Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "invasion"

Fletcher and the Flying Machine by John Drake

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Nothing normal happens to Fletcher (also known as Sir Jacob Fletcher or Jacky Flash). Unless you’ve encountered one of his previous escapades, the names probably mean little, so who is he? He’s the illegitimate son of a knight of the realm, who never wanted to be in the Sea Service, but was impressed into the navy upon the devious scheming of the one woman who abhors him – Lady Sarah Coignwood, his stepmother. He also has a particular interest in the latest technology of the time – 1803 to 1804 in this case – and the more radical the concept the better. This encounter involves aerial navigation and a flying carriage.

When our story opens, Fletcher is on the outs with the Admiralty in spite of the country being at war with France. To pass the days, he’s spending time with his sister in the countryside, where he encounters ingenious neighbors. A young boy named Arthur Bayley and his grandfather are flying a kite, but theirs is no ordinary flying machine. This one is big enough and strong enough to carry a man. His fascination piqued, Fletcher immediately befriends them and, during the ensuing days, learns that he’s going to be recalled into active service. Arthur, who is struck by a bit of hero worship, requests that he be allowed to go to sea with Fletcher – a boon that Fletcher grants even though he’s wary of ever regaining the Admiralty’s favor.

Of course, he does, but hasn’t a clue as to why. The assignment initially seems enticing until he discovers no one else wants it. Why? Because the Sea Service is unable to provide all he needs to carry out his mission, which is protecting the whole of Ireland from a French invasion. The Irish, who are forever at odds with themselves, have united in hopes of gaining Bonaparte’s assistance in rising up against the English and tossing them out of Ireland. The British have no intention of allowing this, but there are many things that can go wrong, which makes Fletcher just the man for the job. He will either sink or swim and, should he sink, he’s the perfect scapegoat.

Setting Fletcher up to take the fall isn’t that unusual. His knack for out-of-the-box thinking has saved his life and those of his men, as well as the honor of the Sea Service and the country, more than once before. Being kept in the dark about certain matters puts Fletcher on his toes and he adeptly manages with what he’s got and each and every man under him gives his all, including Bayley. A ship fire, a lopsided sea battle pitting Fletcher’s meager squadron against French warships, a fractious alliance between Irish rivals, the captivating Irish woman (deemed a witch by some) who keeps them united, and a haughty, by-the-book dragoon lead Fletcher on a merry, but bloody, escapade that eventually lands him in jail. But machinations – both good and bad – are afoot to once again employ Fletcher in an impossible scheme to extricate a Russian grand duchess from a Baltic castle that’s been under siege for two years. If the honorable and esteemed Edward Pellew couldn’t manage it, how in the world will Fletcher?

This is my first foray into Admiral Sir Jacob Fletcher’s memoirs, but this seventh book in the series is a rousing romp. Drake expertly crafts a serpentine labyrinth that neatly combines the improbable with the outlandish in a manner that is both believable and compelling. There are moments of levity, but Drake tells it as it is, neither sugarcoating the violence nor avoiding compromising situations of a more intimate nature, which is why this book is for mature readers. He includes a gripping depiction of why seamen fear fire, and historical details and navy life are seamlessly interwoven into the story.

Fletcher is an “enormous” character – both literally and figuratively – who is larger-than-life and charismatic in ways that endear him to the common man even though he stands on the quarterdeck, otherwise known as officer territory.
The majority of the story unfolds from his first-person perspective with occasional interludes to provide readers with a fuller account of what transpires. The Rev. Dr. Samuel Pettit, who transcribes Fletcher’s twenty-five-volume memoirs, inserts intermittent bracketed comments that chastise or contradict Fletcher. Third-person scenes share background glimpses of the story that Fletcher has no way of knowing but are key to fully understanding what transpires.

Fletcher and the Flying Machine is riveting, complex, preposterous, and entertaining. Whether you’re a diehard fan of Jacky Flash or a newcomer like Arthur Bayley, Drake will soon snare you in an audacious adventure that eagerly has you waiting for another madcap adventure.

(Review originally posted at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/JDrake.htm...)



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Invasion by Julian Stockwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Having cleared his name, Thomas Kydd returns to his beloved Teazer albeit with a new first lieutenant who is reliable but neither ambitious nor innovative. Orders return them to the coast of France to search for enemy vessels. These are to be destroyed or taken in any way possible, for Napoleon is preparing to invade England and the Royal Navy is the country’s first line of defense. Upon encountering an enemy escorting a British prize, Kydd attempts a night boarding to retake the ship. The unsuccessful bid results in Nicholas Renzi, Kydd’s longtime friend and ship’s clerk, to suggest an alternative. The risk is high, but Kydd takes the chance. The result makes Admiral Saumarez realize that Kydd and Teazer are needed elsewhere where they can be used to better effect.

Kydd’s new orders assign him to Admiral Keith’s Downs Squadron, situated near the English Channel and close to the action. A brief meeting with his commanding officer makes it clear that on this station, Kydd’s first duty is to destroy the enemy no matter what. First, though, he must learn exactly what he faces and how dire the situation is for his country. This takes him to London where he becomes privy to closely guarded information about Napoleon’s plans and capabilities, as well as English plans to thwart the invasion. The newspapers are also rife with rumors of all sorts of strange inventions that the French emperor will use to achieve his goal of conquering England. Kydd’s secret meetings reveal that anything, even the most preposterous idea, may indeed be possible. Before long, he discovers the reality of this and the dilemma it poses to the way naval wars are fought.

During this time, Kydd returns home to visit his family. The experience makes him realize just how much he has changed since he first departed Guilford as a wigmaker. He decides if he wishes to go any further in his career, he must reenter society. To that end he hires a special tutor to turn him into the gentleman he must be to hobnob with those with power and influence.

Renzi, on the other hand, is summoned to a secret tête-à-tête to which not even Admiral Keith is privy. He is asked to participate in the negotiations for a prisoner exchange, although this is merely a cover for his real purpose. The cartel ship will get him into France and while there, he is tasked with finding an inventive American and persuading him to work for the English, whom he detests, instead of Napoleon. Otherwise, Renzi must kill him.

This tenth installment of the Kydd Sea Adventures provides a rousing fresh perspective about the invasion threat that England faced during the Napoleonic Wars. Stockwin draws the reader in with danger and possibilities and then clearly shows the personal struggle that seamen faced as new ideas threaten duty, morality, and traditional rules of engagement. Woven into this excellent tapestry are elements of everyday naval life, such as the savagery of sea combat and hand-to-hand fighting, searching for an AWOL crew member, and edge-of-your-seat lifesaving gambles. At the same time, readers glimpse life in Paris during the war and what it’s like for an enemy to openly walk the streets there. Equally compelling are the scientific inventions that are introduced, the conflicts they arouse, and how personal experiences can be melded with new ideas to provide alternative ways of achieving goals. Along the way, readers meet such historic people as Robert Fulton, William Pitt, Admiral Keith, and Captain Frances Austen (Jane Austen’s brother). Invasion is a thought-provoking experience filled with exploits to interest fans of historical fiction, nautical fiction, and even steampunk.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates & Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Stockwin.h...)




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The Sugar Winds by Lyle Garford

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


In December 1799, Jamaica’s governor sets in motion a secret invasion plan under the direction of Royal Navy Captain Horatio Nelson and Army Captain John Polson. Nelson, new to the region, lacks knowledge of the Spanish Main, so Sir James Standish recommends Owen Spence. Forced out of the Royal Navy on false charges in the past, he is a trader who spies for the Crown.

Spain has entered America’s War of Independence, which leads to shortages and hardship in the Caribbean. Instrumental in bringing necessities to Barbados, Owen fears the situation will only worsen and further endanger England’s West Indian colonies. Aside from sharing his knowledge with Nelson and Polson, he also ventures to Spanish ports to garner information both for the planned invasion and for his spymaster.

The direness facing Owen’s family and friends on Barbados only worsens when a major hurricane strikes. Its damage is far-reaching, affecting many of the Caribbean islands, and Owen and his crew do what they can to supply food and materials to their home base, as well as islands that are technically enemy territory but whose inhabitants often provide him with vital information.

Equally concerning are the rumors of a French invasion. Owen must find out whether they are grounded in fact or are just misinformation. If the former, what is the enemy’s intended target? Ferreting out the truth requires courage, daring, and the willingness to infiltrate French territory. In doing so, he also learns that an old nemesis is present. What he does not know is that this nemesis is aware of his presence.

The book reads like a series of vignettes that relate historical events without deep involvement by the principal characters. Owen is an observer, an essential skill for someone who gathers information, but his being so means the reader also watches from the sidelines instead of being fully immersed in the story. For example, the fleet battle between the British and the French unfolds as Owen and his men watch from a safe distance, except when an enemy vessel intends to run through them to escape a Royal Navy ship. Owen’s impressions of what he witnesses or experiences are what help tie the narrative together.

Several interwoven threads also bind the story together. One involves Owen’s struggles between duty and love. Another concerns slavery, which is somberly portrayed when Owen and his crew come to the aid of a ship in distress. The third involves the unfair treatment of island inhabitants when outsiders invade. Garford does a commendable job showing the controversial complexity of Admiral Rodney, a man determined to enrich his pockets while also being a skilled tactician. Equally noteworthy is his portrayal of the Zong massacre, an incident that impacts Owen in unexpected ways as this trilogy draws to a close.

The Sugar Winds takes place in the opening years of the 1780s. It is a time when world events have a great impact on the West Indies, yet most readers are unaware of these incidents, such as the capture of St. Eustatius and the Battle of the Saintes. Readers familiar with the previous titles will enjoy finding out what happens to the various characters. Newcomers with an interest in obscure history will find the happenings here illuminating.



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