8 Fantasy Books With Pirates

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If you love Pirates of the Caribbean and want swashbuckling books with pirates, this list is for you! I’ve rounded up six of the best books with pirates in them, all written for adults.

There’s something so enticing about sailing the high sea, stealing gold from rich kings. Sure, there’s scurvy and a real lack of hygiene, but who wouldn’t want a talking shoulder parrot?

Prefer your books filled with vampires? Check out this post to get a list of vampire books.

A Sea of Scorn & Sorrow
by A. P. Beswick

A.P. Beswick has an entire series of fairytale retellings, but this is one of my favourites.

Zerina and her sisters are taken from their home and put on trial for witchcraft. After seeing the cruel deaths of her sisters, she unleashes the powers she didn’t know she had and escapes.

She stows aboard a ship and uses her powers against deadly threats on her quest for a cure for her gifts. Although they’re powerful, they are agonising to wield and make her age with every use.

Will she find the cure in time? Or will her witchcraft kill her before she can?

The Wager
by David Grann

This New York Times Bestseller is a must for anyone who loves books with pirates. It’ll take you along for an exciting adventure, ending in a court case with a shocking result.

In 1742, a shipwreck washed up on the coast of Brazil. There were 30 men on board, emaciated and almost dead but still alive.

After spending months marooned on an island, they managed to sail on their ramshackle craft for over 100 days, covering 2,500 miles.

They were greeted as heroes and welcomed home…

But just six months later, another decrepit ship washes up on the other side of the world. And the three almost-dead men have a vastly different story to tell.

Who’s telling the truth? What really happened to the original ship? A court-martial will tell all. And whoever is lying will hang.

The Bone Ships
by R. J. Baker

Pirates and dragons? Yes, please! This book with pirates won the Holdstock Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and is the first in the Tide Child Trilogy.

The Hundred Isles have built their ships from dragon bone for centuries, and they’ve endured an endless war with their power. No wooden ship could ever compete.

But when a live dragon is spotted, the war could be turning. Whoever can get to the dragon first will win the war, and the race is on.

Bonny & Read
by Julie Walker

The pirating world was a man’s world, but this true story highlights the epic adventure of two female pirates – both terrified and admired by the crew they work with.

Bonny was a plantation owner’s daughter who ran away from her husband and sheltered life to ride the high sea. She’s never known another female pirate until she runs into Read during a siege on a British merchant ship.

Read had dressed as a boy since she was born, becoming a soldier, sailor, and even a widow. But now, she’s going to become a pirate.

Their tumultuous escapades soon find fame, and the ballad of Bonny and Read is sung across the shores.

Of course, going against tradition and history will always come at a cost, and this might be a deadly one.

Sea of Thieves
by Chris Allock

This book about pirates is actually a prequel to the Heart of Fire series and the origin story of Captain Flameheart. It’s a truly original story, but if you love the Pirates of the Caribbean, you’ll love this pirate book.

Flameheart is the feared captain of the Burning Blade, a legendary ship with a skeletal crew. He’s terrorised the waters for years, constantly searching out new battles.

But the legendary Pirate Lord has had enough. He hires the crew of the Morningstar to go after Flameheart and put an end to his tirade.

Now, both crews are in a race to find an artefact that’s capable of destroying Flameheart forever.

On Stranger Tides
by Tim Powers

Yes, the Pirates of the Caribbean movie is based on this book. But even if you’ve seen the film, you should read this book about pirates – it’s incredible in its own right.

On his way to the new world to confront his money-grabbing uncle, John Chandagnac’s ship is taken over by the infamous pirate Black Beard.

He’s on the hunt for the treasure of all treasures – the Fountain of Youth – and he wants Chandagnac’s help to find it.

John has no choice but to agree with Black Beard's plans, but he has to do everything he can to stop him from reaching that fountain. The world depends on it.

The Scar
by China Mieville

Mieville has a whole series of steampunk novels, but this can only be loosely thought of as a sequel. And if you’re into pirate books, this is one you’ll want to read from the series.

On the run, Bellis Coldwine is forced aboard Armada, a floating pirate city filled with hundreds of captured ships. Now, she’s caught up in the plans to harness the power of the Scar, a fissure in reality said to hold great power.

Retribution Falls
by Chris Wooding

With a twist on the traditional books with pirates, this one is for lovers of steampunk sky pirates, but it’s still an epic read.

Frey is the captain of the Ketty Jay, a pirate vessel that makes its money robbing freight crafts and running contraband.

When he gets a tip about a cargo ship loaded with valuables, Frey thinks it’ll be an easy score. That is, until it explodes, and he’s got the Coalition Navy after him and his crew.

But the cargo ship was rigged, so who is setting Frey up? And can he find them before the Navy catches up?

What Are Your Favourite Pirate Books?

Finding fantasy books with pirates for adults is tough – but each of these books is well worth a read. Do you have any pirate book recs? Drop them in the comments!

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