ABLAZE

A fable about freedom, about resistance, about power. And an ode to nature. In the Sarboucane sea, Balbuzar the pirate reigns supreme. He attacks, plunders, sinks, and ransoms everything that comes within his reach. Savage, cruel, formidable, certainly, Balbuzar is, but also with a certain bonhomie, and a great sense of justice. He is in harmony with the sea, the islands, the wind, the rocks. Around him, birds, always. Men, women, children...they all love him. For he is free as the air. But now the Empress Pepita XIII is worried about her state of affairs, and Balbuzar's constant plundering. She sends against him her best officer, the Commodore, at the head of an armada. He represents force, order, law. Arrogant, domineering, relentless. And sure to be the one who will clean the Sarboucane sea. Balbuzar and the Commodore clash. Two exceptional sailors, two sharp warriors. The fight begins, shattering, tumultuous. The struggle, however, is unequal, for the Commodore has immense resources, an army behind him and the power of the empire. He's built a gigantic ship that will surely sweep away the pirates and their black-flag flotilla. Balbuzar's fate seems certain. Will the outlaw be crushed by the enormity of the adversary? Cooked in the imperial pot? Or will the cunning pirate find the rift in the monster's breastplate? Will he defeat his monstrous foe, like David blasting Goliath? A story that will delight young and old, and artwork that bears repeated viewing to take it all in. Will the cunning pirate Balbuzar be able to find the chink in the monstrous Commodore's armor? Gerard Moncomble's prose deftly balances action, humor, and poetry while Frederic Pillot's stunning, gorgeously detailed illsutrations help paint this rousing, unforgettable tale. One that you'll want to come back to again and again... Featuring 32 double page illustrations interspersed with text. If you're an art geek, this book is a MUST!