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Alan Lewrie #12
The Captain's Vengeance
It is early February, 1799, a year of war.
Sailing in the Caribbean, Captain Alan Lewrie, Royal Navy, is once again pursuing a chimera.
A rich French prize ship he'd left at anchor at Dominica has gone missing, along with six of his sailors.
What starts as a straightforward search for it, and them, from Hispaniola to Barbados, far down the Antilles, leads Lewrie to a gruesome discovery on the Dry Tortugas and to a vile cabal of the most pitiless and depraved pirates ever to sail under the "Jolly Roger" . . . and the suspicion that one of his trusted hands just may be the worst of them all!
Against his will---again---the usually irrepressible Lewrie is made his superiors' "cat's-paw" once more, and his covert mission this time is to go up the Mississippi in enemy-held Spanish Louisiana to the romantic but sordid port of New Orleans in search of pirates and prize, where one false step could betray Lewrie and his small party as spies. Beguilements, betrayal, and death lurk 'round every corner of the Vieux Carré, and it's up to Lewrie's quick but cynical wits to win the day for their survival and wreak a very personal vengeance on his foes!
The Captain's Vengeance is another rollicking, fast-paced naval adventure from Dewey Lambdin.
Sailing in the Caribbean, Captain Alan Lewrie, Royal Navy, is once again pursuing a chimera.
A rich French prize ship he'd left at anchor at Dominica has gone missing, along with six of his sailors.
What starts as a straightforward search for it, and them, from Hispaniola to Barbados, far down the Antilles, leads Lewrie to a gruesome discovery on the Dry Tortugas and to a vile cabal of the most pitiless and depraved pirates ever to sail under the "Jolly Roger" . . . and the suspicion that one of his trusted hands just may be the worst of them all!
Against his will---again---the usually irrepressible Lewrie is made his superiors' "cat's-paw" once more, and his covert mission this time is to go up the Mississippi in enemy-held Spanish Louisiana to the romantic but sordid port of New Orleans in search of pirates and prize, where one false step could betray Lewrie and his small party as spies. Beguilements, betrayal, and death lurk 'round every corner of the Vieux Carré, and it's up to Lewrie's quick but cynical wits to win the day for their survival and wreak a very personal vengeance on his foes!
The Captain's Vengeance is another rollicking, fast-paced naval adventure from Dewey Lambdin.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
126 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Dewey Lambdin
70 books278 followersDewey Lambdin (1945-2021 ) was an American nautical historical novelist. He was best known for his Alan Lewrie naval adventure series, set during the Napoleonic Wars. Besides the Alan Lewrie series, he was also the author of What Lies Buried: a novel of Old Cape Fear.
A self-proclaimed "Navy Brat," Lambdin spent a good deal of his early days on both coasts of the U.S.A., and overseas duty stations, with his father. His father enlisted as a Seaman Recruit in 1930, was "mustanged" from the lower deck (from Yeoman chief Petty Officer) at Notre Dame in '42, and was career Navy until May of 1954, when he was killed at sea aboard the USS Bennington CVA-20 (see below), on which he served as Administrative Officer, 5th in line-of-command (posthumous Lieutenant Commander).
Lambdin himself attended Castle Heights Military Academy, graduated in 1962, and was destined to be the family's first "ring-knocker" from the U.S. Naval Academy, "... until he realised that physics, calculus, and counting higher than ten were bigger than he was."[1] He studied at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, majoring in Liberal arts and Theatre, where he was published in The Theme Vault in 1963, also reprinted in a national textbook, which whetted his appetite for writing. However, he failed his degree. He finally graduated with a degree in Film & TV Production from Montana State University, Bozeman, in 1969. This was considered at the time to be the McHale's Navy of the academic set, so the nautical influence was still at work. He has worked for a network affiliate TV station as a producer/director for twelve years, an independent station as production manager and senior director/writer/ producer for three years, all in Memphis, and as a writer/producer with a Nashville advertising/production facility, or in free-lance camera, lighting and writing.
He has been a sailor since 1976 and spends his free time working and sailing on his beloved sloop Wind Dancer, with a special taste for cruising the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Lambdin has thus far resisted the temptation to trade his beloved typewriter for a computer. He lived in Nashville, Tennessee.
