# Captain Shard — The Book of Wonder character guide

> Captain Shard in The Book of Wonder by Lord Dunsany.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Shard

**First appearance:** 0008-the-loot-of-bombasharna

## Snapshot

A pirate captain who hides his crew and stolen island from the world, yet cannot hide his bafflement at the Queen of the South's moods.

## Who they are

Shard commands the surviving crew of the Desperate Lark, who escaped the gallows by settling a movable island between Plymouth and the Horn and plundering passing ships by night. He lavishes the Queen of the South with looted jewels and Provençal wine, but she remains morose, still mourning Bombasharna, and he mutters that he wishes he knew more about the ways of Queens. His cunning seamanship keeps the crew alive; his uncomprehending devotion keeps the tale's strange domestic ache alive.

## Relationships

### [the Desperate Lark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_book_of_wonder_se/characters/the_desperate_lark)

_friendship_

Captain Shard and the Desperate Lark are fellow adventurers, bound by a shared love of daring exploits.

### [Pombo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_book_of_wonder_se/characters/pombo)

_friendship_

Captain Shard and Pombo are fellow travelers, sharing a sense of adventure and mischief.

## In the story

### [The Loot of Bombasharna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_book_of_wonder_se/chapters/the-loot-of-bombasharna)

Captain of the pirates; decides to retire to a secret floating island, leads the sack of Bombasharna, captures the Queen of the South, and struggles to please her.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_book_of_wonder_se/characters/captain_shard
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_book_of_wonder_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_book_of_wonder_se/characters