Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, by C.S. Forester
Filed under: C. S. Forester, Horatio Hornblower, Main character, bestseller, book review, historical fiction
Lots of new historical fiction book reviews!
Naval fiction:
The Horatio Hornblower Saga, by C. S. Forester
Alan Lewrie series, by Dewey Lambdin
Richard Bolitho series, by Alexander Kent
Lord Ramage series, by Dudley Pope
Kydd series, by Julian Stockwin
Frederick Marryat
Charles Edgemont series, by Jay Worrall
Nathaniel Drinkwater series, by Richard Woodman
Richard Delancey series, by C. Northcote Parkinson
The Fury series, by G.S. Beard
Other historical fiction:
Genghis Khan, by Conn Iggulden
Emperor, by Conn Iggulden
Gladiators of Empire, by James Duffy
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower is actually the sixth book in the Hornblower saga, even though it is the first in terms of chronology. The first book C. S. Forester wrote about this 
In Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, young Horatio Hornblower is introduced to nautical life in a rather undistinguished fashion, as he arrives wet and a little seasick to the warship HMS Justinian while it is still in harbor! He is a painfully shy lad, and he soon falls under the power of one of those sadistic bullies the Royal Navy seemed to have so many of.
Midshipman Simpson, age thirty-three, has failed his examination for lieutenant too many times to ever expect promotion. He is said to be “diabolically clever at making other people’s lives a burden to them”. And as Hornblower outshines him in the required mathematical studies on board, he soon receives Simpson’s special attention.
Hornblower is desperate, and even briefly considers desertion and suicide. Then the bully accuses Horatio of cheating in cards – one of Hornblower’s great passions, and something which he excels in. This gives him an opportunity for an honorable escape from the bullying: Hornblower challenges him to a duel. However, as Hornblower is neither a great fencing master nor good with a pistol, he devices a smart scheme for the duel which will equalize the chances for him: The duelists are to have one loaded and one unloaded gun, and chose guns randomly. They are to fire at one another at a distance of on step. This, he considers, will give him an “even chance.”
Horatio Hornblower is very intelligent, but he is also an awkward neophyte, both socially and nautically speaking. However, he learns fast, does not do the same mistake twice, has a strong will, and a willingness to learn. His superiors quickly recognize him as a man who will accomplish great things. And, through a series of challenges and adventures both in and out of combat, Hornblower discovers he is actually talented in both seamanship and leadership.
This first novel in the series is packed with action, and C. S. Forester is the grand master of naval action scenes. The storytelling is wonderful. As well, the book has lots of fascinating incident and detail. While certainly not the best in the magnificent Hornblower saga, it is a book you must read. The question is whether to do it sooner or later, but not whether or not.
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.A King’s Cutter, by Richard Woodman
Filed under: Main character, Nathaniel Drinkwater, Richard Woodman, book review, historical fiction, naval fiction, recommendation
Ten years have passed since we last met Nathaniel Drinkwater (in An Eye of the Fleet). He is now married, but he has not been promoted, 
More historical fiction book reviews!
Naval fiction:
Alan Lewrie series, by Dewey Lambdin
Richard Bolitho series, by Alexander Kent
Lord Ramage series, by Dudley Pope
Kydd series, by Julian Stockwin
Frederick Marryat
Charles Edgemont series, by Jay Worrall
Nathaniel Drinkwater series, by Richard Woodman
Richard Delancey series, by C. Northcote Parkinson
The Fury series, by G.S. Beard
Other historical fiction:
Genghis Khan, by Conn Iggulden
Emperor, by Conn Iggulden
Gladiators of Empire, by James Duffy
Thus Nathaniel Drinkwater returns to the Royal Navy with an appointment to the twelve-gun cutter Kestrel commanded by the old and inscrutable Madoc Griffiths. Together they undertake a series of secret missions into France, now under the shadow of the French Revolution.
And as war thickens of the European continent, Kestrel is drawn into the struggle for the Channel, and Drinkwater for the first time encounters his arch enemy, the sinister and extremely devious French Captain Edourd Santhonax. He is, as usual, engaged in activities that attracts a lot of attention from the British government.
Eventually Drinkwater, to some extent by accident, uncovers a grand intrigue which results in mutiny in the Royal Navy, and which then, subsequently, permits the extremely bloody confrontation between the English and Dutch navies at Camperdown, one of the larger battles in Navy history.
In The King’s Cutter, we meet a Drinkwater that is older, smarter, and better equipped for a career in the Royal Navy. Even so, Richard Wood does not allow his hero to be promoted nearly as fast as some of the other heroes in nautical fiction series.
This book is definitely among the best of the books in the Drinkwater series. A King’s Cutter sees Drinkwater doing duty as an acting lieutenant and sailing master in the years 1792 – 1797. It is very well researched, and excellently written. The stories are great, and very interesting to read.
Brida, by Paulo Coelho
Filed under: Fiction, International bestseller, New York Times bestseller, Paulo Coelho, bestseller, book review, recommendation
Paulo Coelho is one of the most gifted and beloved story tellers of our time. As well, he has a mind where, seemingly, fantasy is allowed to roam free of constraints. Thus 
The relatively short and delightful tale of Brida O’Fem is definitely such a book – a well crafted mind stretcher! Young, cute Brida is an Irish lass wishing to become a witch. Her tale, set in Ireland during the mid-80s, is fantastic, compelling and vividly told. In its own right, it’s an epic.
