Everybody knows Captain Drake Morass is only out for himself.As the fires of a dying city burn on a distant shore, Drake sees an opportunity to unite the other pirate Captains under his flag and claim a crown for himself. If he is to succeed, he will need allies and the Oracle named Keelin Stillwater, the best swordsman in the isles, as his right hand.With enemy ships sailing his waters and setting fire to his cities, and the sinister Tanner Black threatening to steal the throne before Drake even has a chance to sit upon it, Drake Morass must somehow convince the other Captains that his best interests are also theirs.Where Loyalties Lie is the first book in the Best Laid Plans duology and is set in the same world as The Ties That Bind trilogy, continuing Captain Drake Morass’ story where the trilogy left off.
For Phase 3 of the SPFBO X All-Stars round, our team returned to Where Loyalties Lie by Rob J. Hayes, winner of SPFBO 3 and still proudly self-published. This brutal, sea-sprayed tale of pirates, betrayal, and uneasy alliances showcases the grit and moral ambiguity that have become Hayes’ trademark. Below, Kerry, Adawia, Julia, and Max share their thoughts on life and death under the black flag.
Rating wise this goes at the bottom for the moment. Clearly one that split pit judges from very high to very low ratings.
Kerry:
This book may have worked a lot better for me because I had read the first 3 books set before *Where Loyalties Lie*. There are a few references to events and people that only make sense if one has read earlier books and while they are generally just asides I think it would make pacing a little irregular if *Where Loyalties Lie* had been my introduction to this world. I likely still would have enjoyed it (even though I think this duology is the least of all Hayes books — and I have read all his published works) and they still do work as a standalone duology.
The main characters are certainly distinct and are responsible for most of the action; there are a number of side characters whose presence helps propel the story as well.
It’s a perfect cast of bloodthirsty, greedy, unscrupulous, and selfish pirates set in a world of sea and ships and some mixed loyalties. Though they may be unscrupulous, some do have a semblance of morals; for example, if a pirate is found to have raped or tried to rape a woman, the sentence is death.
I did have mixed feelings regarding the main female characters in the story. I liked them in general, they’re all strong, determined women and are survivors of lives that have been or are pretty brutal, however they tend to get a bit “swoony” around the pirate Captains, Drake and Keelin and I didn’t enjoy it when the story had these women going down the “OMG, we nearly died, I’m so filled with adrenaline right now, we NEED sex!!” trope.
Elaina was who I felt the most conflicted about, probably as conflicted as Elaina is about her own self. Trying to Captain a ship crewed by men who don’t respect her much but are terrified of her father, all the while trying and failing, to live up to and be respected by the same man (Tanner Black is the most insidious, unfeeling, torturous bastard in this story). Even though the torture and sexual assault of her best friend hits her hard, she actually was complicit, if she had been as tough as she thinks she is, the whole scenario needn’t to have happened at all. Where and to whom do her loyalties lie? A question that could be attributed to most of the characters.
There are also plenty of mysteries going on in the world. The magic is intriguing, and different characters each use a different kind. I’m especially interested in the Drurr, an enigmatic matriarchal race with whom Drake has a relatively secret past.
(After rereading Where Loyalties Lie, I’m now keen to reread the 6 books in the First Earth Saga.)
Adawia:
If you like your swashbuckling to have the occasional feel good, honourable vibe, then this may be the book for you. If, however, you like your swashbuckling on the very dark, gritty side, then this may also be the book for you. Contrary to popular belief, pirates come in all shapes and sizes and there’s a size to fit almost every body in this action-packed story. It’s fun and at times funny, the banter is witty, and though a little tropey, the characters have enough complexity to keep me both engaged and entertained.There’s also magic and all manner of monsters (yes, even the human kind) in this world. Some of the pirates seem to have some of their heart in some of the right places, sometimes. But, ultimately the pirate life wins out and there’s very little that’s redeemable remaining.
Speaking of the pirate life, be prepared for deception and betrayal – there’s piles of both in this tale. I mean, the “lie” part of Where Loyalties Lie isn’t there just for the aesthetic.
About “that” scene (yes, that one) I really wasn’t expecting the author to go all the way there. I waited for something or someone to intervene, or expected it to be a test of some sort, but nope, it happened. While it was confronting to read, even though it wasn’t too explicitly detailed and given there are quite a few jarring scenes throughout the book, my reaction was more surprise the author went there than actual trauma from the scene itself. I definitely felt for Elaina, but the event didn’t quite have the massive emotional impact on me it might have elicited had I gotten to know Elaina a little better and liked her a little more (I realise that sounds rather callous of me, and I’m not being flippant about it all, it’s just that I wasn’t really swept away. I was conscious the whole time that I was reading a made-up story about made-up characters).
There are some niggling issues, but overall I had a pretty good time with this book. While it’s an easy enough story, it’s not necessarily an easy read. If you have triggers, be warned.
Julia:
I absolutely loved this book. It’s dark, fast-paced, and full of grit in all the best ways. That said, it’s not for the faint of heart. There is plenty of violence, a few short but explicit sex scenes, and at least one instance of rape. If you prefer your fantasy lighter or more hopeful, this probably isn’t the book for you.
For me, though, it struck just the right balance between excitement and tension. From the first chapter, I was hooked by the sharp dialogue and the sense of danger that hangs over every scene. The story moves quickly but never feels rushed, and the action scenes have so much energy that it’s hard to put the book down.
The characters are what make it shine. They are pirates, thieves, and killers, people with questionable morals and shifting loyalties, yet they are drawn with such depth that you can’t help but care about them. Even when they make terrible decisions, you understand why. Hayes captures that perfect grimdark tone where there are no real heroes, only people trying to survive and occasionally do something decent.
I also loved the world itself. The pirate setting feels alive: you can almost smell the sea air, hear the creak of the ships, and feel the constant uncertainty of who might betray whom next. It’s a story that lives and breathes through its atmosphere.
All of this is held together by smooth, confident prose that makes the pages fly by. It is sharp without being flowery and keeps the focus where it belongs, on the characters and their choices. I had a fantastic time with it and I’m already looking forward to continuing the series once I finish the few books I promised to review first.A wholehearted recommendation from me.
Max:
I generally do well with stories about rowdy, chaotic, morally ambiguous crews of misfits. But something about the writing style of this one didn’t gel with me. I wish the author took more time to describe characters and scenes in more detail, or didn’t have so many conversations be short back lines shot back and forth.
The characters and story do have charm though, so I don’t want to seem completely down on it. There was just something about the writing that for me, didn’t work.
