Cindy Vallar's Blog, page 12

Review of Alexander Rose's The Lion and the Fox

The Lion and the Fox: Two Rival Spies and the Secret Plot to Build a Confederate Navy by Alexander Rose

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


When civil war comes to the United States, the Union possesses forty-two warships of various sizes. The Confederate States of America have one. Their attorney general, Judah Benjamin, wants to change this and he knows just the man to accomplish this, James Bulloch is not your run-of-the-mill sea captain; in addition to the usual skills of an officer, he is knowledgeable about the latest nautical technology (steam) and has helped to build ships. More importantly, he is least likely to be seen as someone the Union should be leery of. He works for a Northern steam company. He’s a civilian. He has no land in the South. He seems innocuous, because he keeps personal opinions to himself. In reality, he is Southern born and bred and he possesses just the right traits to make him the right man for the job: guile, cunning, restraint, and obscurity.

Late in 1861, Thomas Dudley and his family arrive in Liverpool, England. It is a city with a vicious and volcanic reputation, teeming with people of ill repute. It is the last place the devout Quaker wants to be, but he has little choice. He is the new American counsel and is determined to do whatever he can to abolish slavery. One of his tasks is to doggedly pursue Bulloch and prevent him from carrying out his mission for the Confederacy.

Lacking the necessities to build their own navy, the Confederacy must go overseas to gain a fleet of modern, deadly vessels. To that end, Bulloch and Benjamin devise a three-point plan. Bulloch’s first objective is to purchase blockade-runners that will smuggle in needed weaponry and ammunition. Then he will acquire commerce-raiders capable of harassing Union merchant ships to such an extent that President Lincoln will have to reassign vessels currently on blockade duty to hunt down enemy ships. Finally, Bulloch will design and have built two ironclad warships capable of causing untold damage and confusion to the United States Navy. The ultimate goal is to gain British support as a Confederate ally. He and Benjamin think these are highly achievable outcomes. There is just one flaw: the Union knows the who and what. They just don’t know where Bulloch is. But Dudley is determined to thwart them no matter what.

This book contains a few pictures of key people and ships, as well as a double-page spread showing 1860s’ Liverpool. Notes, a bibliography, and an index are also included. Readers get to see how Bulloch operated and how Dudley finally pierced his “wall of secrecy.” The final chapter explains what happened to each principal player.

Readers familiar with the history of the Confederate navy may know about some of the ships that Bulloch acquires. After all, one of them is the most famous and successful commerce raider CSS Alabama, captained by Rafael Semmes. What may be both new and illuminating are the behind-the-scenes sly scheming and artful trickery, or the Union’s diligent pursuit of Bulloch. Rose deftly weaves together characters and elements to craft a true account of espionage and counterespionage: a quintessential maverick, a lace-and-chandelier front man, a private investigator, a mole in the Foreign Office, a drunk captain who runs into a coal brig, a rooster that crows at a critical moment, legal manipulation, arms trafficking, racism, phantom ships, mutiny, a sea duel, bigamy, and betrayal.


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




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Review of Victoria McCombs's Silver Bounty

Silver Bounty by Victoria McCombs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Dressed in his old uniform, Arn Mangelo masquerades as a naval officer captured by pirates. It is a dangerous plan; the king is out to destroy all pirates – especially turncoats like himself – and a rift has developed between himself and the man posing as his captor. Not to mention the fact that some of the crew blame Arn for the slaughter of half their comrades. Or that a debt is coming due and the form of that retribution may be more dear than he can afford. The primary reason he participates in this risky venture (to trick other imprisoned officers into revealing the king’s whereabouts) is to save the love of his life, Emme.

Time is not her friend. They both know this. Emme is bound by an oath and she is sick – both will kill her if they do not acquire the healing tonic and she fails to deliver on her promise. She loves Arn, but is he willing to forego the sea and live on land for her? This is but one question she confronts during their voyage, for she also deals with loss and the grief that accompanies it. Another is whether she dare trust the man Arn brings back to the ship (an acquaintance whom no one trusts but who claims to have access to the king). And then there’s the old fortune teller who predicts that Emme will be a catalyst – one that brings death to many – whether she lives or dies.

Stabbed by the Nightlock Thief and believed to be dead, Emric discovers the opposite is true. Instead, he’s in limbo on a cursed island that refuses to release those relegated to spend eternity there. The island is not a solitary prison; another is imprisoned here too, but she is heartless and single-minded. She possesses one chance to seek help, but refuses to use it. Emric, however, has no such qualms. When his companion is otherwise occupied, he summons the mermaid whom he loves. Coral agrees to help, but in doing so, each prisoner loses something precious because the island is reticent to release its prisoners. Is Emric willing to make such a sacrifice?

Silver Bounty is the second book in The Royal Rose Chronicles. Although readers new to the series need not have read the first to follow this story, they may be less invested in the characters. All readers will need to decipher some sentences to figure out how they should read (examples: “blood with be spilled” instead of “blood will be spilled” (25) or “into my pocked” rather than “into my pocket” (248).) There are enough that some readers may become annoyed.

Love and betrayal are key themes here, as is the fact that all actions, regardless of how large or small, have consequences. And those outcomes are rarely what the characters or the readers expect – earmarks of a dexterous weaver of tales. Clues abound for the many twists and surprises that occur. But at no time does the author betray the reader; each revelation makes sense and heightens the stakes because McCombs lays the necessary groundwork.

She also does well eliciting readers’ emotions and in portraying Emme’s illness. Beware, though, this is a tale that incorporates violence, including what the pirates (and others) seek from the king. There are villains to loathe and heroes to like and others who fall somewhere in between. All story threads are satisfactorily resolved, yet there are compelling kernels in the conclusion that entice readers to venture into book three.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-fant...)



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Review of Matthew Norton's The Punishment of Pirates

The Punishment of Pirates: Interpretation and Institutional Order in the Early Modern British Empire by Matthew Norton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Off the coast of West Africa in 1722, two forces engage in battle. It is not a conflict between nations. Rather, it pits the Royal Navy against pirates. The latter fight for their very existence. The former is intent on eradicating these seafaring vermin. So, when the two come together, the pirates understand their choices. They can surrender and hang, or they can fight and die. With death the inevitable outcome, they choose to fight. Bartholomew Roberts will be one of the lucky ones, cut down by enemy fire. But the majority of his men will face the hangman’s noose.

Inevitable death was not always the only option pirates faced. Once, the British government and society either welcomed or tolerated the pirates, especially during the 17th century. But time and circumstances eventually led to a shift in public and private opinion and by 1717, the government and the people had had enough. By the end of the following decade, piracy ceased to be an all-encompassing problem that endangered lives and livelihoods or threatened the very existence of the British empire. The Punishment of Pirates examines how and why this transformation occurred and what methods were tried, tested, and proved effective in stamping out piracy.

Battles at sea and trials and executions often come to mind as examples of how the government struck out against piracy. But, as Norton ably demonstrates, these were not the only ways in which they attacked the problem. First, he analyzes how “pirate” and “piracy” came to be defined. He identifies who wished to institute law and order to stem the violence that characterized England’s colonial maritime world during the 1600s. He discusses the strengths and weaknesses in the laws that were enacted. In the process, readers learn about the inner workings of the government and the actions that laid the foundation for Britain to become a maritime superpower. Secondly, he focuses on institutions and their power to alter society to conform to what they deem right and proper. Piracy serves as an excellent case study to illustrate this because history shows how the British government achieved their goal, and their successes and failures provide researchers with the opportunity to better understand “the relationship between institutions and social meaning.” (7)

Pirates, colonial governors, legislators, ministers, and others played significant roles in this process. Among those showcased within these pages are John Hawkins, Francis Drake, Henry Morgan, Bartholomew Sharpe, Edward D’Oyley, Benjamin Fletcher, John Dean, Joseph Bannister, William Kidd, William Markham, Thomas Lynch, Thomas Modyford, George Larkin, John Quelch, Mary Read, Anne Bonny, Stede Bonnet, Thomas Davis, Woodes Rogers, John Rose Archer, William White, the Reverend Cotton Mather, and William Fly. Charleston, South Carolina and Port Royal, Jamaica and their ties to piracy are also highlighted, as are vice admiralty courts and specific laws. The book also includes end notes, references, and an index.

Norton provides a fresh perspective on how society dealt with pirates. This is a scholarly book, but it is not pedantic. Even if readers don’t understand all the jargon, they will still comprehend the essence of Norton’s arguments and conclusions. The Punishment of Pirates is an absorbing examination of how societal views toward piracy transformed from acceptable and tolerated to immoral and intolerable. It provides readers with a better understanding of this change, and allows them to view pirates and the fight against them in a new and intriguing light.


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




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Review of Frederick C. Leiner's Prisoners of the Bashaw

Prisoners of the Bashaw: The Nineteen-Month Captivity of American Sailors in Tripoli, 1803–1805 by Frederick C. Leiner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The last day of October 1803 finds the USS Philadelphia sailing near the coast of Tripoli where lookouts spot a xebec heading for the harbor. With orders to prevent such an occurrence, Captain William Bainbridge intervenes. There’s just one problem; the navigator has no chart that accurately depicts the coastline. Although shots are fired, the xebec reaches its destination and Bainbridge issues the command to return to station. Instead, Philadelphia runs aground. His attempts to dislodge the frigate fail; she is stuck fast on the reef at such an angle that the gun ports of her gun deck touch water. When Tripolitan corsairs see this, they hurriedly surround Philadelphia and fire on her.

After being bombarded for four hours and seeing more enemy vessels approaching, Bainbridge consults with his officers. He sees only two options: blow up the ship or surrender. The seamen clamor for him to fight, but he and his lieutenants concur there is no way to successfully defend the frigate with their guns out of commission. Rather than consign the 307 men aboard to death, he orders the Stars and Stripes hauled down. In doing so, he becomes the only commander to twice surrender during the six years of the United States Navy’s existence.

Although orders are given to mitigate the loss, including the flooding of the frigate so it will be of no use to the Tripolitans, not all of these commands are successfully carried out. He also forgets to destroy information vital to national security. After the corsairs swarm over the gunwale, Bainbridge, his officers, and his men become prisoners, but only the officers are treated as such. The majority of men are treated as slaves even though Tripoli and the United States are at war, a war instigated by the bashaw because he failed to receive the tribute he deems his right. The Philadelphians’ captivity will last for nineteen months and not all will survive.

What sets this book apart from other volumes dealing with the Barbary Wars and this particular event is that Leiner shines a spotlight on the captives. He contrasts the living conditions of the officers to those that the rank and file experienced. He shares excerpts from their own letters and remembrances that speak to or hint at the physical and mental effects of their captivity and enslavement. Leiner also discusses diplomatic efforts, both American and European; how the navy dealt with the captured frigate; the ways in which popular culture integrated this historic episode; and what happened to the various participants after the Philadelphians were freed.

Thorny questions, sometimes glossed over in other accounts, are raised as well. One examines the differences in brutal exploitation of people by different cultures, as well as the ethical paradox of white Christians captured far from home and enslaved versus the seizure and bondage Africans experienced in America. A second question addresses paying ransoms. As Leiner writes in the introduction: “The loss of the Philadelphia . . . is sometimes employed as proof of a core precept of principle and policy: the United States does not pay ransom for hostages. This bold statement is wrong historically and sometimes has caused tragic results. As the story of the American prisoners in Tripoli shows, history is not so tidy, and the lessons are not so clear.” (xii)

Illustrations and maps provide readers with an opportunity to understand where these events occurred and to meet some of the individuals involved in them either directly or indirectly. The book also includes end notes, a bibliography, and an index.

Although other books cover these events of the Barbary Wars, this is the first to do so from the captives’ perspectives. The firsthand accounts provide vivid glimpses into what they did, how they survived, and what they suffered. History remembers only a few captives, such as Bainbridge, David Porter, and Daniel Patterson. Prisoners of the Bashaw changes this, making it a worthy addition to history collections.


