Cindy Vallar's Blog, page 16

Sarah Branson's Navigating the Storm

Navigating the Storm by Sarah Branson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The discovery of Glitter – a sparkly element with properties that make it more prized than rum – changes the way the pirates of Bosch conduct business. They no longer plunder at sea; their plundering is more subtle, but equally rewarding. They ferry their cargo via ships of the air, accumulating markers and treasures while also freeing thralls when possible. One formerly enslaved thrall is Kat Wallace, but the ramification of her adopted father’s death is banishment to Edo, the home of her diplomat husband, Takai Shima, with their three children. But this isn’t the sanctuary she expects; someone wants her dead. Luckily, her period of exile is almost at an end and she’s eager to return to Bosch and her old way of life.

Upon her return, Kat rejoins the Bosch Pirate Force, which requires her to once again attend the training academy. She is a leader and adept at what she does, but she has no interest in becoming an officer. She prefers to do things her way, preferably guided by her own judgement and experience, rather than always adhering to the rules. Which, of course, gets her into trouble with an officer, Colonel Gia Ka’ne, who is assembling a flight unit and is need of a pilot. According to the Master Commandant, Kat is one of the best. Gia has her doubts and leans toward canning Kat until after she surpasses all expectations during her trial run at the helm. Thereafter, Gia’s team takes on extractions, intelligence gathering, and Glitter runs, with guileful pilfering when circumstances permit. During these missions, Kat’s mother watches over the grandchildren and Takai begins a three-year command of a colonial settlement ship, which provides him with the perfect opportunity to continue his illicit liaisons with beautiful women, far from where Kat might learn the truth.

Not everyone is pleased that Kat is back. An influential family, and a good friend of her adopted father, blames her for his death. A late-night encounter with one son upends the well-honed team that Gia has put together and it’s up to Kat to figure out how to make things right, which leads to unexpected consequences.

Nor is this Kat’s only concern. The man who once enslaved her is again a senator of the Federal Alliance, in spite of his downfall for which she is responsible. A hard-boiled, furtive man with both private and public personae, he establishes the groundwork that will permit him to run a global cartel that traffics in thralls while snatching control of Glitter from the Bosch. On a more personal agenda, he has definite payback plans for Kat and just the enticement to lure her back into his clutches.

Navigating the Storm, the second book in the Pirates of New Earth series, is not your typical pirate book. Rather, it is a blend of science fiction with steampunk and cyberpunk interlaced with realistic human emotions and experiences set in the twenty-fourth century. Thematic threads pertain to greed, slavery, reunions, lies, commitment, betrayal, loss, jealousy, and the corollaries of actions. Action is high paced and riveting, and interwoven with screenshots of pastoral family life and manipulations, either underhanded or aboveboard. This permits readers to readily identify with the characters and situations they face. Kat begins as a simple character who matures as the book progresses; hitting rock-bottom makes her stronger and savvier, and puts her on firmer ground to face whatever lies in the future. The glimmers brandished throughout the story whet readers’ hankerings for what happens next, which will be unveiled in Burn the Ship, the forthcoming title in the series.

(Review originally published at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Branson.html)



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John Drake's Fletcher and the Flying Machine, a review

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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Review of Alan M. Smith's Balchen's Victory

HMS Victory. The name brings to mind one particular ship, the one on which Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson succumbed during the Battle of Trafalgar. But she wasn’t the first to be so named, and this is the story of her predecessor and her admiral, both of which were lost on a stormy night in October 1744. A great lamentation resulted from the deaths of Admiral Sir John Balchen, Victory’s captain, and the 1,100 men who went down with the ship. Yet, as time passed, they have faded from memory, even though their losses triggered fundamental changes in the ways navy ships were designed and built, as well as in how the royal dockyards were administered. This book explores the man, the ship, and their legacies in hopes of bringing both back to the fore of conscious memory, rather than relegating them to a blip in the historical record.

John Balchen was born in 1669 in Godalming, Surrey, England. Once he joined the Royal Navy, duty became a hallmark of his career. He didn’t always agree with the status quo and raised serious questions about the way ships were designed and maintained. He cared about the men who served under him. He survived two courts-martial and several wars during his fifty-eight years of service – a time that encompassed the reigns of seven different monarchs. He retired in 1744 at the age of seventy-five.

Victory was the finest warship of the Royal Navy in her day. Her origins dated back to 1673 when orders for a 100-gun First Rate ship of the line were received. She was rebuilt several times, the last time in 1733, and was commissioned four years later. In spite of being a new and modern warship, she was considered a “crank” ship, one that was top heavy and prone to rolling. Still, she was needed and she would serve as the flagship of the White Squadron at a time during a most dire situation for the country.

French Admiral Rochambault and his squadron had corralled a convoy of English ships laden with food and stores near Lisbon, Portugal during the War of the Austrian Succession. Their supplies were destined for the Mediterranean Fleet and 17,000 men, who were in desperate need, but the convoy was unable to escape the enemy’s blockade. Admiral Balchen was summoned back from retirement to command a fleet of warships to relieve the convoy and see it safely to Gibraltar.

The mission was a success, but the homeward bound squadron encountered a storm. All the ships but one limped into port. Last seen on 4 October 1744, Victory went down with all hands. She was believed to have foundered on Les Casquets reef because of where wreckage came ashore. When Odyssey Marine Exploration found the wreck site 264 years later, it turned out she sank somewhere else entirely.

The book is comprised of chapters that cover the shipwreck, the aftereffects, the stories of the ship and the admiral, their legacy, and the discovery of the wreck site and what transpired as a result. Two timelines are included that highlight events in both Admiral Balchen’s and Victory’s careers. Color and black-and-white pictures provide visual representations of information presented in this volume. In addition to the maps, end notes, bibliography, and index, five appendices are included. The first provides experts’ answers to a question the author posed: “Why, in your opinion, do you think the man and the ship are no longer of any importance or relevance to naval, or even national, history today?” Three document the grief as it was shown in literary examples. The last discusses Balchen and his hometown.

Many questions still remain about Victory’s loss, and Smith explores and analyzes the various theories. Her discovery also led to conflict as to whether or not the wreck site should be excavated. These, too, are discussed, as is the resulting outcome of that conflict.

Smith does not simply relate the stories of an admiral and a ship. He places both in context with what was happening within the Royal Navy and in the world at large. His goal is to provide readers with an understanding of who Admiral Balchen was and why he should be remembered for more than just a shipwreck. In this, Smith achieves what he set out to do in a manner that is straightforward and enlightening.

(Review originally posted at Pirates & Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adultpirat...)

Review of Simon Webb's The Forgotten Slave Trade

The Forgotten Slave Trade: The White European Slaves of Islam by Simon Webb

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Mention “slavery” and most people immediately think white masters and black slaves. The former exploited the latter by uprooting Africans from their homelands, transporting them across the Atlantic, and selling them in Caribbean and American slave markets. These forced laborers were also abused and mistreated, considered property rather than human beings. What Webb brings to light is the fact that this concept of slavery – black versus white – is relatively modern. He concurs that this was a horrendous practice, but to suggest that only Africans suffered and endured forced servitude and horrendous indignities is misleading and is an example of “cultural erasure.” His goal is to correct this misinterpretation of history.

The book’s primary emphasis is on people of the British Isles, including Ireland, who found themselves victims of slavery. Webb also mentions other countries and people from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East throughout history, as well as Western nations’ attempts to bring an end to Barbary slavery. He does point out that slavery remains prevalent even today; according to a 2019 report by the United Nations, around 25,000,000 people are still enslaved.

This volume delves into the history of slavery, concubines and eunuchs, Mamluks and Janissaries, galley slaves, and Barbary corsairs and pirates (including the Salé Rovers). In addition, he discusses European nations’ tendency to pay tribute rather than engage in military action to stop this abhorrent practice and the upstart United States defied that tradition and helped to end Barbary slavery against Western countries – a forerunner of what Webb sees as the Americans’ tendency to serve as the “world’s policeman.” The book also contains a list of references, an index, and twenty black-and-white illustrations.

No one knows when the first slaves appeared in England, but it was considered a normal state of affairs even before Anglo-Saxon times. The Vikings came not only to plunder monasteries and towns, but they also sought slaves for themselves and for people in other regions of the world. Slave raids were particularly prevalent in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Cornwall was visited on more than one occasion, losing sixty dragged from a church in 1625 and 240 adults and children two decades later. All were destined for the slave markets of North Africa; only a few ever made it back to their home villages. One Scots woman who did not was Helen Gloag; she became a gift to the sultan of Morocco and eventually was elevated to empress of the sultanate.

