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Thomas Kydd #7
Command
In this seventh book of the series, Thomas Kydd is master of his own brig-sloop Teazer and he must race the clock to make her battle-ready to defend Malta against Barbary pirates and the French, who are frantically trying to rescue the remnants of their army in the Levant. Suddenly, peace is declared, and the young captain finds himself ashore. To make ends meet, he agrees to transport convicts to Australia. Little does he know that his friend Renzi, weakened by illness and embittered with the service, is also bound for that colony as a settler. There they will be forced to face their deepest fears and prove themselves against all odds.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2006
141 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Julian Stockwin
53 books342 followersJulian Stockwin was sent at the age of fourteen to Indefatigable, a tough sea-training school. He joined the Royal Navy at fifteen. He now lives in Devon with his wife Kathy. Julian has written 24 books to date in the Kydd series of historical adventure fiction, the story of one man's journey from pressed man to admiral in the age of fighting sail, and a non-fiction book, 'Stockwin's Maritime Miscellany.' His latest Kydd series title is THUNDERER. And, he's also published two historical standalone novels, THE SILK TREE, set in the time of Emperor Justinian and THE POWDER OF DEATH, about the quest for the secret of gunpowder.
Series:
* Thomas Kydd
Series:
* Thomas Kydd
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 20, 2022
Read this book in 2006, and its the 7th volume of the amazing "Thomas Kydd" series.
Thomas Kydd, is thrilled to be now master of his first command of a little brig sloop called, Teazer.
In a race against time Kydd must bring Teazer to full readiness if he wants to be in time to reach Malta battle-ready to face Barbary corsairs and the French who frantically rescuing the remnants of their army in the Levant.
After being victorious in these actions, this jubilation won't last long because peace has been declared, and Kydd now on half pay ashore.
A rare chance is given to Kydd to make some extra money, but that will mean to board a transport ship and delivering convicts to the penal colony of New South Wales, with Nicholas Renzi, who's sick and embittered by the treatment of the Sea Service, they will set sail to this new brutal colony.
Not only their seamanship will be tested on their way to this penal colony, but they will also encounter situations that will certainly test their humanity to the very limit, and in this circumstances they must somehow seem to survive and come to terms with in the end.
What is to follow is another glorious naval adventure, in which Kydd and Renzi will not only have great and dangerous sailing to do but also experience the horrible treatment of convicts on board their transport, followed by sickness and death, but also the treatment these convicts will get when reaching the penal colony, and all this is brought to us by the author in his own authentic and original fashion.
Highly recommended, for this is another impressive addition to this superb series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Captivating Command"!
Thomas Kydd, is thrilled to be now master of his first command of a little brig sloop called, Teazer.
In a race against time Kydd must bring Teazer to full readiness if he wants to be in time to reach Malta battle-ready to face Barbary corsairs and the French who frantically rescuing the remnants of their army in the Levant.
After being victorious in these actions, this jubilation won't last long because peace has been declared, and Kydd now on half pay ashore.
A rare chance is given to Kydd to make some extra money, but that will mean to board a transport ship and delivering convicts to the penal colony of New South Wales, with Nicholas Renzi, who's sick and embittered by the treatment of the Sea Service, they will set sail to this new brutal colony.
Not only their seamanship will be tested on their way to this penal colony, but they will also encounter situations that will certainly test their humanity to the very limit, and in this circumstances they must somehow seem to survive and come to terms with in the end.
What is to follow is another glorious naval adventure, in which Kydd and Renzi will not only have great and dangerous sailing to do but also experience the horrible treatment of convicts on board their transport, followed by sickness and death, but also the treatment these convicts will get when reaching the penal colony, and all this is brought to us by the author in his own authentic and original fashion.
Highly recommended, for this is another impressive addition to this superb series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Captivating Command"!
