A kidnapped child navigates a life of crime and maritime exploration, eventually rising to the rank of a notorious pirate captain. After being stolen from his family and raised by Gypsies, the protagonist enters a world of instability and constant movement. He joins a crew, survives a mutiny, and traverses the African continent before turning to piracy on the high seas. The narrative is presented as a retrospective account, detailing the protagonist's moral ambiguity and his pragmatic approach to survival in a harsh, unforgiving world. The story follows a linear progression, documenting his transition from a victim of circumstance to an active participant in global plunder.

Discussion often centers on the novel's role as a precursor to the modern adventure genre and its influence on later maritime literature. Readers frequently highlight the stark, matter-of-fact prose that characterizes Defoe's style, noting that it prioritizes action and logistical detail over internal psychological reflection. Critics often point to the book's episodic nature as a reflection of the picaresque tradition, where the protagonist's survival is the primary driver of the plot. The work is frequently analyzed for its depiction of colonial expansion and the economic realities of the eighteenth-century pirate lifestyle. Many readers find the transition from the African overland expedition to the sea-based piracy segments to be a distinct shift in the narrative's pacing and thematic focus.