This is a great narrative. It is an adventure tale of superb atmosphere, character, and action, as well as a wry commentary on the ambiguity of morality—as seen in Long John Silver—unusual for children's literature at the time and now. It was first published in the children's magazine Young Folks and is considered a coming of age story. It is one of the most often dramatised novels of all time, and its influence on pirate lore cannot be overstated.