โ Scribed by Stockwin, Julian
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
Thomas Paine Kydd. Arrr, matey, there's a name to hang a man for sure. In this delightful first installment in a new series in the tradition of Patrick O'Brian, Kydd is a bright lad pressed into the service of his majesty (Farmer George, the Madness himself) on the ship-of-the-line Duke William. It's 1793, and England is on the brink of war with the French. In what seems almost a day-by-day account, we follow Kydd from his nightmarish introduction to naval life to his promotion to ordinary seaman. Befriended first by Joe Bowyer, a simple, honest sailor who teaches him the ropes, Kydd later makes the acquaintance of Nicholas Renzi, a cultivated-looking man with a secret. Camaraderie, grog and pride in their work is all the sailors have to ease the hardship of life on board ship. It's a rough life, and Stockwin skillfully makes readers share the pain and tedium of it, but this is more than a historical adventure tale: it is the story of the education of a young man. Stockwin, who joined the Royal Navy at 15 and retired a lieutenant commander, knows his ships and his men as well as his historical era. Kydd, a strong, ordinary sort with a mind of his own, is a convincing character and so are his shipmates. The jargon comes thick and fast, so much so that the book would have benefited from a glossary a ship's diagram would have come in handy, too. But the skim of the story and the depth of the characterizations will ease readers past any obscure terms. Agent, Stuart Krichevsky. (June)Forecast: Less literary than O'Brian, more atmospheric than Hornblower and more realistic than Lamdin, this promising series will need a bit of a push at first, but should pick up steam in the long run.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
When wig maker Tom Kydd is impressed into the British navy, he finds himself ill prepared to endure the rigors of life at sea. Not only must he contend with his ignorance of all things nautical and the constant threat of being swept overboard, but he must also deal with the inedible food and a sadistic boatswain who eagerly punishes crew members. The kindly Bowyer, who recognizes a potential seafarer in Tom, soon takes the young boy under his wing and gives him a comprehensive naval education. Later, Tom forges a friendship with the enigmatic Renzi, whose stone-faced composure belies a troubled past. With his newfound friends, Tom battles shipwrecks, mutinous crews, and heated battles with the villainous French. Stockwin charts Tom's transition from helpless landlubber to able seaman with zest, and history buffs will appreciate the careful attention Stockwin pays to the minutiae of life on the sea. Adventure and historical fiction fans will delight in this well-crafted yarn, the first in a planned series. Brendan Dowling
Copyright ยฉ American Library Association. All rights reserved
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