Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean (Vampirates #1) by Justin Somper

uClan Publishing, 2020 (reissue)

ISBN-13 : 978-1912979110

Available: Paperback  ( Amazon.co.uk )

Open the gorgeous covers of Justin Somper’s Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean and you’ll be drawn into the story of fourteen-year-old twins Grace and Connor Tempest,  whose father, the lighthouse keeper for Crescent Moon Bay, used to sing them to sleep with a sea shanty warning about the Vampirates, dangerous pirates who are also vampires. Now that he’s dead, the bank has seized his property, leaving them homeless and impoverished. Although the banker, Lachlan Busby, offers them a home, the twins refuse, stealing back their father’s boat and escaping onto the open sea. This impulsive decision turns out not to be their best decision, as they are caught in a storm and nearly drowned. Each twin is lucky enough to be rescued by a different ship, both pirate ships, and is desperate to reunite with the other. Athletic Connor is quickly embraced by the crew of the Diablo, where he is soon caught up in the politics of the benefits of the captain’s “old-school” piracy and his assistant’s “new-school” methods.  Intelligent Grace is saved by Lorcan Furey, a midshipman on the Vampirates’ ship, although she is unaware of that, and she is hidden away in a downstairs cabin for her safety, but her curiosity overcomes her good sense and she is discovered.

The kickoff to the story doesn’t make a lot of sense. Although we get an early introduction to who the Vampirates are, and why the twins aren’t afraid of them in the first chapter, the events after the funeral left a lot of questions unanswered– for instance, why is their reaction to an offer for a home from the banker so negative? It’s also confusing that the story is set in 2505, as the descriptions suggest an earlier time without modern technology. However, the target audience will likely let these things slide past. I appreciated that there were both male and female protagonists as well as strong secondary characters. Connor’s half of the story is a fast-paced adventure with plenty of intrigue that will grab readers and keep them turning the pages. Grace’s part of the story is much slower in pace (I hope it will pick up) and didn’t seem to reflect the author’s characterization of her as extremely intelligent (she’s definitely curious, but not much of a thinker) but the descriptions of the vampirates and their mysterious and threatening behavior add suspense as the ships, and Connor and Grace, get closer together. It’s interesting to see vampirates such as the captain and Lorcan so protective of Grace, as the vampirates as a group are not nearly as considerate of other humans on the ship. Why is Grace so special?

The book ends without answering many of these questions, but it is the first in a complete, previously published series, and future books are certain to address them. Additional materials in the back include a transcript of Grace’s interview with the vampirate Sidorio, a map of The Diablo, reading group questions, and reader’s advisory suggestions.  This well-paced adventure, complete with plucky orphans, vampires, pirates, action, and intrigue will appeal to both boys and girls. Recommended for ages 9+

Contains: murder, blood drinking, mention of torture

Reviewed by Kirsten Kowalewski