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



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Review of Christian McBurney's Dark Voyage

Dark Voyage: An American Privateer's War on Britain's African Slave Trade by Christian M. McBurney

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


When Thomas Jefferson penned an early draft of the Declaration of Independence, one passage condemned slavery. Those words were omitted from the final document, in part because many considered the practice of enslaving people acceptable in the 18th century. Another practice during the American Revolution was the issuance of letters of marque that allowed individuals to profit from seizing enemy shipping regardless of whether they did so because of patriotic fervor or for personal gain. Some of these privateers captured British slave ships, although the majority of these were homeward bound after delivering their African cargo in the Caribbean. One man, however, devised a plan to strike at the heart of the British slave trade.

John Brown was a prominent merchant in Providence, Rhode Island. He was also a fervent patriot who supported American independence. The information he gleaned from slave ship captains and privateers, as well as his knowledge of trade, permitted Brown to think beyond the normal parameters of privateering. He wanted to make a statement, and he did so with his plan to attack the British slave trade where no one else had: the west coast of Africa. First, to up his chances of success, he needed a new vessel.

Marlborough was a brig of 250 tons, with two gun decks housing twenty guns. She was sleek and fast, essential qualities for a privateer. Her full crew complement was set at 125 officers and sailors, although when she set sail from Martha’s Vineyard in January 1788, she carried only 96 men. Brown selected a virtual unknown for her captain, although he was already acquainted with the man who had served aboard two of Brown’s other privateers.

George Waite Babock was already an experienced ship’s officer when he took command of Marlborough in late 1787, even though he was only in twenty-seven at the time. He wasn’t one to discipline those who served under him with the whip. When decisions needed to be made, he often sought the counsel of his officers before making a decision. He demonstrated boldness and courage. Among the crew that he handpicked were John Linscom Boss, who kept the ship’s log – one of many documents the author consulted in writing this book – and his younger brother, Samuel Babcock.

Their journey began with running a Royal Navy blockade. After making the dangerous 3,800-mile trek across the Atlantic, the men aboard the Marlborough struck, attacking and seizing not only British slave ships but also a British factory (trading post). The damage done exceeded any wrought by other American privateers during the revolution, with an unexpected consequence; they disrupted the enemy’s slave trade, albeit only temporarily. While they captured both ships (twenty to twenty-eight) and their cargoes, as well as merchandise stored at the British factory, they also solicited assistance from native peoples and captured captains, such as William Moore, the shipmaster of Sally who possessed local knowledge that Babcock lacked.

Dark Voyage relates the stories of the men and the vessel, from John Brown’s original idea through its fruition. Specific episodes examine life at sea (including an attempted revolt, illness, accidents, legal obstacles, and encounters with Royal Navy warships). In between, McBurney weaves details about privateering in general, dangers privateers faced, and the slave trade in Britain as well as Rhode Island. He also shares what is known or can be assumed about the Marlborough and her prizes on their return voyages and what became of the men who crewed them. In some regards, the author views the 18th century through a 21st-century lens, rather than strictly relating the history from a contemporary perspective. This is not a flaw, but rather an aspect that readers should keep in mind as they read. He provides a wealth of information often overlooked in other accounts of privateering during the Revolutionary War, which he supplements with maps, pictures, end notes, a bibliography, an index, and appendices. The last include lists of those who served aboard the Marlborough and other people who appear in the ship’s log; a comprehensive record of British slave ships captured by revolutionary privateers; the numbers of enslaved Africans carried on British and American ships between 1752 and 1792; and Liverpool merchants involved in the slave trade who declared bankruptcy as a result of seizures by American privateers.

Dark Voyage is a provocative account of a little-known facet of American privateering during our fight for independence. The writing is both expressive and enlightening. The book is a must-read for anyone seeking information on the American Revolution, privateering, or the slave trade.


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



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Review of Will Sofrin's All Hands on Deck

All Hands on Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World by Will Sofrin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In 1969, two events occur that get little media coverage. Shipwrights in Nova Scotia build a replica of a British Royal Navy frigate from the eighteenth century. A novel by Patrick O’Brian, an author not widely known, is published. The ship will be christened Rose; the book, the first in a nautical series, is entitled Master & Commander.

Fast forward to the fall of 2001. A young man returns from Europe after 9/11 uncertain what he will do next. In France, he could afford to spend $300 on champagne; now, he’s in Newport, Rhode Island, working on a tall ship for minimal pay. It’s not the work he wants to do, but his choices are limited. The vessel is a full-rigged ship with a length of 179 feet and 30.5 feet at her widest point amidships. The tallest of her three masts rises 130 feet above the water. Unlike the day she was launched, she is shabby and of questionable seaworthiness. Her name is Rose, and he is Will Sofrin. By the time she’s ready to set sail, he joins the crew as a deckhand and ship’s carpenter. He is familiar with sailing, but has never sailed aboard a tall ship before. The remaining crew consists of men and women, some experienced hands and others with little to none. Her captain is Richard Bailey, “a legend in the tall ship community” and the man who saved the frigate from the scrapyard. (23)

During the next three months – a timeframe that doesn’t allow much wiggle room – he and the others must make the frigate ready for a voyage that will take her from the Atlantic Ocean, across the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, into the Pacific Ocean, and north to California. Rose has been purchased to be a prop in a new movie by Twentieth Century Fox. She will become HMS Surprise for Peter Weir’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. Along the way, they battle rough seas, gale-force winds, boredom, and low morale. They live in less-than-desirable conditions, and encounter problems that can spell disaster for the ship and themselves.

Sofrin includes technical drawings, tables, and black-and-white photographs to help us better understand the ship and to get to know her crew. Measurements are provided in feet and meters. When using nautical language, he explains these terms in everyday terms to which we can relate. One example is when they find themselves encountering sustained winds of sixty knots and waves twenty to thirty feet high: “It felt like being in a pinball machine, bouncing from one hard surface to the next.” (106)

From start to finish, All Hands on Deck takes us on a stunning and personal journey. Contrary to our romantic notions of sailing aboard a wooden ship, Sofrin offers a frank and honest account of his experiences and his shipmates, as well as tying up loose ends once the ship is delivered. At the same time, he compares his life aboard Rose with what it was like for Royal Navy seamen in the late eighteenth century. He also recounts Patrick O’Brian’s story and how he created his characters, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. In small, but memorable, ways, we experience what Sofrin experiences and it is a voyage we are unlikely to forget.


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




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Review of Buddy Levy's Empire of Ice and Stone

Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Voyage of the Karluk by Buddy Levy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When Vihjalmur Stefansson stepped off the boat in Seattle in September 1912, he already had a plan. He had spent the past four years exploring the Arctic coast of North America and already wanted to return. This time, he intended to take with him more scientists than had ever studied the Arctic before. They would explore new lands, perhaps even confirm the existence of the lost tribe of Blond Eskimos that was capturing the public’s imagination. He possessed the necessary charisma and persuasiveness to achieve his goal. When the unexpected happened, he could promptly adjust to fit the new circumstances. Traits essential for this new journey. But he also had less admirable qualities. He could deceive and manipulate to accomplish what he wanted, for his own gain, regardless of the impact doing so had on others.

With the sea in his blood, Robert Bartlett had a goal: to become a master mariner. His uncle was captain of Robert Peary’s flagship on his first expedition to the North Pole. Would Robert like to join them? The answer, of course, was yes, and this voyage was but the first of three that he made. By the time he departed with Peary on the third venture in 1908, he had achieved his goal of becoming a master mariner, captained Peary’s ship, navigated for the explorer on sea and ice, and was his trusted confidant. His experiences had taught him how to survive the harsh, unforgiving environment. When Steffanson’s telegram arrived in May 1913, asking him to captain the Karluk, Bartlett was up for the challenge.

His first sight of the Karluk did not instill Bartlett with confidence. She was a steam brigantine of 247 tons and 129 feet. She had made fourteen trips in Arctic waters during the twenty-eight years since her launch, and her condition showed each one of them. Stefansson had purchased her for $10,000; Bartlett insisted she be completely overhauled, which cost an additional $6,000. The bill would be paid by the government of Canada, which was backing the expedition. The problem was that time was not on his side, and by the time he could hire a crew, the best mariners had already departed and he had to settle for what he could find rather than handpicking the best.

Fourteen esteemed scientists from different parts of the world joined the expedition, but only two had ventured into the polar region before. What a couple lacked in age and experience, they made up for with determination and passion. Native hunters would provide food, guidance, and shelter while a Native seamstress joined to make suitable Arctic weather gear from the hides brought down by the hunters.

Stefansson wanted to sail as far north as possible. If the ice pack surrounded the Karluk, preventing her from going anywhere, she would become their base camp and they would venture afield on foot and with dog sleds. When they finally embarked, it didn’t take long for problems to surface. By August third, Karluk was surrounded by ice, drifting instead of going where the captain wanted. The mix of university graduates, crew members, and indigenous people created tension and division. And then Stefansson, his secretary, two hunters, a photographer, and an anthropologist left the ship on a badly planned hunting trip, leaving Bartlett in charge of twenty-two men, one woman, two small children, twenty-two sled dogs, and one kitten. Each day, the ice grew thicker and closer, and Bartlett knew it had the power to crush and sink Karluk. If that happened, no one back home knew where they were and they might never be found.

This riveting account is one of perseverance and hope, tragedy and loss. Levy vividly transports us back in time to a place few of us have ever or will every journey, yet the frigid cold permeates our body, the beauty awes our spirit, and the consternation disturbs our soul. The inclusion of snippets from logs and journals makes the journey that these people endured more personal and evokes an array of emotions in us. To further enhance the experience he includes maps, a list of who’s who, a time line of arctic exploration, expeditions, and disasters from 982 to 1913, a bibliography, and an index. Not only are we introduced to those who participated in this journey, but the inclusion of photographs from it allows us to meet each person and to glimpse what they saw. To round out the voyage, Levy also shares what became of the survivors. Their harrowing ordeal “three hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle,” as well as two members’ trek to Siberia to save their comrades, haunts us long after this journey ends. (184)


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



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Plow the Dirt but Watch the Sky by Martin Kufus

Plow the Dirt but Watch the Sky: True Tales of Manure, Media, Militaries, and More by Martin Kufus

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The title alone suggests that this is not a typical pirate book, and you’re right. Only a single chapter is devoted to pirates. In 2012, Kufus is one of four men hired to guard a cargo ship and her crew as they traverse the dangerous waters around the Horn of Africa. He writes about the skills needed to work in maritime security, as well as the risks and liabilities. He also shares historical background about Somali piracy, what his duties are aboard the 340-foot ship, and the measures taken to keep the pirates off her. Although he does not encounter pirates on this voyage, he shares an account from one of the seamen who has. Two aspects that Kufus makes clear are that modern pirates bear no resemblance to those depicted on the silver screen and the majority of mariners who become victims of piracy hail from China, India, Kenya, the Philippines, China, and Thailand.

“P is for Pirates” is one of twenty-six stories Kufus shares about experiences in his life that have left indelible memories. As a child he shovels manure on the family farm and strikes out when playing Little League baseball. As an adult, he is a newspaper reporter, a magazine editor, a foreign correspondent, an Army paratrooper, a Russian-speaking soldier working in signals intelligence during the Cold War, and a first responder. In addition to the personal events that he relates, he also discusses science fiction, music, fishing, Apollo 11, the failed attempt to rescue the Embassy hostages in Iran, murder, the 1918 influenza pandemic, tornadoes and floods, and rattlesnakes. In some chapters, he includes photographs of his experiences.

Although I read this book from A to Z, Kufus provides two alternatives for those who prefer to pick and choose or like to read chronologically. Regardless of how you read this book, you never know what you will encounter despite each chapter’s title. While these are recollections of his past, they also remind us of our own and they evoke emotions that allow us to identify with him. Some chapters contain humor, such as his undercover assignment at a nudist colony. Others are poignant, such as his friend’s traumatic brain injury or a child and a gun. Still others are nail-biters, such as when he goes sport skydiving or tries to rescue stranded firefighters.

Piracy may be only one topic discussed within these pages, but Plow the Dirt but Watch the Sky holds a treasure chest full of memories be they his . . . or yours.

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



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The Pirate's Wife by Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos

The Pirate's Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd by Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


She weds for love the third time, an enduring love that weathers unforeseen storms. But these events come later.

She begins life as Sarah Bradley in 1670. Fourteen years later, her mother has died and her father, a sea captain, wishes to start life anew and so he, Sarah, and her two brothers sail for Manhattan. Within a year, she marries a wealthy merchant named William Cox. According to law, she is now his property with no legal identity of her own. Nevertheless, she is clever and inquisitive and soon suggests a way that he can expand his business ventures to reap greater rewards. This retail venture takes advantage of her creativity and her sewing skills, as well as providing her the rare opportunity to be a “she-merchant” at the age of seventeen. Two years later, Cox is dead.

Sarah marries again in 1690. Through her second husband, she meets a confident and wealthy privateer. His name is William Kidd and he helps the new governor put down a Jacobite rebel and his followers, which gains Kidd much respectability within New York society. When Sarah’s spouse dies suddenly, she and William wed in 1691 after attending the rebel’s execution. They settle down and start a family, while William follows his trade as a sea captain. He eventually grows restless and, after consulting with Sarah, sets sail for England to secure a privateering commission. Circumstances, manipulations, and misadventures steer Kidd’s desired course from his chosen path and forever alter Sarah Kidd’s life.

The Pirate’s Wife is Sarah Kidd’s story, from respected member of society to disgraced wife of a convicted pirate. Although the historical record provides a decent amount of information about this dutiful, loyal, and religious woman, Geanacopoulos postulates the whys and wherefores behind some of Sarah’s thoughts and actions. She also introduces readers to Governor Benjamin Fletcher (a friend to pirates) and Lord Bellomont (an enemy of pirates), as well as taking time to discuss pirates and their way of life near the close of the 17th century. She provides overlooked information about Kidd’s agreement with Bellomont, Sarah’s arrest, and Sarah’s attempt to rescue her husband from a Boston jail.

The book includes endnotes, a bibliography, and an index. In addition, Geanacopoulos shares Kidd’s own 1699 account of what happened aboard the Adventure Galley.

Most authors present the lives of the Kidds from William’s perspective. Geanacopoulos, who has written before about the women in pirates’ lives, shines her spotlight on Sarah. This breathes new life into their story and shows this tenacious woman as she was, both as an individual and as a product of the time and circumstances fate dealt her.

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



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Tenacious by Julian Stockwin

Tenacious by Julian Stockwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In the year since the mutiny at the Nore, Thomas Kydd has gone from seaman to lieutenant and is now accepted as an equal among his fellow officers. His ship, the 64-gun Tenacious, is recalled from Halifax to support Admiral the Earl St. Vincent off the coast of Spain. As they sail across the Atlantic, Thomas sets his sights on a new goal of commanding his own ship, but the problem is how to achieve it. His friend Nicholas Renzi wrestles with a different dilemma, whether to continue in the navy or return to the life from which he exiled himself five years earlier.

General Buonaparte has his own plans of action. Barges large enough to land troops are being built in northern French ports and soldiers are massing on the coast. It seems he intends to put to sea, but for where? Whispers of Constantinople, of Egypt, of England are all possibilities, but where exactly is Napoleon once he successfully evades the British blockade?

This sixth entry in the Kydd Sea Adventure series incorporates a sequence of key incidents during the waning years of the French Revolution: the royals’ flight from Naples with the aid of the Royal Navy; the devastating fleet action at Aboukir Bay; a secret mission to capture Minorca; and the siege of Acre. Kydd emulates Nelson in hopes of getting noticed with a daring suggestion that evens the odds during the Minorcan expedition, and leading a contingent of seamen in a desperate bid to prevent Napoleon from reaching Constantinople. Along the way, he discovers what type of leader he wants to be and comes to terms with the consequences of betrayal.

Steadfast, stubborn, and resolute are synonyms of “tenacious,” a word that applies both to a warship and the men who serve on her. Stockwin allows his readers to stand side by side with the characters as they endure this riveting and harrowing account of a world at war.

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



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