Cindy Vallar's Blog, page 27

Review of The Pirate World

The Pirate World: A History of the Most Notorious Sea Robbers by Angus Konstam

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


If not for Captain Charles Johnson and his 1724 bestseller, The General History of Pyrates, would we find pirates as fascinating as we do? Konstam certainly believes this is true, yet he also points out that “pirate” and the many synonyms we attribute to the scoundrels Johnson wrote about had different meanings in that time period. And many of the piratical elements we associate with these pirates may not apply to pirates of earlier or later centuries. Konstam’s main objective in his latest offering is “to strip away the myths and inventions from these historical figures to reveal the brutal but utterly fascinating world of piracy as it really was.” (7)

Piracy throughout history encompasses a lot of information, but the author succeeds in paring it down and presenting it in an entertaining and informative manner. He provides readers with a good grasp of sea marauding from its earliest days through the present, and also explores their portrayal in fiction. The eleven chapters are presented in chronological format, beginning with the ancient world. From there we meet medieval pirates, Renaissance sea dogs, Barbary corsairs, buccaneers, golden age pirates and those of the Pirate Round, pirates of the 19th century, Chinese pirates, and modern-day pirates. To enhance our understanding and reading pleasure, Konstam includes a plethora of color artwork, quotes from contemporary documents, notes, a select bibliography, and an index. Color maps indicate where pirates sailed and are accompanied by keys that explain what they did when, though not for all pirates mentioned in the text. Information deserving special focus appears in highlighted boxes and features topics such as Spanish coinage, pirate ships and guns, corsair galleys, Jolly Rogers, and pirate codes.

Among the many marauders readers meet within this volume are Cilicians, Vikings, Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins, Aruj “Barbarossa” and his brother Khair-Ed-Din, Murat Rais and Murat the Younger, Sir Henry Morgan, Laurens de Graaf, Benjamin Hornigold, Blackbeard, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, Edward Low, Bartholomew Roberts, Thomas Tew, Henry Every, Christopher Condent, Jean Lafitte, Koxinga, Cheng I Sao, Shap-’ng-Tsai, and pirates of Somalia and Nigeria. A few men who fought against piracy – for example Woodes Rogers and James Brook – are also mentioned. Long John Silver, Captain Blood, and those of the Disney franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean are among the fictional pirates that are included.

Konstam provides a good overview of real pirates, and his conclusion about those of the Caribbean is quite interesting. He presents the material in a way that makes it easy for readers to picture these marauders more clearly, and to understand how they operated and what drove them to piracy. The Pirate World, indeed, separates myth from reality and commendably demonstrates that while fascinating, the men and women who chose this path in life could also be quite brutal.




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Review of Life of a Smuggler

The Life of a Smuggler by Helen Hollick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Smugglers. The word conjures up romantic images, but who were they and is what we know real or fictional? This query is the one Hollick attempts to answer in Life of a Smuggler. She opens by defining the word and explaining the conditions that give rise to these elusive men and women. Chapter one also examines the origins of the word, as well as the terms smugglers used when referring to themselves. She primarily focuses on historical smuggling to the mid 1700s, but also includes tidbits on later periods and present-day operations.

Subsequent chapters answer the main questions of when, why, and who. The main goal of the smuggler is to bring goods of interest to the populace into the country without paying taxes to the government. The first such tariffs (on wine) appeared in tenth-century England. Hollick also looks at other reasons for avoiding these taxes, the risks, the participants, the language of smuggling, and the switch from individuals to organized gangs. Equally important is the chapter on the law and incentives, or the lack thereof, that helped and hindered the revenue men.

After a discussion of the Battle of Sidley Green, readers learn about how smuggling worked, what items were smuggled, and various tricks of the trade. Among the names of individuals whom Hollick mentions is Thomas Jefferson, who participated in smuggling when serving as Minister to France. She also talks about punishments, including amputation, and which came first, the teacup or the teapot.

Four chapters are devoted to where English smugglers plied their trade, dividing the country into the West Country, the South-East, the East Coast, and the countries that comprise the United Kingdom. A fifth chapter looks at smuggling in the New World.

