The Pirate City is the story of the Algerian pirates who were the scourge of the Mediterranean sea during the early to mid-1800s. They would plunder the ships of other sovereign nations, and as a result were a wealthy little city-state, until their demise in the Barbary War. In this story, set during the heyday of the pirates, a merchant and his sons Mariano and Lucien are captured aboard their trading vessel, and taken as prisoners to the pirate capital of Algiers. A rousing tale, the reader will follow their adventures to rescue other prisoners, experience life in the pirate city, and join in their attempts to escape. Forced to endure slavery as “Christian dogs before their Muslim captors,” the heroes rely on Providence to bring deliverance, and ultimately win their freedom through their friendship with the Dey — the ruler of the city. R.M. Ballantyne actually spent time in Algiers and dressed himself as an Arabian to research this book, and its historical accuracy is amazing as the reader learns about life with the Algerian pirates.