel (Eddie LaCrosse #4) by Alex Bledsoe
Fantasy
July 3, 2012
Tor Books

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “Oh, a bribe. With a harbor full of uncouth and barbaric sailors, no one’s thought to try that yet. My God, you’re brilliant.“

Eddie LaCrosse never thought bar owner Angelina would ever need his services, but he’s been wrong before. Twenty years ago, Angelina met and fell in love with a young sailor. He left her to seek his fortune and though he promised to return, he never did. No one knows what happened to Edward Tew, but Angelina now needs to know and has hired Eddie to find out.

Rumors are aplenty when it comes to the infamous pirate, Edward Tew and his ship,The Bloody Angel. Some say Edward is dead and he and his ship is buried at the bottom of the sea with a king’s ransom in gold. Others claim he runs his own private pirate paradise, while some even believe he commands a pirate ghost ship with a damned crew. Either way, Eddie is being paid to find him and with a former pirate queen as his partner, Eddie will follow the clues to where ever they may lead.

Alec Bledsoe’s Wake Of The Bloody Angel takes Investigator Eddie LaCrosse on the adventure of a lifetime; hunting down a mysterious pirate. Throw in a feisty former pirate as his partner and hints of buried treasure and we have an action packed, adventurous fantasy with sea monsters, ghost ships, and plenty of witty, dry humor. Heavily character driven, this fantasy series is in a class by itself with its mixture of old world and modern charm. Similar to Pirates Of The Caribbean, it holds the same intriguing world building and dynamic characters that made the movies so popular. Smooth writing and sharp descriptive detailing drew me in and I found myself becoming heavily vested in our protagonist’s investigation. I was pleased by the time and effort Bledsoe takes in developing his characters and their connections to the world and one another. Though this is the fourth in the series, each offers just enough recap on our protagonist’s past and past storylines to allow all to be read as standalones. Personally, I think you should start at the beginning, because they are fun to read.

Eddie Lacrosse is an older character, which is readily apparent in his manner and speech. He makes his living as a sword jockey-meaning his “sword’ is for hire as an investigator or whatever needs done. Portrayed as an upfront and calm character, he is very easy to like. Not that he is a pushover because he’s not. He gives off a cynical, somewhat jaded attitude that reiterates that Eddie has done and seen much in his life. His dialogue, both internal and external, flows smoothly and is clever in that Eddie knows just when to be serious, and when injections of dry, sharp wit is needed.

Eddie’s partner in here is Jane Argo. Jane, a former pirate captain turned sword jockey, is a bolder female version of Eddie. Smart, witty, loyal and fearless, Jane is a wonderful addition to the story. Jane being a former pirate is invaluable to Eddie and the investigation. I loved Jane because she walks through life as if she owns it and it’s hilarious to watch the fear and admiration she strikes into the hearts of the men she comes across. Having been on both sides of the law, Jane knows what she can get away with and doesn’t suffer fools lightly. You can tell in here that she misses being on the sea, and certain scenes within the book prove that her history is indeed an interesting one.

Even though Eddie and Jane are the main characters, there are plenty of secondary characters that add vibrancy to the story. Duncan Tew is a young man who finagles his way into the investigation. In the beginning, you don’t think much of him in reference to his place, but as the story progresses, Duncan grows and makes a huge impact on you and the story. Angelina, the tavern owner who started all of this, isn’t seen much past the beginning, but her story is important to where we are going. Rody Hawk, a former pirate now prisoner, is what I always imagined pirates to be like. Bold, handsome, and scary. His small scenes were enough to guarantee that his story needs to be told on a larger scale. The crew that helps Eddie and Jane on their journey are a lively bunch who add authenticity and kept the story from becoming too mired down.

The story maintains a steady but fast pace with plenty of swashbuckling action, mysterious suspense, and insane situations. The adventure unfolds in a precise, addictive manner allowing us to process the clues and information right along with Eddie and Jane to solve the mystery of what happened to Edward Tew. I love how the pirate theme stays true and on course throughout. A majority of the story is spent on ship and I love the various scenarios that Bledsoe throws at our characters. Bledsoe’s admirably stays on track of the story without succombing to the need to further elaborate on past storylines or character assessments. You get what you get and it’s an exciting, well played, laughter inducing adventure. The ending comes at you hard and fast with the answers to all our questions playing out in a conclusive manner that leaves you a bit unsteady on your feet.I recommend Alex Bledsoe’s Eddie LaCrosse series to those who love adventurous fantasy with vibrant characters, dynamic narrative, and action packed storylines.

Rating: B

Recent Reviews:
A Fantasy Reader – 8.5/10
Mel’s Random Reviews – 8/10
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