Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth
By J. V. Hart

With his long black curls, a shadowy family tree, and an affinity for pet spiders, James Matthew bears little resemblance to his starched-collar, blue-blooded peers at Eton. Dubbed King Jas., he stops at nothing to become the most notorious underclassman in the prestigious school's history. For James, sword fighting, falling in love with an Ottoman Sultana, and challenging the Queen of England are all in a day's skullduggery. But when he sets sail on a ship with a mysterious mission, King Jas.' dream of discovering a magical island quickly turns into an unimaginable nightmare.
Amazon Sales Rank: #553160 in Books Published on: 2007-05-01 Released on: 2007-04-24 Original language: English Number of items: 1 Binding: Paperback 368 pages
From School Library Journal Grade 6 Up–Opening with young James's arrival at Eton and following him to the beginning of his life at sea, this is a disturbing and engaging portrait of a young villain. At school, he feuds with the young Arthur Darling and falls in love with the forbidden Sultana Ananova. After taking his revenge on Darling and pursuing Ananova, James and his friend Roger join the crew of the Sea Witch, a ragged ship with a cruel captain. When its identity as a slave ship is revealed, James sides with the slaves to earn his own name, Hook. Throughout the story, his dreams of finding a magical Neverland set the stage for his future role in Barrie's classic story. Hart, whose screenwriting credits include the movie Hook, has taken information from Barrie's Peter Pan, including his protagonist's attendance at Eton, his yellow blood, and his unusual appearance, and used it to create a character of his own. James's illegitimate status and its prominence in the story seems to be Hart's own invention, and while it provides ample motivation for James's actions, it takes away from the story's appeal to younger Peter Pan fans, who may also be confused by some aspects of British school life. This is a much darker Pan prequel than Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's Peter and the Starcatchers (Hyperion, 2004). Helquist's illustrations add slightly to the text, but seem an attempt to appeal to Unfortunate Events fans. Overall, this is a detailed look both at Victorian life and what a young Hook may have been like.–Beth L. Meister, Pleasant View Elementary School, Franklin, WI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Gr. 7-10. Hart wrote the screenplay for the 1991 film Hook and in this sprawling novel, he imagines the notorious villain's troubled youth. When he enters England's storied Eton school as a teen, James (the future Hook) has never known his mother and has only met his aristocratic father a few times. He channels his loneliness and rage into superior scholarship, plotting wild "devices of revenge" against sadistic classmates. At last, he escapes to the high seas, but he unwittingly boards a slave ship that reveals horrifying brutality and family secrets. Hart's novel is much more challenging and dense than Peter and the Starcatchers (2004), Ridley Pearson's and Dave Barry's spin on the Peter Pan story. The elevated language, slow pacing, and lengthy specifics of swordplay and Etonian culture may deter some readers; others may be startled by the bloody torture, both at school and at sea. Still, some determined, sophisticated readers will be pulled in by the magical, tall-tale details; James' triumph over bullies; the exciting adventures; and the thought-provoking portrait of a villain who is capable of both murder and great sympathy. Gillian EngbergCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved About the Author J.V. Hart has written the screenplays for several feature films, including Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Hook, Tuck Everlasting, Contact and Muppet Treasure Island. He lives in New York with his wife. His son and daughter are both writers and directors in theater and film. Capt. Hook is his first novel. In the spirit of the Peter Pan charitable legacy, a portion of the author’s royalties will go to the Peter Pan Children’s Fund, an organization that supports children’s hospitals through philanthropy programs.
Amazing! Very intriguing and well written. Not recommended for younger readers. The book develops Capt Hook's character much more fully than "Peter Pan," explaining and humanizing the antagonist exponentially. Wonderful book about a complex character James Matthew is a very strange boy, with his long and curly black hair, yellow blood, ability to speak with spiders, and exaggerated sense of revenge. But, when he is dropped into Eton College, the cruelty and repression he finds there hones him into a weapon. This is the story of James Matthew, who becomes notorious as a youth, and notorious as a sea captain - Captain James Hook. Overall, I found this to be a wonderfully interesting book. It is set in 1860s England, mostly in Eton, and succeeds in bringing that world to life. Indeed, if anything, the author does go a little too far, using Etonian slang words that are bound to leave most readers far behind. But, that said, even the most casual of readers should not be put off of this book. The story is quite interesting, with James being presented as a complex character who is quite difficult to describe. He's not cruel to anyone who isn't cruel to him, and is capable of a good deal of love and devotion. No, this is a complex book with a complex story about a complex main character. Definitely not a feel-good book, but one that will keep you glued to your chair, waiting to see what happens next. An Eloquent Dramatic Narrative- A Satisfying Read! Five Stars! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! 'Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth' is English language at its finest! A recommended read for all teens and adults seeking fun, dramatic literature to drive their imagination wild. Inspired visuals accompany Hart's attention-grabbing text; Brett Helquist of Lemony Snicket fame illustrates. A must-have addition to every literature-lover's library. Trust me on this one...