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Percival Merewether #3
For King and Company
The concluding volume of the Percival Merewether trilogy.They called themselves the Bombay Buccaneers - and under that flamboyant name they blazed a trail of daring and adventure from the Gulf of Oman to the waters of Macao.For courage, loyalty and renown few of the. Buccaneers could match their Captain, Percival Merewether, a brilliant seaman who was already the hero of a score of fabled sea-faring campaigns. Newly in command of the thirty-six gun frigate Pitt , Merewether is about to set sail again - this time on a voyage that would plunge him and his crew into new and ever more hazardous a mutiny, a fierce-fought sea battle with the French, and a stormy encounter with the most ferocious pirate ever to hoist a Madame Chin, scourge of the China Seas...About the Ellis K. Meacham (1913-1998) was a Commander in the US Naval Reserve serving as a gunnery officer in the Pacific during the Second World War. He was an attorney until 1972, when he became a judge in the Chattanooga Municipal Court.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1976
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About the author
Ellis K. Meacham
10 books7 followersEllis Kirby Meacham (September 5, 1913-August 17, 1998) was an American attorney and judge who wrote three Napoleonic era nautical adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 25, 2017
This is the last book in the trilogy. Our protagonist, Captain Percival Mereweather of the British East India Company’s Bombay Marine, takes command of the company’s ship Pitt. Mereweather quells a mutiny and has to deal with an overbearing first lieutenant. The story covers the Gulf of Aden, Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea. There are, of course, a great variety of pirates such as Arabian, Malay and Chinese along with the French Navy’s ships to deal with. There is lots of sea action with storms and sea battles.
The book is well written and the plot twists and turns. Meacham has good prose and interesting characters. It is most unfortunate the author died before completing this series. Meacham is a great story teller. I love stories of sailing ships and the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic era.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is almost fifteen hours long. Steven Crossley does an excellent job narrating the book. Crossley is an actor and award-winning audiobook narrator.
The book is well written and the plot twists and turns. Meacham has good prose and interesting characters. It is most unfortunate the author died before completing this series. Meacham is a great story teller. I love stories of sailing ships and the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic era.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is almost fifteen hours long. Steven Crossley does an excellent job narrating the book. Crossley is an actor and award-winning audiobook narrator.
February 8, 2023
The final book of the trilogy ending with Merewether happy and married at home in England after a variety of adventures. This was better than the previous book, but doesn't particularly stand out to me in the ocean of sea novels out there except for the premise: an East India Company sailor instead of Royal Navy.
September 20, 2018
A fitting conclusion of the trilogy (and the only volume which was new to me).
Our young captain is getting older and more mature, after getting married and awaiting child he's more concerned about the future and less inclined to risk life and bodyparts in endless battles and skirmishes.
Where the first 2 books were all bravado and adventure, we are now seing more of the real consequences of the naval life, the young men killed or doomed to a life without arms or legs.
It's also interesting to follow how Meacham matures as a writer from the first volume to this one, there is much more control of the story and the characters motivation and background.
A pleasant quick read, but also a little aged and simplistic, probably not a book i would read today if i had not started the serie as a teenager.
Our young captain is getting older and more mature, after getting married and awaiting child he's more concerned about the future and less inclined to risk life and bodyparts in endless battles and skirmishes.
Where the first 2 books were all bravado and adventure, we are now seing more of the real consequences of the naval life, the young men killed or doomed to a life without arms or legs.
It's also interesting to follow how Meacham matures as a writer from the first volume to this one, there is much more control of the story and the characters motivation and background.
A pleasant quick read, but also a little aged and simplistic, probably not a book i would read today if i had not started the serie as a teenager.
August 30, 2021
Fabulous series
I am sad to come to the end of this trilogy. It stands among the best of the naval adventure series and that is saying something! In this installment Meacham added nuance with occasional vignettes of other characters. These added depth and richness to the story. It was used to great effect during one of the best parts following the Battle of Aden, when his valet/steward was willing to sacrifice everything for Merewether.
A facet of the famous Horatio Hornblower series that angered me was when, well into the series, a main character died, that character was never mentioned again. Merewether remembers. He has human weaknesses. He tries to be honorable. His fairness and kindness instills deep loyalty and comes back to him over and over.
I am sad to come to the end of this trilogy. It stands among the best of the naval adventure series and that is saying something! In this installment Meacham added nuance with occasional vignettes of other characters. These added depth and richness to the story. It was used to great effect during one of the best parts following the Battle of Aden, when his valet/steward was willing to sacrifice everything for Merewether.
A facet of the famous Horatio Hornblower series that angered me was when, well into the series, a main character died, that character was never mentioned again. Merewether remembers. He has human weaknesses. He tries to be honorable. His fairness and kindness instills deep loyalty and comes back to him over and over.
March 5, 2023
Every bit as good as I remembered!
I first read this series of books more than thirty years ago, and always remembered how much I had enjoyed them. I was delighted when I finally discovered them again after some time of searching online. Many thanks for making them available as books.
I first read this series of books more than thirty years ago, and always remembered how much I had enjoyed them. I was delighted when I finally discovered them again after some time of searching online. Many thanks for making them available as books.
December 4, 2018
14 years? Historical interested? Love for the high seas and men of war? -This is a book for you.
August 25, 2024
Let down from the first two. Lot of filler.
March 3, 2017
Outstanding adventure
Mr. Meacham knows 1700's sailing life and history and does an excellent job of storytelling using it to make a great read.
Mr. Meacham knows 1700's sailing life and history and does an excellent job of storytelling using it to make a great read.
September 5, 2015
As this series wraps up at a rapid pace, the adventures of our hero continue with more action and intrigue. We get a little more detail about our subject, but, what really shines here are the action filled sequences punctuated with depth of the time and place.
These books are filled with depth of detail. From the strategy and tactics of sailing a frigate at war, you gain an appreciation of the skill of these sailors during the age of sail. The descriptions of the time and place of the locations in the Indies and Orient illuminate with detail the geo-political considerations and reach of the British Empire.
This series was an excellent read, and, I will miss the new adventures of our hero.
These books are filled with depth of detail. From the strategy and tactics of sailing a frigate at war, you gain an appreciation of the skill of these sailors during the age of sail. The descriptions of the time and place of the locations in the Indies and Orient illuminate with detail the geo-political considerations and reach of the British Empire.
This series was an excellent read, and, I will miss the new adventures of our hero.
September 9, 2015
Well Done!
Meacham has written another excellent sea story with good details and long-reaching plot. The characters are believable and the maritime details are realistic. Another good read with few errors.
Meacham has written another excellent sea story with good details and long-reaching plot. The characters are believable and the maritime details are realistic. Another good read with few errors.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews