Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "trafalgar"

Bellerophon’s Champion: Pennywhistle at Trafalgar by John Danielski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Distraught over being jilted by her fiancé, Pennywhistle’s beloved cousin kills herself. Thomas, a medical student, misread the signs and blames himself, which is why he intervenes when he witnesses a gentleman thrashing a woman. The cascade of events that follow forever alter his life. Instead of becoming a doctor, he joins the Royal Marines.

Three years later, on 21 October 1805, First Lieutenant Thomas Pennywhistle finds himself aboard HMS Bellerophon, a ship of the line more commonly referred to by her crew as the “Billy Ruffian.” The vessel is one of twenty-seven, approaching Cape Trafalgar and the combined fleets of France and Spain. Before long, the two enemies will engage in the battle Admiral Nelson has long sought. It will pit his ships against thirty-three ships of the line, armed with 2,636 guns and manned by 26,000 men. Nelson’s warships carry only 2,200 guns and 18,400 seamen and marines.

Since his commander suffers from consumption, Thomas is responsible for the men serving under him. He is an excellent marksman and hunter, but has never applied either talent in fighting. The coming conflict will provide the perfect opportunity to test his skills in actual battle. He has also provided some of the crew with sword-fighting instruction, so they might better defend the ship if boarded. The two second lieutenants serving with him are Luke Higgins and Peter Wilson.

Higgins is an Irishman, the youngest officer aboard, and only joined the marines eight weeks earlier. From Thomas’s perspective, Higgins likens “the great conflict ahead [to] a giant version of some schoolyard tussle.” (30) Yet he has the determination and passion to be a hero, and he wants to emulate Pennywhistle, who he sees as an older brother.

Wilson may have gentlemanly manners and a sharp mind, but few trust him. Nor does it help that he’s particularly adept at playing cards and is owed money by many of the officers. Joining the marines wasn’t his preferred option, but it was the only way that he could disappear before becoming embroiled in a legal suit. The last thing he wishes to become is a hero and he’s not particularly keen to stand in harm’s way during the forthcoming battle. Thomas finds him disturbing, and the ring Wilson wears also niggles at Thomas’s memory, but he hasn’t a clue why that might be.

The story unfolds from the perspectives of a variety of characters, including those mentioned above and the Bellerophon’s captain, schoolmaster, several crewmen and marines, the surgeon, and two women – Mary Stevenson, the gunner’s pregnant wife, and Nancy Overton, whose husband is the sailing master. This diversity allows readers to experience the breadth of battle in all its horror and glory. There are also a number of animals aboard, whose antics before, during, and after the battle provide humorous interludes and grim reality that contrasts with the experiences of the men and women.

The battle commences at noon, and the twenty-six chapters depicting it provide more than enough evidence to prove it was a “long and bloody affray,” as one character foresees. But the first fourteen chapters show how each character prepares and what he or she thinks prior to the first shot being fired. These pages may not pass quickly, yet they allow readers to get a feel for the slow passage of time that the participants experience, or as the author writes “the minutes were moving at the pace of crippled turtles traversing fields of molasses” – a passage that vividly describes the battle when the wind slackens as much as it does the long wait for the engagement to begin. (147)

Although this is the fourth Pennywhistle book to be published, it actually takes place prior to the previous books in the series and it explains how Thomas comes to join the Royal Marines. The only drawback to the story is the lack of proofreading. There are too many misspellings, missing words, duplicated words, and misplaced apostrophes to go unnoticed. Yet the author has a gift of crafting phrases that vividly get the point across, as when he compares an amputation to peeling an onion.

Danielski expertly depicts the battle in a way that compels readers to keep reading in spite of the gruesome and brutal realities of war. He makes readers care about the characters, which makes for poignant, gut-wrenching scenes, while at the same time portrays the determination and self-sacrifice the participants willingly made to protect others. He also commendably demonstrates that war cares little for who and what a man is or does. A man might overcome a personal struggle only to be removed from the action without rhyme or reason.




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Favourite of Fortune: Captain John Quilliam Trafalgar Hero by Andrew D. Lambert

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A native son of the Isle of Man, John Quilliam is feted in artwork and museums there. Elsewhere, few know his name or what he achieved during his lifetime. Favourite of Fortune changes this.

Quilliam, the eldest of seven children, was baptized in 1771; it is the only historical record of his existence until he left the island in 1785. Once he joined the Royal Navy, he rose from able seaman through the ranks to become a post-captain. Early in his career, he served aboard the ship that carried Britain’s first ambassador to China. He took part in the fleet actions at Camperdown, Copenhagen, and Trafalgar. As the fourth most important figure aboard Victory during the last battle, he would be included in Benjamin West’s painting depicting Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson’s death.

During two plus decades of service, he came to the notice of influential men and numbered Nelson, James de Saumarez, and Richard Keats among his friends. He also acquired the necessary skills, experience, judgment, and perseverance that made him a good officer. He possessed an uncanny knack for refitting and repairing vessels, while his varied experiences included convoy and blockade duty, shipwreck, smugglers, privateers, Spanish gold, and prize money. He served on a court martial and was later brought up on charges even though he was obeying secret orders. Even after his retirement, he maintained an interest in the navy and in technology, especially if the innovation might help save sailors’ lives.