The final chapters address the factuality of inns often referred to as “Smuggler’s Rest”; the punishments smugglers faced if caught; where fictional authors hit the mark and where they don’t in adhering to the facts; how smuggling today differs from that of the past; and why we admire smugglers.

Hollick intersperses “Little Known Facts” throughout the book, although rather than placing these in sidebars, the publisher opted to place these within the main text. This tends to interrupt the flow of the narrative and, at times, these highlights contain the same information as the main text, making for repetitive reading. Black and white photographs are scattered throughout the book, and the book includes a bibliography and further reading list.

Readers seeking more in-depth histories on smuggling would do better to read Richard Platt’s Smuggling in the British Isles, Gavin D. Smith’s The Scottish Smuggler, or Alan L. Karras’s Smuggling: Contraband and Corruption in World History. But those who desire just an enlightening and entertaining introduction to the world and history of the illegal importation of goods will enjoy Hollick’s Life of a Smuggler.




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Review of Fata Morgana

Fata Morgana by Thomas J. Radford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In Book Three of the Free Lanes, skipper Nel Vaughn drinks herself nearly to oblivion on Vice. It’s the only way she can forget, to keep from dealing with the past. With each passing day, her former crewmate and navigator, Loveland Quill, loses respect for Nel, yet no matter how disgusted he becomes, he keeps intruding into her self-imposed oblivion. One day Tantamount’s deed and title appears on the notice board and all she has tried to forget comes crashing back over her: the loss of the ship, her friends, the captain, and living on the edge, skirting the law. Compounding these memories is the appearance of Castor Sharpe, the infuriating bane of her existence. He’s supposed to be dead, just like the others; then again, he never has been good at doing what he’s supposed to do.

When she awakens aboard the Fata Morgana, Violet recognizes Niko Kaspar and Brandon Gravel, whom she met once in a bar, but her fuzzy memory provides few clues as to how she came to be aboard an Alliance ship. All she knows is that her friends are dead and Tantamount was destroyed. Unlike her own vessel (a true sailing ship), Fata Morgana is a vessel of two halves that sails through the universe via steam. It is the creation of Captain Arlin Raines, who happens to be a Kitsune like herself. The elder fox – who has seven tails – is something of a legend for refusing to return to their world as custom demands. Having taken a liking to Violet, he provides her with a pair of special glasses that allows her to see color; seeing the world in black and white is a side effect from exposure following Tantamount’s destruction.

Sharpe is being hunted. He also knows that Violet is still alive, contrary to what Nel thinks. Having vowed never to forsake Violet, Nel is determined to find her. To do that she needs a ship and a crew. With help from Loveland and Sharpe, as well as some Draugrs and a man who actually prefers his prison cell to freedom, they steal a ship and set sail to retrieve Violet.

In the meantime, Violet is determined to escape from the Fata Morgana. No easy feat when she’s never sure whether she’s going up or down on the ship and she’s constantly watched. As she gets to know Gravel, she finds someone willing to help her. He, in turn, shows her three items he’s found in the bowels of the ship. One is a prisoner, locked in a cell without a door. The second is a friend from Tantamount. And the third is, unfortunately, the obsidian golem – a creature she helped throw overboard into the abyss of space. Like a magnet, the golem latches on to Violet and she’s unsure whether or if she can escape its clutches.

At times, especially during the first half of the story, readers may find themselves as confused as Violet is at times. This is understandable, given that Nel avoids thinking as much as possible and Violet has more questions than answers following their ship’s destruction at the end of the previous book in the series. What isn’t obvious to readers, at least initially, is that the events and perspectives unfold in two different timelines. Radford does provide hints of this, but they are not blatant and may be missed by readers. Even so, as the story progresses and the difference in time narrows, Radford spins a complex, serpentine adventure of domination, invasion, ingenuity, jealousy, and true friendship. A mesmerizing tale where secrets are revealed, surprises elucidate, and not everyone lives happily ever after.




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Review of The Second Gate

The Second Gate by Brian Wyvill

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Crossing a secluded area at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Sarah Malette notices a man following her. He is the spitting image from a childhood nightmare. The experience rattles her, but she chalks it up to his being homeless and hurries on her way. Instead of finding Professor Duncan in his office, she encounters his teaching assistant. (Annette is like a sister, since she and Sarah grew up together after Annette’s mother disappeared.) Together they marvel at the nautical artifacts decorating Duncan’s office. They all date from the late eighteenth century, which makes sense because of his fascination with the Napoleonic wars; what is odd is that they look brand new, even though it’s 2015. They also discover a door, hidden behind a coat rack, leading to an empty room.

Annette, who is French Canadian, also has a keen interest in the same time period. Her focus and thesis are on the year 1798, particularly on a single event: the Battle of the Nile. She believes that had Admiral Brueys won the engagement, rather than Admiral Nelson, all of Canada might be French, rather than just Quebec. When Sarah mentions the homeless man, Annette is also troubled. Could this be the same man who terrorized her and her mother when she was younger? Is he looking for her?

Ken DiPalo, a friend and fellow classmate of Sarah’s, is infatuated with Annette, who thinks he’s more of a class clown, who’s always shirking his schoolwork. To demonstrate otherwise, he shares charts and maps stored his smart phone with Annette and Sarah, who are also working on the same 1798 project. He also mentions that one 1720 resource discusses a man named Masthead Duncan – the same name as their professor. Sarah reveals that she has also come across a Royal Navy lieutenant with the same name in 1757. Another source places Duncan in 1798 on Malta. The unusual first name puzzles them because they can’t possibly be the same man given the activities mentioned and the ages of each man. It’s a coincidence they might query their professor about, but no one has seen or heard from him since he turned up at a local hospital with a knife wound.

Further discussion reveals several other oddities, one of which involves the hidden room in Duncan’s office. Ken comes up with a theory based on the evidence, which seems almost impossible to believe – time travel. The answer may be in the professor’s office and Ken just happens to have a key. Sarah is reluctant to break into the office, but Annette believes this may be her only chance to find her mother and perhaps provide Admiral Brueys with the necessary information to change the outcome of the battle. After acquiring the key and Ken’s smart phone containing the maps, she eludes the others to locate the gateway that will take her to Malta in 1798. Having a duplicate key, Ken and Sarah attempt to stop her, but she’s vanished by the time they get to the office. The only thing they can do now is follow her through the gateway to find Masthead Duncan and stop Annette from changing history.

Going back in time may sound like fun, but it’s fraught with danger. Aside from stability issues with the gateway, their adventures include encounters with Barbary pirates, mutineers, kidnappers, galley slaves, and a sheik seeking a new bride. Rock climbing, safeguarding treasure, trekking across the desert, and participating in sea battles add further excitement to entice and engage readers. The love scene between two of the characters lacks the smooth flow that is present throughout the rest of the story. There are a few places that may puzzle readers – the delay between the time the French officers find the phone and confront Annette, for example – but Wyvill crafts a believable and compelling time travel that provides startling answers to the questions of what if France had won the battle at Aboukir Bay and how does a single misstep in the past affect the future. The Second Gate is the first book in a new series and promises some intriguing future adventures for the characters we meet within this volume.




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Review of The Royal Navy 1793-1800

The Royal Navy 1793-1800: Birth of a Superpower by Mark Jessop

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The years chosen for this study of the Royal Navy comprise a period in which major changes affected almost all of Europe and Britain grew to become the most powerful navy in the world. This is an account of both world events and the impact they had on the navy and those at home and at sea. It opens in 1793, when news arrives in England of the beheading of the French monarch, Louis XVI. The first chapter sets the stage, introducing readers to the lay of the land and the readiness of the navy in the months prior to France’s declaration of war. Over the next eight years of fighting, the public bears a high price to defeat Napoleon. Not only are income taxes introduced for the first time, but freedoms are lost, and families are torn apart.

What sets this book apart from other histories of the Royal Navy is twofold. First, it contains tidbits of information not found in other such works. Second, and perhaps more importantly, it connects ordinary people in their everyday lives to a world at war and shows how this conflict alters both them and the navy. Nor is this your typical history; rather, it is a combination of fact and fiction. Each chapter begins with a fictional account steeped in historical facts from the perspective of unnamed participants. For example, chapter two recounts the tale of a Cornish miner who took the king’s shilling rather than face unemployment. The miner is imagined, but he represents one of eighty real miners who served aboard Sir Edward Pellew’s Nymphe when she encountered the French Cléopâtre. The next chapter, on the other hand, tells the story of a press gang and the what ifs and regrets a victim might ponder.

A host of topics are covered within the chapters: the cost of maintaining a navy and the number of vessels in the beginning and at the end; who was aboard the ships and what did they do; the Admiralty; medical care; seamen’s pay, prize money, and the 1797 mutinies; and hazards at sea. Chapters six and seven examine specific naval strategies and battles, such as blockades, the Glorious First of June (the first fleet action of the war), the Siege of St. Jean d’Acre, amphibious operations, Barbary pirates, and the Battles of Cape St. Vincent and Aboukir Bay. The last chapter discusses the importance of gunnery practice, naval stations in the Caribbean, and the decline of British trade in the West Indies.

This book begins with a list of major events between 1793 and 1800. It ends with two bibliographies and an extensive index. At the center of the book is a section containing black-and-white artwork and a series of maps. Footnotes, rather than endnotes, make it easy for readers to check source citations, read definitions, or discover other pertinent information not contained in the main text.

The inclusion of the fictional scenes allows readers to make a personal and more immediate connection with the war and world at the end of the eighteenth century. This is a highly readable history of the Royal Navy that packs an abundance of information into a scant 159 pages. Readers need not be familiar with either the navy or nautical language to grasp the content, and the book serves as a good introduction to the Royal Navy at a critical time in history.




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Review of For God and Glory

For God and Glory: Lord Nelson and His Way of War by Joel S.A. Hayward

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A hero and legend in his own time, Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson is still remembered and honored long after his tragic death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. He was born in 1758, joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman at the age of twelve, and was promoted to lieutenant six years later. He was noted for his ability to think outside the box, especially when it came to tactics and fighting at sea, long before that phrase came into use. He was deeply devoted to God and his country, and he sacrificed an eye, an arm, and ultimately his life to safeguard his homeland from a man he considered “like Satan,” “a man of blood,” and a “despoiler of the weak” – Napoleon. (1)

The reader might ask why we need another biography of this illustrious man, but Hayward poses a different question in his preface: Is Nelson relevant today? Actually, this is but the first of many questions that he asks in light of modern warfare and technology. We may change how we fight out enemies, but the basic nature of warfare remains the same. In light of this, Hayward’s goal is “to analyze Lord Nelson’s fascinating and influential life, with particular focus on his style of warfare and the passions, ideas, beliefs, and behavioral patterns that created and shaped that style, via a thematic approach.” (xiii-xiv) This allows readers to coherently view Hayward’s analysis of “Horatio Nelson’s warfighting style, one that was unique to him and made him a great leader and England’s most brilliant admiral.” (1)

He begins by summarizing Nelson’s life and achievements in the introduction. In the subsequent six chapters, Hayward shares snippets from the admiral’s own writings, as well as those of his colleagues.

“Nelson’s Conception of His Enemies” is the focus of the first chapter. Nelson demonstrated particular animus toward all things and people of France. This wasn’t true initially, nor was it how he viewed whatever enemy he faced, such as the Americans during their war for independence. Why was this, how did it affect him, and what role did this hatred play in the way he fought to achieve victory?

Chapter two examines “The Admiral’s Spiritual Beliefs.” That Nelson was profoundly religious isn’t surprising, given that his father was a clergyman, as were other members of his family, and religion was an integral part of his studies and upbringing. His faith, when coupled with his duty to king and country, helped him to overcome his physical disabilities. Nelson was prideful, ruthless when engaging the enemy, and an adulterer – sinfulness in the eyes of the Lord. In spite of these frailties, he remained ever faithful in his belief. Hayward explores how Nelson made sense of the world and his role in the struggle between England and France, as well as how he reconciled his shortcomings and his religiosity. Hayward also looks at how others viewed these opposing facets.

The next chapter examines Nelson’s “Command, Leadership, and Management.” The officers and men who served under Nelson were totally devoted to him. He earned their trust, inspired them to be better than they were, and cared about them. How did he achieve this and how was he able to master all three aspects of leadership in times of war?

According to the United States Marine Corps, Maneuver Warfare is “a warfighting philosophy that seeks to shatter the enemy’s cohesion through a variety of rapid, focused, and unexpected actions which create a turbulent and rapidly deteriorating situation with which the enemy cannot cope.” (100) This definition is shared so readers unfamiliar with the concept, which didn’t exist in Nelson’s time period, will understand the subject of the book’s fourth chapter: “Nelson’s Warfighting Style and Maneuver Warfare.” Hayward uses the fleet battle at Aboukir Bay in 1798 to showcase how Nelson’s style resembles this modern concept. Also included is an enlightening discussion of just what “annihilation” meant in the past.

Not all battles that the navy wages take place at sea, and the same was true in Nelson’s time. Chapter five, “Nelson and War on Land,” examines whether Nelson understood that sea-fighting strategies and tactics did not translate well to actions on land, and whether he was able to adapt his art of warfare to counter these differences. If he did so, was he successful? Hayward contrasts a siege in which Nelson participated in early in his career while in the Caribbean, with those that took place on Corsica.

The final chapter explores “Coalition Warfare.” Britain did not fight alone in the wars to defeat Napoleon, even though the country shouldered the brunt of the cost, fighting, and sacrifices. As an admiral, Nelson also had to work with other nations’ navies and their officers. In this particular case, the focus is on Nelson during the Second Coalition, which lasted from 1798 to 1801, and the effectiveness of his leadership as coalition fleet commander when he had to work with Neapolitan and Portuguese squadrons and the navies of Russia and Turkey.

For God and Glory is a fascinating analysis of Nelson and his effectiveness during the Napoleonic wars. Instead of being blinded by hero worship, Hayward writes a compelling and unbiased account of a man who was deeply religious, was aware of his human weaknesses – even if he didn’t always conquer them – and was a masterful strategist and tactician at sea when his country needed him most. His loyalty was such that he willingly sacrificed himself to safeguard what he held dear, and the concern for his men and love of country, in turn, inspired others.

One might think this would be a dry or pedantic analysis; in actuality, it is a compelling, well-crafted, and fascinating study of Nelson, the man. While primarily geared toward students of military history and warfare, as well as readers passionate about this time period and/or Vice Admiral Lord Nelson, novelists will find this analysis enlightening because it is also a comprehensive character study of the traits, both good and bad, of a convincing hero.




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Review of Greek Fire

Greek Fire by James Boschert

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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

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

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

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

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

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




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Review of Destiny's Tide

Destiny's tide by J.D. Davies

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Once a vibrant town, Dunwich’s importance dwindles because of Mother Nature and because of its rivalries with other Suffolk towns. Jack and his father, Peter Stannard, are English traders whose ships make them important merchants in Dunwich. But growing up in Peter’s shadow is fraught with peril, for Peter is abusive and Jack never measures up to his deceased older brother. His father’s penchant for drink and strange affliction only worsens the abuse that Jack endures.

Jack has high hopes to reclaim his town’s stature by answering King Henry’s summons to first teach the Scots a lesson for reneging on a promise to wed their infant queen Mary to Prince Edward and then attack France. Jack commands the Suffolk contingent of ships, much to the chagrin of Raker of Southwold and Maddox of Walberswick. The rivalry between the three towns is an ancient one, but there is bad blood between Raker and Peter. Jack doesn’t understand why, but he definitely experiences the results. No sooner do they arrive at the gathering spot for the king’s ships than he is arrested. When he finally faces his accusers, he also learns the serious charges they have brought against him.

Once a soldier, Thomas Ryman set aside his sword to take holy orders. After a decade with the Grey Friars of Dunwich, he and his fellow brothers are turned out of their home upon the king’s dissolution of the Catholic Church and its monasteries. Having last fought the Scots at Flodden Field, he decides to take up his sword once again and sail with Jack, his former student. Thomas’s familiarity with soldiering and his past contacts provide him with a means of rescuing Jack after his arrest.

This first book in the Jack Stannard of the Navy Royal series occurs between 1537 through 1547, although the principal portion of the story takes place from April 1544 through July 1545. It is a mix of life in England during perilous times and battles at sea in which ingenuity and fortitude play equal roles. Davies’s vivid and poignant portrayal of the capture of the Scottish warship Unicorn, the rescue of a Genoese captain, and the sinking of the Mary Rose keeps readers on the edges of their seats while holding their breaths. Equally compelling are scenes involving the ongoing religious changes that begin with the dissolution and climax with the partial destruction of a Dunwich church. Destiny’s Tide is also a tale of secrets, jealousy, and betrayal. Since most naval stories focus on later historical periods, it is refreshing to be to an earlier era when a temporary navy safeguards the realm and we see it begin to evolve into the royal navy we are familiar with today.




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Review of Captain Easterday's Bargain

Captain Easterday's Bargain by Kathleen Buckley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When it comes to women, Captain Marcus Easterday has little luck. He’s been jilted twice in the past, and when he looks at both instances with a rational eye, neither woman was suited to him. Nor is he looking for a possible wife the day he walks into Cantarell Shipping to explore the possibility of exporting textiles to the American colonies and the West Indies. The appearance of a woman from the inner office in this section of London, who asks what she can do for him, stuns him.

The odds are stacked against Olivia Cantarell simply because she’s a woman, but she is determined to take over her father’s business now that he’s deceased. After all, she’s worked half her life with him and knows every facet of the shipping business. But, as Captain Easterday points out, the docks and wharves are dangerous places for a genteel woman. Nor is she permitted to enter alehouses, ordinaries, or even Lloyd’s Coffee House where shipping business is regularly conducted. For that, she requires a competent clerk, but hers tendered his resignation because he could not abide working for a woman. When Easterday offers her a loan of his clerk’s assistant, she agrees.

Aunt Rachel fails to comprehend why her niece insists on going to the office. From her perspective, Olivia needs to marry a potential suitor, which Olivia is reluctant to do since once she does, her husband will own everything, including the shipping business and her. Whatever would she do with herself if she didn’t have her work? To appease her aunt, Olivia agrees to attend an assembly – prime husband-hunting ground, from her aunt’s perspective – but for the purpose of making business contacts. She not only meets Easterday again but also makes the acquaintance of Ambrose Hawkins, an importer who flatters her with attention. Rather than fall head over heels for him, she has a hard time deciding what she thinks of him. As her father once said, “he looks and talks like a gentleman, but has the heart of a pirate.” (63) Nor does Ambrose’s idea of a wife jive with hers.

When two Cantarell shipments turn up missing, Olivia turns to Easterday for help. His investigation leads to the real possibility that this theft was an inside job. In attempting to locate the culprit, he discovers the man also received a sizeable bribe from Ambrose. What information could Hawkins want and how does this knowledge impact Olivia?

Further complicating Olivia’s life is the fact that two strangers keep watch on her office. One of her errand boys is abducted and questioned, and her second clerk is forced into hiding. Hawkins becomes overzealous in his pursuit of Olivia, and then Easterday is forced to make an unusual bargain with her to protect her reputation. When word reaches him Olivia is in grave danger, he questions the wisdom of that bargain and how best to ensure that she comes to no harm.

The cover of this book with its ship, chart, and nautical instruments, all of which suggest this is a story set on the high seas, may mislead some readers. Instead, this sweet historical romance takes place in 1740, and offers readers insight into eighteenth-century shipping industry and occasional glimpses into seamier sections of the city. Buckley vividly recreates a period in time in which a woman’s role was greatly restrained and Olivia is a delightful heroine with pluck and determination to succeed in spite of the odds against her. Marcus is an unassuming hero who is not afraid to bargain with a woman and is willing to admit that first impressions aren’t necessarily correct ones. Captain Easterday’s Bargain is entertaining and adventurous, with some secondary characters who almost steal the limelight from the triangle of Olivia, Marcus, and Ambrose.



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History in a Historical Novel

If you enjoy learning about the history behind a historical novel, I recommend reading J. G. Harlond's article Barbary Corsairs and Ludo da Portovenere. Ludo is the main character in her The Chosen Man trilogy. The article discusses his character history and the real man who was his father, Jan Janszoon, a Dutch privateer who became a Barbary corsair.

You'll find her article here at Pirates and Privateers: The History of Maritime Piracy.

I hope you enjoy both the article and a snippet from The Chosen Man!