Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson, 1883)

The next Classic Adventures to come off the shelf was Treasure Island, following on from the nautical adventures of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Reading Stevenson's classic tale in 2010 is an odd experience, especially since the only knowledge I have of the story comes from the hilarious Muppet Treasure Island movie (oh and the under-rated Disney animation, Treasure Planet). I was surprised to note how strongly the Muppet movie draws from the book, with particular reference to the character names, although there's a good deal less murder in the film.

I didn't find Treasure Island's style or language to be as gripping as in 20,000 Leagues, and the story is incredibly familiar. What makes it odd reading this book today is that it comes off like a massive pirate cliché... but really, it's the book that started all of the clichés - the one-legged pirate, parrot on the shoulder, the song 'yo ho' etc. In fact, it's surprising just how much of this book has become common parlance when people think of pirates today. Without Treasure Island there would be no Pirates of the Caribbean ride or movies! I suppose it's similar to how the novel Dracula has informed nearly all vampire myths, books, TV and movies that followed it.

Talking of Dracula, I loved that novel, despite my familiarity with vampire-lore (thanks Buffy), because there is a great deal of depth to it. Treasure Island I was less enamoured with. There were no surprises and the plot was fairly simple. The narrator, Jim Hawkins, is pretty non-descript, but Long John Silver is the star, the one-legged pirate/ship's cook of legend. The pirates are shown as a blood thirsty lot, and the bodies pile up more than I'd expected, but Silver comes out of it alright and there's a happy ending. It was probably exciting in 1883, today it's a bit tame. So Treasure Island is a good story, peopled with strong although not too exciting characters, yet I feel it's greatest strength is as a source for all the pirate literature and media that followed it.