Review of A Sloop of War

A Sloop of War by Philip K. Allan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When HM Frigate Agrius limps into Barbados with a larger French warship as her prize, Vice-Admiral Benjamin Caldwell is both dismayed and delighted. Her damage is such that she must undergo immediate repairs rather than allowing the commander of the Windward Islands station to implement his plan to seize the French island of St. Lucia. The saving grace is that First Lieutenant Alexander Clay has acquired some intelligence that will aid in that endeavor, and his actions in battle against a mightier foe and assuming command after the death of his captain earn Clay a promotion to master and commander and a vessel of his own, the sloop of war Rush. Finally, he has climbed the first two rungs of the social ladder that may raise his status as a suitable husband in the eyes of his beloved’s guardian. But Lydia is in far off India and Clay can only dream of the day when they may once again reunite. Until then, he forges a plan with his sister in England. She will hide his letters in her packages to Lydia.

In the meantime, Clay sails the Rush to St. Lucia with orders to blockade one of the island’s ports. The sloop’s sluggish response does not bode well for the assignment, but there’s little he can do to remedy the mass of seaweed and barnacles that foul her hull as long as they are at sea. The lack of speed allows an enemy merchant ship to slip past Rush into the safety of the harbor protected by the guns of the French fort. Clay’s anger at losing a potential prize gives rise to a daring plan to remedy the loss – one that requires him to trust that his men can carry out it, for as captain, he must remain aboard Rush. The night attack proves successful and a prize crew sails the merchant ship back to Barbados. Clay follows at a slower pace, which proves far more dangerous than expected when they encounter a 74-gun Spanish man-of-war whose captain wants the Rush as his prize.

While the main focus of this second book in The Alexander Clay series focuses on the British invasion of St. Lucia in the 18th century, A Sloop of War is entwined with several other tales. Lieutenant Nicholas Windham still blames Clay and his best friend, John Sutton, for the death of his uncle, the captain of the Agrius, and is determined to make them pay one way or the other. Able Sedgwick, a runaway slave, seeks refuge at Spring Hill Plantation, where the enlightened owner has freed his slaves, while making himself and his family pariahs among the plantocracy. To thwart Barbadian law George Robertson arranges for Able to join the Royal Navy and sail aboard the Rush. An ardent abolitionist, Jacob Linfield, the Rush’s surgeon, strikes up a friendship with Robertson and becomes enamored with his younger daughter, who seems more attracted to John Sutton.

A Sloop of War is a fast-paced nautical adventure interwoven with land and sea actions, as well as civilian, political, and historical elements. Alexander Clay may be the main character of this book, but Able Sedgwick is a likable fellow who easily takes center stage more than once. His integration into the crew deftly shows life in the Royal Navy, while at the same time demonstrating both acceptance and prejudice among a cast of characters where each is uniquely drawn and rarely stereotypical. The energy in the confrontation between Windham and Clay feels like being shocked by static electricity. Several scenes are laced with humor, and the wonderfully descriptive comparison in the final engagement perfectly allows readers to imagine what is unfolding. Fans of nautical and naval fiction will enjoy this second entry in the series and will look forward to the next phase in Alexander Clay’s career and love life.




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