He was a member of the U.S. Naval Institute, a Friend of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England; Cousteau Society; the former American Film Institute; and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
-Wikipedia
Mr Lambdin passed away on July 26, 2021 at the age of 76.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/deweyl...
A self-proclaimed "Navy Brat," Lambdin spent a good deal of his early days on both coasts of the U.S.A., and overseas duty stations, with his father. His father enlisted as a Seaman Recruit in 1930, was "mustanged" from the lower deck (from Yeoman chief Petty Officer) at Notre Dame in '42, and was career Navy until May of 1954, when he was killed at sea aboard the USS Bennington CVA-20 (see below), on which he served as Administrative Officer, 5th in line-of-command (posthumous Lieutenant Commander).
Lambdin himself attended Castle Heights Military Academy, graduated in 1962, and was destined to be the family's first "ring-knocker" from the U.S. Naval Academy, "... until he realised that physics, calculus, and counting higher than ten were bigger than he was."[1] He studied at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, majoring in Liberal arts and Theatre, where he was published in The Theme Vault in 1963, also reprinted in a national textbook, which whetted his appetite for writing. However, he failed his degree. He finally graduated with a degree in Film & TV Production from Montana State University, Bozeman, in 1969. This was considered at the time to be the McHale's Navy of the academic set, so the nautical influence was still at work. He has worked for a network affiliate TV station as a producer/director for twelve years, an independent station as production manager and senior director/writer/ producer for three years, all in Memphis, and as a writer/producer with a Nashville advertising/production facility, or in free-lance camera, lighting and writing.
He has been a sailor since 1976 and spends his free time working and sailing on his beloved sloop Wind Dancer, with a special taste for cruising the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Lambdin has thus far resisted the temptation to trade his beloved typewriter for a computer. He lived in Nashville, Tennessee.
He was a member of the U.S. Naval Institute, a Friend of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England; Cousteau Society; the former American Film Institute; and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
-Wikipedia
Mr Lambdin passed away on July 26, 2021 at the age of 76.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/deweyl...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 3, 2022
During the era described in The Captain’s Vengeance, the use of the slow-match fuse could prove a double-edge sword (please pardon the mixed metaphor), deadly or infuriating, depending on how it was cut. For me, the first circa 300 pages of The Captain’s Vengeance represent a slow-match fuse cut too long. To be fair, the action takes place in a New Orleans under the rule of the Spanish intendant (as the confused governance existed prior to the Louisiana Purchase) and even touches on some of the minor insurrections/rebellions prior to (and, actually, into) Thomas Jefferson’s administration where ambitious men were tempted to carve off portions of the territory which would become the Louisiana Purchase as independent fiefdoms/countries. Indeed, there was so much confusion and so many different ambitious schemes in play that one would have expected a goodly portion of the book to be tied into intrigue and skullduggery. There is even a cameo appearance by a young Jean La Fitte (though I’m more used to seeing the name as Lafitte). Yet, even as I began reading the book, I was not expecting the disproportional majority of the book to be land-based reconnoitering and maneuvering. The first naval fire takes place on page 296 (preceded by 10 pages full of a panicked warning and a series of musket volleys).
So, The Captain’s Vengeance is not one’s typical “fighting sail” novel. As historical fiction, the novel does a marvelous job of describing late 18th and early 19th century New Orleans, both its society and its decadence. Those with a more prurient interest in this novel series (Lewrie does have a “reputation” to uphold and there is a rising tide of sensuality in this volume.) will not be disappointed. Those looking for naval action will have to be satisfied with a boarding action and assorted treachery. The historical notes in the back matter are quite interesting, and I am always curious as to where an author dredges up appropriate names for characters. I love the origin of the character named after a Zydeco recording artist.
The truth is that it took almost two weeks for me to read The Captain’s Vengeance. Normally, a novel of fighting sail takes a few days at most. I believe the reason for this is that there were simply too many convenient places to put the book down. The pacing of the book was so leisurely as to reduce the tautness of the expected tension. In short, The Captain’s Vengeance would be at the bottom of my list of preferred reading for this series.
