Cindy Vallar's Blog, page 33

Review of Loch Garman

Loch Garman: A Novel of Viking Age Ireland by James L. Nelson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Thorgrim Night Wolf has one desire – to return home to Norway – but again the gods demonstrate that the time has not yet arrived. Such is definitely the case in this seventh book in The Norsemen Saga, for he and his men have but three damaged longboats with no sails. Rather than fight and pillage to gain what they need, Thorgrim barters with the Irish. His decision is of no import to Starri Deathless, the berserker, “[b]cause every time you say such a thing, there ends up being more fighting than a man could wish for, so I’m not concerned.” (21)

Treasure attracts more than the heathens who plague Ireland. One among the many rí tuath wishes to gain the rumored Treasure of St. Aiden for himself, which is why Airtre mac Domhnall and a hundred men have gathered outside the gates of the monastery at Ferns. Failure to return home without it will just result in censure from his wife, and Airtre would much rather confront an army of Northmen than face her empty-handed. But Abbot Column denies that such a treasure exists, for he will protect the secret of Ferns any way he can. He succeeds in thwarting Airtre this time, but knows his success is temporary. Sooner or later Airtre will return and when he does, the lord who came to his aid this time won’t be present.

While some of the Northmen begin repairing the ships and setting up a temporary camp on the shores of Loch Garman, Thorgrim sends his son to retrieve the two longships he lent to the enslaved Irish whom Harald helped free. The plan is to row the two vessels back to their camp, but once Harald and his contingent locate them, they discover they aren’t the only ones to find the boats. Airtre isn’t quite certain what to do with the ships, but they are important to the heathens and, therefore, there must be some advantage to possessing them. A surprise attack allows Harald and his men to reclaim the longships until they discover that the Irish took all the oars and without those or sails, the boats are useless. When Airtre comes under a flag of truce and offers a compromise, Harald sees no workable options than to accept. In exchange for the oars, the Northmen will help Airtre “reclaim” the Treasure of St. Aidan and to insure that both sides keep their pledges, they exchange hostages. The Northmen return to Loch Garman with a promise to rendezvous with Airtre at a prearranged spot not far from Ferns.

While his son is away and his men are busy, Thorgrim and Failend head to Ferns to purchase new cloth for the sails. Although the Irish and Abbot Column, as well as Brother Bécc, are wary of this offer of silver for cloth, the abbot agrees to the exchange with an additional stipulation. Thorgrim must also assist Brother Bécc (a former soldier who is now a monk) with putting an end to Airtre’s repeated attempts to plunder the abbey. As much as he would prefer not to fight, Thorgrim will do what he must to obtain the sails. Only after he returns to camp does he learn that his son is a hostage to this Airtre; that they are to meet Brother Bécc at the same spot where they are to await Airtre; and that the Northmen have now promised to fight on both sides. Thorgrim also understands why Starri was unconcerned about his peaceful intentions and how fickle the gods can be.

Loch Garman is an excellent example of circumstances making strange bedfellows, for such are rife throughout this wonderful tale. While the majority of it takes place on land, there are a few river scenes. Subtle shifts begin to emerge in relations between the Irish and Northmen that will eventually lead to a more peaceful coexistence. Lest you think you can guess the ending from this review, I assure you that isn’t the case. Yes, there is plenty of action as Starri foretells, but this intricately woven tapestry is far more than just adventure. It also showcases how warriors think, gauge their opponents, understand potential trickery before it unfolds, and find ways to counteract overwhelming odds to prevail without losing sight of the original goal.

Nelson possesses the gift of a true storyteller; his words easily spin visual pictures in our minds without inserting passages that allow us to stray from unfolding events. For the first time, Louis the Frank is actually likable and Starri’s interactions with Thorgrim provide insightful glimpses into two men who are no longer as young as they once were. For much of the story, Harald is apart from the rest of the Northmen and these wanderings not only allow him to discover the truth of Ferns’ secret but also to demonstrate his inner reflections that show both the true depth of his character and how he has matured as a man and a fighter.

There are elements within this book – perhaps the best offering in the series so far – that readers will identify with no matter their ages. For me, these include sly touches of dry humor, the rationalizing of internal conflicts, and the wisdom and frailties that come with getting older. Regardless of what attracts you, you will not be disappointed. From the opening confrontation to the heart-stopping climax, Loch Garman is a riveting tale that brings to life a bygone era of Irish history.





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Review of Beyond Beauport

Beyond Beauport by James Masciarelli

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Shannon Clarke – forty-six, separated, and a mother with grown children – finds herself at loose ends after staging a mischievous and unauthorized boarding of a vessel with three friends during the 2012 Labor Day Weekend Gloucester Schooner Festival. She and her family have lived and endured in this coastal Massachusetts town for three generations, and her life promises more of the same drudgery once the visitors return home for another fall and winter. Only a mysterious phone call from her beloved, but rarely seen, Uncle Patrick promises any excitement, but even she is astonished with the news he shares.

It turns out that she is descended from the legendary Anne Bonny and Calico Jack Rackham. While most would be skeptical, Shannon easily comes to terms with the possibility. After all, her dysfunctional relatives include “murderers, thieves, drug addicts, child beaters, gun runners, smugglers and outlaws. Why not pirates?” (17) In addition to this information, Patrick presents her with Anne’s short sword which has been passed down from mother to daughter for eleven generations. Except Shannon’s mother appropriated it for herself; Patrick stole it back and kept it until the time was right to present it to Shannon.

What happened to Anne after her conviction has long been a mystery. She simply vanished from the historical record. But Patrick recounts how she disappeared and lived to die of old age under another name. He also shares information about the possibility that together he and Shannon may be able to recover treasure that Anne and Jack buried centuries ago. They have no map, but Anne did leave clues. Although a long shot at best, Patrick and Shannon set off on an adventure that takes them to Florida, the Caribbean, and South Carolina. Along the way Shannon learns to become a master sailor aboard her uncle’s replica brigantine and meets a cousin she never knew existed. They also cross paths with human traffickers, the FBI, and an informant.

Beyond Beauport is a well-spun tale of a Gloucester woman who must come to terms, as we all do, with her past and her family. Along the way, we are introduced to some piratical history and two New Englanders, Captain Jonathan Haraden and Sailing Master Nathaniel Haraden – brave and daring men who left their mark on seafaring history during the early days of the American republic. There are a few scenes, such as the bar in South Florida, that might rub some readers the wrong way, but the story is portrayed both realistically and believably. One weakness is the lack of tension. Only once and briefly will readers feel as if Shannon and Patrick are truly in danger. What Masciarelli achieves best is paying homage to Gloucester women: rugged independence, deep connections to family, and resourceful pragmatism. In Shannon, readers witness all of this and much more as she comes to terms with who she is, the legacy she’s been left, and the abuse and abandonment she has suffered.




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Review of No Limits to Their Sway

No Limits to Their Sway: Cartagena's Privateers and the Masterless Caribbean in the Age of Revolutions by Edgardo Pérez Morales

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The American Revolution gave rise to a new age, one that encompassed the years 1776 through 1830 and came to be known as the Age of Revolutions. Morales’s book examines this historical period, especially as it relates to Cartagena and its bid to gain independence from Spain during the second decade of the 19th century. Although few documents from Cartagena de Indias (modern-day Colombia) exist today, there are other contemporary documents from various archives that permit us to glimpse this often-mentioned, but little-studied, period of Latin American history and, in particular, the privateers who participated in this colony’s bid to break from Spain. One such man, his crew, and their ship helps Morales achieve this goal. The privateer’s name is Louis-Michel Aury.

No Limits to Their Sway opens with a list of key figures who appear within the narrative itself, as well as an introduction to set the stage and ground readers in the historical background that led to this facet of the Age of Revolutions. Divided into nine chapters and an epilogue, this book also includes a list of primary sources on “Cartagena-Flagged Privateers, 1812-1816,” end notes, and an index. (There is no separate bibliography; all source material is cited within the notes section.) To further assist readers are some maps, a graph, and images of documents and other privateer-related materials.

