“There is…wisdom here, and the momentum of a thrilling yarn, delivered as if by a scarred man by the consoling light of a fire.” – The Economist “ striking debut novel, thick with a sense of maritime freedom, lawlessness and tragedy” – Minneapolis Star-Tribune “Hypnotic, relentless…Dybek’s strength of voice and confident command over Loyalty Island’s obsessive fishing community is enough to cement this seaside tale of morality’s limitations as a terrific debut.” – The Onion A.V. 'Dybek constructs a suspenseful novel, and the quality of writing is enough to engage the reader…the themes that tackles are universal and are sure to resonate with all.' - Fredricksburg Free-Lance Star “ powerful first novel … loyalty and moral choice within a crumbling family.” - The Boston Globe

'Dybek brings serious talent to bear … Powerful.” – The New York Times Book Review “A complex and riveting tale about deception and betrayal, asking us how far we would go to preserve what we hold dearest … In this magnificent debut Dybek’s incommunicable thrills shock us and disturb us and make him one to watch.” – The Daily Beast “Finely crafted … a taut novel juggling the sometimes conflicting impulses to do the moral thing, and to protect those we love.” – The Los Angeles Times “ Dybek can paint a salty landscape…but it’s the fast whirlpool of lies, murder, and moral dilemma that drives the book. And old enough to wonder about his mother’s relationship with John Gaunt, owner of the fleet.

He is also old enough to feel the tension between his parents over whether he will follow in his father’s footsteps. But while Cal is too young to accompany his father, he is old enough to know that everything depends on the fate of those few boats thousands of miles to the north. To Cal, Alaska remains as mythical and mysterious as Treasure Island, and the stories his father returns with are as mesmerizing as those he once invented about Captain Flint before he turned pirate. Their dangerous occupation keeps food on the table but constantly threatens to leave empty seats around it. As winter comes on, his suspicions deepening and his moral compass shattered, he is forced to make a terrible choice.Įvery fall, the men of Loyalty Island sail from the Olympic Peninsula up to the Bering Sea to spend the winter catching king crab. Soon Cal stumbles on evidence that his father may have taken extreme measures to salvage their way of life. Then Gaunt dies suddenly, leaving the business in the hands of his son, who seems intent on selling away the fishermen’s livelihood.

But while Cal is too young to accompany his father, he is old enough to know that everything depends on the fate of those few boats thousands of About When Captain Flint Was Still a Good ManĪ “powerful first novel” about “loyalty and moral choice within a crumbling family” ( The Boston Globe).Įvery fall, the men of Loyalty Island-like their fathers and grandfathers before them-still sail from the Olympic Peninsula up to the Bering Sea to spend the winter catching king crab.

Captain flint