February 15, 2018
Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series stands tall over the genre of maritime fiction, eclipsing ancestor series like those of C. S. Forester (Horatio Hornblower) and ancestor/concurrent works by Dudley Pope (Lord Ramage) and Alexander Kent (Richard Bolitho). Since O'Brian's death, both Pope and Kent have continued writing their own characters, James L. Nelson has put together a couple of good trilogies and Dewey Lambdin came out with a decent start before making his series hero, Alan Lewrie, an unlikeable cad who seems to exist so his author can write adolescent wink-wink, nudge-nudge references to his sex life. Bernard Cornwell, author of the other major Napoleonic-era conflict military series, put his hero Richard Sharpe at sea only once (Sharpe's Trafalgar) and generally stuck to the land.
Julian Stockwin, a former Royal Australian Navy petty officer, was also a big fan of the Napoleonic era Royal Navy, and became very interested in the case of a handful of RN officers in that period who gained the quarterdeck of officer country "through the hawsehole," or by advancement from the ranks of everyday sailors. His Thomas Kydd follows that pattern, originally in the service when he runs afoul of a RN press gang searching for men they can "recruit" -- more literally, abduct -- to serve against France. But the adrift Kydd finds in seafaring and the service the kind of challenge and purpose he has long needed and begins a slow climb through the ranks through diligence, bravery and no small amount of luck. At each step, newfound power and ability brings newfound responsibility and reflection on it.
When we get to 2006's Command, the seventh novel in the series, Kydd has worked his way to second lieutenant of a ship of the line, but soon finds himself commanding the brig-sloop Teazer in the eastern Mediterranean. Kydd has to struggle to make his ship ready for sailing and battle, and then finds himself all too often confined to transporting dispatches and scouting duty -- necessary, but unlikely to offer a chance to shine and gain advancement. When a peace treaty is signed, he finds himself out of a ship and out of a job. Still worse, his friend and fellow-officer Nicholas Renzi, with whom he has shared most of his adventures, is deathly ill and may not survive. Kydd's desperate search for some role at sea puts him and Nicholas on a course for a long journey and for conflict, both geographically and personally.
Command represents a sort of punctuation in the series, which currently stands at 15 books and which Stockwin projects to finish at 21. The bulk of Kydd's transformation from foremast hand to officer is complete when he takes his first command, as now changes in his role will involve more degree than kind than before. It's also a punctuation for Nicholas, who has been serving with Thomas but who does not have the drive or desire for the Navy shown by his friend. But he has his own passions and whether they will drive the friends apart to different paths is not yet a settled question.
Stockwin began the series in 2001 with a deft hand at period dialogue and description, and a better-than-average narrative gift. As it's progressed, he's improved at nearly every part of his work and the Kydd series has become just about as good as you can get for historical or genre fiction both. He is not O'Brian and does not give his novels the full 18th-century flavor that the older author had, but he is very good in his own right and is telling the story he wants to tell at a pretty high level. O'Brian's series was very much into the arena of "serious literature" in addition to being great, audience-satisfying yarns; of those who've come after him Stockwin seems to be very much at the head of the pack in ability, vision and execution. As they inhabit different worlds, Jack Aubrey and Thomas Kydd never met. But had they done so, they would have had quite a bit to talk about and probably would have enjoyed the conversation.
In lieu of such a "My Dinner with Aubrey" narrative, both characters' series have more than enough to offer for those who follow their adventures.
Original available here.
Julian Stockwin, a former Royal Australian Navy petty officer, was also a big fan of the Napoleonic era Royal Navy, and became very interested in the case of a handful of RN officers in that period who gained the quarterdeck of officer country "through the hawsehole," or by advancement from the ranks of everyday sailors. His Thomas Kydd follows that pattern, originally in the service when he runs afoul of a RN press gang searching for men they can "recruit" -- more literally, abduct -- to serve against France. But the adrift Kydd finds in seafaring and the service the kind of challenge and purpose he has long needed and begins a slow climb through the ranks through diligence, bravery and no small amount of luck. At each step, newfound power and ability brings newfound responsibility and reflection on it.
