In an attempt to retake the seas from the control of the British Navy, a daring gang of pirates launch their final attack. However, when a vicious storm puts an end to the battle, the stranded survivors find themselves facing a new monstrous foe.

Although I must admit it took me a while to get into the story, since at the beginning the timeline jumps around a bit, once I got stuck in I was all in. I definitely found myself rooting for the characters and I was on the edge of my seat for the last 30%. If you’re looking for a thrilling story, with plenty of pirate shenanigans and a splash of dinosaurs then this is for you! I will also say that this story does a really good job at providing effortless representation, and it always makes me smile to encounter Scots in a book.

Many thanks to NetGally and DarkLit for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A high concept, blockbuster of an adventure story packed with horror and heart. The authentic tone and language used makes it feel like you're being told the story by an actual pirate.

Side note: as a Scot I loved to see the Scots representation here, it's a rare thing to see my language in print.

I did notice what might be a slight error on the sub chapter The Ballad of Backstabber Buchanan with the last word being split, but might just be an epub/my reader thing.

Many thanks to DarkLit and NetGalley for the review copy.

I dare you to read this book without using someone from the Disney franchise's voice. I feel some of the plot points were borrowed a little too....

I wanted to like this book but it is extremely hard to follow. The first part jumps back and forth between past and present and I had trouble keeping up. The dialogue is also a mixture of pirate, Scots and Irish and even though I am familiar with some of the vernacular I struggled to read it correctly and got frustrated easily.

The part with the dinosaurs on the island was delightful. Think Jurassic Park meets Pirates. I love scary dinosaur books and this is one of the redeeming bits for this book.

Overall, I don't think I'd read it again. I read for pleasure and when it is a lot of work to just read the story, I lose interest. Maybe since this is an advance reader's copy, things will be tightened up after publishing.

My thanks to Netgalley and Darklit Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, splattery romp of a story with pirates and dinosaurs galore. It’s an adventurous tale combining high seas, a mysterious island, monstrous creatures and humans, and some magical elements.

“Aye, me hearties, this be an epic for the ages, so sit yer arses down, swig some rum, and listen to this here tale...”

There are some very interesting characters, dynamics and twist and turns throughout. Truly never a dull moment!

I understood the author wanting to go with pirate jargon throughout the story for authenticity, but it did grate on my nerves at times- that’s my own peeve though, not a reflection of the story.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and DarkLit Press for a copy!

I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as I wanted to. The timeline was disjointed and hard to follow at times, with no clear definition of when it was jumping around. Characters were relatively forgettable, and the writing style made it feel like a slog to get through. Premise was super interesting, and I'm sure this will be someone else's cup of tea, but it unfortunately wasn't mine.

Thank you, Netgalley for the ARC of this book

It was okay, not the best thing I have read. It was a fun premise but I had to trudge through jargon going through out the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and DarkLit Press for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, outlandish adventure story featuring pirates and dinosaurs, but I had a difficult time reading the dialogue that was in the Scots or pirate dialect. This definitely has an entertaining premise, but not one of the best books I've ever read.

A pirate tale on the high seas? Yes. Now throw in some dinosaurs and a splash gore, and you have an amazing adventure. This book had me invested from the very first page. Yet another book that christopher robertson knocks out of the park! Highly recommend.

Fun read! I loved the world with pirates and dinosaurs, you can’t go wrong with that. Just the right amount of adventure and gore.

This concept was simply mind blowing! Dinosaurs and pirates? Just sign me up already. And surely it did not disappoint. The characters were relatable on various levels and the style made me bite my nails in anticipations. Highly recommend this to all. (Round off rating at 4.5)

'More heart than horror', a character says while recounting the events of the story, and that's a very fair way to describe 'Of Black Flags and Devil Birds'. While there's no shortage of fairly brutal gore, swashbuckling fights, and tense adventure, this isn't a book that outright tries to scare you; instead, the aim is to make you invest in the motley crew of protagonists and hit you in the feelings that way. If this sounds like something that interests you, then this may well be one you should rush to read. Oh, did I mention there's a LOT of dinosaurs in it, too?




Robertson gives us a big central cast of characters to get to know, and he really makes use of them. Whether pirates, the King's men out to bring them to justice, or other groups—of which I won't spoil the surprise here—there are so many interwoven stories and relationship histories between them, and as much of the tension comes from these details unravelling as from any dinosaur attack. I found myself really caring about the major players in the story, gritting my teeth and hoping no harm would befall them as I reached the action-packed climax.

On a personal note, there was a lot about the story I loved. Like so many others, I was a total dinosaur nerd as a child, and I loved reading the descriptions of the various Terrible Lizards and trying to match them to the real species. I was thrilled to see a section at the end detailing them and seeing which ones I'd got wrong or right. There's also a sizable amount of queer representation among the pirates, none of which felt like a token inclusion to me. It really added to the depth and complexity of the characters in most cases, and certainly helped to endear me to them.

I suspect most people will already know by now if this is something they'll want to read. Pirates and dinosaurs? Big action set pieces, heart-pounding adventure, and wince-inducing violence? A mix of emotional and occasionally heartbreaking drama with frequent genuinely funny moments—think an irreverent, almost Pratchett-esque style of humour? 'Of Black Flags and Devil Birds' scratched an itch I didn't even know I had, and if you're reading this and thinking it sounds appealing, I'm sure it will do the same for you.

Pirate and dinosaurs?!?! Say what? What a premise and fun idea this was such a blast!!! Highly recommend

Ok this book was INCREDIBLE!! Queer pirates, stranded on an island, horror, pirate talk. It was fantastic. What an adventure from the first page. I LOVED IT!!

Pirates meet dinosaur Horror in this swashbuckling novel about a bunch of pirates and navy soldiers who are stranded on a strange island complete with cannibals, magic stones, and strange creatures.

I loved the writing style and the characters were so fun to read about. Bucky and Ash were my favorite characters. So was Diggle.

Loved the queer rep too, like honestly, we need more queer pirates, for a start.

Overall, really good and a solid 5 stars.

Excellent horror adventure! I loved the pirate speak, and each and every character. The author fully developed all characters and kept me utterly engaged in the story. I didn't want to put this book down. I'll definitely take the time to read more from the author. Very well done!

The Golden Age of Piracy is over.

Those who fly the black flag face extinction.

But not all will go quietly into pages of history. In a last-ditch effort to retake control of the seas, a coalition of desperate pirates launch an offensive against the might of the British Navy. In the aftermath the survivors would find themselves shipwrecked on a strange island, and they are not alone. Here there be monsters, the kind not seen for billions of years. And they're hungry.

A Pirate book with a horror twist. I was thinking this would be right up my alley based on the description and boy was I right! Tons of high-seas action and adventure, this book had me absolutely addicted. Real fast paced, funny at times, and very fun, I would recommend this to everyone who loves pirates like me, and wants something a little bit different with some great twists. 5 star read for sure! Now I want to go and read everything else by Chris Robertson!