Pirata: The Gates of Stone

by Simon Scarrow Book 2 in the Pirata series.

First published 2019

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4.2(1,263)

The Adriatic, AD 25. Telemachus is drawn deeper into pirate life as competing crews seek shelter, supplies and control of strategic islands. A voyage towards the fortified Gates of Stone exposes divisions among his new companions and the threat posed by Roman patrols. He must decide whom to trust when survival depends less on formal command than on reputation, shared danger and the willingness to resist betrayal.

Telemachus is learning that pirate society has its own hierarchies even when it rejects Roman law. A crew survives through shared profit, courage and confidence in its leaders, so any suspicion of betrayal can be fatal. The fortified passage gives the voyage a tactical problem as well as an emotional one, forcing the young sailor to judge character under immediate pressure.