So, The Captain’s Vengeance is not one’s typical “fighting sail” novel. As historical fiction, the novel does a marvelous job of describing late 18th and early 19th century New Orleans, both its society and its decadence. Those with a more prurient interest in this novel series (Lewrie does have a “reputation” to uphold and there is a rising tide of sensuality in this volume.) will not be disappointed. Those looking for naval action will have to be satisfied with a boarding action and assorted treachery. The historical notes in the back matter are quite interesting, and I am always curious as to where an author dredges up appropriate names for characters. I love the origin of the character named after a Zydeco recording artist.
The truth is that it took almost two weeks for me to read The Captain’s Vengeance. Normally, a novel of fighting sail takes a few days at most. I believe the reason for this is that there were simply too many convenient places to put the book down. The pacing of the book was so leisurely as to reduce the tautness of the expected tension. In short, The Captain’s Vengeance would be at the bottom of my list of preferred reading for this series.
December 16, 2020
Just a lot of filler. Not worth the time and for the first time in the series I found myself skimming the book just to get through it.
I hope the next one is better.
I hope the next one is better.
June 23, 2021
I dnf'd this book at 40% and quit the series with a breath of relief. I realized that I didn't really want to continue with the series when I realized I was forcing myself to continue to read this book. When I opened the book each time I wasn't looking forward to reading it, I was looking forward to finishing it.
Spoilers ahead:
This series had a promising start. I was a great fan of Hornblower and I never found a series comparable. This series was at least readable (in the beginning). As the series progressed the writing got worse.
1) In this book, the author started experimenting with prologues. I hate prologues because usually the prologue has nothing to do with the main book and you have to reset after reading it. Same thing with this one. The prologue is about the prize ship being taking over by pirates. Then you have to start with Chapter 1 not knowing what was going on. It's a few chapters ahead before it makes sense.
2) Lambdin also experiments with writing from the antagonists' point of view, in this case the pirates. I'm not vested with the pirates so I hate reading from their POV. A waste of my time. In the last book I basically fast read through Napoleon's POV and didn't lose anything from the plot line.
3) Lambdin is a long writer like people are long talkers. Are they paying him by the word? Because it seems like it. He also uses dialog to move the story along. Same thing, long dialogs that could have been cut short. A real chore to read through.
4) One of the final straws was the pidgin English. All foreigners and lower deck hands speak this distorted English which must have taken Lambdin an effort to write and readers to decipher. A waste of time and amateur hour.
5) In this book he added even more other people. I had to read the pirates' own chapters, then he introduced the American frontiersmen group. And I'm not even sure where they fit in and don't want to find out.
I enjoyed Lewrie and his rise through the series. Instead of focusing on Lewrie, he started getting cute, adding all these other un-improvements to the books, making the books longer and harder to read. Too bad. He should have kept the series simple. I quit this series and good riddance.
Spoilers ahead:
This series had a promising start. I was a great fan of Hornblower and I never found a series comparable. This series was at least readable (in the beginning). As the series progressed the writing got worse.
1) In this book, the author started experimenting with prologues. I hate prologues because usually the prologue has nothing to do with the main book and you have to reset after reading it. Same thing with this one. The prologue is about the prize ship being taking over by pirates. Then you have to start with Chapter 1 not knowing what was going on. It's a few chapters ahead before it makes sense.
2) Lambdin also experiments with writing from the antagonists' point of view, in this case the pirates. I'm not vested with the pirates so I hate reading from their POV. A waste of my time. In the last book I basically fast read through Napoleon's POV and didn't lose anything from the plot line.
3) Lambdin is a long writer like people are long talkers. Are they paying him by the word? Because it seems like it. He also uses dialog to move the story along. Same thing, long dialogs that could have been cut short. A real chore to read through.
4) One of the final straws was the pidgin English. All foreigners and lower deck hands speak this distorted English which must have taken Lambdin an effort to write and readers to decipher. A waste of time and amateur hour.
5) In this book he added even more other people. I had to read the pirates' own chapters, then he introduced the American frontiersmen group. And I'm not even sure where they fit in and don't want to find out.