In tracing the history of slavery, Webb shows that it was a universal practice. The earliest documented mention dates back 4,000 years. Two early examples involve Joseph of the Bible, whose brothers sold him, and a boy named Patrick, who became an English slave and eventually a Christian missionary (better known today as Ireland’s Saint Patrick). Initially, slaves are victims of war, where winners enslave losers, but in time, religion plays a role in who can be a slave. Muslims can own slaves, but only if those slaves are not of the Islamic faith. This is a guiding principle behind the Barbary corsairs preying on ships and lands outside of their own. Any captive who converts to Islam is freed. For example, Samson Rowlie converts and becomes the Treasurer of Algiers, while Jan Janszoon becomes the Admiral of the Salé Rovers and conducts numerous raids, as far away as Iceland.

Several organizations helped arrange ransoms for the captives, enabling them to return home. Of the 109 residents of Baltimore, Ireland taken in 1630, only three women were ransomed. When King William III arranged the release of all enslaved English and Irish in 1689, one of the men who went home to Ireland was Richard Joyce, who had been sold to a goldsmith. He took with him a design for a ring that he later produced. Today, it is an early example of the Claddagh Ring.

As I read the introduction, I questioned whether I really wanted to review a book that some readers may see as controversial, or even tantamount to heresy. A librarian – which I was for two decades – is trained to provide resources that present topics from all sides of the coin and to allow readers to decide what is wrong or right for themselves. Webb’s research is spot on and his sources are qualitative.

Nor is this a dry treatise on the history of slavery. It’s highly readable and, at times, illuminating. In no way does he minimize or ignore what happened to Africans who became victims of the triangle trade. His primary goals are to show that slavery doesn’t encompass this one period and that Europeans were also victims. He succeeds in meeting these goals, while providing the framework for why and how this came about. His narrative incorporates numerous points and counterpoints that certainly lend themselves to generating discussion. The Forgotten Slave Trade is a worthy and well-researched resource for anyone seeking a more complete picture of the history of slavery. It’s equally important to remember that it is but one volume to be consulted when delving into this controversial subject.

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



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Review of Gene Eric Salecker's Destruction of the Steamboat Sultana

Destruction of the Steamboat Sultana: The Worst Maritime Disaster in American History by Gene Eric Salecker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


And those poor fellows who died in that awful catastrophe! They had gone through four long years of war, had undergone countless hardships, and suffered hunger, pain, and sickness, on the battlefield, and in the prison, and after all these, they were now going home to loved ones, their hearts filled with a great shout of joyous thanksgiving that all war and strife and danger were over, and that they could once more greet the dear ones at home who they knew were waiting anxiously for their return. (387) -- James R. Collins, survivor

We sometimes come across a disaster of the past that strikes a particular chord within us. For me, Sultana is one such episode in American history. Twenty-twenty hindsight suggests any number of ways in which the calamity might have been avoided, but the dominos of greed, arrogance, shoddy construction, avoidance, weather, and conditions on the Mississippi led to disaster a mere eighteen days after Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse. More than a century and a half have passed since that fateful morning of 27 April 1865, and yet what occurred in the wee hours of that day remains the most wretched disaster in America’s maritime history.

Sultana, a sidewheel steamboat, was launched on 2 January 1863. She measured 260 feet in length and 42 feet wide. The diameter of each of her two paddlewheels was 34 feet, and she could carry up to 1,000 tons of cargo safely. Her original owner sold her the following year to four residents of St. Louis, Missouri. One of these became her captain, James Cass Mason. At the time of the explosion, she carried nearly 2,000 Union soldiers who had recently been released from prisoner of war camps, including the most notorious one, Andersonville. After time spent in horrendous conditions, these men were finally going home to reunite with loved ones. There were also around forty civilian passengers aboard – including a minstrel company, a couple returning from their honeymoon, children – and about eighty-five men and women who worked on the vessel. She also carried cargo – more than 200 hogsheads of sugar and almost 100 boxes of wine, sixty hogs, and forty to fifty horses and mules – and the sidewheeler’s mascot, a live alligator in a wooden box. Two years after her launch, Sultana exploded, caught fire, and sank. Many on board died. Some survived and lived to share their stories.