When we get to 2006's Command, the seventh novel in the series, Kydd has worked his way to second lieutenant of a ship of the line, but soon finds himself commanding the brig-sloop Teazer in the eastern Mediterranean. Kydd has to struggle to make his ship ready for sailing and battle, and then finds himself all too often confined to transporting dispatches and scouting duty -- necessary, but unlikely to offer a chance to shine and gain advancement. When a peace treaty is signed, he finds himself out of a ship and out of a job. Still worse, his friend and fellow-officer Nicholas Renzi, with whom he has shared most of his adventures, is deathly ill and may not survive. Kydd's desperate search for some role at sea puts him and Nicholas on a course for a long journey and for conflict, both geographically and personally.
Command represents a sort of punctuation in the series, which currently stands at 15 books and which Stockwin projects to finish at 21. The bulk of Kydd's transformation from foremast hand to officer is complete when he takes his first command, as now changes in his role will involve more degree than kind than before. It's also a punctuation for Nicholas, who has been serving with Thomas but who does not have the drive or desire for the Navy shown by his friend. But he has his own passions and whether they will drive the friends apart to different paths is not yet a settled question.
Stockwin began the series in 2001 with a deft hand at period dialogue and description, and a better-than-average narrative gift. As it's progressed, he's improved at nearly every part of his work and the Kydd series has become just about as good as you can get for historical or genre fiction both. He is not O'Brian and does not give his novels the full 18th-century flavor that the older author had, but he is very good in his own right and is telling the story he wants to tell at a pretty high level. O'Brian's series was very much into the arena of "serious literature" in addition to being great, audience-satisfying yarns; of those who've come after him Stockwin seems to be very much at the head of the pack in ability, vision and execution. As they inhabit different worlds, Jack Aubrey and Thomas Kydd never met. But had they done so, they would have had quite a bit to talk about and probably would have enjoyed the conversation.
In lieu of such a "My Dinner with Aubrey" narrative, both characters' series have more than enough to offer for those who follow their adventures.
Original available here.
September 3, 2025
Now my google maps history is full of islands and waterways around Australia...
June 21, 2021
Well, this was my first book in a very popular series, but I was underwhelmed to say the least.
Thomas Kydd has been given his first command and he and his ship are based in Malta, patrolling the Med watching out for the beastly French. Kydd is very much learning on the job and, sadly, is not a quick learner. Some eventual success is followed by apparent peace with the French so much of the British Navy is stood down. With no paying work, Kydd takes command of a prison ship that takes about 2 pages to sail to Australia where he…..doesn’t really do a lot.
So many things I didn’t like, Kydd as a character is really hard to relate to and his bromance with fellow officer Renzi was awful, I wanted to slap both of them. The dialogue used by Kydd is “of its time” and annoying to “translate” in your head ..”for y’r convenience, y’r guarantee that you’ll be able t’hoist in y’r ethical..” type thing.
. Big chunks of the book are skipped over, Kydd’s ship is about to be blown apart….a six month voyage to Australia with a bunch of convicts….all skipped over in preference to the turgid back story of him and his friend Renzi.
Great on historical accuracy and the details of sailing at that point in history, but I won’t be reading another in the series.
Thomas Kydd has been given his first command and he and his ship are based in Malta, patrolling the Med watching out for the beastly French. Kydd is very much learning on the job and, sadly, is not a quick learner. Some eventual success is followed by apparent peace with the French so much of the British Navy is stood down. With no paying work, Kydd takes command of a prison ship that takes about 2 pages to sail to Australia where he…..doesn’t really do a lot.
So many things I didn’t like, Kydd as a character is really hard to relate to and his bromance with fellow officer Renzi was awful, I wanted to slap both of them. The dialogue used by Kydd is “of its time” and annoying to “translate” in your head ..”for y’r convenience, y’r guarantee that you’ll be able t’hoist in y’r ethical..” type thing.
. Big chunks of the book are skipped over, Kydd’s ship is about to be blown apart….a six month voyage to Australia with a bunch of convicts….all skipped over in preference to the turgid back story of him and his friend Renzi.
Great on historical accuracy and the details of sailing at that point in history, but I won’t be reading another in the series.
October 22, 2025
I really liked this book. Obviously as the title shows, my guy Tom gets his first command. It's his biggest success so far and I found myself rooting for him like never before. He goes through at lot of issues and we can sympathize with him as he ends up in Sydney as captain of a prison ship. The last part sees him reunite with the devastated Renzie, who continues to be a failing miserable asshole. I hope that he won't be as much going forward but I better not get my hopes up... overall a solid book.