The first two chapters – “Slavery, Seamanship, Freedom” and “Heralds of Liberty and Disobedience” focus on slavery, seamanship, freedom, and revolution and how they interconnect. It is here that Morales explores the intricate intertwining of the wars for independence in the United States, France, and Haiti, as well as the privateers who aided in these bids. The inclusion of all this background material grounds the reader for what is to come and brings to light some interesting details about these men and where they came from.

“Cartagena de Indias and the Age of Revolutions” and “The American Connection” (chapters three and four) examine Cartagena’s bid for independence. Here, Morales specifically examines changes, social and political, that led to this country’s people rising up against Spain. Chapter five (“Detachment from the Land and Irreverence at Sea”), on the other hand, explores the privateers and how these men of the sea differed from people who remained on land, particularly those in authority.

Two outside influences that played differing roles in Cartagena’s struggle were Cuba, which remained loyal to Spain, and Haiti, a former French colony that had already gained its freedom from the motherland. This study, which unfolds in chapters six and seven (“Under the Walls of Havana” and “Haiti: The Beacon Republic”), compare and contrast how each impacted the privateering policies that Cartagena enacted.

The final two chapters and the epilogue – “‘Horrors of Carthagena’;” Robbery, Mutiny, Fire;” and “From Amelia Island to the Republic of Colombia,” respectively – highlight the devastating effects of failed bids for independence and the determination to continue the struggle until objectives were achieved. In discussing these topics, Morales also analyzes the discrimination Afro-Caribbean people faced after independence and why histories on Latin American autonomy have ignored Cartagena’s story and that of the privateers who participated in it.

No Limits to Their Sway is an enlightening and marvelous study that provides readers with a valuable and much-needed resource. Morales skillfully and logically presents the material and his conclusions, while reinforcing key points with archival data in different languages provide a well-rounded and unbiased examination of both the Age of Revolutions in general and the conflicts in the Spanish Main in particular. That he accomplishes this in a manner that allows laypersons and students of history alike to grasp the subject matter without falling asleep or skipping over text is a testament to the depth of his research and his thorough understanding of it.




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Review of Midshipman Graham and the Battle of Abukir

Midshipman Graham and the Battle of Abukir by James Boschert

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


With morale at an all-time low and in disarray following the defeat of Acre, the French army returns to Egypt. The Bedouins torment them from the desert, while the British navy harries them from the sea. The naval force is under the command of Commodore Sir Sidney Smith, who is determined to undermine Napoleon whenever possible. The alliance with the Ottoman Empire necessitates that Smith aid the forces under Mustafa Pasha, but first, he must put down a mutiny that threatens Nicosia. That is accomplished with great efficiency and one of the midshipmen, Duncan Graham, accompanies him ashore.

Duncan is a promising young officer, with a particular knack for leadership and navigation, but he is not the most senior midshipman. That honor goes to Tewksby, and the rivalry between these two escalates as the story progresses, particularly after Tewksby bullies the youngest, Minnow Standforth, whom Duncan has taken a liking to and protects when possible.

After the British rendezvous with Mustafa’s forces at Abukir, the Turks attack the fort. The resulting slaughter and mutilation of the French soldiers horrifies and stuns the British from the Commodore to the lowliest sailor. Smith is also certain that it’s only a matter of time before the French appear to exact their revenge. There is little Smith is able to do because the waters around the area aren’t deep enough to bring the warships close in and support the Turks. Nor are the Turks keen on heeding any advice – a fatal mistake in the battle to come.

Smith, who is in need of information, sends Captain John Williams – who speaks Arabic and easily moves through the streets of Cairo disguised as an Arab – ashore with men tasked to bring back fresh water. Among those in the boats are Duncan and Tewksby, who have agreed to settle their differences away from prying eyes. But noise from their personal battle alerts the French to their presence and Duncan finds himself alone and on the run without any idea of where to go. Williams also hears the commotion and returns to save Duncan. Together they make their way to Cairo, where they hope to reconnect with their ship.

This historical novel is a brutal depiction of war, one which is vividly portrayed and poignantly recounted in a letter written by a French officer. The Battle of Abukir is basically one segment of a story that also encompasses mutiny, fireships, white slavery, and a harem in a brothel. The last lends itself to a brief romance and some humorous escapades, although Duncan finds them more embarrassing and distasteful than funny. Some readers may find the title somewhat misleading, since Duncan is not the main protagonist and he is present in only about one third of the scenes. While we never fully connect with him, which is disappointing, Boschert is adept at interweaving different cultures, bringing the past to life in realistic ways, and presenting the events from various perspectives, thus giving us a well-rounded view of the conflagration.




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Review of Knight Assassin

Knight Assassin by James Boschert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Talon de Gilles may be young in age, but inside he is a man. Stolen when a lad, he grew up among the Assassini in Persia and was trained to be a killer. Now, he sails home to reunite with his parents, but his heart remains in Palestine. Captured by the Templars, he was forced to abandon the princess he loves and his best friend, both of whom may now be dead. There is little he can do for them, but his knowledge and skill are in great need aboard the ship, which is pursued by pirates. Aided by his uncle (a Templar knight) and Welsh mercenaries heading home, Talon implements a daring strategy to save all their lives.

The reunion with his parents is filled with joy, but too much has changed and not necessarily for the better. The land his mother inherited from her father and which her husband oversees is desired by her cousin, who is determined to take the property through fair means or foul. Nor can his parents secure their claim of ownership because they are unable to locate legal proof of the inheritance.

At present, her cousin employs mercenaries, who raid and burn outlier holdings. They also leave behind no witnesses. Her cousin has also been courting the church, but it takes Talon’s special talents to unveil the true treachery against his family. While friends from the journey home search for the needed documents, he accompanies his uncle to meet their overlord, the Count of Carcassone, where Talon makes new friends and forges powerful alliances. Talon also becomes a knight and is sent on a secret mission through territories where it’s difficult to tell friend from enemy.

Knight Assassin is the second book of Talon, and while not as exotic as the first, the politics and locales are just as skillfully depicted and unusual. The only drawback to the book pertains to layout formatting and grammatical errors, all of which could have been easily corrected with a thorough proofing before printing. Setting the story in France allows Boschert to spin an intricate web that not only brings the past to life, but also allows readers to meet a plethora of unique and intriguing characters, some of which would not be possible in any other setting. As events unfold, a complicated house of cards is assembled, but a single misstep is all that requires it to topple and it does so during a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat race that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Talon’s adventures.




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Review of Nathan Fox: Seas of Blood

Nathan Fox: Seas of Blood by L Brittney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


At fifteen, Nathan Fox has led a most interesting and diverse life. Not only is he an actor in the same theatre company as William Shakespeare, but he’s also an agent in Sir Francis Walsingham’s Secret Service. Nor has he lived in a more fearful time. It’s 1588 and King Philip of Spain has vowed to send his great Armada against England. All of England is abuzz with rumors of the approaching invasion fleet, and everyone must defend queen and country to the bitter end. There is one chance to thwart Spain, but Walsingham has been unable to unlock the secret code that will reveal the identities of the Spanish agents who have infiltrated Queen Elizabeth’s court. Only one man, the astrologer who devised the code, can identify these infiltrators, but he has lost his mind after dabbling in alchemy and sorcery. It’s up to Nathan, his sister Marie, his partner John Pearce, an ex-soldier and expert swordsman, and Walsingham’s best cryptographer to unravel the code before it’s too late. To that end Nathan and the others sail to western Ireland where the pirate O’Malley may protect them from prying eyes and add the final touches in Nathan’s training before he and John embark on a dangerous assignment that could brand them as either traitors to the queen or English spies facing a Spanish executioner.

Aside from Grace O’Malley, readers meet several other people from history as Brittney skillfully brings to life the likes of Sir Francis Drake, Francis Walsingham, and Richard Bingham. Her fictional characters are equally well drawn and the humor and drama she weaves into her story’s tapestry compel readers to emotionally respond to what’s happening. She also provides vivid glimpses into the fear permeating England, the dangers of war and seafaring in the sixteenth century, and the deplorable conditions aboard the Spanish ships. While portions of the second part of Nathan’s mission seem slightly less plausible, she contrives these scenes with the same aplomb as the others, which lends them an air of credibility that a less-gifted writer would have difficulty achieving.

Seas of Blood is the third entry in the Nathan Fox series. Previous titles are Dangerous Times and Traitor’s Gold, but readers need not have read those stories to enjoy and understand this one. For those who want to know more about the history behind this tale, Iris Books also offers a companion book, Elizabethan World of Nathan Fox: Fact Book Three, which includes articles on Irish pirates, Grace O’Malley, English Sea Dogs, and much more.

The intended audience of this series is pirate apprentices – teens and young adults in landlubber speak – but this thrilling adventure rich in historical details will also appeal to older pirates. As Nathan himself thinks, “A mad magician; a secret code book; Ireland and pirates – who could want for more?” (33)




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Review of An Inception of Piracy

An Inception of Piracy by Michael Calpino

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In the midst of the War of the Spanish Succession, Giovanni Bartolli sails as his father’s emissary to England to negotiate a trade deal with the Royal Navy. Although he has often accompanied his father on prior missions, this is the first opportunity in which success rides on Giovanni’s shoulders, and he’s determined not to disappoint his father. But England is a foreign place and bad advice leads him astray. The Blue Pearl is not an accommodation for a reputable businessman, especially for one as inexperienced as him. Carousing with the inn’s patrons leads to overindulgence, which befuddles his brain. When he ventures outside, he is attacked and robbed of money and clothes – anything of value. Upon waking, he encounters a press gang that cares little about who he is and why he’s in England. All that matters is he’s young, able to work, and has no impediments.

He soon finds himself aboard HMS Vitol, where insubordination is not tolerated and he feels the sting of the cat across his back. It matters not that he is innocent of the charge; the boatswain dislikes impressed men and Giovanni in particular. A brief respite from the persecution comes when the ship founders during a storm. Giovanni and some of the friends he has among the other pressed men survive, but so does the boatswain and his mates. Another English warship rescues them and, for a brief time, Giovanni sees a different side of the navy since this captain treats men fairly and runs a happy vessel. All goes reasonably well until an accident kills one well-liked seaman and maims another. The men from the Vitol are shunned and the tension thickens. Only the fortuitous appearance of an enemy ship resolves the problem; the English win and the Vitols board the prize and sail for home.

Another chance encounter with the enemy results in the destruction of the prize. Giovanni fashions a raft from among the debris littering the ocean. He also rescues two friends, one of whom is badly wounded. After days at sea, a merchant ship is sighted. A small lie is soon uncovered, leading to charges of desertion and mutiny against Giovanni. The moment the vessel docks in Virginia, the captain vows he will turn Giovanni over to the authorities and see justice at the end of a noose visited upon him.

An Inception of Piracy opens with hope and opportunity that is sabotaged by an unfortunate misstep with unexpected and dire consequences that forever change one’s future path. Each inciting incident intensifies the downward spiral into piracy, yet as anger rises, hope restrains. Calpino vividly recreates the time period and his knowledge of the past paints a realistic backdrop in which the story unfolds and the characters come to life. This historical novel is a gripping portrayal spiced with deep friendships, unexpected romance, and one man’s psychological struggle to comprehend the impossible.




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Review of The Trafalgar Chronicle New Series 2

The Trafalgar Chronicle: New Series 2 by Peter Hore

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Royal Marines, whose history traces back to 1664, and the United States Marine Corps, first founded in 1775, gained distinction when the world was at war between 1792 and 1815. Past histories have often given short shrift to these sea soldiers, but here The 1805 Club allows them to take center stage. The various essays chosen for inclusion demonstrate the vital roles they played and illustrate why they participated in “every important action of fleet, afloat and ashore during the Great War.” (5) The contributors include navy and marine personnel, academics, researchers, writers, and historians.

The book opens with Julian Thompson’s “The Marines: The Early Days,” which explores the origins of the British Marines, how they became the Royal Marines, who they were, and what they did during their first 151 years. Anthony Bruce focuses on “The Marines in Boston, 1774-75,” with particular emphasis on the events leading up to and including the Battle of Bunker Hill, while Britt Zerbe examines their participation in the Battle of Trafalgar and their marginalized treatment in the age of sail in “That Matchless Victory: Trafalgar, the Royal Marines and Sea Battle in the Age of Nelson.”

In “Leathernecks: The US Marine Corps in the Age of the Barbary Pirates” Charles Neimeyer discusses the origins of their contemporary nickname and their activities in America’s war with Tripoli, which is immortalized in the “Marines’ Hymn.” Benjamin Armstrong also looks at this war, but his focus is on Commodore Edward Preble and naval diplomacy in “‘Against the Common Enemies’: American Allies and Partners in the First Barbary War.”

Two other essays discuss the naval officers who also held commissions in the Marines, even though they never served as marines themselves. John D. Bolt’s “The ‘Blue Colonels’ of Marines: Sinecure and Shaping the Royal Marine Identity” explains this practice and how Royal Marines viewed it, as well as how it affected their ability to advance through the ranks. David Clammer focuses on one particular officer, who was charged with defending England’s coastline from a French invasion in “Captain Ingram, the Sea Fencibles, the Signal Stations and the Defence of Dorset.”

“The Royal Marines Battalions in the War of 1812” by Alexander Craig looks at raids and encounters in the Chesapeake Bay and Canada, while Robert K. Sutcliff’s “The First Royal Marine Battalion’s Peninsular War 1810-1812” examines their activities in Portugal and Spain. Tom Fremantle explores the thirty-six-year career of “Captain Philip Gidley King, Royal Navy, Third Governor of New South Wales,” an ancestor who served on several ships before being sent to Botany Bay to establish a base for the convict colony.

Larrie D. Ferreriro discusses the French and Spanish navies in “The Rise and Fall of the Bourbon Armada, 1744-1805: From Toulon to Trafalgar,” while Jann M. Witt explores “Smuggling and Blockade Running during the Anglo-Danish War of 1807-14.”

Another author, Allan Adair, also writes about his ancestors. He focuses on two brothers – one a captain in the Royal Marines, the other a fourteen-year-old master’s mate – who participated in Trafalgar in “Loyal Au Mort: The Adairs at the Battle of Trafalgar.” Sim Comfort, on the other hand, turns his attention to a weapon and the man who wielded it in “The Royal Marine Uniform Sword by Blake, London, Provenanced to Captain Richard Welchman, Royal Marines.”

Two additional entries in this book provide glimpses into two men who were veterans of Trafalgar: “Marine Stephen Humphries 1786-1865” and “Captain James Cottell: The Pictorial Life of a Trafalgar Veteran.” Humphries’s account of Trafalgar, his first fight, his time as a prisoner of the French, and his participation in the march on Washington are from his memoir, one of the few written by a marine that has survived to the present day. In the other offering, John Rawlinson provides background to tie together Cottell’s life with the many sketches and watercolors that he made while at sea.

For me, these last two offerings are the most intriguing and absorbing, but all the essays enlighten readers and illuminate men who deserve more recognition, but rarely receive it. Excerpts from primary documentation are included in some, while resources consulted and other materials are listed in the endnotes. Recruiting posters, maps, portraits, paintings, and tables are among the illustrations included with the contributions. A center section of color plates, including Geoff Hunt’s painting of marines aboard a ship, further enriches the text. There is also a list of contributors with short biographies. As always, the yearbook shines a spotlight on tantalizing new naval research in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and this edition with its focus on the marines makes this a praiseworthy contribution to any library or historian fascinated with the Georgian Navy.




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Review of HMS Victory First Rate 1765

HMS Victory - First Rate 1765 by Jonathan Eastland

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The first Victory was an Elizabethan merchant ship that was transformed into a race-built galleon. Over the years, a total of seven have borne the name, but it is the last that is most remembered and remains “the oldest warship still in commission in any navy.” (10) This stately lady participated in several notable sea battles, including Trafalgar, and witnessed the death of many, particularly that of Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson. Her keel was laid in July 1759; it took the oak from 6,000 trees to build her (10-15% of which remains original to this day); and her hull cost £63,176 when completed in April 1765. She spent the next thirteen years in Ordinary, waiting for the day when the Royal Navy would need her. That day arrived in 1778, the same year in which she first fired on the enemy (the French) at Ushant in the English Channel.

Reminiscent of coffee table books of yore, HMS Victory is a fascinating, “you-are-there” guide that explores this legendary warship deck by deck from bow to stern and keel to masthead. Your journey begins the moment you open the cover, inside of which is a labeled diagram of her different decks from poop to hold. A wealth of fabulous color photographs enrich your tour and illustrate every page from the front endpaper to the resource list.

The book is divided into two sections. The first is a narrative summary of her history which opens with a fascinating comparison between Victory, the most technologically advanced warship of her day, and today’s HMS Daring, a destroyer that can attack an enemy from sixty miles away. The next twenty-two pages discuss:

The Line of Battle
With a Heart of Oak
Off to War
Trafalgar: The Battle and After
The Immortal Ship

Subsequent pages, 96 in all, are devoted to splendid color photographs of the ship, accompanied by explanatory captions and brief summaries of Victory. This portion of the book explores:

The Hull (including special segments on Ship’s Carving and Anchors)
The Lower Deck (including special segments on Capstans and Guns)
The Orlop Deck and Hold
The Middle Deck (including special segments on Feeding the Navy, In the Heat of Battle, and Gun Tackle & Equipment)
The Upper Deck (including a special segment on Gunports)
The Quarterdeck, Waist, Forecastle and Poop (including special segments on Ship’s Boats and Flags & Signals)
The Masts and Rigging
Legacy and Restoration

Throughout the book, the authors explain the nautical lingo whenever it appears, so readers easily understand what’s being discussed. Measurements are given in feet and inches, as well as meters. Even though the text summarizes, rather than explaining in great detail, it contains a host of wonderful details and historic tidbits to please mariner and layperson alike. The bibliography lists published works, archival resources, and websites, but a number of the latter – including the one given in the picture credits – are no longer viable.

First published in 2011, this entry in Seaforth’s Historic Ships series remains a vital resource and a wonderful tour of HMS Victory. This reprinting allows new readers to explore, learn about, and understand how important she was and is to maritime and naval history. Whether you’ve had the pleasure of visiting this grand lady and want reminders of what you saw, or just want to experience what she must have been like when her officers and crew walked her decks, HMS Victory: First Rate 1765 is a worthy treasure without a significant monetary sacrifice. It is a book you will savor and enjoy for years to come.




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Review of The Lockwoods of Clonakilty

The Lockwoods of Clonakilty by Mark Bois

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


According to the doctors, he should be dead, but God and Lieutenant James Lockwood have other plans. Wounded at Waterloo, he returns to Clonakilty, Ireland to begin the slow road to recovery. His beloved wife, Brigid, and his five children, as well as their housekeeper, tend to his needs and get reacquainted with him after his long absence fighting the French. But the Ireland he left is not the same, and the peace he so desperately seeks is elusive. Rebels violently interrupt a dinner party at his father’s house and taunting letters threaten his family.

Charles Barr, once a captain in the British army, has been court-martialed and dismissed from service. He blames Lockwood for his disgrace – an added layer to the enmity he already feels for the lieutenant who married Brigid, the woman Barr wanted for his own. His jealousy and hatred intermingle with the syphilis attacking his body and he soon begins a downward spiral into violent madness. He sets in motion a vindictive plan to destroy not only James and Brigid, but their children as well.

Cissy Lockwood, the middle daughter and a lovely young woman, is caught between the English and the Irish. She’s half of each in blood, but a Catholic in a country where a minority of Protestants lord it over the native inhabitants. The local priest attempts to sway her to the rebels’ side, which only raises her ire. Change may be coming and she will soon have to decide where she stands, but she refuses to spy on family and friends.

Horrific accusations are made that threaten James’s career and his marriage. To avoid a terrible scandal, he is offered a position in India with the East India Company. Accepting the offer means permanent exile. To refuse means not only his arrest, but that of his wife as well. Cissy remains in Clonakilty to take care of their ailing housekeeper – a decision that puts her in grave danger because she’s the only one still accessible to Charles Barr.

The Lockwoods of Clonakilty is the second book in a series, but easily works as a stand-alone volume that transports you back to Ireland before the Great Famine. Bois’s three-dimensional characters sweep you into their lives, and he deftly guides them to a riveting climax filled with interesting twists. Like the seanachaís of his ancestors, Bois spins a tale that draws you into an inescapable web where unraveling the mystery and hate-filled vengeance of a madman becomes as vital as food and drink.




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