BlackHeart's Legacy

The Odyssey of Jon Sinclair, Book 1

By: Sally Copus

Narrated by: Paul Woodson

Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Jon Sinclair is a precocious 12-year-old boy, living with grandparents who have a very unique hobby: time travel. Having already made several trips in the time capsule known as the Carousel, Jon and his grandmother plan a trip back to July 4, 1776, to watch the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

But things go horribly awry when the computer system of their space -time ship malfunctions, and they are thrust onto the shores of Port Royal, Jamaica, in 1692. As his grandmother works to repair the back-in-time ship, Jon wanders off on his own...and is promptly kidnapped by the notorious pirate, Captain BlackHeart. Forced into the role of cabin boy, Jon does his best to adapt to a rugged life at sea as his grandparents embark on a desperate search to find him.

Will Jon survive his frightening ordeal? Or will he meet his fate at the hands of rival pirates - or, worse yet, as the result of a tidal wave that threatens to destroy the entire pirate stronghold?

Filled with excitement, mystery, and harrowing danger, BlackHeart's Legacy, Book One in the Odyssey of Jon Sinclair trilogy, is a thrilling time-travel adventure that will captivate listeners of all ages.

©2010 Sally Ann Copus (P)2015 Sally Ann Copus

A thrilling read

Would you consider the audio edition of BlackHeart's Legacy to be better than the print version?

I really like the audio version. Paul Woodson's use of different voices was very good. I have not seen the printed version.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the action. To me, the part with the time machine was an important part of the story. I liked the interaction of the 21st century characters with the 17th century ones. The use of the breathing bell was interesting. I also liked the way Grammy contributed to the computer operation of the time machine.

Have you listened to any of Paul Woodson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any other Paul Woodson performance. I liked his presentation of this story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There no extreme reactions. The Shark's Captain brutality was a little much for me. The crew of Capt. Blackhart were very willing to follow his orders because of the civil way he treated them. I liked this contrast in the story.

Any additional comments?

This is the kind of story that you want to continue until the end. If you stopped then you couldn't wait to get back to it.

What an adventure for any age!

Any additional comments?

What a fantastic adventure! Meant to be for 9 through 14 year olds, but I’m telling you right now, I found it exciting with time travel to 1692, Port Royal, Jamaica Islands. It’s everything a youngster would love and those of us ‘oldies’ ready to travel to far-off lands. But this time travel was an ‘oops’, almost ending in disaster.

“Traveling with Jon on his journey has enriched my life,” says Copus. “I can’t wait to see where he takes me next and what we find there.”

What a fun adventure with Jon and his Grammy and later Allistair at the infamous Pirates’ Babylon, better known as Port Royal in the Jamaican Islands.

We didn’t know where we were when we eventually reappeared other than it was 1692. However, Sally Copus did a terrific job, along with narrator Paul Woodson, through her words and his way of storytelling to bring us up to speed. We saw the forest where the Carousel landed, the town of Port Royal with ships in the harbor, the pirates and people a little unsavory.

Jon separates from his grandmother (not such a good idea Jon), however this creates a bunch of adventure we shared with Jon. Grammy, dressed as a young lad, eventually locates Jon when she cleverly listens for any word from the men coming off the ships.
Now BlackHeart was an unusual pirate and we find out how in the storytelling. SharkScar was one scary character and a true evil man who never seemed to disappear — always reappearing and creating havoc, both for BlackHeart and then for the Sinclairs. Each pirate tried to outmaneuver the other to get to sunken treasures.

I learned a lot with this listen and that’s just the way I like it. The pirates used a bell diving apparatus a predecessor of diving equipment. It truly existed. Any time a story piques my interest in a historical event and gives me insight to the workings of people’s minds, I say it was very much worth the read.

The special black opal ring BlackHeart wore was very intriguing, adding the spice of the paranormal. I hope we hear more about this gem in the following stories of the series. I love the fantasy mix with some real events, although it had me googling to try to know fact from fiction.
Yes, my readers, there was an earthquake in 1692 that dropped part of Port Royal into the sea and if you go to that small town and do some skin diving, you’ll see a city under water. I wonder how much treasure is left buried in that area. Ah, more googling will help me find my answers.

Ms. Copus entertained me greatly at the same time as providing me knowledge about the past. I was surprised how engaged I was when it was geared for middle school. Narrator Paul Woodson truly brought to life the characters with his depiction of pirates and their unsavory thoughts with his usual superb performance.

Some things I take away from the story: Not all spoken is the truth, nor are appearances necessarily reality. People of the 17th century were as we see them today: some good men and women trying to make a difference, some people need to be given a helping hand to help themselves, other people are guided by greed and nothing will deter them from their path.

A WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTION TO FAMILY LITERATURE

Would you listen to BlackHeart's Legacy again? Why?

Yes. A great story with brilliant narration.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Blackheart, an intelligent pirate with a heart.

Have you listened to any of Paul Woodson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. This is the first.

Any additional comments?

Initially I was concerned that I was too old for the author's targeted age group, however after listening to two chapters, it was obviously not the case. This exciting, well written and narrated story is ear candy for all ages.

A Pirates Tale Imaginatively Told

If you could sum up BlackHeart's Legacy in three words, what would they be?

Timetravelling Pirates Tale

Would you be willing to try another book from Sally Copus? Why or why not?

Yes. I found the story to be new, original and intriguing.

What three words best describe Paul Woodson’s voice?

Consistent, Flexible and Plesant

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It could have been but as I listen to books on my commute that was not possible.

Any additional comments?

This story would appeal to a wide audience including adventure seeking adults and children needing a tale of heroics.

Amazing adventure story

Any additional comments?

What an amazingly awesome story "Blackheart's Legacy" was to listen to. I thought that Paul Woodson was the absolute perfect person to narrate this tale and he did a wonderful job of bringing Sally Copus' characters to life. Jon and Grammy were very well written and were developed beautifully. I really enjoyed the storyline and thought that it was new and exciting. Who doesn't love a 12 year old boy and his grandmother going on adventures in a time machine that mistakenly takes them back to the Caribbean in the 1692!! I think that even though the series is intended for young adults/children, I think it can be loved by people of all ages. I cannot wait for the second installment and hope to see this story make it to the big screen!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, fun, and more fun!

my 11 tear ikd son and I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and are eagerly looking forward to the next!

Captivating storyline, intriguing characters

Would you listen to BlackHeart's Legacy again? Why?

I would not listen to BlackHeart's Legacy again unless there were a different narrator. I felt as though Paul Woodson spoke too quickly and did not have enough variation in his inflection to transition clearly from one character to another. Throughout the entirety of the book, I wish I had a copy in front of me so I could make it a read a long.

What was one of the most memorable moments of BlackHeart's Legacy?

I truly enjoyed the section where the folks on the ship were cured of scurvy through their diet; I am a bit biased since it's one of my favorite topics.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I feel as though Woodson could have spoken a little slower and have more pauses throughout transitions.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did not have an extreme reaction to this book, no. It was perfect company throughout three different flights- it kept me relaxingly entertained.

Any additional comments?

I am curious to read the book to see if my impression is any different from the audiobook.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A real swashbuckler!

Blackheart’s Legacy: Book 1 was a real swashbuckling adventure story. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Jon and his Grammy who have traveled back in time to the Caribbean and the time of pirates. The characters they encounter along the way were interesting and easily imagined. The narration by Paul Woodson definitely added to the drama of the story. Though this is a story aimed for young adult readers, I found that it kept my attention. I can’t wait for my grandsons to be old enough to read/listen to tales of Jon Sinclair. I am looking forward to reading book 2 of this series.

I received a copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent

Wonderful story, very imaginative writing. Great follow up to the first book; keeping readers in suspense and surprise till the end.

Thumbs up!

This story is super catchy right from the beginning. A time machine, I mean come on who wouldn't want to hear more about that. And when they take you on their next adventure with them you can just sit there and listen with your mouth open because you don't want to miss any details. This audiobook is an awesome, and catchy story for anybody who likes adventures.

I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.