Cindy Vallar's Blog, page 22

Review of The Master Shipwright's Secrets by Richard Endsor

The Master Shipwright's Secrets: How Charles II built the Restoration Navy by Richard Endsor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Contemporary records don’t always answer our more puzzling questions. We might grasp the broad picture, but the specifics are murkier. After a decade of research, Richard Endsor uncloaks and enlightens us on how a master shipwright took an idea and from that designed and built ships for King Charles II’s navy. To fully grasp what this involved, Endsor focuses on one particular vessel, the Tyger. Along the way, he also shares both the historical evolution and technological developments of seventeenth-century warships, spicing this with information about the men who played key roles in their design. More importantly, he discusses and shares snippets from a theoretical treatise written by the master shipwright who built Tyger, John Shish.

Within the pages of this volume, the Tyger is reconstructed and a host of beautiful artwork, including several multi-page spreads, shows fascinating details on all aspects of the design and building process. Originally built in 1681, she was of keen interest to not only Shish but also the king, who played an active role in her construction. He even personally chose the man to first command her: Charles Berkeley, who was nineteen years old and the second Baron Berkeley of Stratton at the time.

The book is comprised of ten chapters and two appendices.

1. The Master Shipwright’s Considerations
2. Inventions and Innovations
3. No Such Thing as the Tyger
4. Planning a New Tyger
5. John Shish’s Account of the Dimensions of a Ship
6. The Draught of the New Tyger
7. Building the New Tyger
8. The New Tyger Commissioned
9. The Tyger’s Guns
10. Contemporary Shipbuilding Contracts Unveiled

Appendix 1: The Medway Warrant
Appendix 2: The Mordaunt Survey

In addition to the full-color design artwork, the pages are populated with paintings, portraits, period letters, drawings, drafts, diagrams, timelines, tables, and maps. Some artwork is contemporary, but most is from the author himself. A number of illustrations incorporate scale by showing people next to or on the various facets of the ship. Endnotes and an index are also included.

Master Shipwright’s Secrets is far more than just a book on ship construction. Endsor masterfully demonstrates how Shish made calculations in a time when computers did not exist and yet managed to do so without making proportional errors commonly encountered when taking a design idea and turning it into a reality. Along the way, the author discusses Shish’s contemporaries, a monarch who was well versed in all facets of ships, the duties and responsibilities of a master shipwright, and all the steps taken to turn an idea into a finished product.

Handsomely designed, this book is packed with so many awesome revelations in just over 300 pages that it requires two hands to hold. It is a readable and easy-to-understand study of a late seventeenth-century fourth-rate navy ship, although a bit of the technical and mathematical details may elude some readers. It is an invaluable resource on the Restoration Navy.




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Review of Sailors & Spies by Jane Glatt

Sailors & Spies by Jane Glatt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The machinations of the former Grand Freeholder of the Fair Seas Treaty Alliance (FSTA) have left their world in chaos. All but two ships have been destroyed and, with winter soon upon them, there isn’t enough food to sustain everyone. Worse, the evidence suggests that someone else was behind Tarmo Holt’s failed attempt and the danger remains.

Dagrun Lund and Calder Rahmson, both Intelligencers, are sent to find much-needed supplies before the seas freeze. That is their primary mission, but Dag has a second. She pursues Holt in hopes of reuniting with her twin, Inger, whom Holt manipulated into doing things that have labeled her just as much a traitor to the FSTA as he is.

Nadez Norup is forced to become the new Master Intelligencer. It’s impossible to know who to trust, since Dag and Calder are away, and clues suggest that someone has been acquiring some of the Intelligencers to work against the FSTA. Some do so freely, but at least two – Janni and Jarri Breck, who should never have been trained as spies in the first place – are held against their will and compelled to use their Traits to do unspeakable things.

The last thing Lauma Strauskas wanted was to become the Grand Freeholder, but Calder’s mother has accepted the interim position. Somehow, she must lead the FSTA out of the mess left behind, but not everyone agrees that she is the best person for the job. The more she and Nadez work together, the greater the danger – a fact that is soon reinforced when assassins try to kill her. Both women, however, are determined to unearth the mastermind and help everyone survive the coming winter. If necessary, Lauma will dissolve the treaty, a dire step that might be the only available option, but doing so will also disband the Intelligencers.

The journey to purchase supplies provides Dag and Calder with essential clues that eventually necessitate they separate to accomplish their missions. Before then, they interdict a ship in distress. Dag’s Unseen Traits warns that the pirates aboard are merely playacting and Calder knows one of them. That man is Rahm, Calder’s father Rahm. He pretends to be a pirate, but Dag figures out that he is actually a spy and a man whose secrets have secrets. He can’t be trusted, but her pursuit of Holt and Inger necessitates his help. It also brings her into the realm of the Resolutes, the most feared of all assassins. Nor is she alone in pursuing Holt. A rich, powerful, and ruthless pirate seeks him and will kill anyone who gets in his way.

While Sailors & Spies may seem anticlimactic, the sleuthing connects dots that provide invaluable clues for the two volumes yet to come. It serves as a way-stop in answering two key questions: How and Why. The many single threads in this third book in The Intelligencers series are intricately woven into an unfinished tapestry yet to be resolved. After the last chapter, readers will crave the next installment.



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Review of Pirate Queen by Tony Lee

Pirate Queen: The Legend of Grace O'Malley by Tony Lee

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Strife is a byword during the time in which Grace O’Malley grows up. As a young girl, England ravages her homeland: ransacking churches, oppressing the people, and taking land from the Irish to give to Englishmen. But the O’Malleys are a proud clan and they are determined to fight for Ireland, which gains them enemies among the English.

Often away on sailing voyages, Grace’s father arranges for her to foster with a neighboring clan, the O’Flahertys. The idea doesn’t sit well with Grace, who would much rather follow in her father’s footsteps than do what is expected of girls. And she’s not about to live with Donal O’Flaherty, a young lad who always mocks her because she is a girl. Unbeknownst to her father, Grace stows away on his ship. Donal intercepts her, but rather than stop her, he gives her a gift in hopes that it will keep her safe. Another who turns a blind eye to her disobedience is Finn, her dad’s most trusted man.

One journey takes them to Scotland where an earl requests their assistance in getting five-year-old Mary Queen of Scots to safety. The English try to stop them – an encounter that brings Grace face-to-face with her future nemesis, a man named Bingham. He slays Finn, but Grace, her father, and the queen escape his clutches. Bingham’s wrath knows no bounds. As Grace matures and gains the moniker “Pirate Queen of Ireland,” he employs other Irishmen to assassinate her father and betray her. Bingham even tries to murder Grace with the help of someone within her own castle, but the murderer’s arrow strikes a man she rescued from a shipwreck. Grace is determined to unearth the traitor and exact revenge. Bingham is equally intent of stopping her no matter what it takes or who he must kill.

This graphic novel blends legend and fact to recount Grace’s life from her early years to her final days. It begins in 1546 and ends in 1603, the same year in which another famous queen dies. The story deftly portrays the “battle” between Grace and Bingham – a struggle that ultimately forces Grace to risk her own life to meet with Elizabeth I on that queen’s home turf. Also portrayed is the birth of Grace’s son while she is at sea and how she rallies her men during an attack. Here the pirates are English and in league with Bingham, but most historical accounts identify them as Barbary corsairs. The only time in the novel where the author asks readers to suspend belief is in her ability to control the weather.

Both author and illustrator do commendable jobs showing readers that Grace is a woman who looks at the big picture and knows her enemies well. Never once do they portray her as superhuman. Yes, she is successful, but her actions always have consequences, and sometimes those consequences endanger her loved ones. The artwork captures the action and the subdued colors fit the mood of the story. For readers who enjoy graphic novels or who want a quick recap of Grace’s life, Pirate Queen is a good introduction to this woman who dared to defy those who wished to stamp out a culture and whose story is remembered because the bards followed her example to keep her memory alive in spite of her enemies.




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Review of Pirate Nell's Tale to Tell

Pirate Nell's Tale to Tell by Helen Docherty

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It’s Nell’s big day. Her wish has finally been granted. She’s a pirate!

She brings along her Pirate’s Almanac, a book she’s studied forward and backward until she knows everything about being a pirate. She tries to share the book with Captain Gnash, but he frowns on reading. Nor is her grand adventure quite what she envisioned. Her days are spent scrubbing pots and swabbing the deck. Yet the crew enjoys the many tales she spins at night just before they go to sleep.

One night while on deck, Nell retrieves a bottle floating in the water. Inside is a treasure map, which Captain Gnash confiscates. Even though he hasn’t a clue as to where the buried treasure is, he sets off to find it, encountering troubles and perils along the way.

This captivating book demonstrates that gold and silver don’t always make the best treasure and, sometimes, even the newest pirate makes important contributions both to the ship and the quest. Complimenting the story is the vibrant color artwork that provides young pirates with treasures galore to find, such as Captain Gnash’s boneleg (a pegleg made out of a bone) or the lurking sea serpent. One of my favorite illustrations depicts the ship and crew tossed about during a storm. Another is what Nell and her mates do with the treasure. This rhyming tale will delight young and old alike, and is sure to be a young pirate’s favorite tale of adventure aboard a pirate ship.




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Review of The Midgard Serpent by James L Nelson

The Midgard Serpent: A Novel of Viking Age England by James L Nelson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


After years of raiding, most recently in Engla-land, Thorgrim “Night Wolf” Ulfsson is finally going home. Or at least that’s the plan until his son, Harald, tries a crazy stunt. If not for the timely intervention of another group of Norsemen, Harald might well be dead. The leader of this band is an old friend, who has need of Thorgrim’s help. Together, they will have sufficient men to stage a raid on an inland town called Winchester ripe for plundering. After all, it is where King Æthelwulf lives and has a cathedral rich with treasures. Thwarted by the gods once again, Thorgrim agrees to join this venture.

His years of hard work and experience have finally garnered Harald what he wants most – command of a ship. But what is the best way to gain the crew’s respect and form them into a cohesive unit? The whale seems an excellent solution, even though he has never hunted one before and has no idea how best to slay the creature. On the one hand, he succeeds in his endeavor. On the other, he gains the wrath of his father. But Harald is no longer a boy. He is an accomplished warrior who’s ready to stand on his own two feet, which causes a rift between Thorgrim and Harald that neither is willing to bridge.

Back home, King Halfdan has left Odd Thorgrimson no choice but to fight for his rights, his land, and his father’s land. He and the other landholders concur that his plan will work, and to a large extent it does. While Halfdan is away, they’ve captured his hall and fortress. They just make one small error in judgment, one that results in a standoff between Halfdan and them. Although they decide to fight to the bitter end, Odd cannot let the others suffer for his own mistake. Plus Halfdan holds a card Odd didn’t count on, and he will do what he must in order to safeguard his younger sister.

For some time, Failend has been troubled. She loves Thorgrim, but does he love her? Feelings aren’t something he shows or talks about. Her time with the Norsemen has taught her much and made her into a warrior, but she’s far from her homeland and her god is not their gods. When she hears that they plan to plunder another church, her disquiet resolves into a decision that has severe consequences for her as well as Thorgrim and the men he most trusts.

Felix, Æthelwulf’s gatekeeper, has spent two years preparing for the king’s pilgrimage to Rome, but on the eve of their departure, the dreaded Norsemen are sighted. They must stop the invaders and, although it will delay this noteworthy journey, he helps the king and his men see the wisdom of his plan. The enemy will expect them to stand and fight on land. But what if they take to the ships and lay a trap that will finally rid them of this scourge?

Among the many tales recounted in the sagas, Odin tossed one of Loki’s children into the ocean. This serpent grew and grew until it encircled the Earth and grasped its own tail, earning it the name of the Midgard Serpent. This book in many ways resembles a serpent, twisting and turning, creeping and stinging as events unfold in what is perhaps the best of the ten entries in Nelson’s Norsemen Saga. From tangling with a whale while in a longboat, to a battle at sea, to a race on water to elude pursuers in the midst of a storm, to burning at the stake, The Midgard Serpent ensnares the reader until you are swept into the midst of the action. It is impossible to stop turning pages, to catch one’s breath. Just when you think the stakes can’t possibly become higher, Nelson shows you just how wrong that assumption is. He is a gifted raconteur and for anyone who dreams of rousing Viking adventure, strap on your mail, grab your shield, and heft your sword. This wild ride of the mid ninth century will fulfill those dreams.



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Review of The Jolley-Rogers and the Pirate Piper

The Jolley-Rogers and the Pirate Piper by Jonny Duddle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Once again trouble sails into Dull-on-Sea late at night. While the harbormaster dozes, thousands of rats infest the town. The next morning, they perch on window sills. They munch on crumbs. They infest the laundry. Everywhere the residents look, rats are to be found.

During this infestation, the Jolley-Rogers are at sea. Grandpa has given Nugget a gift she has long yearned to own – a fiddle. From dawn to dusk she practices, while everyone else finds something else to do. Jim Lad dons headphones to listen to loud music. Dad repairs the ship, while Mom relaxes in the crow’s nest. Which is where she hears a news report about Dull-on-Sea’s problem. So off they sail to investigate.

Matilda loves seeing her friends again, but she’s particularly fascinated by Nugget’s music. So are the other children of Dull-on-Sea. An emergency meeting interrupts the makeshift concert and everyone repairs to the townhall. As a discussion ensues, Captain Horatio Rattus strolls into their midst and offers to rid the townspeople of the rats . . . for a price. Everyone agrees, including the stingy mayor. Without further ado, Captain Rattus begins playing a hypnotic tune on his pipe. From every rafter, nook, and cranny, the rats emerge and follow the captain onto his ship where he leads them into a crate, which he promises to dump into the sea far away from Dull-on-Sea.

Later, Captain Rattus returns to collect the money owed him. But the mayor reneges on his promise. Double-crossing Rattus isn’t wise – a lesson he soon teaches to the mayor and every other parent in town. Once the sun sets, he plays his pipes; instead of rats, it’s the children who follow him this time. The next morning only one child awakens.

Matilda had recorded Nugget’s fiddling and used it to lull her to sleep. Her parents insist she carry out her usual routine, but what fun is it when she’s the only one in school and all the adults give her funny looks? Determined to solve the mystery, she enlists Jim Lad’s help. While finding the children proves a simple thing, removing Captain Rattus’s spell will be much harder to do. Based on his tactics after the rat infestation, he’s not about to allow Matilda to ruin his plans. If she’s going to outsmart this villain, she’ll need the help of others – and Nugget is key to her plan’s success.

This latest adventure of the Jolley-Rogers is tale spinning at its best with a new take on an old story. The illustrations captivate and the characters beg you to cheer or boo as you wend your way through riveting twists and turns. Matilda and Jim Lad take a backseat to Nugget, who finally shines center stage. What’s left to your imagination is the sound of Nugget’s music. Is she a budding star as the children seem to think, or does her fiddle really sound like “a kraken pullin’ the gizzards from a mermaid?” This delightful chapter book will soon become a favorite of pirates young and old.




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Review of Inside Out Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship by Paul Beck

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Pirates! They’ve been around for centuries, but they have one thing in common – they steal from ships at sea. This latest entry in the Inside Out series explores Caribbean pirates and their ship from 1690 to 1730.

Colorful double-page spreads are jam-packed with historical tidbits and artifacts in full color, but the centerpiece of each is the ship. Although many different types of vessels were mentioned, the one spotlighted throughout the book is the brig. On the left-hand side is a silhouette, on the right, the exterior hull, masts, and sails. Each successive pair of pages highlights a particular aspect of the inside of the brig on the silhouette, while the exterior shot provides a cut-away glimpse from the outside in. This allows readers to see the same section of the vessel from two different perspectives at the same time.

The book explores eight separate themes: pirates and the exterior of their ships; symbols of fear (their flags); pirate captains; plunder; food and drink; the great guns (cannons); who’s who on a pirate ship; and setting sail. Yet these are broad subjects that often include far more information than pirate apprentices might expect. For example, the answer to “Why become a pirate?” includes the fact that discontented sailors were not the only people who turned to piracy. What’s particularly delightful is the inclusion of details rarely mentioned in other books. One example shows where the Jolly Roger was flown on a pirate ship. Two other samples discuss the possible origin of “feeling blue” and where pirates go to the bathroom on the brig. Equally important is the fact that pirates aren’t glorified; instead, Beck portrays the reality rather than the legend – a refreshing change from many accounts written for young pirates between the ages of seven and twelve.

Another feature of interest is that comparisons are provided in terms that young pirates will easily relate to. Instead of saying the mainmast is so many feet high, Beck likens the height to a building with ten floors. All information is presented in easy-to-understand language, and if a word or expression is unfamiliar, it’s explained. For example, do you know that a chicken egg was sometimes referred to as “cackle-fruit?” Plunder, of course, is discussed in all pirate books, but few remember to share that ships themselves could be part of the pirates’ treasure or provide specific examples of such plunder. This book does.

Inside Out: Pirate Ship may be a short book at only sixteen pages, but it’s as rich in treasure as Black Sam Bellamy’s Whydah Galley. This treasure trove may be intended for pirate apprentices, but even full-fledged pirates will find this both a fantastic introduction to pirate life and a wonderful way to refresh what you know about these scalawags.




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Review of Escape Game Pirates

Pirates Escape Game: A High Seas Mystery by Éric Nieudan

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


You awake to find yourself all alone on a ship in the middle of the sea. You have no memory of what happened. Where is the captain? What became of your mates?

That is the premise of this combination adventure, mystery, puzzle book. Written for pirate apprentices between the ages of eight and twelve, it’s up to you to unravel clues, decipher secret messages, and wend your way through the ship to gather the information you need to answer those questions.

This book actually consists of two volumes, one bound inside the other. The main book contains the puzzles and pictures, as well as several pages of answers, while the clue book contains objects and information needed during the course of this adventure. The main book also contains several pages for note-taking and list-making.

While the idea for this book is tantalizing, the translation doesn’t always work. According to the instructions at the beginning of the book, you are alone on the ship. This is a fallacy, because there are others aboard. The fact that one may be a traitor is downplayed, rather than emphasized, which made me wonder why this was important to the story. Checkmarks throughout the book are supposed to alert readers that these objects are important, but I only found one such marking and by the time I did, I’d forgotten what the purpose of the checkmark was. The page numbers are so small that they are difficult to read. Although the artwork is great and fits the mood of the story, the subdued coloring makes it difficult to find essential items. For example, the trap doors at the end of one maze are barely visible. Another problem is that some numbers hidden in the page illustrations are brown on brown or black on black, which makes them difficult or impossible to locate. (If you’re wondering, I have 20/20 vision and was sitting directly under a bright light and still haven’t found one or two of the numbers.) Assumptions are also made that readers will know what a particular item is, such as in the pantry where the food and other items are strewn about, or that they understand foreign words, for one puzzle uses a French number rather than its English equivalent. A few clues were so cryptic or lacking sufficient detail, I couldn’t solve them and there is at least one place where the stated solution on the answer pages can’t possibly be correct because the number of letters in the clue and the answer don’t match.

If children enjoy this book, they may be disappointed that its format really only allows them to solve the mystery once. Another format, such as a spiral-bound or loose-leaf book with laminated pages, might have allowed them to erase their answers and solve the mystery again and again. Another reason the format is an issue is that some text and illustrations on the double-page spreads are lost in the book’s binding. For example, where one maze crosses the center between one page and the next, there’s no way to tell if the path through the maze is open or blocked.

One final caution to consider is how adept pirate apprentices are at unraveling puzzles. If they are easily frustrated or have short attention spans, this book may not be a treasure they will enjoy.

Akin to role playing games, for which the author is a specialist, this book requires readers to explore, investigate, and maneuver not only the ship and the sea, but also the intricate details of the illustrations. A sharp mind and excellent eyesight are essential, and while the instructions don’t mention the need for a magnifying glass and good lighting, some pirate apprentices may find these as essential as the compass and other tools found on a ship.

In spite of these issues, I enjoyed the majority of the book. The puzzles and mazes are fun and somewhat challenging. It is a book that most pirate apprentices will not complete in a single sitting, which is why those blank pages are a good inclusion so you don’t forget what you’ve found once you’re able to return to the mystery. Although aimed at pirate apprentices, full-fledged adult pirates who like puzzles will find challenges and have fun deciphering and unraveling these.




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Review of Cap'n McNasty's Pirate Guide

Cap’n McNasty’s Pirate Guide by Michael Lewis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Do you want to be a pirate? Well, you’re in luck! Cap’n McNasty seeks a crew for the Knotty List. But hurry! Quite a few scoundrels are already lined up on the dock to sign up.

Of course, just wanting to be a pirate is never enough. You need to study and Cap’n McNasty has just the thing – a guide book to help you achieve your dream.

One of the first items to learn is that pirate life is not easy. There are chores galore to attend to from dawn to dusk, but there’s also fun to be had. But the adventure any scalawag craves comes when the search for treasure is afoot.

This delightful tale, the fourth in the Cap’n McNasty adventures, provides glimpses into a pirate’s life at sea, from cleaning the ship to doing the laundry and everything in between. The fun includes bowling with a twist, spinning ghostly yarns or ones about fearsome whales. Verses of four lines that rhyme go hand-in-hand with colorful illustrations of the scurvy scoundrels aboard the Knotty List. It’s almost like touring a haunted house – you never know what’s lurking just around the corner. And there are lots of discoveries to be made along the way, such as a pirate juice box, clothes pins with skeleton heads, or an abacus with skulls. The last page contains an author’s note that explains that even pirates need to know how to read and do math if they want to be true scalawags. Sure to be a favorite of all young pirates!




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Review of Armada's Wake by JD Davies

Armada's Wake by J.D. Davies

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Twenty years have passed since the tragic expedition to the Caribbean that abandoned Jack Stannard and other Englishmen to the whims of the Spanish. Now, all of England fearfully awaits word of the arrival of King Philip’s Armada. Peter Stannard, one of Jack’s grandsons, has the honor of delivering that fateful news during the middle of a theater performance. He, himself, has no intention of fighting, but his brothers and father are already on ships of the Navy Royal, determined to stop the invaders.

Disquiet and disappointment swirl within John Stannard, who finds himself aboard Sir Francis Drake’s Revenge. Being in the Navy Royal is where he wants to be, but not serving as the deputy purser. He’s an accomplished sailor and fighter, but the vice admiral bestowed this job upon him because he possesses a rare skill: the ability to do math. Nor does it help that one of the gentleman volunteers, a man named Nicholas Fitzranulf, has taken an instant dislike of John. Time and again they butt heads, until John finally discovers the arrogant popinjay engaged in an activity for which the punishment might well mean death and dishonor. While Fitzranulf takes the out John offers him, their mutual dislike only worsens.

Meanwhile his father, Tom, and oldest brother, Adam, are with the Narrow Seas fleet, England’s last hope should the rest of the Navy Royal fail to stop Spain’s Armada. While Tom’s lifeblood is the sea, he hasn’t a clue as to why Adam wished to join his crew. Adam’s religious zeal makes the men uneasy and only worsens when he witnesses a forbidden act. In fact, this knowledge tips the balance of Adam’s sanity and only Tom’s standing within the fleet and the community allow him to rescue Adam. It isn’t until after the admiral asks Tom to make a sacrifice for the good of the fleet that he discovers the price asked is far greater than he initially thinks.

Peter’s determination to remain outside the fight proves futile. Besotted with a scullery maid, he tangles with the bishop’s steward, who has been taking liberties in spite of her protests. In the aftermath, Peter has no other option than to elude pursuit by assuming another identity and enlisting in the militia. His stage experience proves handy not only as a soldier but also in thwarting the law.

With Spanish hysteria and fear rousing the countryside, Meg de Andrade (nee Stannard) is arrested on charges of witchcraft. The face of her prosecutor might be the justice of the peace, but Meg knows her true enemy is her half-sister. Ill blood has existed between them since her father married Mary’s mother, and with brother Tom and her nephews at sea, there is no one to help her escape this predicament. She must keep her wits about her, but fears that Mary’s enlistment of the family’s nemesis may tip the balance and result in Meg being hanged.

Known as “the man who will live forever,” Juan Estandar has longed dreamed of returning to his family, but never thought to see England again. But his homeland lies not far from the Girona, the Spanish ship that is both his home and his prison. He has been a galley slave for longer than he wishes to remember. Although Juan practices the true faith, his past association with Spain’s heretical enemies, the pirates Drake and Hawkins, guarantee that he will burn in the fires of hell according to Fra Gordillo. One day, the malevolent priest goes too far and Juan lashes out. The consequences are dire, but fail to quench his dream.

Have you ever read a book that pulls you deeper and deeper into the story, that makes you want to toss aside all obligations and just read? Armada’s Wake is one such story. It is the last entry in the Jack Stannard of the Navy Royal trilogy and, while it encompasses only a brief span of time in July 1588, it recounts events in the lives of three generations and is, by far, the best of the three books. The depth and breadth of the characters draw readers into the midst of the sixteenth century, whether it be at sea or in England or Ireland. Davies weaves a web of many threads that are intricately spun together to provide a riveting tale that allows readers to experience a wide gamut of emotions. This is historical adventure at its finest and the portrayal from both sides of the battle makes for a poignant and memorable account that vividly portrays the perils of the Spanish Armada’s invasion of England.




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