From historical records, the authors provide an almost complete timeline of his naval career and strip away the inaccuracies and myths surrounding him. They incorporate maps, illustrations, and end notes, as well as a bibliography, glossary, and index. Each author has a connection to this man, be it a familial relationship or through research. They combine their knowledge of the Royal Navy, the Isle of Man, and this “man who steered the Victory at Trafalgar” to craft an authoritative, yet highly readable biography. (vii)




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Clay and the Immortal Memory by Philip K. Allan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Invasion. This single word sums up Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte’s most ardent wish: to claim England as his own. But the British Royal Navy blockades France’s ports and while he has enough barges to carry his troops across the Channel, he lacks enough ships of the line to go up against this irritating foe. During 1804, his shipwrights build new ships as fast as they can. He has also reached a secret accord with Spain that will soon allow him to sufficiently increase his naval forces. What he does not have and what he has no control over are two elements that his admirals deem essential: calm waters and no enemy ships. He is certain, however, that 1805 will resolve these issues and he will have the victory he desires.

Francois Brissot is excited to join the crew of the 74-gun Redoubtable at Toulon. He only hopes she will not be relegated to sitting in the harbor as happened to his previous ship because of the British blockade. Once aboard, he finds that many of the men are new to the sea, but he has a way of leading and training them that strikes a jealous chord with the first lieutenant, Camille Dupotet. The rivalry deepens after Redoubtable fails to elude the British patrol blockading the harbor and Francois is the only officer to suggest a creative way that might give them the edge the next time they confront the enemy.

Successfully preventing the French from capturing a convoy from China provides Captain Alexander Clay and his men the opportunity to return to England. Monsoon winds are less accommodating, requiring him to venture close to the French base in the Indian Ocean. As a result, the Griffin is doggedly pursued by three enemy ships; an ingenious ruse allows him to escape unnoticed. Once they are in the Atlantic, they happen upon a French fleet and Clay faces a dilemma: pursue this fleet or head to the nearest British base to report the enemy’s whereabouts.

A bit closer attention to copyediting would have corrected some misspellings, but these are not sufficient to disturb the reader’s enjoyment of this tenth adventure in the Alexander Clay series. My one complaint is that the French characters speak more like their English counterparts than as Frenchmen. This tends to weaken the feel of the French world they inhabit.

Allan does a commendable job portraying both the tedium of daily ship life and the intensity of those occasional bouts of nail-biting action. He deftly weaves humor or anguish into his scenes. One example of the former occurs when one of Sean O’Malley’s schemes backfires. One example of the latter takes place aboard Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Clay and the Immortal Memory is a tale of Napoleon’s successful maneuverings to strike a devastating blow against the British that eventually culminates in the Battle of Trafalgar. Readers get to view these events from both perspectives. The focus, however, is on the aftermath of the clash, which proves just as riveting as the battle. Fans of this series will enjoy this latest adventure.


This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers (http://www.cindyvallar.com/Allan.html...)




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Conquest by Julian Stockwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Soon after the victory at Trafalgar and the death of Lord Horatio Nelson, the Russian tsar and the Austrians capitulate, leaving the Coalition against Napoleon Bonaparte in ruins and Britain once again alone in her struggle against the French. Having escorted Nelson’s body home, Thomas Kydd and his men expect to join the nation in mourning their beloved hero. The Admiralty has other plans. L’Aurore is to rendezvous with Commodore Home Popham. No other information is provided; simply get to Madeira as quickly as possible.

Kydd dislikes being kept in the dark, but the need goes far beyond whatever he may imagine. Napolean began the race for empire, but now that Britain rules the seas, it is time for her to launch her own imperial expansion. The first objective is to take command of Cape Town in south Africa, settled by the Dutch who are now allied with the French.

To maintain secrecy, the fleet sails westward to Brazil, but all does not go as planned. Kydd’s frigate escorts the slower transport ships, while the rest of the fleet continues on as planned. In the dark of night, the dreaded call of “Breakers!” is heard. No sooner is that danger processed than Kydd realizes there is also land to their other side. Trapped with no idea as to where they are and how to extricate themselves from this dangerous situation, Kydd anchors and warns the rest of his flock to do the same. Dawn reveals that not all the ships in his care have weathered as well, so by the time they finally arrive in African waters, the army’s horses, men, and artillery are greatly depleted. Still, there is little else to do but carry on and Kydd is assigned as naval liaison, which means he must go ashore and witness the battle rather than being an active participant – a fact that greatly chafes.

Despite their small amphibious force, the British succeed, almost too easily. It doesn’t take long to discover why the town capitulates so easily – there is but a few days’ worth of food left and starvation threatens. With the help of Nicholas Renzi as Colonial Secretary, General Baird begins work as the new governor. The townsfolk must be won over and there is still the Dutch army who has retreated to a mountain stronghold to deal with. And any day now, French squadrons that patrol the waters around Africa and the Indian Ocean are certain to launch their own attack to reclaim Cape Town for their emperor.

On one coastal patrol, Kydd and his men happen upon a shipwreck with seemingly only one survivor. With the help of a translator, it is soon revealed that others set off on foot. Knowing the dangers these stalwart individuals face, Kydd is determined to find them before they all are lost. That kindness is later returned when information about an impending attack leads Renzi to trek into the wild bush in hopes of verifying the existence of this secret army, while Kydd risks a court-martial and the loss his men’s respect when he abandons a sea fight to discover the true reason for the enemy frigate’s dogged pursuit of them.

This twelfth installment in the Thomas Kydd series provides an exotic locale that is vividly recreated by Stockwin. The perils and beauty are keenly experienced, and the adventures, both at sea and on land, are riveting. There is the mysterious warning of the Ox-eye, a reunion with a circus strongman from Kydd’s past, a reclusive French woman, and a battle in which camels and a fog-horn play key roles. Treachery and intrigue abound, leaving Kydd and Renzi, as well as readers, wondering who to trust. Conquest is thrilling adventure with high stakes that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.


(This review was originally published at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Stockwin.h...)




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