September 13, 2024
Captain Kydd does not disappoint :)
February 25, 2025
The melodrama with Kydd’s friend, Renzi, is so out of character based on the first six books that all I could do was roll my eyes and wonder what had taken hold of the author. Hopefully, Stockwin can “right the ship” in book #8 of the series.
July 26, 2016
On to book eight. The Admiral's Daughter
November 21, 2009
Reasonable read, ran out of steam towards the end.
July 20, 2023
It is early in the first decade of the 19th century. England still fights the French. William Pitt is no longer prime minister. King George once again suffers madness. And no matter what Thomas Kydd does, Captain Rowley finds fault with it. They share a past, one as treacherous as a rogue wave on a storm-swept sea. This latest incident sees Kydd relieved of duty and awaiting the admiral’s decision on charges of dereliction. He expects to be tossed out of the Royal Navy; instead, he receives orders to hie to Malta and take command of a new brig-sloop. Although this is the backwater of the Mediterranean, with little chance of engaging the enemy and advancing his career, nothing dampens his spirit. He has achieved a dream: being the indisputable commander of his own ship, and what a fine vessel is HM Sloop Teazer.
His orders are many-fold, especially for a single vessel, but he is determined to carry them out to the best of his ability. He conveys dispatches and important passengers, escorts small convoys, protects trade, renders service to the civil government of Malta, and harries the enemy. Three familiar faces join him in these endeavors: his servant Tysoe, Midshipman Bowden, and Toby Stirk (a former mate and gun captain of Seaflower). Gone, however, is Nicholas Renzi, and it’s possible the two friends may not encounter one another again.
As always, nothing is as simple as it appears. Time and again, Kydd must rely on his astuteness and lessons learned from past mistakes to deal with sticky situations, such as one vessel to protect a convoy of twenty-seven, Barbary corsairs, and a cunning but brutal French privateer. All while taking individual seamen and melding them into a cohesive unit that works and fights together as one.
Stockwin excels at showing readers the isolation and loneliness of command, as well as the profound responsibility that rests on Commander Kydd’s shoulders. This is also a tale of what it takes to fit out a new ship and what happens when peace comes, ships are decommissioned, and officers find themselves out of work. This leaves Kydd in a quandary because the navy is his life, but it also offers opportunity that sees him in command of a ship transporting convicts and settlers halfway round the world. Instead of glossing over less-than-glamourous aspects of life, Stockwin seamlessly incorporates them into Kydd’s life in ways that serve to mentor Kydd as a leader of men who must make life and death decisions that affect those who serve under him. Neither does Stockwin neglect Renzi, but his path in life profoundly shifts after a near-death experience. Command, the seventh offering in the Kydd Sea Adventures, provides a startling contrast between life in the Royal Navy and merchant marine, as well as providing glimpses of what awaits those who find themselves forging new lives in Australia.
(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Stockwin.h...)
His orders are many-fold, especially for a single vessel, but he is determined to carry them out to the best of his ability. He conveys dispatches and important passengers, escorts small convoys, protects trade, renders service to the civil government of Malta, and harries the enemy. Three familiar faces join him in these endeavors: his servant Tysoe, Midshipman Bowden, and Toby Stirk (a former mate and gun captain of Seaflower). Gone, however, is Nicholas Renzi, and it’s possible the two friends may not encounter one another again.
As always, nothing is as simple as it appears. Time and again, Kydd must rely on his astuteness and lessons learned from past mistakes to deal with sticky situations, such as one vessel to protect a convoy of twenty-seven, Barbary corsairs, and a cunning but brutal French privateer. All while taking individual seamen and melding them into a cohesive unit that works and fights together as one.
