<P>In thisNew York Timesbestselling novel, master of suspense Michael Crichton delivers an irresistible tale of swashbuckling pirates in the New World a classic story of treasure and betrayal.<P>The Caribbean, 1665. A remote colony of the English Crown, the island of Jamaica holds out against the vast supremacy of the Spanish empire. Port Royal, its capital, is a cutthroat town of taverns, grog shops, and bawdy houses. In this steamy climate there s a living to be made, a living that can end swiftly by disease or by dagger. For Captain Charles Hunter, gold in Spanish hands is gold for the taking, and the law of the land rests with those ruthless enough to make it. Word in port is that a galleon, fresh from New Spain, is awaiting repairs in a nearby harbor....<P>Pirate Latitudesis Michael Crichton at his best: a rollicking adventure tale pulsing with relentless action, crackling atmosphere, and heart-pounding suspense."