I enjoyed Lewrie and his rise through the series. Instead of focusing on Lewrie, he started getting cute, adding all these other un-improvements to the books, making the books longer and harder to read. Too bad. He should have kept the series simple. I quit this series and good riddance.
November 6, 2021
Dewey Lambkin was apparently fascinated by cats and, dare I say it, pussy. The sex scenes in his many books are shockingly graphic, often clinical in their descriptions. They go on for a long time and as Captain Alan Lewrie apparently has testosterone levels that must approach Olympic championship levels. There are often multiple “conclusions” in the same evening. In A Captain’s Vengeance Lewrie is once again on land on an undercover intelligence mission in New Orleans in search of pirates who stole his prize ship and stranded his prize crew on the Dry Tortugas. One of the pirates is a 19 year old Creole girl who enjoys dressing as a man and hanging out with her pirate brothers in the local dives. Very much like Kramer in Seinfeld, Lewrie has the old kavorka, the lure of the animal, that makes him irresistible to women. Shortly after meeting Charite and determining she is not a he, they land in bed for the first of their many romps. One of the main characters of this tale is the Girandoni Air Rifle, a rapid fire weapon that had a tendency to run out of air. At the end of the book Charite shoots Lewrie in the chest with a Girandoni. Fortunately, the weapon was weak on air and the ball, though it hits him square, doesn’t have enough steam to kill him. I suppose I must assume that Patrick O’Brien once again has influenced this particular story. Stephen Maturin, O’Brien’s main character is an intelligence agent for the Crown and often is on special missions for them. Since Lewrie has to be both Aubrey and Maturin, he gets the nod to go undercover on behalf of British spy masters. There is another hat tip to O’Brien in this book as it involves a Spanish treasure ship, the capture of which leaves Lewrie with a fortune of $37,000 pounds, enough to set him up for life. But Charite escapes and her angry parents will ship her off to France where she will no doubt show up in a future adventure. This is perhaps my least favorite Lewrie book so far. Like some other reviewers I much prefer his adventures to be at sea where he is in his element. It was entertaining enough, however, for me to continue the binge. And, the cats, Toulon and Chalky, are much happier now that Captain Lewrie is back on board.
January 31, 2025
best Served Cold
In a previous book, a prize had been sent into harbour to be condemned. A caretaker crew was living on board at anchor and ship, cargo, and crew disappears. This sets up a mystery involving pirates and the Spanish colony of Louisiana that is a complex web of intrigue.
This book has the advantage of showing the city of New Orleans at an early stage in its development, with both French and Spanish roots. The French Quarter is recognizable from my visit in 1981, down to the street names and architecture, and I’m sure looks the same today as it’s on high ground that wasn’t flooded in hurricane Katrina.
OTOH, the complex plot is slower moving than the best of the Lewrie stories, and a great deal of it takes place on land. Fans of naval action might be starved for their fix.
The author does try to explain how a major seaport could evolve so far upriver in the age of sail, but I still find it odd to say the least.
In a previous book, a prize had been sent into harbour to be condemned. A caretaker crew was living on board at anchor and ship, cargo, and crew disappears. This sets up a mystery involving pirates and the Spanish colony of Louisiana that is a complex web of intrigue.
This book has the advantage of showing the city of New Orleans at an early stage in its development, with both French and Spanish roots. The French Quarter is recognizable from my visit in 1981, down to the street names and architecture, and I’m sure looks the same today as it’s on high ground that wasn’t flooded in hurricane Katrina.
OTOH, the complex plot is slower moving than the best of the Lewrie stories, and a great deal of it takes place on land. Fans of naval action might be starved for their fix.
The author does try to explain how a major seaport could evolve so far upriver in the age of sail, but I still find it odd to say the least.
August 24, 2018
First one of this series I’ve been a bit disappointed with. I tend to prefer my swashbuckling tall ship tales to be both swashbuckling and to take place at sea/on a ship.
Apart from the last 100 pages, most of this takes place on land, and is more of a spy story.
It gets rather slow and tedious in places, and had me considering launching into the corner, unfinished pile. It was saved by the fact I was three quarters through it and I’m glad I persisted as the end was a cracker and well worthy of a Lewrie adventure.
Apart from the last 100 pages, most of this takes place on land, and is more of a spy story.
It gets rather slow and tedious in places, and had me considering launching into the corner, unfinished pile. It was saved by the fact I was three quarters through it and I’m glad I persisted as the end was a cracker and well worthy of a Lewrie adventure.
January 18, 2020
Taking place almost entirely in Spanish mis-managed New Orleans, this is an interesting development. Bawdier, and more intensely so, than previous books in the series, Alan's liaison with the beautiful young 'Cadian sets up a great tension, because we readers know that before the book ends, he may have to kill her, maybe without even knowing. The cross-currents in the book move it right along. The end came suddenly, and I'm a bit at loose ends (the way one is when one wants a book to go on longer) but I'm ready to ask the library to send along the next book in the series.
October 17, 2018
I listened to this book while traveling and trying to stay up with my schedule. The reader's mispronunciation of many words was irritating. Why don't they edit this stuff??? Good story that continues to build the depth of character of the principal characters. The storyline seems a little farfetched, but it is captivating all the same. Interesting information about the various interests at play on the Florida and Lousiana coast. A good read.
June 25, 2021
Audiobook. Nasty pirates in Bahamas maroon some seamen which Lewrie must avenge. Creole restoration attempts in Louisiana, Charité ___ and two brothers. Emerson, an American. Lewrie becomes ex-Captain Alan Willoughby on Commodore Nicely's orders.
Classic Ramcat stuff, we wouldn't want it any other way, but just for me, I don't have the same enthusiasm for naval novels set in North America. So 3.
Classic Ramcat stuff, we wouldn't want it any other way, but just for me, I don't have the same enthusiasm for naval novels set in North America. So 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2021
A solid entry in the Lewrie adventure series. A bawdy "romp," (quite literally) that gives a fantastic glimpse of historical New Orleans. The accents on the written page are a bit much to tale at times but overall a festive fun read.
February 21, 2021
Pirates and espionage and Alan Lewrie is busy tupping for intelligence - it's something of a flashback to the early days of the series.
I did like the story and it was well written but it was all small boat or land action and lacked the definitive big frigate battles to get 5 stars.
I did like the story and it was well written but it was all small boat or land action and lacked the definitive big frigate battles to get 5 stars.
April 7, 2021
There comes a time in these books where I think enough is enough. But then comes the denouement -- usually a well-written battle in which all is explained. That's what happens here - so worth it.
September 27, 2024
Relatable
As a born and bred Midwesterner who has several sojourns to The Big Easy I found this book in the series fascinating. However, the author took forever to get the story out and the multiple spy names made it often difficult to follow.
As a born and bred Midwesterner who has several sojourns to The Big Easy I found this book in the series fascinating. However, the author took forever to get the story out and the multiple spy names made it often difficult to follow.
October 30, 2024
Let’s stay at sea
While interesting and ‘exciting’ in their own way I’d prefer the sea to N,awlins. These are, after all Sea Stories.
Other than that, a good read that keeps your interest.
While interesting and ‘exciting’ in their own way I’d prefer the sea to N,awlins. These are, after all Sea Stories.
Other than that, a good read that keeps your interest.
September 13, 2025
Not as amusing as usual
Most all of the Lewrie novels are really enjoyable. I found this one less so. I think it was all the historical details that bogged it down for me. Still a good yarn though.
Most all of the Lewrie novels are really enjoyable. I found this one less so. I think it was all the historical details that bogged it down for me. Still a good yarn though.
March 24, 2017
Another excellent entry in the series!
September 10, 2018
The Alan Lewrie saga continues, this time in Spanish owned New Orleans.
March 28, 2019
Good book
November 7, 2020
Entertaining, as always.
March 17, 2022
Alan did not like being played by a woman and really hated it when she shot him.
October 16, 2022
Book 12
Another fantastic yarn about Capt. Alan Lewry. Good plot and good outcome, at least I wasn’t on tender-hooks waiting for him to fail this time!
Another fantastic yarn about Capt. Alan Lewry. Good plot and good outcome, at least I wasn’t on tender-hooks waiting for him to fail this time!
January 8, 2025
Pretty slow. Also, for a series focused on naval adventures, there is hardly a ship in sight. The beginning and ending were pretty fun, though.
September 22, 2020
Lots of jargon and much time spent playing around with women in this tale. The author is attempting to pull many threads together and write in the supposed languages of the time. A bit more time spent on actual plot would be better. Still, it passed the time at the beach.
April 18, 2016
To some extent, this ends the Caribbean arc that he began in "Sea of Grey" and continued in "Havoc's Sword". Some of the events are set during the Haitian revolt and the US-France Quasi-War. In the middle is Alan Lewrie. Someone once coined the phrase "Fog of War" and that phrase is very apt in this period. There are plenty of players with a stake in Caribbean at this point and everyone is playing for keeps. I didn't realize the British historically wanted to seize Haiti and exert more influence there and how the French and the British badly miscalculated on all points.
Lambdin chose to use ships names that have no real historical antecedents except for the HMS Victory. However, there were several analogs that a careful reader could pick out. At least, that's in the earlier books in this Caribbean arc around 1798-99.
As for the New Orleans in this book, Lambdin paints a good picture of the city before the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The Spanish had it at that point. Before that, it was French. Not long after the events of "The Captain's Vengeance," the city will soon be French again. Meanwhile, Americans are creeping in, making everyone extremely uneasy. The tension and the plots seem very plausible, making me think: "What if Louisiana became independent due to American mercenaries? Or what if Spain held on to New Orleans?" This now falls to the alternate historians to play with.
Lambdin chose to use ships names that have no real historical antecedents except for the HMS Victory. However, there were several analogs that a careful reader could pick out. At least, that's in the earlier books in this Caribbean arc around 1798-99.
As for the New Orleans in this book, Lambdin paints a good picture of the city before the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The Spanish had it at that point. Before that, it was French. Not long after the events of "The Captain's Vengeance," the city will soon be French again. Meanwhile, Americans are creeping in, making everyone extremely uneasy. The tension and the plots seem very plausible, making me think: "What if Louisiana became independent due to American mercenaries? Or what if Spain held on to New Orleans?" This now falls to the alternate historians to play with.
November 16, 2013
I normally love classic sea-faring stories. Hornblower is awesome and introduced me to the genre; after that came Jack Aubrey and, last of all, Naomi Novik's Temeraire. Temeraire isn't a sea-faring story, but close enough (dragons harnessed in warfare, 1800s-era). This I liked but didn't love: the plot is relatively dry, and Captain Lewrie doesn't express himself in the language of a gentleman. He is a working-class officer, with hobbies to match. Took away some of the charm for me.
January 28, 2020
A good read
This latest adventure out Alan Lewrie trying to capture his stolen prize and find his thieving or lost sailors. Most of the tale is set in New Orleans and is involved with the infancy of a rebellion against Spanish rule by a group of French creoles. All in all its one the best in this continuing series and I would recommend it to all who like historical fiction is indeed anyone who likes a good read. The authors blinds are worth reading for their humour as well
This latest adventure out Alan Lewrie trying to capture his stolen prize and find his thieving or lost sailors. Most of the tale is set in New Orleans and is involved with the infancy of a rebellion against Spanish rule by a group of French creoles. All in all its one the best in this continuing series and I would recommend it to all who like historical fiction is indeed anyone who likes a good read. The authors blinds are worth reading for their humour as well
March 25, 2012
I read the entire series largely back-to-back (my local public library is well-stocked). One of the great things about this series is that we get to watch Alan Lewrie, the main character, grow up from a callow, self-indulgent teenager to a mature, thoughtful, and responsible adult.
May 9, 2016
I didn't enjoy this novel as welll as others I have read by Dewey Lambdin. It seemed that he was forcing a story out of a very little plot. Instead of a sea story, it was more of a spy novel which I don't particularly enjoy.
July 11, 2012
Better than a 3, not a 4. Another good read in this series. Style varies a little from previous episodes but still very enjoyable. On to the next 'A King's Trade'.
December 8, 2012
Get back on the water CAPT Lewrie! Yet another "nautical" adventure that takes place mostly on land. I want more sailing and sea battles, Mr. Lambdin!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews