Quarterdeck October, 2013

InsideJulian StockwinCaribbee ReviewNew Titles

October 2013

QuarterdeckA REVIEW CELEBRATING NAUTICAL & HISTORICAL FICTION

2 | QUARTERDECK | OCTOBER 2013

QuarterdeckA REVIEW CELEBRATING

NAUTICAL & HISTORICAL FICTION

TALL SHIPS

COMMUNICATIONS

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ON THE COVER:English novelist Julian Stockwin with aRoyal Navy anti-submarine frigate in thebackground in Plymouth Sound on theDevon coast.

© Tall Ships Communications

McBOOKS press

OCTOBER 2013

FEATURES

05 JULIAN STOCKWINEnglish author Julian Stockwin reflects on over a

decade writing the Thomas Kydd Sea Adventures

COLUMNS

03 SCUTTLEBUTTNews from the nautical and historical book trade and

maritime museums

04 BY GEORGE!A Naval Heritage

DEPARTMENTS

09 REVIEWCaribbee by Julian Stockwin

11 BOOKSHELFCatch up on US and UK titles in nautical and

historical fiction and related history

Contents


New BookLaunch Dates

2013 - 2014

US (United States)UK (United Kingdom)

TPB (Trade Paperback)PB (Paperback)HC (Hardcover)

OCTOBER

Caribbee (UKHC)by Julian Stockwin

Betrayal (USTPB)by Julian Stockwin

Trident (USTPB)by Michael Aye

War of the Roses: Stormbird(UKHC)

by Conn Igguldan

The Blood Crows (UKHC)by Simon Scarrow

NOVEMBER

Divided Command (UKHC)by David Donachie

Caribbee (USHC)by Julian Stockwin

FEBRUARY

The King’s Marauder (USHC)by Dewey Lambdin

APRIL

Edge of Valor (USHC)by John J. Gobbell

Scuttlebutt

Julian and Kathy Stockwin recently met historians Roy and Lesley Adkins for tea at Kitley Houseoutside Plymouth, Devon. L-R: Julian, Roy, Kathy and Lesley (photo by George Jepson).

Okinawa to the Philippines, to awar-ravaged Japan, to the ToroAirfield on Soviet-conqueredSakhalin Island and an insidesecret so terrible that all threesides do their best to suppress it.

John J. GobbellThe Naval Institute Press hasreleased cover art (right) and thefull description for Edge of Valor,the fifth title in the Todd IngramSeries. The novel will bepublished in April 2014. It’sAugust 15, 1945; a cease fire isdeclared in the Pacific andCommander Todd Ingram,skipper of the destroyer USSMaxwell (DD 525) expects torelax and take his ship and crewhome on operation Magic Carpet.Instead, he’s ordered to Manila toaccompany sixteen Japanesesenior military and civiliandiplomats to work with GeneralMacArthur’s staff on the releaseof POWs; the disarmament of theImperial Japanese Military; andthe Tokyo Bay surrenderceremony. From there, it getsworse, as Ingram finds himselfpulled into a hideous maelstromof events as he sprints from

Author’s Tea …


THE TRAIN EMERGED FROM London’sWaterloo Station, slowly picking up speedunder scudding, lead-gray clouds. Leaving theoutskirts of the city behind, Amy and I werebound for Portsmouth Harbour and theHistoric Dockyard on England’s south coast. This visit afforded our first opportunity tovisit the new Mary Rose Museum, displayingHenry VIII’s flagship Mary Rose, which waslaunched in 1511. She sank during anengagement with a French invasion fleet justtwo kilometers from the entrance toPortsmouth Harbour. Showers lashed the windows as we spedsouthwest across the countryside. At one point,we passed Guildford. It was near here thatyoung wigmaker Thomas Kydd was press-ganged while “enjoying warmth and com-panionship in the Horse and Groom” in JulianStockwin’s debut novel, Kydd. A splendid Georgian manor house appearedthrough the mist in Hampshire not far fromCaptain Jack Aubrey’s fictitious AshgroveCottage in the Patrick O’Brian novels. Was itoriginally built with a successful frigatecaptain’s prize money during Nelson’s time, Iwondered? Lulled by the rhythmic clickety-clack of thewheels beneath our carriage, my thoughtsturned to HMS Victory, presently in the midstof a capital restoration. After a structuralsurvey, the 245-year-old ship was found to beleaking and peppered with rot. This wasgradually pulling the iconic vessel apart withher own weight. Disembarking at Portsmouth HarbourStation, HMS Warrior, the world’s first iron-hulled, armored warship powered by steam aswell floated majestically before us. She is theonly surviving member of Queen Victoria’sBlack Battle Fleet and appeared in all respects

A Naval Heritage

By George!

Continued on page 14

to be ready for sea. Portsmouth Dockyard dates back to the latetwelfth century, when Richard I bestowed thetown’s first charter and and commanded that adock be built. In 1212, a wall was built aroundthe dockyard under orders from King John.The world’s first dry dock was constructedthere in 1495 and in 1512 Portsmouth wasofficially designated as a ship building centerfor the Crown. We approached the entrance, which isflanked by two columns topped with goldenglobes. Although the gate has been altered overthe past century, its appearance and placementremain much the same as in the days of Nelson.

HMS Warrior looks ready for sea at the Historic Dockyard atPortsmouth Harbour, England (photo by George Jepson).


Snow swirled outside the windows at Tall ShipsBooks on an early winter morning in 2000.Arriving at my desk, I opened an e-mail fromEnglish marine artist Geoff Hunt, who was

then well known for the cover art he had rendered forthe Patrick O’Brian novels featuring Captain JackAubrey and Stephen Maturin. The note suggested I look into a new author in thenaval fiction genre, a fellow named Julian Stockwin,whose debut novel, Kydd, would be published in theUnited Kingdom by Hodder & Stoughton thefollowing spring. Hunt had been commissioned tocreate cover art in oils for the book, which he had readin manuscript form to prepare for his painting. I immediately fired off an e-mail to the publisher,requesting contact information for the author. Several

Interview

days later, an e-mail arrived from Stockwin agreeing toan interview for Bowsprit, the precursor to Quarterdeck.The feature appeared in the May 2001 issue, the samemonth Kydd debuted on both sides of the Atlantic. A year later, my wife, Amy, and I attended the launchof the second Kydd sea adventure, Artemis, at the RoyalNavy Museum in the Historic Dockyard atPortsmouth, where Hunt unveiled his original paintingof the cover art. Kydd and Artemis were well received bycritics and the reading public, but few, including theauthor and his wife and literary partner, Kathy, couldforesee the series running to fourteen titles over adecade later. This month, McBooks Press in the United States andHodder & Stoughton in the UK, will publish Caribbee(see review on page 9) in which Captain Thomas Kydd

JULIAN STOCKWIN“… it is crucial to remain true to the historical record.”

by George Jepson

Julian Stockwin above Polperro, the historic smugglers’ haven on the south Cornish coast (photo by George Jepson).


and his friend Nicholas Renzi return to the Caribbean,the scene of earlier escapades in Seaflower, the third titlein the series. In this recent interview with Quarterdeck, the authorreflected on the series and the influences in his life,which have contributed to the Kydd novels:

During your formative early years, was reading an important partof your life?

Oh, yes. My mother introduced me to the joys of thepublic library when I was quite small and it was alwaysa huge treat to go there and borrow books, especiallywhen I had my very own junior library card! I havesuch fond memories of my first library that when Ireturned to the UK after many years abroad I searchedit out, hoping it was still there. Sadly, it had beenmorphed into a council building, but amazingly,“Library” is still emblazoned above the door. As a boyI had a pretty eclectic range of interests but anything todo with the sea was always there at the top of the list.When I joined the Royal Navy I had some treasuredcopies of Forester’s Hornblower books that I rereadmany times; I was actually at sea when he died and Iwas devastated that his wonderful stories would be nomore.

You trained as a shipwright and I once heard you say you wouldfeel quite at home in one of Kydd’s ships, adze and whipsaw inhand. Can you tell us a bit more about that period in your life?

I went to a prestigious English grammar school butdidn’t do particularly well scholastically, spending mytime watching the low grey shapes on the horizon anddreaming about the sea. I think my father had otherambitions for me but from an early age I always knew Iwanted to join the Navy, and signed up for the saltiestbranch of all. I trained as a shipwright in the Navy (afull four-year apprenticeship), and am one of not-that-many-remaining naval-trained “chippies” qualified towork on wooden ships. My “graduation” project was to work on a navalwhaler, a two-masted wooden boat, similar to Bligh’slittle launch. With it I was able to put into practice allthe skills of the craft, passed on to me in a longunbroken line down the ages. You never know whenyou’ll be called upon to sny [a gentle upward curve intimber] and fay [fitting and securing two pieces ofwood together], with a wrain-bolt to three curvaturessimultaneously… At first glance, such skills may may seem obsolete forthe modern navy, but when I was involved in theMelbourne-Voyager tragedy it was we shipwrights who

were vital in damage control and preventing deaths.[Editor’s Note: This was a collision between twowarships of the Royal Australian Navy – the aircraftcarrier HMAS Melbourne and the destroyer HMASVoyager. On the evening of 10 February 1964, the twoships were performing manoeuvres off Jervis Bay,when Voyager sailed under Melbourn’s bow. She was cutin two and sunk. Eighty-two members of her crewwere killed.] When I left the navy I worked for a time at Purdon& Featherstone (established in 1853, and sadly nolonger in existence) in Hobart, Tasmania. This was oneof the major ship yards for wooden boat constructionand repair in the state. Some beautiful traditionalwooden boats passed through there.

Has your experience as a shipwright influenced your writing?

I think all life’s experiences must play a part in thecreation of a novel. Certainly many of the sights I sawon my voyages around the world are brought to bear inmy writing. As to my training as a shipwright – this gave meconfidence to write several episodes in the series wherethere is quite some detail about Georgian navaldockyards. I can also look at ship models – especially the scratchbuilt ones – with an appreciative eye, and because theyare on a small scale I sometimes am reminded of thingsthat I later bring to bear in my writing.

Caribbee is your fourteenth Thomas Kydd novel. Over theprevious books, your plots have been closely tied to historicalevents. How do you approach development of your storylineswhich wrap around actual history?

To me, it is crucial to remain true to the historicalrecord. I believe it would be a great disservice to bothmodern readers and those who lived in days gone bynot to do so. I spend a great deal of time doingresearch before I write. Having said that, there areoccasions when I believe it is permissible to vary, notthe sequence of events, but time alone – for the sake

“I think all life’s experiencesmust play a part in the creation

of a novel.”


of the story. I’ll give you an example, in Kydd, my firstbook, Tom finds himself at sea in old Duke Williampretty quickly. It would have been a pretty boring readto just have him aboard, swinging to anchor for weeks,as they sometimes did.

How did you name Thomas Kydd?

I spent a long time deciding on the name for my hero. Iwanted something that was definitely of the period butsounded strong, not too long – or difficult topronounce. I had a very lengthy list, none of whichreally fitted the bill and I was beginning to despair ofever finding the name that I be happy living with for awhole series. Kathy was talking about Princess Diana’smother at one point and she mentioned her name wasShann-Kydd. Somehow the Kydd jumped out at meand I did some research. As an aside, when the firstbook was finished Kathy and I came up with numerouspossible titles but it was my wonderful mother-in-law,Cressey Stackhouse, who sadly passed away a couple ofyears ago, who suggested the first book be called Kydd.

Do you ever encounter writers block?

Fortunately I’m writing about such a fascinating periodin history that I’m usually carried along by themomentum of those glorious times. The Georgianswere in many ways much larger than life than most ofus today; they had a wonderful phrase, “bottom” todescribe the almost superhuman courage often foundin tight corners. I guess, also, that because I do very detailed researchand planning before I set pen to paper I know wherethe story is going and am not bogged down by falsestarts. If I do need to fine-tune some plot point I findthat being able to walk and talk with Kathy along thebanks of the nearby River Erme is a great boon. Mindyou, once we just couldn’t seem to find a solution and ittook six hours of “pacing” before the answer finallyrevealed itself.

Did you and Kathy get to return to the West Indies forCaribbee?

Sadly, no. It’s a long way from Devon, and quite anexpensive trip! However we did have over three weeksthere on location research for Seaflower, and I knewKydd would be returning there at some point in hiscareer. We took hundreds of photographs andextensive notes, so I wasn’t short of material forCaribbee. I also have a full set of electronic navigationcharts of any region, which I have to hand as I write.

I believe you and Kathy recently visited the Maritime Museum inBrest. What was the highlight for you?

I’m sorry I didn’t make it on a previous trip to France.It’s a “mustn’t miss” for sure! Preserved in the greatfortress of Brest are superb professional ship modelsmade for the court of King Louis. From the parapetsof the building, which used to be a castle, I was alsothrilled to be able to gaze out over the Gullet, whereNelson’s fleet bravely kept the seas over many years ofblockade.

How much does music mean in your life?

I find great joy in music. Along with reading and goodfood it’s one of life’s great pleasures.

Have you any skill at music? Do you play an instrument?

Sadly, although I have a good musical ear, I am anamateur in terms of skill. In the Navy I played a hornin the brass band. Great fun! Later, I bought myself avalve trombone, which I tootled on from time to time.But my musical sensibilities have become much moresophisticated and developed over time – and I could nolonger bear to hear myself play.

Do you play CDs today?I have a pretty extensive collection, largely classicalmusic. I also enjoy a BBC radio channel, Radio 3,which is great at introducing new classical pieces to itslisteners. I also download favourite pieces to my iPod tolisten to when I’m exercising.

Do you play music when you are researching or writing?

No, never, as much as I would like to, both demandequal attention. Writing for me is an all-engrossingactivity. I am a “visile” – I have to see the storyunfolding before my eyes before I can write it.

If you were cast ashore on a deserted island, what five musicalpieces would you choose to have with you?

Oh, a difficult question! But put on the spot, here theyare: Vaughan Williams, Sinfonia Antarctica; Stanford,Songs of the Sea; Lloyd Webber, Cats (I’m not really a fanof musicals but he really captures the feline spirit);Mike Oldfield, Hergest Ridge; and Sibelius, The Tempest.

Besides listening to music, what do you like to do in your sparetime?


Doesn’t seem to be much spare time these days. Kathyand I do enjoy walking – Devon has some wonderfullyscenic areas to explore – and I’m also partial to adelicious meal with all the trimmings and a good red.Again, we’re very lucky to live in Devon, as the producegrown here is next to none. We get an organicvegetable box regularly and it is always a delight to seewhat Kathy will conjure up from the exotic ingredients.

Why did you recently decide to initiate a move to a brand newwebsite

This was prompted by the retirement of the Bosun,who’d compiled a great newsletter for over ten years.But things move on, and it was a chance to look at theway I interact with my readers in a holistic sense. I wasalready tweeting, and posting on Facebook andPinterest, so it seemed a good idea to start a personalblog. A website with all the information about me andmy books plus an interactive blog seemed to fit the bill.Feedback so far has been very positive. I think social media are becoming more and moreimportant for authors today. When the first Kyddnovels came out a decade or so ago no-one had heardof Twitter and the like and blogs were uncommon.Although these are all time-consuming, I find I amenjoying the participation greatly and as long as I amdisciplined about the time I spend writing the Kyddbooks I hope to explore other possibilities, too.

What are you working on now?

I have just signed a new three-book contract for theKydd series and am busy working on book fifteen,which will come out in October next year. Its workingtitle is Pasha, but I won’t give the game away just yet. Ihave to deliver it to my publisher by January 1 – sothere’s no pressure …

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

As usual, a big thank-you for all your support! I alwayswelcome suggestions/comments at my Facebook,Twitter and Pinterest pages and via my blog, Big Jules.

Stockwin’s MaritimeMiscellanyby Julian Stockwin

(Ebury Press, $21.56, UKHardcover / $11.99, Kindleand NOOK) Julian Stockwinshares his love and know-ledge of the sea in thisentertaining collection ofmaritime stories and little-known trivia. Featuringnautical facts and feats,including superstitions at sea,the history of animals on thewaves – until 1975 when allanimals were banned fromRoyal Navy ships – and how

the inventor of the umbrella helped man the BritishNavy, it is packed with informative tales. Focusing onthe glory days of tall ships he explores marine mythsand unearths the truth behind commonly held beliefsabout the sea, such as whether Lord Nelson’s bodywas really pickled in rum to transport it back to Englandafter his death at Trafalgar. Interspersed throughout aresalty sayings showing the modern words and phrasesthat originate from the mariners of old, such as “cut ofhis jib,” “high and dry,” “the coast is clear,” “first rate”and “slush fund.”

Julian and Kathy Stockwin in a recent photo taken at the Royal WilliamVictualling Yard in Plymouth, England (photo by Amy Yeoman).

julianstockwin.comwww.facebook.com/julian.stockwin

twitter.com/julianstockwinpinterest.com/jstockwin.

CaribbeeMcBooks Press, $24.00, U.S. Hardcover / $9.99, Kindle / $12.95, NOOK


decrees that all “commerce and correspondencewith the British islands are prohibited” and thatall English subjects “who shall be found in thecountries occupied by our troops, or by thoseof our allies, shall be made a prisoner of war.” Terror sweeps through the islands, while theRoyal Navy struggles to protect merchantshipping laden with “sweet gold” bound forEuropean markets. There is action aplenty forCaptain Kydd and L’Aurore, a staple in theKydd novels, but always within the broadercontext of actual history. Intrigue ensues, as well, when Renzi’s effortsto locate a mysterious enemy base harboringmerchant raiders are turned against him,tarnishing his reputation as a sometimeintelligence agent. And during a clandestinemission to right matters, Kydd is thought tohave murdered a fellow naval officer. Stockwin’s ability to describe intricate bits ofseamanship augments his crisp prose by placingreaders smack in the midst of authentic andbelievable circumstances. In Caribbee, forinstance, he describes L’Aurore getting under-way, “close-hauled across a [a] busy roadstead,”while attempting to bring an “infernal lubber”inboard from a cutter, which is initially movingon another tack. The dramatic scene quickensthe pulse, as the frigate gains momentum,navigating through a harbor bristling withworking vessels. Thomas Kydd’s unfinished biography, as toldin Julian Stockwin’s authoritative literary voiceand style, is a captivating journey back in timeto the days of Nelson, when Britain ruled theseas under the Union Jack. Caribbee is anothercrack tale by one of the best storytellers of ourtime.

Review

by Julian Stockwin

C ARIBBEE, THE FOURTEENTHchapter in the life of CaptainThomas Kydd, is another masterstroke from the pen of English

novelist Julian Stockwin, whose splendid sagaplaces him alongside preeminent naval fictionwriters, dating back to Captain FrederickMarryat.

Stockwin’s fine sense of the seaand the men who sailed Britain’s“wooden walls” in its warsagainst Revolutionary andNapoleonic France, spliced witha brace of captivating charactersin Kydd and Nicholas Renzi,engenders first-rate highadventure. Dispatched aboard the frigateL’Aurore to the Caribbean byCommodore Popham, Kyddand Renzi return to the“beguiling transparent jadewater” and “dazzling whitebeaches” they had experiencedsome years earlier as Jack Tars

aboard the cutter Seaflower. Arriving in Barbados, with orders to requestreinforcements from the Leeward IslandsSquadron for Popham’s expedition off BuenosAires, Kydd and L’Aurore instead are takenunder the command of Admiral ThomasCochrane in defense of the strategically criticalsugar islands. Although initially delighted with the turn ofevents, Kydd unexpectedly encounters a black-hearted figure from his past, an unwelcomethreat to his career. Despite this powder kegthat may blow up at any moment, duty carrieshim forward. Napoleon, seeking revenge after Trafalgar,


THE KYDD SEA ADVENTURESby Julian Stockwin

Detail from the oil painting (and limited editionfine art print) Artemis by English marine artistGeoff Hunt, which was rendered for the coverof Julian Stockwin’s novel of the same name.

1 - Kydd(McBooks Press, $15.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Europe is ablaze with war.Young Thomas Kydd, a wig-makerfrom Guildford, is pressed aboard theDuke William. Kydd learns the harshrealities of shipboard life fast,becoming a true sailor and defenderof Britain.

2 - Artemis(McBooks Press, $15.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Kydd and shipmate NicholasRenzi sail to the Far East. Togetherthey face shipwreck, mutiny, and aconfrontation with a mighty Frenchfrigate.

3 - Seaflower(McBooks Press, $15.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Kydd has returned withevidence for the court-martial of thesole surviving officer of the Artemis,but soon finds himself shipped to theCaribbean instead. There, he andRenzi face the fury of sea and battleone more time!

4 - Mutiny(McBooks Press, $22.95, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) The Nore mutiny – as a loyalservant of the King, Kydd is expectedto turn against his friends. He mustfind a way to save himself and hisfellow sailors.

5 - Quarterdeck(McBooks Press, $16.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Kydd must pass a tough examfor his lieutenancy. Then, in Colonialwaters, he becomes enmeshed in thebirth of the American Navy and mustuse all his seamanship to thwart theenemy.

6 - Tenacious(McBooks Press, $14.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Lieutenant Thomas Kyddtakes his place upon the quarterdeck,

as part of a squadron commanded byVice Admiral Horatio Nelson. Theirmission is to scour the Mediterraneanand locate Napoleon and his army.

7 - Command(McBooks Press, $16.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Thomas Kydd takes commandof the brig-sloop Teazer and races tomake her battle-ready. When peace isdeclared, the young captain agrees totransport convicts to Australia to makeends meet. At the ends of the earth,he must prove his seamanship andhumanity against the odds.

8 - The Admiral’s Daughter(McBooks Press, $16.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Kydd is back in command ofhis beloved Teazer. After a mission tothe cost of France, he takes onsmugglers, privateers and treacherousseas in home waters, while a growingattachment to the admiral's daughterpromises to bring him everything hedesires.

9 - The Privateer’s Revenge(McBooks Press, $16.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Facing a grim future, ThomasKydd has been framed and unfairly

dismissed from his ship. He and Renzistruggle to survive in Guernsey whilethey attempt to clear Kydd's name.(This book was published asTreachery in the UK.)

10 - Invasion(McBooks Press, $16.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Rumors fly of Napoleon'splanned invasion of England, andKydd must help American RobertFulton with his latest creations. Fultonhas invented the submarine and thetorpedo – weapons of massdestruction that will change the waywar is waged on the seas forever.

11 - Victory(McBooks Press, $16.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK Napoleon Bonaparte continuesplanning for the invasion of Englandas Admiral Horatio Nelson and theRoyal Navy patrol the seas, seekingout their elusive enemy.

12 - Conquest(McBooks Press, $16.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Newly victorious at the Battleof Trafalgar, England now rules theseas and is free to colonize thefurthest reaches of the world. CaptainThomas Kydd joins an expedition totake Dutch-held Cape Town, astrategic harbor that will give Englanda rich trade route to India.

13 - Betrayal(McBooks Press, $16.00, US TradePaperback / $7.99, Kindle / $8.99,NOOK) Cape Colony is proving atiresome assignment for ThomasKydd's daring commander-in-chief,Commodore Popham. Rumours thatSouth America’s Spanish colonies arein a ferment of popular unrest and ofa treasure hoard of Spanish silver spurhim to assemble a makeshift invasionfleet and launch a bold attack on thecapital of the Viceroyalty of the RiverPlate, Buenos Aires.

14 - Caribbee (See page 9.)

Bookshelf


Betrayalby Julian Stockwin

(McBooks Press, $16.00, U.S.Trade Paperback / $9.99,KIndle / $10.99, NOOK ) CapeColony is proving a tiresomeassignment for Thomas Kydd'sdaring commander-in-chiefCommodore Popham. Rumoursthat South America's Spanishcolonies are in a ferment ofpopular unrest and of atreasure hoard of Spanish silverspur him to assemble amakeshift invasion fleet andlaunch a bold attack on thecapital of the Viceroyalty of the

River Plate, Buenos Aires. Navigating the treacherousbars and mud flats of the river, the British invasion forcelands and wins a battle against improbable odds, takingthe capital and the silver. But nothing is as simple as itseems in this region of the world: the uprising that will seethe end of Spanish rule never arrives and the locals beginto see dark conspiracies behind the invader's actions.Soon the tiny British force finds itself surrounded by anever more hostile population. The city begins to revoltagainst its liberators.

In the Hour of Victoryby Sam Willis

(Atlantic Books, £25.00, UKHardcover) Between 1794 and1815 the Royal Navyrepeatedly crushed her ene-mies at sea in a period ofmilitary dominance that equalsany in history. When Napoleoneventually died in exile, theLords of the Admiralty orderedthat the original dispatches fromseven major fleet battles – TheGlorious First of June (1794),St. Vincent (1797), Camper-down (1797), The Nile (1798),Copenhagen (1801), Trafalgar

(1805) and San Domingo (1806) – should be gatheredtogether and presented to the Nation. These letters,written by Britain’s admirals, captains, surgeons andboatswains and sent back home in the midst of conflict,were bound in an immense volume, to be admired as ajewel of British history. Sam Willis, one of Britain’s finestnaval historians, is the author of the best-selling Hearts ofOak Trilogy and the Fighting Ships Series.

Wars of the Roses: Stormbirdby Con Iggulden

(Michael Joseph, £18.99, UKHardcover) King Henry V – thegreat Lion of England – is longdead. In 1437, after years ofregency, the pious and gentleHenry VI, the Lamb, comes ofage and accedes to the Englishthrone. His poor health andfrailty of mind render him aweakling king – Henry dependson his closest men, SpymasterDerry Brewer and William de laPole, Duke of Suffolk, to run hiskingdom. Yet there are those,such as the Plantagenet

Richard, Duke of York, who believe England must be ledby a strong king if she is to survive. With England’sterritories in France under threat, and rumors of revolt athome, fears grow that Henry and his advisers will see thecountry slide into ruin. With a secret deal struck for Henryto marry a young French noblewoman, Margaret of Anjou,those fears become all too real.

Honors Renderedby Robert Macomber

(Pineapple Press, $21.95, U.S.Hardcover) 1889 … Comman-der Peter Wake has been sentto the South Pacific on adaunting mission given to himby the outgoing president,Grover Cleveland. Newly-elected President BenjaminHarrison takes office in March,but war is brewing and Cleve-land is desperate to avoid anystain on his legacy. But thathope may be too late. In the faroff Samoan Islands, theobsolete U.S. Navy is defying

the rapidly expanding German empire’s march across thePacific and its subjugation of the Samoan people, staunchallies of America and Great Britain. National honor andeconomic advantages are at stake for both Germany andthe United States. Neither side is backing down, andtension is mounting. Warships of both navies are faced offagainst each other. Across Europe and America,everyone waits for the single misstep which will ignite aworld war. Wake is to quietly find a way to defuse theconfrontation and prevent a war.


The Blood Crowsby Simon Scarrow

(Headline, £18.99, UKHardcover) This is the twelfthtitle in the Roman Legion series.For nearly ten years, theRoman Empire has foughtceaselessly to strengthen itshold over Britannia. Butopposition from native tribes ledby the ruthless warrior Cara-tacus threatens to destroyeverything. Prefect Cato andCenturion Macro are summon-ed by Governor Ostorius toLondinium. Tasked with leadinga newly formed cavalry cohort

into the heartland of Wales, they must destroy the growingresistance. But with Caratacus hatching increasinglyambitious plans and disorder threatening from withinMacro and Cato's own ranks, this final test will push thesoldiers to their limits. And if they do not emerge as victors,the Emperor Claudius's rule may be at stake, and the veryfoundations of the Roman Empire could be shattered.

Bookshelf

An Officer and a Spyby Robert Harris

(Hutchinson, £18.99, UKHardcover) From thebestselling author of Father-land, a gripping historical thrillerin which the hunter becomesthe hunted. January 1895. On afreezing morning in the heart ofParis, an army officer, GeorgesPicquart, witnesses a convictedspy, Captain Alfred Dreyfus,being publicly humiliated infront of twenty thousandspectators baying “Death to theJew!” The officer is rewardedwith promotion: Picquart is

made the French army’s youngest colonel and put incommand of “the Statistical Section” – the shadowyintelligence unit that tracked down Dreyfus. The spy,meanwhile, is given a punishment of medieval cruelty:Dreyfus is shipped off to a lifetime of solitary confinementon Devil’s Island, unable to speak to anyone, not even hisguards, his case seems closed forever.

Admiralty Ordersby Margaret Muir

(Grindelwald, $16.00, US TradePaperback / $2.99, Kindle)Captain Oliver Quintrell, facinglife-threatening events overwhich he has no control, isordered to sail to Gibraltar inthe late summer of 1804. Hisship soon becomes hemmed in,not by Spanish gunboats orFrench ships of the line, but bythe quarantine regulationswhich closed the port aroundhim. Unable to halt the loss oflife from a raging epidemic, hestrives to do his part to help

save the colony when it is at its most vulnerable. Thisnautical fiction adventure is based on actual events whichtook place in and around Gibraltar between August andDecember, 1804, including a major sea battle. It showshow ignorance and prejudice can exist in a ship, andpresents a startling portrait of life at Gibraltar – a Britishsettlement ruled by a military garrison where naval powerwas only an incidental force. This is the third title in theOliver Quintrell Series.

Hannibal – Fields of Bloodby Ben Kane

(Preface Publishing, £14.99,UKHardcover) This is the secondtitle in the Hannibal series. Thefields of Cannae provide thesetting for one of the bloodiestbattles in history. But who willtriumph? Hannibal and hiswarrior army, or the mightylegions of Rome. By Ben Kane,the Sunday Times bestsellingauthor of Hannibal: Enemy ofRome. Hannibal’s campaign todefeat Rome continues as hemarches south to confront hisenemy. With him is a young

soldier, Hanno. Like his general, Hanno burns to vanquishRome. Never has the possibility seemed so likely. But astealthy game of cat and mouse is being played asRome's generals seek to avoid confrontation. Eventuallythe two armies meet under a fierce summer sun. Theplace is Cannae - the fields of blood. The battle will godown in history as one of the bloodiest ever fought, abattle in which Hanno knows he must fight as neverbefore – just to stay alive.


The Privateersman Mysteriesby David Donachie

1 - The Devil’s Own Luck(McBooks Press, $20.95, US Trade Paperback / $7.99, Kindle /$8.99, NOOK) 1793 . . . the onset of Britain’s conflict withRevolutionary France. Harry Ludlow, forced out of the Royal Navy,becomes a privateer in partnership with his younger brotherJames. Harry and James find themselves aboard the Navy’s74-gun Magnanime. In command is a captain with whom Harryhas crossed swords in the past. When James is found standingover the body of a dead officer, Harry’s feud shifts into thebackground. From the dark bowels of this troubled ship of the line,where perversity hides in the shadows, secrets start to surfaceon all sides.

2 - The Dying Trade(McBooks Press, $23.95, US Trade Paperback / $7.99, Kindle /$8.99, NOOK) 1794 . . . For privateersman Harry Ludlow and hispartner and younger brother, James, murder and intrigue takemore of their time than the hunt for fat trading vessels. Arriving inthe squalid, seething port of Genoa, they find it a tinderbox oftension, fed by the discovery of a hanged British sea captain andpacks of English and French sailors at each other’s throats. Atthe behest of Admiral Hood, Harry is drawn into the midst of thelurid murder investigation, only to find himself mired in roilinglayers of intrigue, avarice, and danger – and the deadly charmsof a beautiful woman.

3 - A Hanging Matter(McBooks Press, $24.95, US Trade Paperback / $7.69, Kindle /$8.99, NOOK ) 1794 . . . Returning to England, Harry and Jamesbecome embroiled in a vicious struggle between rival smugglersplayed out in the English Channel. Witnesses to a bloodyconfrontation, they flee to Deal – only to find that, behind itspicturesque facade, the town is a haven for traders in contraband,seething with corruption and violence. The Ludlow brothers’search for a well-deserved rest quickly turns into a savage contest

of wills between Harry and an unseen enemy

4 - An Element of Chance(McBooks Press, $25.95, US Trade Paperback / $7.99, Kindle /$8.99, NOOK) 1795 . . . As war spreads across the globe, HarryLudlow joins the struggle for the richest trade in the world. Thenhalf his crew is illegally pressed into the Royal Navy by the viciousCaptain Toner, and Harry sets off in pursuit. Toner’s ship reachesthe West Indies with Harry close behind, and they sail into amaelstrom of piracy, corruption, and murder.

5 - The Scent of Betrayal(McBooks Press, $24.95, US Trade Paperback / $7.99, Kindle /$8.99, NOOK) 1795 . . . The discovery of an abandoned Spanishmerchant ship off the coast of America plunges the Ludlows intoa far-reaching conspiracy. The Bucephalas lies trapped under thegaping muzzles of the 32-pounder Spanish guns of New Orleans’harbor fort. It quickly becomes clear that the corridors of thegovernor’s residence are just as busy with treachery, doubled-dealing, and murder as the back alleys of the sweltering cityoutside. Harry Ludlow must win freedom for his ship in a deadlygame played out in the dark woods of the American hinterland.

6 - A Game of Bones(McBooks Press, $22.95, US Trade Paperback / $7.99, Kindle /$8.99, NOOK ) 1796 …The long-awaited return of the Bucephalasto the safety of the Cinque Ports is interrupted by a disastrousengagement in the Channel. The looming shape of amerchantman becalmed in fog presents an almost irresistibleallure. But for Harry Ludlow and his battle-weary crew, the pursuitof one last easy prize leads to a desperate fight. Yet, it is eventscloser to home that present the greater danger. As theBucephalas seeks refuge in the Solent, the red flags flutteringfrom the topmasts signal that His Majesty’s Navy has reached astate of full mutiny.


By George!Continued from page 4

The dockyard’s buildings primarily reflect the Georgianera, when this industrial complex serviced Royal Navyships, which sailed to the far reaches of the world insupport of the expanding British Empire. On this showery day, our visit was focused on theMary Rose Museum and Victory. The former is a state-of-the-art facility displaying the remains of the MaryRose, which were raised and towed into Portsmouth onOctober 11, 1982. Preserving the ship has been ascientific triumph, allowing new generations to observenaval technology from five centuries ago. Viewing the exposed timbers of this historic warship,is a remarkable experience, but I was most affected bythe personal belongings of the officers, crew membersand archers who had served and perished aboard theship. Sea chests, leather shoes, clothing, tankards, dishesand eating utensils and medical instruments were vividreminders of the human loss. Bows and arrows spokeloudly of the state of individual weapons of war. Forensic reconstructions of crew members, based onskeletal remains recovered from the wreck site putactual faces on the men of Mary Rose. Standing beforethese brave souls struck a cord deep within me. Thehorror of being caught below decks or trapped by anoverturned cannon when the ship suddenly capsized isdifficult to fathom. Just across from the Mary Rose is Victory. At present, Nelson’s flagship is without her topmasts and figure-head, while restoration work continues. Steppingthrough the entry port, the pungent aroma of pine tarswept us back in time to the Napoleonic Wars. Mindingour heads against a thumping on the low beams, wemade our way along the dimly lit decks. All the while, acaulking crew beat a steady tattoo with their woodenmallets and irons, as they drove oakum into seams onthe quarterdeck above. At the spot on the orlop deck where Nelson expiredduring the Battle of Trafalgar, there was hushed silenceas visitors paused briefly. In fact, save for the clatterfrom the quarterdeck, those aboard were reverentlyquiet as they moved along between the decks. Victory isa powerful symbol Britain’s rich maritime heritage. It’s no wonder that English novelists like DouglasReeman (Alexander Kent), Julian Stockwin, RichardWoodman and Patrick O’Brian, among others, havetaken inspiration for their fiction from visits to the

Dockyard and Victory. These men were enrapturedwith ships and the sea long before they put pen topaper to re-create an era when Britannia ruled the seas. Returning to London, we stopped at the OldAdmiralty on Whitehall. Peering through the gate, Ihalf expected to see a naval officer, wearing a cockedhat and cloak, step through the door on to thecolumned portico. Over the centuries, momentousdecisions were made within those walls, often flashedto the British fleets via semaphore stations. It washistory in the making and the stuff of brilliant navalfiction, which we take pleasure in today.

Online Book Sources

McBooks Presswww.mcbooks.com

Independent Publisher’s Group (IPG)www.ipgbook.comTel 800-888-4741

Fireship Presswww.fireshippress.com

Amazonwww.amazon.com or www.amazon.co.uk

Barnes & Noblewww.barnesandnoble.com

The Book Depositorywww.bookdepository.com

ABE Bookswww.abebooks.com

HMS Victory is undergoing a major restoration. She was last seenwithout her top masts in 1944 (photo by George Jepson).

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Quarterdeck October, 2013