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Secrets of the Fearless
A storming high-seas adventure from a prizewinning author When 12-year-old John Barr is forced to join the navy his life takes a dangerous turn. As he trains to become a powder monkey on board the mighty HMS Fearless, he soon learns that the ship hides many secrets. Thrust into a sinister world of spies and covert operations, John must go ashore accompanied by fellow shipmate Kit. But when their mission goes awry, the friends are abandoned and watch from the shore as the Fearless sail away. Can they now survive behind enemy lines?
356 pages, Paperback
First published August 5, 2005
6 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Laird
214 books196 followersLaird was born in New Zealand in 1943, the fourth of five children. Her father was a ship's surgeon; both he and Laird's mother were Scottish. In 1945, Laird and her family returned to Britain and she grew up in South London, where she was educated at Croydon High School.
When she was eighteen, Laird started teaching at a school in Malaysia. She decided to continue her adventurous life, even though she was bitten by a poisonous snake and went down with typhoid.
After attending the university in Bristol, Laird began teaching English in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She and a friend would hire mules and go into remote areas in the holidays.
After a while at Edinburgh University, Laird worked in India for a summer. During travel, she met her future husband, David McDowall, who she said was very kind to her when she was airsick on a plane. The couple were married in 1975 and have two sons, Angus and William.
Laird has also visited Iraq and Lebanon. She claims to dislike snakes, porridge and being cold but enjoys very dark chocolate, Mozart, reading and playing the violin in the Iraq Symphony Orchestra.
She currently lives in Richmond, London with her husband.
When she was eighteen, Laird started teaching at a school in Malaysia. She decided to continue her adventurous life, even though she was bitten by a poisonous snake and went down with typhoid.
After attending the university in Bristol, Laird began teaching English in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She and a friend would hire mules and go into remote areas in the holidays.
After a while at Edinburgh University, Laird worked in India for a summer. During travel, she met her future husband, David McDowall, who she said was very kind to her when she was airsick on a plane. The couple were married in 1975 and have two sons, Angus and William.
Laird has also visited Iraq and Lebanon. She claims to dislike snakes, porridge and being cold but enjoys very dark chocolate, Mozart, reading and playing the violin in the Iraq Symphony Orchestra.
She currently lives in Richmond, London with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 16, 2022
Set during the Napoleonic War, when twelve-year-old John Barr and his father are falsely accused of murder they are forced to run for their lives through the streets of Edinburgh. At Leith harbour they are pressed into the Navy and posted to different ships. John is sent to join HMS Fearless where a chance discovery thrusts him and his shipmate Kit into the shadowy world of secrets, spies and adventure.
Now I should point out that I'm at least 40 years past the true target audience for this book but a friend who knows I'm a sucker for naval yarns sent it to me saying that I should give it a try. I wasn't disappointed. It's a quick read with a plot that rattles along at a decent pace and whilst it requires a bit of a leap of imagination it is at least credible; John and Kit's characters are reasonably developed; the historical details are interesting without being too detailed as are the on-ship elements. So, whilst this book probably won't live that long in the memory it did provide me with a decent piece of escapism, that I can imagine younger readers enjoying.
Now I should point out that I'm at least 40 years past the true target audience for this book but a friend who knows I'm a sucker for naval yarns sent it to me saying that I should give it a try. I wasn't disappointed. It's a quick read with a plot that rattles along at a decent pace and whilst it requires a bit of a leap of imagination it is at least credible; John and Kit's characters are reasonably developed; the historical details are interesting without being too detailed as are the on-ship elements. So, whilst this book probably won't live that long in the memory it did provide me with a decent piece of escapism, that I can imagine younger readers enjoying.
January 29, 2010
Elizabeth Laird is a most gifted writer, and I would recommend any book by her. When I get the time I will review some more. Her book is superb on several levels. This story is about young John Barr who is pressed into the Navy during the Napoleonic wars, after he and his father have been defrauded of all their Edinburgh property. The crooked lawyers responsible for this are also involved in spying for France. John, together with his shipmate Kit, embark on a series of breathtaking adventures to bring them to justice.. Extraordinary coincidences and conveniently overheard conversations abound, but the book’s believability and readability somehow never falters. Laird’s powerful imagination makes the smells, sounds and sensations of life aboard seem amazingly real, almost like watching a film, and every character is clearly and sharply delineated. It’s wonderful to discover a piece of really masterly storytelling like this.
August 14, 2012
A fantastic book, a page turner, a fight sleep and get to the last chapter book. I'd never read anything of Elizabeth Laird's before and now I can't wait to read some more.
Twelve year old John Barr and his father lose their Edinburgh house to swindlers, are accused of murder and press ganged into the Navy while Britain is at war with Napoleon. They are sent to different ships and John finds himself aboard the Fearless. The descriptions of life at sea are stunning: the fetid, crowded quarters, the sound of the creaking boards, the terror of John's first climb into the masts. Elizabeth Laird totally convinces you of every nautical term and sailor slang, in such a way that you feel you know what she's talking about. The plot has plenty of twists and turns, danger and tension and when John sojourns on shore for a while, like him, you feel the visceral longing to return to the ocean waves.
If you've never read this book and love a rip roaring adventure, read it now.
Twelve year old John Barr and his father lose their Edinburgh house to swindlers, are accused of murder and press ganged into the Navy while Britain is at war with Napoleon. They are sent to different ships and John finds himself aboard the Fearless. The descriptions of life at sea are stunning: the fetid, crowded quarters, the sound of the creaking boards, the terror of John's first climb into the masts. Elizabeth Laird totally convinces you of every nautical term and sailor slang, in such a way that you feel you know what she's talking about. The plot has plenty of twists and turns, danger and tension and when John sojourns on shore for a while, like him, you feel the visceral longing to return to the ocean waves.
If you've never read this book and love a rip roaring adventure, read it now.
September 16, 2014
Although presented in 6 parts, for me there were two. The first half of the book was terrific. A great opening chapter and then the story unfolded apace and, as I know from my own maritime research, the descriptions of life on board warships of the era were pretty accurate and convincing. My expectations grew but I felt of all the directions the story could have gone, it seemed to lose its way (for me). A shame because this could have been up there among my favourites.
February 13, 2012
A good, light read - well-researched with authentic and clear writing. In some places it's a pleasure to read but it's cringe-worthy in others, and at times predictable, but it would be an excellent read for younger teenagers who like adventure, sailing, spies, history and/or a dash of romance.
December 7, 2020
Fast passed, kept me on the end of my seat
October 2, 2025
I chose to read this book as I felt that it might have been in similar style to Robert Louis Stevenson and Treasure Island. And while it was a good seafaring yarn that took the hero John Barr out to sea as a youngster and saw him involved in a variety of exciting adventures in and around the war with France, it did not seem to have the same excitement as Treasure Island.
John Barr was with his father in Edinburgh when an incident took place that, by dint of some cheating on behalf of some bandits, put the pair of them in an invidious position so they fled. However in doing so they were picked up in the docks and press ganged into the navy, even though John was still only 12 years old. And then disaster struck as John was assigned to HMS Fearless, a Veteran of Trafalgar and due to sail towards France and fight in the Napoleonic wars, while his father, Patrick, was appointed clerk to the Captain of HMS Splendid.
John was naturally nervous as he had never previously been to sea and he soon found himself 'stepping over drunken sailors, avoiding dancing women and ducking under low beams' as he followed the master gunner, Mr Tawse, whose crew he was joining, to meet Captain Bannerman.
He was sent down to his cramped quarters where he met a young boy, Kit, with whom he quickly became friendly and a not so nice fellow gunner's mate, Nat Claypole to whom he took an instant dislike. Lunch was served but John was terribly seasick and could not eat much food. He initially found life very hard and moving around the deck made him even more seasick, which worsened when he was given duty to climb up the rigging to sort out the sails.
However, he persevered and began to get used to life afloat. Fearless headed for Bordeaux and arrived there to take part in the blockade of French ships by April 1808. In the meantime he discovered some disturbing news about his friend Kit but the two of them were designated to go ashore and try to infiltrate themselves into French company to discover what plans their enemies were making.
This led to all sorts of complications plus more revelations about his friend Kit, whose family were French that helped immensely when dealing with the enemy as John spoke no French and was portrayed as an American citizen. However, problems arose and before too long the pair were abandoned behind French lines while still trying to discover what exactly was going on.
Things were made a little easier when they managed to get to Kit's family home at Jalignac, where more revelations about Kit's past life came to light. However, the two of them carried on with their investigations and by various means managed to get back to HMS Fearless and impart the knowledge that they had gained. For his efforts, John was promoted to midshipman.
This led them in January 1809 to sail towards Corunna, joining a vast fleet that was detailed to the northern tip of Spain to pick up British survivors from the battle that had enraged there John once more found himself on shore trying to arrange the departure of wounded soldiers on the Fearless and also attempting to put false information in the hands of the French about the future actions of HMS Fearless.
Despite many hardships, he did this successfully and was able to return to Fearless for the journey home. June 1809 saw Fearless arriving at Portsmouth, having shepherded 16 merchant ships safely away from French guns and across the oceans to safety.
He was commended for his actions but more importantly a romance had developed in a most unlikely way that made the whole episode end very happily.
