Michael Winston's Blog
July 26, 2015
Forward to Danger
Announcing the completion and publication of the third and final volume of the Sgt. Smith World War II Trilogy, where we follow First Squad from the bloody beach at Omaha to the hell of the Huertgen Forest as the Fighting First battles its way across France and into Germany. Smith and his men are veterans now, bloodied in Africa, their combat skills honed in Sicily. But the road ahead is still a long one and fraught with danger and there are still a few more German Divisions that will learn to fear the Big Red One. There is nothing to prove now, there is only survival.
January 31, 2013
Reviews of "Tidings of Victory."
Woody, The Teacher said: "Those who enjoy this genre will not be disappointed. This is a fun, fast read with more interesting characters than one usually finds in historic naval fiction. Winston ranks with Forester, OBrian, and Kent."
J. said: " As the other books in this series, this book really kept my interest. It had a good pace but yet dedicated time to the indiviual characters so that they had time to "come alive". I liked some of the different actions that happened that I don't recall happening (similarly) in either the Hornblower or the Bolitho series. I was eager to read this book but yet sad when it was over because I had no more to read."
Steve Hinson said: "I read a LOT of books- Michael Winston is among the better authors out there in classic naval ficton. He does the genre proud with authentic backround information, believable and fallible characters, and plenty of edge-of-your-seat adventure. I look forward to more from Mr. Winston in the future in this vein."
William Elliot said: "Like his other books, there is considerable background but once Kinkaid gets to sea, this novel is terrific. Many surprising turns. I'm a fan of historical fiction and this is one of my favorite series. I really hope there will be more."
J. said: " As the other books in this series, this book really kept my interest. It had a good pace but yet dedicated time to the indiviual characters so that they had time to "come alive". I liked some of the different actions that happened that I don't recall happening (similarly) in either the Hornblower or the Bolitho series. I was eager to read this book but yet sad when it was over because I had no more to read."
Steve Hinson said: "I read a LOT of books- Michael Winston is among the better authors out there in classic naval ficton. He does the genre proud with authentic backround information, believable and fallible characters, and plenty of edge-of-your-seat adventure. I look forward to more from Mr. Winston in the future in this vein."
William Elliot said: "Like his other books, there is considerable background but once Kinkaid gets to sea, this novel is terrific. Many surprising turns. I'm a fan of historical fiction and this is one of my favorite series. I really hope there will be more."
Reviews of "Uprising."
Bob Fell said: "I enjoy military fiction based on history, particularly naval and air. The story concerns the American Navy during the revolutionary war. Although some outcomes are too good to be true, there is enough character development to maintain attention with the numerous tense situations regarding the main characters. Part of my enjoyment is description of equipment being used; Michael Winston didn't disappoint, I found enough to satisfy. I enjoyed the book so much, I purchased and read the next one in the series.
If you like Hornblower, you will like this."
Phoran said: "This is the second Kinkaid novel, and the plot is fun, with the new captain entrusted with fomenting a native uprising against the british garrison on St. Kitts. The action moves along nicely, and, like his previous novel, the sailing detail is miniscule in comparison to a Patrick O'Brian story. An enjoyable summer read."
Jack said: "Fast reading. This is the 2nd book in the series and after completing it I want to continue reading the story. Just got the 3rd book and it has been a fun time. I recommend this book."
Jacob Cohen said: "Loved the way Michael Winstom tied his characters into historical fact. The book leaves me wanting for a next installment in the Jonathan Kincaid saga."
J. said: "I really enjoyed this book and again, the situation the characters found themselves in. I felt this was a rather humorous situation but there can often be strange bedfellows in war. The story was fresh and moved along at a good pace. I feel I know these characters and this story line too, was educational as well as fun."
Peter of navyfiction.com said: "Uprising is the second book in Winston’s naval fiction series featuring Jonathan Kinkaid. In the first novel, Independent Action, we followed Lt. Kinkaid on a very successful mission in the North Atlantic and through a difficult period in captivity. Now Jonathan Kinkaid is promoted to Captain in the United States Navy and given his own ship, Swift, a 12 gun brig. This time his mission brings him not to the dark and hard North Atlantic, but rather to the far more exotic West Indies.
Interestingly, it is not only the location that makes Uprising a very different book from Independent Action. The first book in some ways reminded me of the darker novels in Richard Woodman’s series about Nathaniel Drinkwater – a little melancholic, very realistic. Given this, I was actually somewhat surprised when I started to read Uprising: the whole tone and style is quite different. If the first book was like one of the “darker” of the Drinkwater novels, this was almost like one of the lighter novels in Dudley Pope’s Lord Ramage series: A fast moving, imaginative, not all that realistic but very entertaining light and positive tale.
Uprising tells an enormous tale. It starts simple enough: Kinkaid is to transport an American diplomat to the Dutch free port of St. Eustatia in the Caribbean. It seems easy, and it is fairly straight forward. But now the real fun starts: we follow Kinkaid as he aligns himself with a pirate and a crazy man and assists in one of the wildest uprisings against British rule you will ever read. From there he goes on to capture an English navy ship much larger than his own, in a raid so daring that it compares to some of the most mind-blowing raids by Lord Ramage. And just when you think it is all over comes a long sequence with an all-out fight against a smart and exceedingly well armed West Indian pirate – a battle requiring all the toughness and intelligence our hero Jonathan Kinkaid and his shipmates can muster.
It is all here: deceit, courage, sacrifice, heroics, love and pirates, as well as hard-fought battles on land and at sea. One second the champagne sparkles, and shortly thereafter the cannon roars and people die. Uprising is very entertaining and a joy to read – and now I just wonder how Michael Winston can possibly meet my expectations in his next novel in this series?"
If you like Hornblower, you will like this."
Phoran said: "This is the second Kinkaid novel, and the plot is fun, with the new captain entrusted with fomenting a native uprising against the british garrison on St. Kitts. The action moves along nicely, and, like his previous novel, the sailing detail is miniscule in comparison to a Patrick O'Brian story. An enjoyable summer read."
Jack said: "Fast reading. This is the 2nd book in the series and after completing it I want to continue reading the story. Just got the 3rd book and it has been a fun time. I recommend this book."
Jacob Cohen said: "Loved the way Michael Winstom tied his characters into historical fact. The book leaves me wanting for a next installment in the Jonathan Kincaid saga."
J. said: "I really enjoyed this book and again, the situation the characters found themselves in. I felt this was a rather humorous situation but there can often be strange bedfellows in war. The story was fresh and moved along at a good pace. I feel I know these characters and this story line too, was educational as well as fun."
Peter of navyfiction.com said: "Uprising is the second book in Winston’s naval fiction series featuring Jonathan Kinkaid. In the first novel, Independent Action, we followed Lt. Kinkaid on a very successful mission in the North Atlantic and through a difficult period in captivity. Now Jonathan Kinkaid is promoted to Captain in the United States Navy and given his own ship, Swift, a 12 gun brig. This time his mission brings him not to the dark and hard North Atlantic, but rather to the far more exotic West Indies.
Interestingly, it is not only the location that makes Uprising a very different book from Independent Action. The first book in some ways reminded me of the darker novels in Richard Woodman’s series about Nathaniel Drinkwater – a little melancholic, very realistic. Given this, I was actually somewhat surprised when I started to read Uprising: the whole tone and style is quite different. If the first book was like one of the “darker” of the Drinkwater novels, this was almost like one of the lighter novels in Dudley Pope’s Lord Ramage series: A fast moving, imaginative, not all that realistic but very entertaining light and positive tale.
Uprising tells an enormous tale. It starts simple enough: Kinkaid is to transport an American diplomat to the Dutch free port of St. Eustatia in the Caribbean. It seems easy, and it is fairly straight forward. But now the real fun starts: we follow Kinkaid as he aligns himself with a pirate and a crazy man and assists in one of the wildest uprisings against British rule you will ever read. From there he goes on to capture an English navy ship much larger than his own, in a raid so daring that it compares to some of the most mind-blowing raids by Lord Ramage. And just when you think it is all over comes a long sequence with an all-out fight against a smart and exceedingly well armed West Indian pirate – a battle requiring all the toughness and intelligence our hero Jonathan Kinkaid and his shipmates can muster.
It is all here: deceit, courage, sacrifice, heroics, love and pirates, as well as hard-fought battles on land and at sea. One second the champagne sparkles, and shortly thereafter the cannon roars and people die. Uprising is very entertaining and a joy to read – and now I just wonder how Michael Winston can possibly meet my expectations in his next novel in this series?"
Reviews of Sgt. Smith WWII Trilogy
I recommend Baptism of Fire to anyone who enjoys reading military history or about World War II, and especially to fans of the "Big Red One!"
Soldiers in the Sun is a great sequel to Winston's first book about his father's experiences in World War II. This book focuses on the First Infantry Division's assault into Sicily and the struggle to knock the Nazi's off the island. An easy read, I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in WWII or in military history.
Bob Doerr (2012), Military Writers Society of America
Soldiers in the Sun is a great sequel to Winston's first book about his father's experiences in World War II. This book focuses on the First Infantry Division's assault into Sicily and the struggle to knock the Nazi's off the island. An easy read, I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in WWII or in military history.
Bob Doerr (2012), Military Writers Society of America
More reviews of "Independent Action"
Karl Reimer says: "I have read a lot of nautical fiction and this series ranks amongst the best I have encountered. There is great adventure and terrific characters that makes any of the Kinkaid series difficult to put down. I devoured the 3 book series in several days and I cannot wait for more!"
Naval Gazer says: "After reading Michael Winston's first in a three part series devoted to his hero,Jonathan Kinkaid,I am hooked. Winston has done a masterful job of character development that rivals O'Brian. With my eyes closed I can see the action and practically smell the powder burning. What both men have done is be true to nautical nomenclature so that the words paint a picture or weaves a tapestry that, to me, does not let the parts (nomenclature) detract from the whole."
Moldytom says: "A good action book. I have enjoyed the series. Easy to read
Just enjoyable! I have nothing more to say except that the book is well worth the money."
J. says: "I loved this book and loved the situation that happened to the characters because I thought it was unique. The circumstance the characters found themselves in was a part of war and it was educational to me as well. Obviously, it inticed me to read more of Mr. Winston's books in this series.
Naval Gazer says: "After reading Michael Winston's first in a three part series devoted to his hero,Jonathan Kinkaid,I am hooked. Winston has done a masterful job of character development that rivals O'Brian. With my eyes closed I can see the action and practically smell the powder burning. What both men have done is be true to nautical nomenclature so that the words paint a picture or weaves a tapestry that, to me, does not let the parts (nomenclature) detract from the whole."
Moldytom says: "A good action book. I have enjoyed the series. Easy to read
Just enjoyable! I have nothing more to say except that the book is well worth the money."
J. says: "I loved this book and loved the situation that happened to the characters because I thought it was unique. The circumstance the characters found themselves in was a part of war and it was educational to me as well. Obviously, it inticed me to read more of Mr. Winston's books in this series.
Review of "Independent Action"
Tom says: "I just finished one of the best historical fiction Trilogies I have read in quite some time. Kent, Pope, O'Brien, have nothing on Winston. His ability to spin a tail of high sea adventure ranks with them as he weaves a story of daring and brings to life his hero Jonathan Kinkaid, whom he takes from a Lieutenancy to the Captaincy of his own ship along with his stalwart grew as they fight the American Revolution not by land, but by sea. Kinkaid is Americas answer to Bolitho. Winston's characters breathe life into the fledgling American navy as it must battle the pride of Britannia along the American cost and then bring that fight into England's own waters to secure a lasting freedom to a people longing for self-rule.
For one who has read the adventures of Bolitho, Hornblower, and Aubrey, several times over it was good to have an American naval hero to match these daring men of the Royal Navy. Winston has with attention to the history and customs of the time given us a great read.
I believe you will be extremely pleased with Winston's work.
For one who has read the adventures of Bolitho, Hornblower, and Aubrey, several times over it was good to have an American naval hero to match these daring men of the Royal Navy. Winston has with attention to the history and customs of the time given us a great read.
I believe you will be extremely pleased with Winston's work.
August 10, 2012
Hello fans!
Please feel free to ask me anything about my books, or contact me about anything at all. I love hearing from my readers!
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