Stockwin excels at showing readers the isolation and loneliness of command, as well as the profound responsibility that rests on Commander Kydd’s shoulders. This is also a tale of what it takes to fit out a new ship and what happens when peace comes, ships are decommissioned, and officers find themselves out of work. This leaves Kydd in a quandary because the navy is his life, but it also offers opportunity that sees him in command of a ship transporting convicts and settlers halfway round the world. Instead of glossing over less-than-glamourous aspects of life, Stockwin seamlessly incorporates them into Kydd’s life in ways that serve to mentor Kydd as a leader of men who must make life and death decisions that affect those who serve under him. Neither does Stockwin neglect Renzi, but his path in life profoundly shifts after a near-death experience. Command, the seventh offering in the Kydd Sea Adventures, provides a startling contrast between life in the Royal Navy and merchant marine, as well as providing glimpses of what awaits those who find themselves forging new lives in Australia.
(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Stockwin.h...)
May 26, 2022
Very much following the lead of Patrick O’Brian, Julian Stockwin makes friendship an on going theme of his series. Thomas Kydd’s special friend is Nicholas Renzi who, in this book (#7) gives up his claim to the family title as Earl. After Kydd gets command of a small warship Kydd and Renzi are separated. It takes some doing to get them together again. We get a nice series of chapters on the challenges of moving into the Captain’s cabin. And, after a couple of setbacks, Kydd wins a sea battle that gets him a mention in the Gazette. Sadly, for an ambitious warrior peace is declared and he is ordered back to Britain to decommission his ship and go on half pay. He finds Renzi in a coma caused by a fever. He packs Renzi on board and manages to get him back to Guilford where his sister Cecilia nurses Renzi back to health. But what to do in peace time. After striking out at the Admiralty, he decides to find a civilian shipboard post and is hired to take a prison ship to New South Wales. He learns that Renzi has disappeared but in a coincidence that is a bit of a stretch Renzi appears as a paid passenger aboard the prison ship not realizing the Kydd is her captain. Renzi’s personality has changed. The fever has a side effect of causing depression and even suicide. Renzi will not interact with Kydd which causes Kydd much consternation. Renzi has decided to move to New South Wales (Australia) to seek his fortune and accomplish something that will allow him to present himself to Cecilia as husband material. I’m pretty sure that Cecilia would have been pleased to be the wife of an Earl but apparently Renzi hadn’t considered that. Plus, he would have missed the trip to Australia where he fails as a farmer and is further turned off by the brutality of the seal fur trade in Tasmania where Kydd has been recruited by the Governor to establish a colony to head off the French. Renzi had turned up again as a paid passenger. At the end of the book Renzi has a complete breakdown. But much in the same way that Renzi had solved the Kydd family’s financial problems by suggesting they start a school (which is doing quite well), Kydd suggests to Renzi that he give up aspirations of farming and fur for a life of letters. He points out that war will resume and that he will no doubt be given command of a ship and that Renzi, who has given up his own commission as well as he family title, will always have a position as Captain’s clerk which will give him adequate time to write a series of volumes on something. So, we have finally eliminated the need for coincidence to keep these friends together. Like Maturin to Jack Aubrey, Renzi will always be available to counsel Kydd and Kydd’s life as a powerful navy captain will not be so lonely. I still think Cecilia might have enjoyed being a Countess.
June 27, 2021
As a lifelong fan of Hornblower, I've finally found another British naval historical fiction series that is good. I've been reading these out of order and this is my 3rd book in the series. I like this series because the writing is easy to read and follow; unlike the other HH clones, the writing flows smoothly and is easy to understand.
Spoilers ahead:
The books all run together so I don't remember what happened in the beginning of the book but at about the middle he is promoted into a newly built brig of war. The British have just taken over Malta and there's a new brig just being finished. We are quickly taken through the process of fitting out the ship including the men. HH did this a couple of times but Stockwin does a much more thorough job.
After he's promoted to commander, he's seconded to the Maltese administration where they don't really know what to do with him. He first got faked out by a Barbary pirate, then had some success escorting a merchant convoy and finding a French corvette.
He also has some land adventures. Before he is promoted, he helps the British take Minorca Island by figuring out a way to scout the enemy from a high point and to signal the fleet. Then the takes part in the siege of Acra where he helps defeat the French. Later on he helps out when the British finally defeats Kleber and sends the remnants of the French out of Egypt.
The Peace of Amiens comes and he is left with nothing to do. So he asks for and gets command of a convict ship to Botany Bay where he sails around Australia and scouts out Tasmania. Renzi's episode of depression also ends about there. I actually learned a lot about these convict voyages, and Australia during those days. But these non-naval parts weren't what I came to read so I fast read them.
Overall, I find these books more detailed than Hornblower but less of a human study. CS Forester is a better writer of the human character and invokes his characters with more depth. His books are also more to the point with the fluff cut out.
I've already got the next Kydd book and I can't wait to read it.
Spoilers ahead:
The books all run together so I don't remember what happened in the beginning of the book but at about the middle he is promoted into a newly built brig of war. The British have just taken over Malta and there's a new brig just being finished. We are quickly taken through the process of fitting out the ship including the men. HH did this a couple of times but Stockwin does a much more thorough job.
After he's promoted to commander, he's seconded to the Maltese administration where they don't really know what to do with him. He first got faked out by a Barbary pirate, then had some success escorting a merchant convoy and finding a French corvette.
He also has some land adventures. Before he is promoted, he helps the British take Minorca Island by figuring out a way to scout the enemy from a high point and to signal the fleet. Then the takes part in the siege of Acra where he helps defeat the French. Later on he helps out when the British finally defeats Kleber and sends the remnants of the French out of Egypt.
The Peace of Amiens comes and he is left with nothing to do. So he asks for and gets command of a convict ship to Botany Bay where he sails around Australia and scouts out Tasmania. Renzi's episode of depression also ends about there. I actually learned a lot about these convict voyages, and Australia during those days. But these non-naval parts weren't what I came to read so I fast read them.
Overall, I find these books more detailed than Hornblower but less of a human study. CS Forester is a better writer of the human character and invokes his characters with more depth. His books are also more to the point with the fluff cut out.
I've already got the next Kydd book and I can't wait to read it.
July 29, 2017
Very good naval historical novel. This is another in the series Thomas Kydd a commander who rose from being pressed ganged to commanding various ships. The setting which is the Napoleonic wars, is a period of history which I am interested in for the reason that an ancestor of mine was aboard a British man of war at the time before coming to Malta. Unfortunately, I have not managed to get to know the name of the ship.
The book describes the activity around the Maltese Islands at the time. I say that you cannot have a nautical novel without mentioning the Mediterranean, the cradle of civilization and Malta at its center. The book also includes Maltese names for the sailors on the ships.
The story although a novel could have easily been based on true fact, not fiction, as the author himself states at the end. Although not based on any particular commander there were several sailors who managed to go up the level of command in the Navy.
Apart from Malta, we are also regaled with an adventure to Australia and the Islands there about with very good descriptions of the events of the first settlers and what they had to face.
I would recommend this books to readers of nautical history to whet their interest for further reading.
The book describes the activity around the Maltese Islands at the time. I say that you cannot have a nautical novel without mentioning the Mediterranean, the cradle of civilization and Malta at its center. The book also includes Maltese names for the sailors on the ships.
The story although a novel could have easily been based on true fact, not fiction, as the author himself states at the end. Although not based on any particular commander there were several sailors who managed to go up the level of command in the Navy.
Apart from Malta, we are also regaled with an adventure to Australia and the Islands there about with very good descriptions of the events of the first settlers and what they had to face.
I would recommend this books to readers of nautical history to whet their interest for further reading.
May 4, 2017
Another really good entry in Stockwin's Kydd series. In this book Our Hero gets his first actual command and is assigned to duty at Malta while the British are attempting to drive the French Army out of Egypt. When peace (temporarily) breaks out he loses his command as the Royal Navy downsizes. In desperation he takes a command from a merchant company and ends up taking a ship containing over 200 prisoners to Australia. His friend Renzi falls upon hard times and ends up on the same Australia bound ship. As usual, many adventures ensue, although the events in this book aren't as violent and bloody as in most of the earlier books. Of course we all know that this peace with the French will be short-lived, so the stage is set for later books in the series, to which I eagerly look forward.
This series is one of the better series of books concerning the Royal Navy in the time of Napoleon, going back at least as far as Forrester's Hornblower series, which set the mark for all the later efforts. Stockwin holds his own in this august company.
This series is one of the better series of books concerning the Royal Navy in the time of Napoleon, going back at least as far as Forrester's Hornblower series, which set the mark for all the later efforts. Stockwin holds his own in this august company.
August 16, 2023
The fortunes of war give Thomas Kydd his first command of the brig sloop Teazer based in Malta and rank of Commander, only to snatch it away when peace is declared between England and France. Unwilling to return to his staid country life, Kydd seeks a position with the merchant service. He accepts a post as captain of a transport vessel named Totnes Castle. He’s horrified to learn convicts are aboard, and he’s to sail to Australia. Meanwhile, his best friend Mr. Renzi recovers from a serious illness and accompanies him to that harsh region to claim a settlement and start a farm. New challenges await them both across the horizon. This story seemed more cohesive than previous books making it a quick read. The character depth, knowledge of seamanship, and perilous adventures will make any reader a fan of this educational and entertaining series.
March 11, 2019
Losing his command, the end of the war and then accepting a position of ships Master to a penal colony transporting prisoners to Australia; It's quite an adventure. The character of Renzi seems to reflect Stockwin's vulnerable intellectual side but becomes annoyingly fragile. The character of Renzi should be made of stronger stuff, I think. My interest is still captivated by the grandness of the adventure and the depth of the hardship that these characters had faced during those times. I have to admit, I do not know if I could have measured up, it was a hard life. My time in the 1980's Canadian Navy simply does not measure up.
November 3, 2023
Like many of the other Kydd books this is several short adventures in 1 book. Kydd on Tenacious having problems with the captain is disciplined. He actually finds himself rewarded and sent to Malta to command a sloop of war. Several adventures against corsairs, the French and escorting merchant's take place. Then the truce happens, and he is cashiered out. Trying to go back to sea he ends up escorting a ship of convicts and settlers to Australia one of whom is his friend Renzi as their relationship is strained. Pretty good and going forward it seems like Kydd will be in command of his own ship.
January 9, 2019
This is an interesting contribution to the series. It follows the usual sequence of events with regard to the end of the war, with the twist that Renzy is in pour health. These stories often contain situations that require a "friend" to put forth an extreme effort in order to help their friend and this is much the case here. Once again, I find the extremes in Renzy's personality unrealistic. Maybe I'm too distant from 19th-century English society. The introduction of the merchant shipping and the voyage to the South Pacific make it an entertaining read.
April 24, 2019
Although not the bestin the series, this is still a good read. Our intrepid hero now has his own ship although he achieves this as the war is coming to an end and peace descends upon England, leaving Kydd beached. The result is a diversion to Australia commanding a prison ship which does little to advance the characters or the narrative line. Worth the read in order to keep track of everyone as the story continues, but not a strong offering on its own. Christian Rodska does an admirabl job narrating.
October 2, 2020
In this installment of the Kydd see adventure series it finally happens Kydd receives command of his own ship. Unfortunately for him it occurs at the end of the Napoleonic wars. He is thrust into civilian life he becomes displeased with this turn of events and becomes a captain of a civilian cargo ship he gets assigned to delivering some convex to Australia.
This is by far the easiest reading of the series so far or maybe I’m just getting used to it who knows. That being said I wish the author would’ve spent more time discussing Kydd and Ramses voyage to Australia.
This is by far the easiest reading of the series so far or maybe I’m just getting used to it who knows. That being said I wish the author would’ve spent more time discussing Kydd and Ramses voyage to Australia.
April 24, 2023
I found this volume to be a bit of a slog starting about halfway through. There was too much inertia and not enough meat for my taste. I’ve long ago gone through the Patrick O’Bryan and Alex Kent series, so I’m a fan of the age of sail (and a sailor myself, though lapsed). I’m going to give Stockwin another shot with the next in the series, but I’m beginning to think this may not be the writer for me.
March 16, 2018
not the best of the series, obviously a set up for the future. At least if fixed some of the potential problems.
December 18, 2022
narration by Christian Rodska is perfect for this series
February 11, 2024
Another great read!!!
March 1, 2024
Wonderful series. Male friendship. Up from the lower decks. A long and wonderfully detailed account of the British Navy in Napoleonic times. The "talk" is great, so are the many characters who come in and out of the very long story. Only 21 volumes to go. Unless Stockwin is just now writing a couple of new ones for us.
May 5, 2012
The seventh book in a long running series that just seems to get better and better the characters keep growning and flowing with their ever expanding plot lines and movement into the ever larger arena of their times, as they and their careers / fortunes grow so do the scale and power of the troubles they encounter gone is the innocence to the plot a new origionality pervades the whole story and leaves the reader with a shanty lilt to their speech and a roll to their gait.
This for me is the most difficult book in the series for most readers, peace is declared part way into the book, and with peace..no battles no roar of the cannon, no bloodlust no adrenaline, but what many miss is the master and commander style plot and pace and descriptions that the ordinary sailor would have seen and experienced, the fact that life was not all war and glory, it was still battle but with the elements and monotony and the people you sailed with, we learn more about our main characters in this book and experience more with them, its a different book, and still a very good book.
All of this coupled with Julians obvious passion for the sea and all things nautical, this is a series that does rank up there with Forrester and O'Brian, every year i look forward to my new instalment of Kydd...but to get there you have to start at the beginning dont spoil it and come in part way.
Well recommended
(Parm)
This for me is the most difficult book in the series for most readers, peace is declared part way into the book, and with peace..no battles no roar of the cannon, no bloodlust no adrenaline, but what many miss is the master and commander style plot and pace and descriptions that the ordinary sailor would have seen and experienced, the fact that life was not all war and glory, it was still battle but with the elements and monotony and the people you sailed with, we learn more about our main characters in this book and experience more with them, its a different book, and still a very good book.
All of this coupled with Julians obvious passion for the sea and all things nautical, this is a series that does rank up there with Forrester and O'Brian, every year i look forward to my new instalment of Kydd...but to get there you have to start at the beginning dont spoil it and come in part way.
Well recommended
(Parm)
November 15, 2011
Good book, but not as good as the two before. I didn't find the circumstances of Kydd's promotion to commander convincing, it would have been more believable if he had followed the usual route of promotion to first lieutenant, then distinguishing himself in action, but never mind. Once he is promoted the book improves. The usual fitting out of his ship, missions and so on are great and are the reason why I read naval fiction. I was disappointed by the way the trip to Australia is dealt with, I don't recall coming across a Naval novel set in a convict ship and William Goldings "Sea Trilogy" (Rites of passage etc) has to be my favorite series of novels of all time, so after all the build up I was hugely disappointed by the way Stockwin just rushes it. After Kidd arrives in Australia the novel does pick up and the final chapters are very enjoyable, despite the lack of action and Stockwin's unseemly haste. I have to admit though I have spent a lot of time since I finished the book puzzled about why Kidd lied about his rank in Australia and wondering what the repercussions of this will be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2010
Boy, I wish I had a nickel for every Naval fiction review or book blurb that included, "successor to Patrick O'Brian". Which, of course, no one is, as O'Brian is truly unique in the genre, as C.S Forester is the archetype of the genre. Stockwin is a worthy successor to, say, Alexander Kent (Douglas Reeman). which is just fine with me. The Kidd series is a good and entertaining one and this is a strong entry with the always good "fitting out one's first command" angst, plus lots of other action. Includes the "loss of command at end of war" and "redemption of oldest friend" scenarios. Malta and New South Wales settings provide good variations of setting.
August 26, 2010
Stockwin is a very proficient author. I have read this book previously, but out of order with the rest. It's a much better read when read in sequence. The authors knowlege of the handling of these mighty wooden sailing ships is amazing. It was well researched and the story was good, although I thought it lost momentum in the second half. Altogether, a good read and highly recommended.
June 11, 2011
This is one of the better volumes in the Kydd series. It has just enough excitement with storms and battles, but also a lot more development of the main characters. There's plenty of history as we follow the British and French everywhere from Egypt to Australia. As always, I'm looking forward to the next one.
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