John Barr was with his father in Edinburgh when an incident took place that, by dint of some cheating on behalf of some bandits, put the pair of them in an invidious position so they fled. However in doing so they were picked up in the docks and press ganged into the navy, even though John was still only 12 years old. And then disaster struck as John was assigned to HMS Fearless, a Veteran of Trafalgar and due to sail towards France and fight in the Napoleonic wars, while his father, Patrick, was appointed clerk to the Captain of HMS Splendid.
John was naturally nervous as he had never previously been to sea and he soon found himself 'stepping over drunken sailors, avoiding dancing women and ducking under low beams' as he followed the master gunner, Mr Tawse, whose crew he was joining, to meet Captain Bannerman.
He was sent down to his cramped quarters where he met a young boy, Kit, with whom he quickly became friendly and a not so nice fellow gunner's mate, Nat Claypole to whom he took an instant dislike. Lunch was served but John was terribly seasick and could not eat much food. He initially found life very hard and moving around the deck made him even more seasick, which worsened when he was given duty to climb up the rigging to sort out the sails.
However, he persevered and began to get used to life afloat. Fearless headed for Bordeaux and arrived there to take part in the blockade of French ships by April 1808. In the meantime he discovered some disturbing news about his friend Kit but the two of them were designated to go ashore and try to infiltrate themselves into French company to discover what plans their enemies were making.
This led to all sorts of complications plus more revelations about his friend Kit, whose family were French that helped immensely when dealing with the enemy as John spoke no French and was portrayed as an American citizen. However, problems arose and before too long the pair were abandoned behind French lines while still trying to discover what exactly was going on.
Things were made a little easier when they managed to get to Kit's family home at Jalignac, where more revelations about Kit's past life came to light. However, the two of them carried on with their investigations and by various means managed to get back to HMS Fearless and impart the knowledge that they had gained. For his efforts, John was promoted to midshipman.
This led them in January 1809 to sail towards Corunna, joining a vast fleet that was detailed to the northern tip of Spain to pick up British survivors from the battle that had enraged there John once more found himself on shore trying to arrange the departure of wounded soldiers on the Fearless and also attempting to put false information in the hands of the French about the future actions of HMS Fearless.
Despite many hardships, he did this successfully and was able to return to Fearless for the journey home. June 1809 saw Fearless arriving at Portsmouth, having shepherded 16 merchant ships safely away from French guns and across the oceans to safety.
He was commended for his actions but more importantly a romance had developed in a most unlikely way that made the whole episode end very happily.
December 11, 2021
Okay so I read this book as a CHILD and again when I was 18 but I'm in a nostalgy spiral and trying to remember all the books I read and loved as a child. This? one of them. I don't care what you say. It's so good.
July 9, 2017
I thought that this book was a fantastic example of a historical fiction novel. It is evidently well researched and all of that research was well incorporated. I literally couldn't put the book down, and had to keep reading until I finished. Each chapter left me wanting to know what happened next, and the tempo built with each passing page. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or any other genre for that matter, because it incorporates so many different aspects to create a truely outstanding novel.
February 25, 2023
I read Secrets of the Fearless under a hot sun on the beach in Egypt. Did I mention this is an adventure book about pirates??? My sand and sea sun-bed really did morph into the world Elizabeth Laird created.
I can't express just how much I loved this book. The characters were complex and realistic. There were twists and turns in every chapter, and its a story about pirates, plots, sacrifices and bravery. What's not to love?
I can't express just how much I loved this book. The characters were complex and realistic. There were twists and turns in every chapter, and its a story about pirates, plots, sacrifices and bravery. What's not to love?
August 5, 2011
Young John Barr is forced into the British navy just after he and his father are cheated out of their Scottish home and unjustly accused of a murder in the street. John becomes a powder monkey and through a peculiar set of circumstances he and a shipmate are recruited to be spies for the British against the Napoleonic armies.
September 26, 2008
Napoleoni wars, action, intruge and spying what more can a 14 year old boy do? read to find out!
March 27, 2011
i loved this book, its full of adventures the twists and knots never end!!!
this author knows how to write so well, i wanna read more of her books!
this author knows how to write so well, i wanna read more of her books!
July 5, 2012
Fun! Quite the adventure!
November 9, 2012
Amazing adventure set on the high seas during the Napoleonic wars.
August 6, 2016
Extremely shocked that Kit turns out to be a french girl...
But why was she to be betrothed to her cousin at only 13 years of age?
But why was she to be betrothed to her cousin at only 13 years of age?
March 29, 2014
Loved it though I was disappointed when I found out it wasn't actually about faeries :( and the start was a bit confusing but overall great!!!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews