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The Captive series of books are what some people might call Bodice rippers. Bodice rippers are sexually explicit romance novels, and they normally have historical settings. And that more or less describes Fern Michaels’ Captive series.
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Order of Captives Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captive Passions | 1977 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Captive Embraces | 1979 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Captive Splendors | 1980 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Captive Secrets | 1991 | Description / Buy |
The books are mostly associated with Sirena Cordez and Regan Van der Rys, two pirates who fall in love and try to live happily ever after. However, the characters do not feature in all the books, though they are the most prominent representatives of this series, seeing as they are pirates with fearsome reputations.
Fern Michaels is actually the pseudonym for Mary Ruth Kuczkir who has been writing novels for decades. The author took to writing after her last born began school. Mary’s husband told her to go out and find a job, and he wasn’t especially polite about it. They eventually separated.
Mary had no skills to speak of, so rather than going out to look for work, she decided to write novels, and she succeeded immensely. A number of Fern Michaels’ books have made to the New York Times Bestseller list.
Fern claims to write novels about strong women who keep persevering despite their challenges. However, if her intention is to claim that she writes romance novels that empower women, she will find opposition, especially among those readers that have taken offense to the crude nature of her work.
The Captive series of books isn’t typical of romance novels today. The tales told in the books take place on the high seas several centuries ago in Europe, and they essentially follow the pirate life.
And the books tend to attract complaints because of the terrible protagonists Fern often writes. At her best, Fern writes wimpy, unlikable men and women who make stupid decisions.
At her worst, Fern Michaels writes narcissistic heroes and heroines who revel in murdering and pillaging for their own ends. Sirena and Regan are stark examples of this trend in the Captive series.
Regan sleeps with everything he encounters, and he is more than happy to see the women he loves gang-raped, not to mention cheating on them on numerous occasions. Sirena is no better, acting irrationally throughout the Captive series and making decisions that have dire consequences for those around her.
Captive Passions, the first book in the series, which introduces Sirena and Regan, is a prominent example of Fern Michaels’ odd approach to storytelling. The fact that her first book in the series introduces two unlikable characters who not only do terrible things to one another but who somehow fall in love at the end of it all sets Fern Michaels’ books apart and might even explain why they are so popular in some circles.
Best Captive Books
These books seem to have a following amongst younger readers; however, most people who read and loved these books when they were young have admitted to failing to enjoy them as adults. That says something about Fern’s target audience, with some of the best books in the captive series including the following:
Captive Embraces: There was a time when Sirena Cordez was the queen of the sea, a fearless pirate bringing death to all in her sister’s name. But that was before she met the ruthless and handsome Regan van der Rys, the only man to ever contain her.
The two were once fated lovers. But when Regan abandons her and shatters their marriage, Sirena takes to the seas once more and hoists the flag of the sea siren.
This book is all fluff and no substance. However, the blend of horror, romance and adventure makes it highly entertaining as Fern attempts to bring Sirena and Regan back together.
Captive Secrets: Fury Van de Rhys takes up her mother’s sword and sails for Africa in search of Amelia, determined to reclaim her mother’s legacy and the tall Spaniard she loves.
This book can only be appreciated by fans of the Captive series. This is because it follows the daughter of Sirena and Regan as she fights against the woman who has claimed her mother’s throne.
There are elements of intrigue, though Fern emphasizes swashbuckling adventure above all else.
Other Book Series you May Like
“Wyoming” is a series of historical romance novels. What connects them, besides their author, is the fact that they are set in the American West and they tend to focus more on seduction and sexual chemistry than titillation. The characters in these books must face dangerous situations, sometimes life-threatening situations, to be together.
In “The Guardians Trilogy” by Nora Roberts, three goddesses made three stars to celebrate the rise of their queen. The fall of those stars from the sky threatens all the worlds. Now it is up to six individuals (three men and three women) to come together, take up the pieces and bring balance.
What Is The Next Book in The Captives Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Captives Series. The newest book is Captive Secrets and was released on February, 2nd 1991.