How did Peter Pan meet Captain Hook? A child's question inspired this original prequel to J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan works, written by crime thriller author Ridley Pearson and newspaper column humorist Dave Barry. This pirate saga involves the sailing ship Never Land, which carries a chest of starstuff, magic powder that can heal injuries, stop the aging process, and enable people to fly. Peter, four other orphans, and Molly, a British ambassador's daughter, are also aboard the ship. Some remarkable new characters are introduced, among them sailors Slank and Smee; Fighting Prawn, an island tribal chieftain; and Black Stache, captain of the pirate vessel the Sea Devil, who gets his moniker from his 12-inch moustache. Big Grin is a giant dagger-toothed reptile that tries to eat Peter, and Molly's friend Ammm is a talking porpoise. Even the most picturesque settings are dangerous: a seemingly placid island pond is populated with treacherous mermaids. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.