Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "spithead"

Mutiny by Julian Stockwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Thomas Kydd, now a master’s mate, returns in this fourth book that takes place in 1797. His promotion means he and his friend have separated. While Nicholas Renzi is aboard a 74-gun ship-of-the-line, Thomas serves on Achilles (64) where he makes a new friend, who doesn’t always approve of what Thomas does. He finds his mood turning morose from being separated from Nicholas. This changes somewhat after two encounters. One involves a married woman, and the other a drunken, but veteran, sailor with a low opinion of the Royal Navy.

The fortuitous arrival of Nicholas’s vessel reunites the two friends and, when the opportunity presents itself to forego the mindless routine of being anchored at Gibraltar, they volunteer for a special mission to Venice. Being circumspect is a necessary part of their assignment, which proves both a blessing and a hindrance. It is carnivale, a time when everyone wears masks, which makes it difficult to tell friend from foe. Renzi is acquainted with the city and speaks Italian, but the visit stirs up memories that drive a wedge between him and Thomas, as well as the others accompanying them. An additional complication is a clandestine pact between Austria and France that impacts Venice and endangers their lives and their freedom.

When Kydd finally returns to Achilles, he finds an unhappy ship. Some crew replacements are men given little choice in joining the navy. With orders to return to England, the ship sails for home. Thomas senses the brewing tempest, and news of the fleet’s mutiny at Spithead merely adds to his growing unease. The captain’s attempt to forestall the men from joining that ill-fated revolt backfires when the ships anchored at Nore also rise up against the Admiralty. Conflicted, Thomas wavers between being an officer now and a seaman before, until a new love interest, a dishonest gentleman, and a charismatic mutineer push him closer and closer to a fateful decision.

This volume in the Thomas Kydd novels focuses more on the mental and behavioral aspects of sea life, particularly as they affect Thomas and Nicholas. Each portrayal differs based on each man’s character traits and past experiences, with striking differences and similarities that strain their friendship almost to the breaking point. Rather than concentrate on the better-known mutiny at Spithead, Stockwin portrays the subsequent insurrection at Nore. The seamen’s discontent is justified, but the Admiralty’s response differs between the two anchorages. This is convincingly shown via scene shifts between London and Nore, as well as the almost palpable tug-of-war waging within Kydd. Equally well-rendered are the confusion and precariousness of carnivale, and the tragic death that leads to Thomas’s first true encounter with love. Commodore Horatio Nelson and Kydd’s first fleet action are artfully entwined with the major story threads. Mutiny provides readers with the feel of being swept into a maelstrom where the only way to endure is to hold on tight and hope to survive.


This review first appeared at Pirates and Privateers (March 2023) at http://www.cindyvallar.com/Stockwin.h...



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