Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "treachery"

Greek Fire by James Boschert

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


In 1176 Talon de Gilles and his friends languish in the port of Acre at the start of the fourth book in the Talon series. Having captured a ship, they don’t know what to do with it. There’s also a dispute as to who actually owns the vessel; the Templars claim it belongs to them since Talon belongs to the order. The freed galley slaves can find no work and the city is both expensive to live in and inundated with squalor. Tempers flare and Talon and his friends find themselves in jail, where it takes Sergeant Templar Max Bauersdorf three days to track them down.

Sir Guy de Veres, a senior knight in the order, is in need of a warship with a reliable crew. Talon’s galley suits his purpose, but he insists that they leave late at night to prevent the various spies within the city from getting wind of his secret mission. The documents he carries are for the Byzantine emperor, so speed and tact are essential. Once again, Talon, who’s not particularly fond of boats, finds himself at sea on a journey into the unknown. Aside from Sir Guy and Max, the entourage includes the Byzantine emissary Alexios Kalothesos, who at first looks down upon Talon, but soon comes to admire Talon’s eagerness to master what he doesn’t know and to call him friend.

While visiting Alexios’s home, Talon and Max recognize another foreigner, the Genoese merchant whom they blame for the murder of a fellow Templar while they were in Egypt. Max wants to avenge the death of their friend, but Talon urges greater caution. Caravello Levaggi appears to be a simple merchant, but appearances are deceiving. In actuality, he’s there to meet with someone of importance in the Byzantine government. Both men wish to topple the current regime, and they plan to do so with the help of an Arab pirate fleet and a highly-prized, but carefully guarded, Byzantine weapon – Greek fire, which can even burns on water – because there is no defense against it.

The Byzantine emperor seems amenable to Sir Guy’s proposals, but he insists that Talon remain in Byzantium while Sir Guy returns to the Templars. During this interlude, Talon becomes better acquainted with the political and cultural affairs of the city, and even joins Alexios in playing a game of Tzykanion. But Talon’s skill makes him two powerful enemies: the son of the traitorous government official and the emperor’s brother. When the emperor decides to lead an offensive against the Turks, Talon is ordered to accompany the army. Alexios’s urging of caution at a dangerous point in the campaign falls on deaf ears and he, Talon, and Max discover too late that the army marches into a devastating and brutal ambush from which none of them emerge unscathed.

To aid the reader in keeping track of who’s who and where’s what, the author has included maps of the Byzantine Empire in 1165 and Constantinople, as well as a list of characters and who they are. One drawback is that the story could do with a second proofreading to correct minor errors in spelling and punctuation.

The first half of this story provides interesting details about Byzantium and lays necessary groundwork for understanding what unfolds, but doesn’t hold the reader’s interest quite as well as previous titles in the series. One notable change in this volume is Talon no longer keeps his separation from the woman he loves and his stalwart friend from his days among the assassins at the forefront of his thoughts. Aside from an early reference to them, no further mention is made until much later, whereas in previous books there were constant reminders and mentions of them. Fate once again thwarts his attempts to return to Syria, yet with his focus more on what to do with his ship than on his primary goal of finding them, the purpose in going to the Middle East gets lost in Greek Fire. Even so, readers who stick with the adventure are amply rewarded once the army leaves on campaign and Talon encounters treachery, amorous women, and other men trained as assassins whose mission it is to kill Talon, as well as some of his friends. There are also tense, riveting scenes involving the Arab pirates, Greek fire, and Talon’s well-honed skills at subterfuge and stealth.




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Leeward by Katie Daysh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The time: August 1798. The place: Aboukir Bay, Egypt. This novel opens with a nail-biting, edge-of-your seat, you-are-there moment during the Battle of the Nile when the flagship of the French navy explodes. Neither you nor the captain of HMS Lion escape unscathed. His wounds are deep and abiding, physical and traumatic. Astute readers also perceive the first glimmer that Leeward will not be your typical British Royal Navy tale set during the Age of Nelson. And this debut novel will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who venture into this maelstrom of manipulation, deception, courage, and love, will be richly rewarded.

Accepting a new post in the Caribbean is not Captain Hiram Nightingale’s preference, but two years have passed since his injuries during the Battle of the Nile, and his father and father-in-law think it is for the best. Granted, Admiral Nightingale always thinks he knows what is best for his son. Sir William Haywood has promised to help Hiram walk the fine line between ship and shore, seamanship and politics, in this assignment. Except upon his arrival, he discovers plans have changed and he has new orders. He is to take command of HMS Scylla and pursue mutineers aboard a rogue navy ship as powerful as his own.

Old emotions of doubt and terror surface, but he soon finds that being captain is second nature to him. Still, there are problems he must deal with – a first lieutenant who questions his commands, friction between two of his lieutenants, a despondent crew – but he manages to do his duty and slowly gains the loyalty of his men . . . or at least most of them. Disaster strikes after they capture a Spanish prize, which results in a mockery of an ad hoc court martial, and the revelation of two secrets, both of which should have been disclosed before he took command of Scylla. Now, he may lose his ship and innocents aboard the rogue warship may die as a result.

Daysh is adept at weaving picturesque and fresh phrases that perfectly capture the moment. One example is “Time congealed into thick molasses.” (18) From time to time, she entwines chapters of backstory with those that take place in 1800. Initially the reason for this is unclear, but each incident provides glimpses into past events that shaped Nightingale to be the man he is, as well as the scars these left that continue to haunt him in the present. There are many emotions with which readers will empathize. Those seeking adventure experience enormous waves, tempests at sea, fire, amputation, treachery, manipulation, and sea fights. Decisions made may surprise, but they showcase how staying true to oneself and being resolute in one’s decisions are the only ways to move beyond the past and begin anew.




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

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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Left for Dead: Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World by Eric Jay Dolin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


On the cusp of the War of 1812, an American ship sets sail on a sealing expedition. The master, Charles Bernard, and the owners understand the risks, but if this venture proves successful, the skins and oil will garner them a sizable profit.

Although Charles is captain of this expedition, he is not the only master aboard. In fact, there are four others. Three sign on as partners in the venture; the fourth is Charles’s father. The remaining members of the expedition are eight crewmen and Charles’s dog, Cent.

Nanina reaches the Falklands on 7 September 1812. With five masters aboard, strife becomes an issue – one that is aggravated when another ship arrives with a letter from the owners. Since war has been declared between the United States and Great Britain, the owners urge Charles and the others to come home, but they ignore the request. As a result, their later encounter with shipwrecked passengers and crew from a British brig will have dire consequences for the Americans despite a peaceful accord with the survivors. Some will become prisoners of war; Charles and four others become stranded on one of the Falklands where they face inhospitable conditions for more than a year.

Black-and-white pictures depict people, floral, fauna, and places throughout the book; there is also a color section of photographs. The galley lacks an index, but it will be included in the published book. Much of the information imparted comes from period journals and documents.

Few readers will be aware of this historical event, one earmarked by betrayal, danger, and survival. Dolin does a masterful job of relating what transpires in a way that reads more like adventure fiction. He makes it clear from the start that this is not a treatise or exposé on seal hunting; this is a recounting of what happened and how it unfolded during a time of war and a time when sealing was an acceptable commercial venture. Human strengths and frailties are vividly recounted in ways that make readers wonder how such events can occur, and yet, viewing them through a modern lens, makes it clear that human nature hasn’t really changed much in the two centuries separating this event and today.


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




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