Twenty-nine chapters comprise this account of the Sultana and those aboard her at the time of her demise. In addition to the who, what, when, where, and why, Salecker shares what happened afterward and what became of her survivors. He provides extensive notes, a bibliography, an index, maps, and photographs of people and steamboats connected to this story.

In the intervening years, much has been written about the disaster, but as often occurs over time, legend and myth have crept into the historical details. One might wonder why another book needs to tell this story, but what sets The Destruction of the Steamboat Sultana apart is two-fold. First, the author undertook a deep-dive into many different archives to provide the first exhaustive study of the subject that relies principally on primary documents. Secondly, Salecker is a leading authority on what occurred and is the Sultana Disaster Museum’s historical consultant. He also owns the largest collection of materials pertaining to the event. In writing this book, he set out to answer four specific questions:

What caused the explosion?
Exactly how many people were on board at the time?
How many people survived, and how many died?
Who were these people?

He succeeds in doing this and, in the process, separates the wheat (the facts) from the chaff (the myths and legends). He uses the actual words of those involved to relate the truth about what transpired.

Witness and survivor accounts vividly bring the events into focus. Details that the study unearthed are enlightening. Salecker has been able to identify beyond a doubt the majority of people who were aboard Sultana during her three-day voyage upriver. Equally telling is the fact that when compared with the number of dead in Civil War battles, this disaster ranks twelfth. Nearly half of those aboard lost their lives.

This is far more than just an examination of the sidewheeler and those aboard. Salecker also delves into the people ashore who were involved in the overloading of Sultana, as well as local residents who went above and beyond to help the survivors, including Southerners who had spent the last five years fighting the North. The condition of the POWs upon their release, as well as what they had endured, is also recounted.

If you just want a book that recounts the story of the Sultana and what happened, any number of books will fulfill that desire. If, however, you want an in-depth analysis that relies chiefly on firsthand evidence, The Destruction of the Steamboat Sultana is the volume to read. You will come away knowing what happened, but, more importantly, remember the people, the sacrifices they made, and their determination to survive.

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




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Review of Nicholas Tracy's The Battle of Quiberon Bay, 1759

The Battle of Quiberon Bay, 1759: Hawke and the Defeat of the French Invasion by Nicholas Tracy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


On the whole, this battle . . . may be considered one of the most perilous and important actions that ever happened in any war between the two nations; for it not only defeated the projected invasion, which had hung menacing so long over the apprehensions of Great Britain; but it gave the finishing blow to the naval power of France.

Tobias Smollett wrote those words in 1800 in The History of England. Many readers outside of Great Britain might be unfamiliar with the Battle of Quiberon Bay, but it was a victory that had major repercussions for the French and the British. It led to the end of the former’s North American colonies, brought Canada into the latter’s fold, and began that nation’s rise to become a world empire.

What happened at Quiberon Bay in 1759 was but one confrontation during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763). This conflict had begun three years earlier and pitted Britain, Hanover, and Prussia against France, Austria, Spain, and Russia, but its roots date back to the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748). Secret intelligence warned the British government of an impending invasion by the French and Sir Edward Hawke was tasked to command the fleet meant to stop the enemy forces before they came close enough to carry out their threat. To that end, he established a close blockade, determined to make certain that Maréchal Conflans and his ships did not escape Brest. But the French did elude Hawke, who set off after them and trapped them at Quiberon Bay in November. In spite of being understaffed, ill-trained, and riddled with typhus, the French attempted to get free. Hawke and his men braved a fierce storm and dangerous rocks and shoals to stop them.

Other books have been written on this battle, but Tracy attempts to place it within the context of world events and politics. He explores its roots and then gradually takes readers through what led up to and transpired during and after the confrontation in eight chapters. He includes illustrations and maps, as well as two appendices to enhance the reading experience. Endnotes, a list of references, and an index are also provided. Quotations from primary documents are interspersed throughout the text to allow firsthand participants to share their thoughts and deeds. One drawback is that French passages are sometimes not translated within the narrative; readers must consult the endnotes for the English. This book is a worthwhile addition to naval history collections, and Tracy does a good job orienting readers to the background events of this decisive victory with long-reaching impact.

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



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Review of Robert Jacob's A Pirate's Life in the Golden Age of Piracy

A Pirate's Life in the Golden Age of Piracy by Robert Jacob

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This hardback book resembles a chronological encyclopedia, of which the majority (forty-one of the sixty chapters) recounts the history of piracy during the golden age. The remainder focuses on aspects of pirate life. Three chapters introduce the subject before the author subdivides the most prolific period in pirate history into four time segments: The Buccaneers 1640-1670, The Buccaneer Pirates 1670-1702, Pirates and Privateers of the War of 1702-1713, and The Pyrates 1714-1722. He also focuses on three particular pirates, whom he identifies as classic representatives of the men who hunted during this time span: Henry Morgan, Blackbeard, and John “Bartholomew” Roberts.

Jacob correctly points out that during these eighty-two years, political support and society’s acceptance of these marauding men and women did not remain static. The same holds true for why they went on the account. This was a time of flux, where one year pirates might be deemed acceptable comrades, but the next they were seen as enemies to be eradicated.

Among the many people and topics discussed in the history section are Christopher Myngs, François L’Olonnais, Henry Morgan’s lawsuit pertaining to the English translation of Alexandre Exquemelin’s The Buccaneers of America, Port Royal, Petit Goave, Michel de Grammont Le Chevalier, Laurens Cornelius Boudewijn de Graaf, William Dampier, Thomas Tew, Governor Benjamin Fletcher, Robert Searle, Marcus Hook, William Snelgrave, Howell Davis, and many more. Some of these can be found in most pirate histories, but others are either merely mentioned or not included at all. The lifestyle section covers such aspects as tools of the trade (ships, weapons, navigation), treasure, food, captives, and textiles.

Scattered throughout this volume are seventy-three pictures and maps. Jacob also includes sidebar notes to point out important dates, key points, and specific people, or to define unfamiliar words. There are no footnotes or endnotes to identify source material quotations and statements. Nor is there an index, which makes it difficult for readers to locate specific information. He does, however, include a glossary and bibliography.

Lack of consistency and clarity are two aspects that readers will notice as they read this book. For example, sometimes ships’ names are italicized; sometimes they are not even in the same paragraph. Several times the text says that a particular subject will be discussed later in chapter; in actuality, the discussion takes part later in the book, which breaks the narrative’s flow and makes it difficult for readers to know where the particular subject matter continues.

There are a number of missing words and misspellings and “many” and “most” are overused. While newspaper articles are a great source of information for cultural aspects of the period, they must be taken with the same grain of salt in which the author objects to the use of Charles Johnson’s A General History of Pirates as a reliable resource. Newspaper editors embellished stories the same way Johnson did, yet Jacob seems to take the articles at face value. Another questionable source is The Pirates Own Book; in fact, Jacob states that “It appears to be accurate.” (125) In actuality, this resource is just as questionable in its historical accuracy as Johnson’s book is.

He believes that Edward Thache and Edward Beard are two acquaintances who went to sea, but that Thache died and Beard adopted his name as alias. If any evidence exists to support this highly speculative hypothesis, Jacob doesn’t provide it. There are a few factual errors. For example, two men who were aboard Whydah at the time of her demise did survive the wreck. Contrary to the author’s belief that “Black” as a name is related to the pirates’ black flags (229), (as in Black Sam Bellamy) the adjective actually refers to the person’s swarthy appearance. Jasper Seagar and Edward England were not the same person.

Jacob is an historical reenactor, whose pursuit of history and historical accuracy led him to write this book. This research shines through in the amount of material that he provides, although some readers may prefer a greater focus on pirate life than the history of these sea rovers, especially since that was a primary reason for his writing this volume. Aside from providing readers with a well-rounded picture of the time period, he also explores what may have motivated the pirates to do what they did. There are times when he inserts his own thoughts into the recounting; these appear in a different font from the main text so readers can easily separate fact from opinion.

Its value lies not in being a book for reading night after night, but in the abundance of information contained within nearly 500 pages. Overall, with the caveats in mind, this is a good resource for those in search of a comprehensive volume on pirate history during the buccaneering and golden piracy eras.

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



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Review of Michelle Fogle's City of Liars

City of Liars by Michelle Fogle

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The home to which Joachim Déulocresca returns is not the same one that he left. Fear and hate, tinged with greed – all under the guise of devout Catholicism – permeate Barcelona. No one is safe, especially if you are a Jew. After his contact is burned at the stake, Joachim removes the badge marking his religion to become a Christian pilot in search of a new ship.

The first Act of Faith is a powerful draw for devout Aularia Bautista. What better way is there to publicly demonstrate her Catholic faith? Her parents forbid her to attend, but willful naivete compels her to go. The auto-da-fé and anger she witnesses horrify her, and she confides this to her tutor who offers her a “better” way to demonstrate her piety.

Joachim and Aularia initially meet at the execution; their next encounter is at her home. Her father, a wealthy spice merchant, hires Joachim as his new navigator and agent. A shared attraction brings them together, while a confession nudges them to cooperate in helping Jews elude the Inquisition. But Barcelona is a city of liars, a place where everyone wears a mask. When the masks are lifted, Joachim and Aularia find themselves enmeshed in situations more portentous than expected and from which neither may escape.

The depth of Fogle’s research is evident and seamlessly interwoven into a story that incorporates graphic depictions of prejudice, murder, betrayal, deception, Barbary pirates, and rape. Absent is an author’s note to explain why she uses “Señyorita” instead of “Señorita.” While two first person viewpoints are initially disconcerting, Fogle deftly weaves a labyrinthine tale in which sectarianism is as relevant in 1487 Spain as it is today.




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(This review originally appeared in the May 2022 issue of Historical Novels Review: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...)

Review of Emma Lombard's Discerning Grace

Discerning Grace by Emma Lombard

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


In May 1826, the last person Grace Baxter will wed is the beady-eyed Lord Silverton, but he assumes a promise to wed equates to permission to attack her. Unwilling to remain in London, she surreptitiously appropriates clothing from her childhood friend and joins the crew of a navy ship bound for the other side of the world. Little does she realize the danger her actions bring upon her friend or that Lord Silverton always gets what he wants.

With his captain ailing, Lieutenant Seamus Fitzwilliam commands H.M.S. Discerning on her way to Tierra del Fuego on a mapping expedition. When an insolent crewman is punished, Seamus is aghast to discover that the boy is really a girl and, knowing her, he vows to protect her. Doing so aboard a ship proves to be more daunting than he expects. Especially since Grace is determined to do what she wants. It isn’t long before they’re at loggerheads – one more complication on top of his command, a strange sail, and angry natives.

This first book of The White Sails trilogy is about unforeseen consequences. Written for women seeking naval adventure, Discerning Grace provides a different perspective from most, especially those written by men. Lombard ably showcases how a woman might carry off her disguise and her research is spot-on. Once Grace’s secret is discovered, there are times when her naivety doesn’t work since she has spent months as a crewman and knows how a navy ship is run. It’s also a bit of a stretch to believe that Seamus will resign his commission and abandon his command after Grace’s abduction. Even so, there’s plenty of intrigue, abuse, adventure, and romance to keep readers turning pages.

(This review originally appeared in the May 2022 issue of Historical Novels Review: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...)



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(This review originally appeared in the May 2022 issue of Historical Novels Review: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...)

Review of D. V. Chernov's Commissar

Commissar: A Novel of Civil War Russia by D.V. Chernov

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Delivery of a dispatch leads to the Romanovs’ executions. The messenger is Anna Sokolova, a young woman whose brother died in a demonstration at the Winter Palace and who believes that choices made are always black or white. Knowing she plays a role, however minor, in the murders causes her to transfer into the counterterrorism branch of the Cheka, the Bolshevik security agency. In 1918, she hunts for an elusive spy, who goes by many names and may be in league with the British. With talk of guns and an underground army, as well as an influx of Allied troops and two assassination attempts, stopping the spy becomes paramount. Anna teams up with an American Army captain tied to the American Red Cross, but the pursuit requires an alliance with an anarchist who has vowed to kill all White Russians, Allies, and Bolsheviks. It also requires Anna to choose between blindly following orders or staying true to her principles.

Chernov adroitly depicts the complicated factions threatening Russia. He shows the brutality of war and how the policy of Red Terror came to be. Commissar centers on the hunt for Sidney Reilly, and is the first book in the Anna Sokolova series. It also incorporates a significant laying of groundwork for future titles. There are some editing issues that still need resolving and there are times when the many characters, both historical and fictional, become muddled, but the various points of view emphasize the period’s confusion and convolution. The story isn’t as engrossing as other novels set during this time, but readers are invested in the characters and what happens to them by the story’s close. Loose threads are tied up, and the end twist will intrigue readers to see how Anna deals with a personal dilemma.

(This review originally appeared in the May 2022 issue of Historical Novels Review: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...)



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