Cindy Vallar's Blog, page 5
December 9, 2024
Review of Matthew Richardson's Manxmen at Sea in the Age of Nelson, 1760-1815
Manxmen at Sea in the Age of Nelson, 1760-1815 by Matthew RichardsonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Located in the Irish Sea off England’s northwest coast, the Isle of Man has a long history between its people and the sea. This book examines the period in which those engaged in fishing, smuggling, and slave trading find themselves shifting into the Royal Navy, initially as pressed men and later, making it a viable career. Unlike in other seafaring communities, most Manx can read and write, which provides researchers with a wealth of firsthand accounts of their experiences during the Georgian era. These testimonies bring to life not only what they experience but also their thoughts and opinions about their encounters, providing readers with an immediacy that doesn’t always reflect modern mores.
The book is divided into five chapters, each of which focuses on a particular period: the Seven Years’ War, the American Revolution, voyages to the Far East and Pacific, and the wars with France, first those involving that country’s revolution and then those during the reign of Napoleon. Notes, a bibliography, and an index are also provided, as is a center section of black-&-white illustrations of ships, daily life at sea, portraits, advertisements, newspaper snippets, and gravesites.
These shared stories are heartrending and inspirational. John and Thomas Bridson crew aboard Duke of Argyll, a slave ship commanded by John Newton, who later becomes a minister and staunch abolitionist. During the Seven Years’ War, William Curphy is pressed into the navy and writes to his siblings and parents about the battles he participates in off the coast of Africa, while William Lace of Peel’s wife describes what she and their child experience after he is forced to join the navy. Another account tells of Fame, a privateer captained by Thomas Moore, who dares to take on five vessels off Cap de Gat. Later, an enemy frigate drives Fame ashore and many of her crew, as well as the ship, are lost. Richardson’s telling of the story of Fletcher Christian and William Bligh unfolds from a fresh perspective because of their ties to the Isle of Man. Another mutiny story involves Robert Parry Young, captain of a convict ship bound for Australia in 1791.
In contrast, the later accounts are of Manxmen who choose to volunteer and stay in the Royal Navy, advancing through the ranks as they age. One of these is Lieutenant John Quilliam, who shares his account of the battle in which Vice Admiral Lord Nelson turns a blind eye to his commander’s orders to engage the Danish fleet. Quilliam is one of sixty-nine Manxmen who take part in the Battle of Trafalgar. He serves on HMS Victory and Richardson contrasts snippets from Quilliam’s log about the battle with Midshipman George Westphal’s thoughts on him and what transpires at the beginning of the conflict.
This is a highly informative and fascinating investigation into a group that is not often called out separately in volumes on the Royal Navy, even when some Manxmen leave indelible marks on naval history. Richardson deftly demonstrates the impact conflict has on Manx seamen and their families. Internally, these stem from the original rulers of the island, the Dukes of Atholl, and the intrusion by the British government for control of the isle. Externally, the conflict comes from the various wars and the effects on the Manx.
(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Richardson...)
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September 20, 2024
C. Wayne Dawson's Curse of the Templar Seal
Curse of the Templar Seal by C. Wayne DawsonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
In 1291, Mamluks slaughter many of the Templar knights defending the Acre Fortress in Palestine. One of those who escapes is Gilen Elissalde, who is tasked with guarding the Templar Seal. As he departs by sea, he vows, “The man who inherits this seal will avenge the evil you have done to the Templars and bring ruin to your kingdom. You will reap what you have sown.” (19)
More than two centuries pass before Duarte Elissalde is old enough to learn the truth about what happened that fateful day and begin his journey along the path that will lead him to fulfill that prophecy. Several steps are required first, one of which is to select a future wife. This he does, but he and his uncle soon find themselves involved in a wager that could result in a total loss of honor and fortune for the Elissaldes when his bullying cousin also seeks the same girl’s hand.
Another step for Duarte to accomplish is to become a squire and a member of the Order of Christ, one of the successors of the Knights Templar in Portugal. (His cousin, of course, is to join the Order of Santiago, and neither can be trusted because of the rivalry and animosity that exists between the two orders and the two cousins.) Before either can be accomplished, Venetian thieves steal the Templar Seal. They are in the employ of a Mamluk known as the Cheetah. Duarte also discovers that betrayal lies at the heart of the theft, but pursuit of the thieves and recovery of the seal, as well as restoration of family honor, must wait.
A secret and lengthy mission demand that Duarte put aside his desires of vengeance and marriage in favor of joining a special voyage at the behest of the Portuguese king. Captain-Major Pedro Cabral leads a second expedition to India to establish a pepper trade agreement that removes the Mamluks from the equation. Although the way to India involves sailing south and east, Cabral sails west and Duarte’s curiosity is aroused. The voyage that follows is one rife with danger and intrigue, as well as opening his eyes to new worlds and cultures. It is a journey that will take years to accomplish and the risks are great, for even before they are halfway to their destination, five ships are lost. Nor do the dangers and problems go away upon reaching Calicut; instead, the stakes become greater and it isn’t long before murder and abandonment, as well as survival, play greater roles in shaping Duarte into the man he will become.
Curse of the Templar Seal is a well-researched, absorbing tale of treachery, jealousy, politics, religion, empire-building, superstition, sacrifice, and murder. The characters are well-drawn and their adventures span four years. A fair portion of the story takes place on land, but several pivotal parts involve ships and oceans. Navigation is also key as the route Cabral follows leads to the discovery of the Southern Cross, and the connection between tides and moon plays a strategic role in the Siege of Cochin. This culminating event in this first book of the series pits Duarte and 8,000 soldiers and sailors against a bloodthirsty, no-holds-barred army of 80,000, as well as the deadly Cheetah. Fans of Emilio Salgari should enjoy this historical novel.
(This review first appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-hist...)
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Lyle Garford's The Sugar Storm
The Sugar Storm by Lyle GarfordMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oranjestad on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean has gone from a small, unimportant town to a burgeoning seaport where ships of all nations come to trade. In late 1775, rumors of a smuggling operation reach the ears of spymaster Sir James Standish. The colonists are not happy with British dominance, and if the French are supplying weapons and ammunition to the Americans, it means serious trouble is in the offing. Since his operative, Owen Spence, makes frequent voyages to gather much-needed food supplies for the English Caribbean islands, he is best situated to investigate.
When Owen and his crew arrive in the neutral Dutch port, what they find is beyond imagination. The place teems with ships and a wide variety of cargo, all of which is available . . . for a price. This is good for Barbados, where food is always at critical levels since the island is unable to produce sufficient supplies to feed everyone because so much of the arable land is reserved for growing sugarcane. There seems to be a preponderance of American and French ships and their seamen, not to mention the presence of the all-too-familiar Le Mystere, which belongs to the French spymaster in the Caribbean. There is also an underlying current of antagonism flowing through the streets, which causes more than a few problems between crews and with authorities.
Realizing there is far more to learn and that there is a need to monitor the situation more frequently, Owen sets up a spy network at Oranjestad. When sailing between Barbados and the Dutch island, he also puts in at Dominica where farmers on the less-inhabited side of the island also have food to sell. It doesn’t take long to garner information that eventually leads him to believe that the French have designs on retaking the ideally-situated island from the British, especially once the American colonies declare independence and formally ally with the French.
The Sugar Storm is the second in the Owen Spence trilogy and takes place between 1775 and 1778. While most events occur on land, a few involve the sea. Unfortunately, one raid takes place off-stage, but the recounting makes for interesting reading. When there is action, it can be tense and dangerous. Once or twice, readers are left hanging, but eventually Garford provides the necessary follow through; one reason for this is to convey a sense of just how much time passes between the inciting incident and the resolution because immediacy of communication just didn’t exist back then. One slightly annoying aspect of the story is the frequent references to hurricane season but no actual hurricanes.
Aside from shining a light on the Caribbean during the American Revolution from a British perspective, Garford also focuses on the difficulties that arose once the war cut off American trade with the islands, which was essential to the English colonies’ survival. He populates the story with a wide variety of characters which are well-drawn and come from different backgrounds. Owen comes face-to-face with the man responsible for his dismissal from the Royal Navy, which occurred in the first book, but one of the most interesting new characters adds a few ripples to the re-encounter with his nemesis. Even John Adams and Benjamin Franklin make cameo appearances. This historical novel may not be a nail-biting, action-packed thriller, but it is a unique tale of an often-overlooked aspect of the War of Independence.
(This review first appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Garford.ht...)
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C. Northcote Parkinson's The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower
The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower: A Biography of C.S. Forester's Famous Naval Hero by C. Northcote ParkinsonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
When writers create stories and populate them with characters, it’s necessary to also flesh out details about who these people are and why they are as they appear in the books. This allows the authors to craft believable characters and readers to see them as “real” people. One such character who has stood the test of time is C. S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower, whose life unfolded over thirty years in twelve books. Forester pieced together Hornblower’s life from documentary evidence that the admiral’s descendant donated to the Royal Navy College, Greenwich in 1927.
In 1970, Parkinson discovered that three boxes of new material about Viscount Horatio Hornblower had come to light. The admiral had refused to permit these papers to be seen by others until 100 years after his death. The problem came in tracking down these containers since the companies to which they were originally entrusted had undergone change during that time lapse. What Parkinson eventually found were details that filled in gaps left by Forester’s accounts of Hornblower’s life. So much was new that Parkinson decided to write a biography about this legendary character.
A biography is defined as the history of a person’s life, and that person is someone who actually lived. For all intents and purposes, this book is an actual biography complete with appendices, correspondence, illustrations, a family tree, diagrams, and maps. It is also indexed and one illustration is of a title page of a book that Hornblower owned and signed. The twelve chapters chronicle his life from Schoolboy to Midshipman to Lieutenant all the way through his achieving Admiral of the Fleet. Much of the book focuses on his naval career, but there are also personal moments, such as his marriage to his landlady’s daughter, his children, and the loves of his life, one of whom was related to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.
This book is a compelling read and a must for those who have enjoyed the Hornblower novels, or those unfamiliar with the first edition published in 1970, and those who know Horatio Hornblower only through the movies that illustrate his early exploits. You will not be disappointed and you will most likely learn new details about this fascinating, though fictional, admiral.
(This review first appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Parkinson....)
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C. Northcote Parkinson's Portsmouth Point
Portsmouth Point: The British Navy in Fiction 1793-1815 by C. Northcote ParkinsonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you enjoy stories of the Royal Navy, chances are you’ve read at least a few that take place during the French and Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815). At some point, the ships, sailors, and officers visit Portsmouth. As much as we may like to visit, this early 19th-century naval base and dockyard is gone. It is only through the pages of stories that it is recreated. But these are modern interpretations. What was Portsmouth Point like back then? How did novelists of yore, those to whom this was a real place rather than a fictional recreation, portray it?
True, history books describe Portsmouth Point, but such scholarly works rarely breathe life into the past. Parkinson believed “there is that to be learnt from fiction which can be learnt in no other way.” (11) Novelists who actually lived or spent time there were far better “guides who understand.” (11) Hence, the purpose of this book, allowing readers to experience the place as they did. All the writers included were members of the Royal Navy, some serving during these wars and some soon after. As much as Parkinson wanted to include only contemporary novels, he found this impossible to do, for the novelists were too engaged in their duties to devote time to fictional accounts of what transpired. Therefore, only two stories were published before 1826. The majority chosen were released between 1826 and 1848, so they are as near to being contemporary recreations of Portsmouth as is possible. Among the selections are The Navy at Home (1831), Frank Mildmay, or The Naval Officer by Captain Marryat (1829), The Naval Sketch Book (1826), Tom Bowling: A Tale of the Sea by Captain Frederick Chamier, R.N. (1841), and Jack Tench, or the Midshipman Turned Idler by Blowhard (1841).
The book is divided into twelve chapters, each covering a different aspect of the navy: The Man-of-War, The Officers, The Midshipmen, The Crew, The Marines, The Daily Routine, The Food, In Harbour, Naval Dialect, Prize-Money, Religion, and Anecdotes. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction about the topic. If additional insight is deemed necessary, Parkinson inserts this between snippets as well. One example where this occurs is in the chapter on The Officers; brief portraits of specific positions are summarized followed by a pertinent excerpt, such as the comeuppance of a surgeon whose go-to treatment for the men was seawater. The chapter on food served in the navy includes “The Logarithm for Making Punch” and a “recipe for a mess of chowder.” The only chapter without the brief insights is the last chapter; the chosen anecdotes are brief, interesting, amusing, and self-explanatory. One concerns a captain who swears his familiarity with the local waters negates the need for a pilot.
Scattered throughout the book are black-and-white illustrations, diagrams, and maps. These are explained in Appendix B, Note on Illustrations. The first appendix, Bibliographical Note, lists the works included in the book, as well as brief summaries of the history of naval fiction and the authors’ naval careers. The final appendix is a Glossary of Technical Terms. The book is also indexed.
First published in 1949, this is an invaluable resource for readers and writers of naval fiction. The snippets and the introductory material are as close to “direct evidence” of Portsmouth Point as it existed in the early 19th century and what life was like in the Royal Navy between 1810 and 1815. Some titles are still in print; others are available online for free. (Readers will have to search for these themselves.) Portsmouth Point also serves as a wonderful introduction to early works of naval fiction.
(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Parkinson....)
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August 21, 2024
Sean Kingsley and Rex Cowan's The Pirate King
The Pirate King: The Strange Adventures of Henry Avery and the Birth of the Golden Age of Piracy by Sean KingsleyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
He leads a mutiny in the last decade of the 17th century. He captures a ship belonging to the Indian emperor. The garnered treasure makes him very rich. As a result of this single act, he becomes the world’s first most-wanted criminal. Then he simply disappears. His name is Henry Avery, and these are the basic facts that appear in pirate histories. None satisfactorily answer the questions of who he was and what became of him.
Fast forward to 1978. Cowan and his wife are searching for a shipwreck off Orkney, and Zélide is doing a deep dive into the Scottish archives for information. One misfiled document catches her attention. It is a letter, partially encoded and written by “Avery the Pirate,” four years after he disappeared. She spends a decade tracking down its authenticity before other shipwrecks necessitate the Cowans’ complete attention. Then, in 2020, Kingsley mentions “pirates” during a visit with Rex Cowan. This book reveals what they discovered about Henry Avery and his connection to Daniel Defoe, a master spy and disseminator of misinformation, and Dr. Thomas Tenison, archbishop of Canterbury.
A Pirate King reads like a novel, even though it’s both a biography and a history. While the details on how the research was done are briefly covered, the primary foci are on the players, the influences that led them along the paths they took, and the wider picture of world events that had direct and indirect bearing on them. It is essentially a mystery story that convincingly reveals what happened to this most-wanted pirate, why he was never caught and punished, and how he fell in with a Dissenter who often found himself penniless and evading creditors.
In some regards, this depiction of Avery deviates with previously published books on the pirate. Instead, it portrays him as a more complex person and provides rationales for why he went on the account and why he joined forces with Defoe and Tenison. Using a 1709 publication (written by an author whose identity can’t be verified) to show Avery’s mindset during the pillaging of the Ganj-i-Sawai is somewhat questionable. It does, however, add to the smoke screen that the authors suggest was created to divert people’s attention away from the real Avery and his whereabouts.
The book includes a timeline, a center section of illustrations, a list for further reading, an index, and notes. The illustrations include photographs of the Avery letter, while one note includes an interesting hypothesis as to the identity of Captain Charles Johnson, the author of A General History of Pyrates (1724).
I have read several books on Henry Avery over the years, but The Pirate King is by far the most absorbing and compelling. It fills in the blanks that other volumes have, answering not just the who but also the why and how. Another key component is that the lives and deeds of Avery and Defoe are not related in vacuums. Instead, they unfold within the events and politics of the day to provide readers with a broader, more understandable perspective. In essence they have done what Richard Lawrence wrote to code breaker John Wallis in 1657: “If you can finde out a key whereby to picke this locke, you are able to reade any thinge.”
(This review first appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Kingsley.html)
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Kirsten Blacketer's Queen Takes Hook
Queen Takes Hook by Kirsten S. BlacketerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The news of her father’s death devastates Princess Celeste and her older sister, Caroline. At least their uncle is safe and will help Caroline rule as queen. It’s not the best hand to play, but it is all the kingdom of Nevarro has. This is what Celeste assumes until she overhears her uncle and a stranger talking in the palace garden. Their secrets upend her world and she flees the safety of her home to seek the aid of someone willing to risk his life for Nevarro. But the only one likely to believe her is the worst possible individual – the infamous pirate James Hook.
All James wants to do is drown his sorrows and forget that half his crew is dead, his ship is lost, and he’s missing a hand. The tavern turns out not to be the haven he sought, for a stranger intrudes and offers him gold in return for his help. Being a pirate, he takes the money and instead of helping her, he kidnaps Princess Celeste. She can lead him to an even bigger treasure, in the caves beneath the palace.
Teamwork and trust are sorely lacking once the two board his new ship, Raven. Celeste will do whatever it takes to rescue her sister from her uncle’s clutches and save the kingdom. James will do whatever it takes to be the pirate he is and gain even more treasure. Bargains are made and broken. Stakes are raised. But the news First mate Smee delivers puts a wrinkle into their plans, and they agree to work together, even though their end goals are not the same. They collide as conscience wrangles with duty. Of course, outside influences have their own agendas, making for rude awakenings that further complicate the relationship between princess and pirate.
Queen Takes Hook is a fast-paced tale that intricately melds elements from Peter Pan with pirate lore. Readers seeking a sweet romance won’t find it here; Blacketer describes her writing as “steamy, swoony, and sweary.” She deftly portrays pirates as real pirates. Mapmaker makes for an interesting character, but his backstory and reason for inclusion aren’t provided. It’s hoped that his tale and James’s father will be more fully developed in future volumes of her new Pirates and Persuasion series. In the meantime, Queen Takes Hook is swashbuckling adventure with a lot of spice and heat.
(This review first appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-roma...)
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Elena Covens's His To Love
His To Love : Second Chance Books by Elena H. CovensMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A decade has passed since Emily Underwood’s father’s ship vanished. Now, if she and her mother want to keep their house, Emily must marry. She’s not keen on the idea; after all, the lord’s twice her age and eccentric. She likes her independence. She also craves adventure. Rather than face the issue, Emily goes to her special place, the local library, even though a storm brews. Upon arriving, she takes her favorite book, The Adventures of the Cross Bone Pirate Thief, and begins to read about Flynn Sawyer and his daring plan to topple the evil king. She already knows what will happen; she’s read this book multiple times. Except this time, a lightning bolt strikes and she’s no longer in 1852 London. She now resides within the pages of the book, which takes place over a century earlier.
Flynn Sawyer assumes the girl he stumbles upon in the dark is a princess and takes her in tow. After all, she can be used against her father to gain what Flynn wants. He scoffs at her claims that she’s not who he thinks she is. After all, he’s the most feared pirate in the kingdom and he never makes mistakes or commits acts of stupidity. Still, there’s something off about this princess who claims to be a psychic because she knows so much about him and what he wants. Another problem is that he’s attracted to her; she is so different from the others who have crossed his path. Not a good thing when he’s determined to exact revenge against the king for killing his father.
His To Love is a delightful adventure where sometimes getting what you wish for comes with its own problems and consequences. What further complicates this time travel is that instead of traveling into the past or future, Emily travels to a fictional world and her intrusion may forever change the story that means so much to her. The real conundrum: How can she love someone who’s not real?
At times, the narrator steps in to remind readers of what he/she promises at the start of the story. These are not intrusive, but your interpretation may not be the narrator’s interpretation. Love scenes are explicit. There are expected twists, but they may not be the ones you think. Despite the occasional copyediting and formatting issues, this is a good and different time-travel romance. You may find yourself falling into the pages of the pirate tale much like Emily does. To further seal the deal, Covens also entices readers with a teaser for the next title in the series, His to Heal.
(This review first appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-altf...)
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Wu Weiwei's Sailing Across the Seas
Sailing across the Seas: Fujian and the West by Weiwei WuMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
China has been involved in maritime trade since the 1st century BC. Trading overseas took on greater importance during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 to 907) and their vessels sailed on what came to be known as the Maritime Silk Road (MSR). Sailing Across the Seas utilizes photographs, artifacts, and architecture with brief textual explanations to review the people, advancements, and cultural exchanges that played significant roles in maritime trade. The hope is that by studying the past, we can bring new life to the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road.
This title is one in a series (Illustrated Fujian and the Maritime Silk Road edited by Xie Bizhen) and it focuses on a region in southeast China that has played a central role in overseas trade. One of the most important ports was Quanzhou, which was both the embarkation and debarkation locus of the MSR. From the second half of the 10th century through the 13th, Fujian shipbuilders utilized the latest advances in their vocation to build the best vessels and their seamen implemented the latest technology in navigation. The MSR upon which they sailed permitted cultural exchanges with other countries, be they as near as Japan or Korea or as far away as Africa, Europe, and America. For example, Zheng He made seven such voyages while Europeans sent missionaries who wrote about life in China and introduced Western religion and ways to the Chinese.
The book is divided into six sections. The first covers early voyages, which includes one that predates Marco Polo’s travels, and Christianity’s spread. The second part explores colonists, merchants, and trade commodities, while the next section discusses the conflicts and battles that impacted trade and China. The fourth part focuses on disputes arising from religions, both Western intrusions and the spread of Neo-Confucianism in the West. Tea and coolies are the principal focus of the fifth section. The final section examines people, especially those involved in interactions between East and West and Fujians who helped to spread their knowledge to other countries.
Sailing Across the Seas is beautifully illustrated and packs a wealth of introductory information. At times, the text doesn’t read as smoothly as it could if written by a native English speaker, but there is sufficient information provided for readers to get the point. One helpful feature that is missing are dates; at present, one must look up a dynasty name or a specific fact to determine when events happened. A bibliography is provided and even though there is no index, paging through the book and reviewing the table of contents makes it easy to find specific information. Wu does a commendable job providing opposing viewpoints, and it’s refreshing to view China and Fujian from a perspective not usually encountered in Western maritime literature.
(This review first appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adultpirat...)
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Sailors, Ships and Sea Fights
Sailors, Ships, and Sea Fights: Proceedings of the 2022 ‘From Reason to Revolution 1721–1815’ Naval Warfare in the Age of Sail Conference by Nicholas James KaizerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The late 17th century to the 19th was a time of science, reason, and understanding. This Age of Enlightenment inevitably led to the Age of Revolution. In both spheres, the world’s navies played a role, and this book examines naval history during this period from the points of view of Britain, France, Italy, and Spain. The essays examine operations in Europe and North America, naval administration, and naval social history and biography. The subjects on which the thirteen contributors write are often aspects rarely elaborated upon in volumes that study naval history in greater depth.
Venetian and ‘Auxiliary’ Vessels in the Second Morean War: Failures and Successes of a Mediterranean Navy in the Age of Sail (1714-1718) by Mauro Difrancesco
Spanish Use of Sea Power, 1731-1748 by Albert C.E. Parker
From Ferrol and Flanders: Bourbon Seaborne Support for the 1745 Jacobite Rising by Albert C. E. Parker
An Unsung Success: The French Flying Squadron in the Atlantic, 1793-1795 by Olivier Aranda
The Royal Navy in American, 1767-1771: Trade, Public Order, and the Halifax Naval Yard by R. N. W. Thomas
The Nile That Wasn’t: D’Estaing, Barrington, and the Battle of St. Lucia, 1778 by Thomas Golding-Lee
Unprepared and Unaccountable? The Historical Significance of the Loss of His Majesty’s Sloops Peacock, Boxer, and Epervier, 1813-1814 by Nicholas James Katzer
Antwerp: Britain’s Achilles Heel by Paul Leyland
Anson’s Legacy: The Man Who Built a Navy, 1751-1762 by Andrew Young
‘Ships wanting in the whole’: Navy Dysfunctions at the Beginning of the Seven Years War by Joseph Krulder
War and Peace: Trends in Royal Navy Courts Martial, 1812-1818 by Andrew Johnson
Seamen, Safe Houses, and Secret Service: A British Counsel’s Recruiting for the Navy, 1795-1808 by Jim Tildesley
‘Discovered Going to the 74 in a Small Boat’: Black Pilots and Maritime Opportunity Aboard HMS Poictiers, 1812-1813 by Andrew J. Lyter
‘Safe Moored’: Greenwich Pensioners in Perception and Reality by Callum Easton
Sailors, Ships and Sea Fights is the 121st title in the From Reason to Revolution series. The book is divided into four parts, each concentrating on different aspects of naval history. Scattered throughout are illustrations, maps, tables, and figures. Each chapter includes footnotes and a selected bibliography. The book is indexed generally and according to ships mentioned by the authors. There is also a brief Comparison of Ranks that covers the British Royal Navy, France’s Marine du Roi and later Marine Nationale, Spain’s Real Armada, as well as the Republic of Venice.
Although of primary interest to readers of naval history, readers seeking information on less-covered aspects will enjoy these informative and interesting contributions.
(This review first appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adultpirat...)
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