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Fighting Sail #2
The Jackass Frigate
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN DISCIPLINE ON A SHIP WHEN SOMEONE MURDERS YOUR
FIRST LIEUTENANT - AND A PART OF YOU AGREES WITH THEIR ACTION?
December 1796. It was a time of unrest and discontent for Britain, made even worse by the war with Revolutionary France and the possibility of imminent invasion. Fresh from the dockyard, HMS Pandora, a 28-gun frigate, is about to set sail to join the Mediterranean fleet.
For Captain Banks the harsh winter weather and threat of a French invasion are not his only problems. He has an untried ship, a tyrant for a First Lieutenant, a crew that contains at least one murderer, and he is about to sail in to one of the biggest naval battles in British history - the Battle of Cape St Vincent.
FIRST LIEUTENANT - AND A PART OF YOU AGREES WITH THEIR ACTION?
December 1796. It was a time of unrest and discontent for Britain, made even worse by the war with Revolutionary France and the possibility of imminent invasion. Fresh from the dockyard, HMS Pandora, a 28-gun frigate, is about to set sail to join the Mediterranean fleet.
For Captain Banks the harsh winter weather and threat of a French invasion are not his only problems. He has an untried ship, a tyrant for a First Lieutenant, a crew that contains at least one murderer, and he is about to sail in to one of the biggest naval battles in British history - the Battle of Cape St Vincent.
244 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2008
About the author
Alaric Bond
24 books42 followersAlaric Bond has written for television, radio and the stage but now focuses on historical nautical fiction with twenty published novels, fifteen of which are in his acclaimed ‘Fighting Sail’ series.
Set in ‘Nelson’s Navy’ of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, these have no central hero but feature characters from all ranks and stations; an innovative approach that gives an exciting and realistic impression of life aboard a warship of the period.
Hellfire Corner is the first in an intended new series and marks a change in emphasis, although future ‘Fighting Sail’ instalments are planned.
Set in ‘Nelson’s Navy’ of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, these have no central hero but feature characters from all ranks and stations; an innovative approach that gives an exciting and realistic impression of life aboard a warship of the period.
Hellfire Corner is the first in an intended new series and marks a change in emphasis, although future ‘Fighting Sail’ instalments are planned.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 24, 2017
Lots of action
If you like a lot of naval battle action, then this book is a great read. I thought the first book in the series to be good but this one is even better.
If you like a lot of naval battle action, then this book is a great read. I thought the first book in the series to be good but this one is even better.
September 11, 2021
One Bad Apple Can Spoil the Whole Bunch
Action from His Majesty’s Ship continues a year later in a new ship, the HMS Pandora, a fifth-rate a.k.a. Jackass frigate. Some characters returned including King, Flint and his mess. I missed the helpful cast of characters that was included in the first book.
The crux of this installment is the bonding of a ship’s company. It begins as a newly refitted but deeply unhappy, poorly performing ship with an evil First Lieutenant. It culminates with the Battle of Cape St. Vincent on February 14, 1797. Near the beginning of the battle sequence I watched a YouTube video lecture, “The Battle of Cape St. Vincent” given Dr. John Kuehn, which helped me understand what was going on. It was definitely worth the time.
This series is excellent! The characterizations are pithy vignettes. Seemingly small details turn out to have significant consequences later in the story. It is rich storytelling that I highly recommend.
Action from His Majesty’s Ship continues a year later in a new ship, the HMS Pandora, a fifth-rate a.k.a. Jackass frigate. Some characters returned including King, Flint and his mess. I missed the helpful cast of characters that was included in the first book.
The crux of this installment is the bonding of a ship’s company. It begins as a newly refitted but deeply unhappy, poorly performing ship with an evil First Lieutenant. It culminates with the Battle of Cape St. Vincent on February 14, 1797. Near the beginning of the battle sequence I watched a YouTube video lecture, “The Battle of Cape St. Vincent” given Dr. John Kuehn, which helped me understand what was going on. It was definitely worth the time.
This series is excellent! The characterizations are pithy vignettes. Seemingly small details turn out to have significant consequences later in the story. It is rich storytelling that I highly recommend.
October 28, 2025
A novel set in the age of sail aboard a royal navy hybrid frigate.
Unfortunately, the author decided to take the cool name, which was also slang for the hybrid design, and apply it to every single character, making them all jerkasses. Every one, even the initial good guy victim.
At which point the reader stops caring at all.
Unfortunately, the author decided to take the cool name, which was also slang for the hybrid design, and apply it to every single character, making them all jerkasses. Every one, even the initial good guy victim.
At which point the reader stops caring at all.
February 7, 2026
This second book in Alaric Bond’s Fighting Sail series is another excellent read. Featuring tense battles, great characters and a cruel First Lieutenant who will make your blood boil, this is a worthy follow up to His Majesty’s Ship. Along with Hornblower and Aubrey/Maturin, this is by far my favorite nautical historical fiction series. I highly recommend it!
December 30, 2022
Both of the first two novels in this series are excellent.
The detail of the different aspects of life in the Royal Navy of the late 18th and early 19th centuries that the author has included is fascinating to me. I look forward to the next in the Fighting Sail series.
The detail of the different aspects of life in the Royal Navy of the late 18th and early 19th centuries that the author has included is fascinating to me. I look forward to the next in the Fighting Sail series.
February 13, 2017
Another quick read but a good yarn. Better development than the first book a good tale of redemption and a crew coming together.
January 8, 2017
Among the best authors of naval fiction
There are now numerous authors of naval fiction set during the Age of Fighting Sail and I've read most of them. Alaric Bond ranks among the best. Instead of following one protagonist 's career from midshipman to admiral, he instead gives the reader the perspective of life in the Royal Navy from the lowerdeck, gunroom, wardroom, and captain's cabin. Indeed there are some characters that appear from book to book, but Bond's work is more a story of a community than one particular hero. There is also an element of suspense in Bond's writing that keeps the pages turning. Plot lines don't always resolve in a predictable manner. Really good stuff.
There are now numerous authors of naval fiction set during the Age of Fighting Sail and I've read most of them. Alaric Bond ranks among the best. Instead of following one protagonist 's career from midshipman to admiral, he instead gives the reader the perspective of life in the Royal Navy from the lowerdeck, gunroom, wardroom, and captain's cabin. Indeed there are some characters that appear from book to book, but Bond's work is more a story of a community than one particular hero. There is also an element of suspense in Bond's writing that keeps the pages turning. Plot lines don't always resolve in a predictable manner. Really good stuff.
May 4, 2016
Some of our favorite characters from the series' first book continue on in the second, as we follow the Pandora on her journey towards Gibralter and, eventually, the battle of Cape St Vincent. All around interesting and engaging book, not quite managing to be gripping but the battle was credible and I enjoyed the mystery of Mr Pigot. The author continues with the ensemble cast approach, which provides a variety of perspectives at the cost of limiting our investment with any one character (and preventing, somewhat, the larger story arcs regarding career and advancement that is a staple of many books of the genre). In any case, well recommended.
October 22, 2008
An excellent novel which deserves to be better known. Has a lot of well developed characters which gives good insight at all levels of the ships company and contains probably the best description of the Battle of Cape St. Vincent I've read in a fiction novel. Also seems to be a well developed back story for the characters as you get hints of their past on the 'Proteus' which leaves you wanting to know more. If you haven't read it, I recommend it and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
July 25, 2013
Alaric Bond's brilliant historic naval fiction series continues. As with His Majesty's Ship, the book centres around one of the less common naval vessels of the time, in this case a small, light frigate. Some of the characters from the earlier book rejoin, and new additions to the cast are added. Bond holds our attention brilliantly with great characters, sympathetic and less so, and taut plotting.
August 8, 2012
Well done exciting nautical fiction.
August 28, 2015
A fine second entry in this engaging series.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews