Enemy in Sight - Alexander Kent

"Bolitho raised his head, his eyes moving swiftly above the crouched gunners, shutting the sounds of splintering timber from his ears, concentrating his full being on the ships ahead of him. No wonder the enemy had waited so patiently and confidently. Instead of receiving a controlled line of ships across their rear they were now faced with something approaching chaos."

Richard is now captain of his own ship but juggling several issues. His wife is expecting their first child but he won't be present for the birth, his commanding officer is an incompetent blowhard, his ship is undermanned, his crew untrained and mutinous and his traitorous brother's son has just enlisted as a midshipman under his command. On their own these problems would no doubt be an inconvenience but Bolitho also happens to be sitting on a blockade to keep the French in harbour, a thankless and frankly, very boring job.

As always, Kent manages to provide an interesting story. England is currently at war with Revolutionary France and Bolitho commands one of many ships running blockade duty on the French fleet to keep them in harbour. There are also some interesting characters including Bolitho's commanding officer, Commodore Mathias Pelham-Martin, an antagonistic fool.

There's also some beautifully evocative descriptions peppered throughout the book that lend themselves to creating images of 18th century naval life, from sea battles to military drills. For example:


The sky was hidden by a film of pale cloud which distorted the afternoon sunlight into an angry glare and painted the irregular wavecrests with a harsh bronze hue."
Overall this was an enjoyable read with Bolitho traveling all over and having to deal with his nephew. I would recommend it to any fans of historical naval fiction.

Follow Richard in his next naval adventure in To Glory we Steer.

Rating: 3.5/5

Sloop of War - Alexander Kent

"Like a raked black finger the sloops long jib-boom swept out and over his head, and for a few more moments he stared up at the figurehead below the bowsprit. A man-size sparrow, beak wide in fury and wings spread as if to fight, its curved claws firmly gripping a gilded cluster of oak leaves and acorns. Bolitho watched until the boat had moved around and under the starboard cathead. He had never thought a mere sparrow could be depicted as being so warlike."

It's 1778 and Richard Bolitho has just been given his first command as captain of the sloop "Sparrow". The American Revolutionary War is in full swing and their French allies are eager to antagonize the Royal Navy. Bolitho revels in his fast, well-armed ship, hunting privateers and the French while patrolling the Atlantic coast. But he must contend with Tyrell, a first lieutenant who is an American loyalist and a senior officer consumed with gaining personal power and glory, no matter whom he must put in harm's way. Amidst the cannonfire and bloodshed, Bolitho also manages to develop a relationship with an aristocratic lady that may be more than she seems.

Kent addresses past events previous to the book, creating a larger world beyond the book and allowing readers to get a better idea of Bolitho's character and attitude towards his crew. "Sloop of War" also reads perfectly well as a stand-alone novel.

As always, Kent's description and character developement are top notch. We not only get to experience Bolitho as a leader, we also see the world from first lieutenant Tyrell's eyes. While his fellow countrymen are fighting King George, Tyrell has remained loyal to the crown, making him despised by one side and mistrusted by the other. Caught in the lonely in between as an officer of his majesty, all he can do is follow orders and try not to get killed.

One part I took guity pleasure in involved Kent speaking well of some Canadian scouts brought along to aid Bolitho. I couldn't help but grin when Foley says, "Good men. If I had a regiment of them I could retake half of America."

This book is action-packed, fast-paced, filled with battles on both land and sea and is a great addition to the Bolitho series. This is a great place to start for those interested in historical naval fiction.

Follow Richard in his next naval adventure in Enemy in Sight.

Rating: 4/5

Stand into Danger - Alexander Kent

"The mist darkened and edged aside as the anchored ship loomed into view. the boat was approaching her starboard bow and past the long tapering jib-boom. Like Bolitho's new uniform on the wey jetty, the Destiny seemed to shine through the drifting muck. From her lithe and buff hull to her three mastheads she was a thoroughbred. All her shrouds and standing rigging were freshly blacked down, her yards crossed, and each sail neatly furled to match its neighbour."p12

Richard Bolitho is now an officer, newly promoted to third lieutenant. His jump from midshipman's berth to wardroom is a significant one and he's been assigned to a new ship, Destiny. The crew has been tasked with a secret mission in the Caribbean involving revolutionaries. Britain is currently at peace but there are stirrings in the American colonies. Along the way Bolitho runs into pirates, storms and illness. He also must decide where his loyalities lie as his captain makes it clear that his command comes first, before king and country.

This story is chock full of action. We not only flashback to where Bolitho meets his trusty coxswain Stockdale, we also get great battles on land and sea. Bolitho gets romantically involved and comes close to death. The variety within the plot keeps things interesting.

I really liked the dynamics among the crew. Captain Dumaresq was just the right amount of crazy to frustrate both the reader and Bolitho. This story also showed how Bolitho handled his new responsibilities. He's not just one of the crew anymore and has trouble adjusting as an 18 year old trying to tell men three times his age what to do.

It's been my experience that romance in books or movies about war tend to ruin the plot. It's no different here. The romantic subplot was unnecessary and detracted from the story. Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

Follow Richard in his next naval adventure in Sloop of War.

Rating: 4/5

Richard Bolitho: Midshipman - Alexander Kent

"On this particular day in mid-October 1772, Richard Bolitho sat wedged in a corner of one of the long rooms half listening to the babble of voices around him, the clatter of plates and tankards and the hiss of rain against the small windows. The air was heavy with mixed aromas. Food and ale, tobacco and tar, and each time the doors opened to a chorus of curses and complaints the keener tang of salt from the waiting ships."

The year is 1772 and Richard Bolitho is a young midshipman newly assigned to the Gorgon, a seventy-four gunner under orders to sail to Africa's west coast to patrol the area. Britian is at peace but her trade routes are under current threat by pirates. What they encounter involves abandoned ships, an occupied fortress and a chase. While navigating his way through the politics of life aboard ship, Bolitho must avoid the ire of Lieutenant Tregorren who has taken an instant dislike to the young man.

This book is a quick read and Kent is able to combine the historical facts of the time with nautical knowledge and good old-fashioned story-telling. This isn't always the case with historical naval fiction. Some authors get bogged down in the details. See my "Master and Commander" review for more information.

Not only is the book entertaining, the writing is also wonderful. "The smells too seemed to rise to meet them. Salt beef and tar, bilge and packed humanity, while all around them the massive hull creaked and groaned like a living thing, the deckhand lanterns spiralling and throwing shapes across the great timbers and seaman alike, as in a vast painting."

My only complaint is the shortness of the book. At only 159 pages it serves as little better than an introduction to a book rather than a full story. But if you like historical naval fiction then I would defitely recommend this series.

Follow Richard in his next naval adventure in Stand into Danger.

Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian

"The broadsides rapped out one after another, crimson-scarlet tongues stagging into the smoke; the powder-boys flitted across the deck, down through the dreadnought screens past the sentry to the magazine and back with cartridge; the gun-crews heaved and grunted; the matches glowed; the rhythm hardly changed." - page 195

This book, the first in the Aubrey-Maturin series takes place during the Napoleonic Wars. Royal Navy officer Lieutenant Jack Aubrey is an anxious, crass and somewhat impetuous man. He has lately been promoted and given command of the sloop of war, the H.M.S. Sophie. During a dinner party in Port Mahon, Minorca he runs into Stephen Maturin, a physician and a natural philosopher. Aubrey is in need of a surgeon and both share an interest in classical music, influencing his choice to invite Maturin to join his crew. The Sophie is soon off, escorting ships across the Mediterranean, taking prizes ships and exchanging broadsides with the Spanish and French.

The Good:

O'Brian published 20 books in the Aubrey-Maturin series and all are loosely based on historical events. He uses this to the book's advantage as his research allows for a close focus on details and the way of life on board a ship of the line. He also has a wide command of the English language, using various words like "mammothrept", "nacreous" and "gravamen" that I had to look up.

The two main protagonists, Aubrey and Maturin provide two differing points of view on naval life. Aubrey is the experienced "lifer" who has no problem making sacrifices to get the job done. Maturin being a physician places a high value on life and knows little of sailing, being more interested in flora and fauna. He acts as a foil and conscience for Aubrey, especially in the midst of conflict.

O'Brian also has a superb ability to evoke the past, describing scenes that feel authentic to time and place but are also engaging to read. For example, "To windward now, and he saw a sleepy line of gulls, squabbling languidly over a ripple on the sea - sardines or anchovies or maybe those little spiny mackerel. The sound of the creaking blocks, the gently straining cordage and sailcloth, the angle of living deck and the curved line of guns in front of him sent such a jet of happiness through his heart that he almost skipped where he stood." - page 77 As well, the action scenes were well paced and effective, with my favourite being the last battle.

The Bad:

As engaging as O'Brian's writing was, I found the story somewhat lacking. Aubrey and Maturin are obviously interesting characters but a majority of the book seemed committed to describing every detail of the Sophie. Some scenes were confusing and/or boring as they felt more like an encyclopaedia entry, spending pages on ship exercises. While I appreciate that O'Brian has extensive knowledge of ships of the line, I don't know the terminology, nor do I care to be educated on it in a book that's labelled "fiction".

In some ways the book felt as if it had been written for naval historians rather than the average Joe. For all that this book is I have to admit I liked the movie version better, despite the fact that it combined plots from various books in the series.

The Ugly:

Somebody find Eli Wallach.

Rating: 3/5


Mammothrept - to nourish

Gravamen - to weigh down

Nacreous - mother of pearl clouds