Predator of the Seas

His previous book, Sons of the Waves, was described as “the best introduction to the
lives of eighteen-century British seamen,” by John B. Hattendorf, and won a
Certificate of Merit in the 2020 Mountbatten Maritime Awards.

The latest book covers even more complex ground. Predator of the Seas – A History
of the Slaveship that Fought for Emancipation relates the harrowing double life of a
single vessel: the Henriqueta was a fast-sailing Baltimore clipper used by a Brazilian
slaver to make his fortune. On being captured by the Navy, she was transformed and
as the Black Joke became the most famous weapon in the abolition campaign.

Stephen saw in Predator of the Seas a narrative that distilled humanity’s paradoxes.
While Britain battled the atrocities of the trade from West Africa, some its own
citizens remained slave owners in the colonies. The naval campaign was flawed –
undermined by poor resources and even obstructed by the authorities at home.

Yet the officers and men who served in the Preventative Squadron did so with all the
dedication and courage of the Napoleonic Wars – and with still greater risk of death.
Beloved by seafarers and celebrated in the press, the Black Joke came to symbolise
a noble endeavour. With her crew of old hands and black mariners, she rescued
3,692 captives from enslavement, more than she had transported.

“Compelling, superbly researched history. Taylor is an excellent historian: a pensive
researcher who has sifted the archives for clues and an animated storyteller capable
of capturing the drama of the brig’s life.”
– Peter Moore, Literary Review

“The perfect subject for Taylor. Focusing on one ship and its changing crews
provides a superb frame for his expert narrative, bringing to life the human tragedy of
slavery in a way that flatly statistical books rarely achieve.”
– Daniel Brooks, The Daily Telegraph

“Taylor combines narrative vigour with a scholarly attention to detail to convey the
morally fraught saga of the Henriqueta—as well as the wider drama of which it was a
part.”
– Fergus Bordewich, Wall Street Journal

“By turns moving and harrowing, this deeply researched narrative of the mechanics
of the Atlantic slave trade and one ship’s attempt to thwart it makes for a terrific
read.”
– Roger Crowley, author of Conquerors

“This brilliant, challenging book handles complex and controversial issues of race,
slavery and agency with insight.”
– Andrew Lambert, author of Nelson

“Abolishing the slave trade was one thing, enforcing that abolition quite another.
Predator of the Seas brings a new perspective to the story – the view from a vessel
which served on both sides.”
– Michael Bundock, author of The Fortunes of Francis Barber

“This tightly focused account is a page-turner – searing and atmospheric.”
– Margarette Lincoln, author of Trading in War