Like the main characters in other Coelho books, she goes searching for the wisdom and crafts she will need. But is it magic she wants? Or love? Or wisdom? Does she really know? She meets people of great wisdom. She is taught about the other, spiritual world. She is taught to see and listen. She learns to overcome fears. She learns to hear the music of the world, and to dance to it. She learns to pray to the moon. She encounters the concept of the soul mate.
But where in the multitude of options in the many planed universe lies her destiny? And what is it? How and where is fulfillment to be found – in love, passion, mystery, witchcraft? And what is it she is learning on her strange journey – more, I think, self-discovery and self-acceptance than anything else.
Brida is a book which transforms the reading experience into a journey of its own. A travel alongside Brida into the depths of the readers’ minds. Beautifully worded, marvelously told, stirring the senses and raising a desire to reach that which must be there, at the end of the journey. A mind-teaser of a book!
Review of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Snarleyyow or The Dog Fiend, by Frederick Marryat
Filed under: Frederick Marryat, book review, historical fiction, naval fiction
This book tells the strange tale of Captain Cornelius Vanslyperken, his dog Snarleyyow and the sailor Smallbones. The hero is the half-starved sailor Smallbones. 
It is to a large extent a book about power and evil, betrayal and revenge. Captain Vanslyperken tries vainly to kill Smallbones while Smallbones tries to get even by attempting to kill the captain’s hated dog, Snarleyyow. And the attempts in either direction are plural: drowning, bashing on the head and hanging. But they all fail. As well, the story has both seafaring intrigue and high political double cross.
Snarleyyow is a very macabre farce with lots of dry wit, where one crazy situation follows another. The action is constant and entertaining. The characters are, to say the least, unusual. There is not a redeeming character anywhere.
Marryat is known for his sea stories and there are the realistic views of seafaring life plus a creditable adventure story, but the humor makes the novel special. In addition to plenty of cannon fire, battle strategy, peril, and passion—liberally sprinkled with wit and fine turns of phrase—Marryat’s real-life naval experiences lend his novels a truly remarkable authenticity. Snarleyyow or The Dog Fiend is a special and somewhat strange story well worth reading.
Devil to Pay, by C. Northcote Parkinson
Filed under: C. Northcote Parkinson, Main character, Richard Delancey, book review, historical fiction, naval fiction
Devil to Pay is the first book published, but the second in chronological order, in the series about Richard Delancey. It was first published in 1973. The action in this book takes
Richard Delancey has had an undistinguished naval career, but he possesses a fluency in French that lands him a secret mission for the Admiralty. Through no fault of his own, the secret mission further tarnishes his reputation and prospects. It leads to a duel. Thus Delancey is once again casting about for fresh opportunity.
Seeking opportunity, he becomes involved in customs collection on the Isle of Wight, with a temporary command of a Revenue Service cutter. Doing this, he is very successful. As a result, he is given command of the 22-gun privateer Nemesis. This provides Delancey with opportunities for profit, and we follow him in several daring naval operations. He is a successful privateer commander. However, misfortune leaves him shipwrecked on the French coast. He attempts to escape through Spain, just as the Spanish are entering the war. The last part of the novel covers his flight through Spain, and action in Leon as he rejoins the Royal Navy.
Devil to Pay has lots of action, both on land and at sea. It is well written, and Richard Delancey is an interesting character that gets ahead by hard work and sound analytical thinking. I like this book and the series a lot, and do not hesitate to recommend it.
Read more about Richard Delancey!
Ramage’s Diamond, by Dudley Pope
Filed under: Dudley Pope, Lord Ramage, Main character, book review, historical fiction
Ramage has now been made post and is sent to the Caribbean as captain of the frigate HMS Juno. He takes over Juno from a captain that has been given court martial for drunkenness, and has to whip one of the sloppiest crews and ships he has ever seen into shape on the journey from England to Martinique. 
The main action takes place at Martinique in the summer of 1804.Having arrived, Ramage, as the most junior captain of the station, is assigned a seeming boring task. But with Ramage, it does not get boring: Rather he performs surprising actions on a routine basis (actually based on historical events, an action performed by Commodore Samuel Hood), and Ramage’s Diamond retells the story of a tremendous feat of martial engineering. As well, Ramage captures frigates and schooners, and quickly builds his own little fleet. Seeing the importance of controlling the shipping lanes in and out of Fort de France, he mounts batteries on a towering rock (the Diamond). Then, utilizing the batteries, and his little fleet, and some very clever tactics, he manages to defeat a much larger French fleet and supply convoy. Ramage sink, burns or captures the entire convoy!
This is an incredibly good and wonderful book. Generally the books in the Ramage series are of excellent quality and with lots of extremely interesting – sometimes ingenious – action. Even so, Ramage’s Diamond is a cut above the rest of the books in the series that I have read so far. An impressive book and a great joy to read, especially for people reading the whole series!
Sidetracked, by Henning Mankell
Filed under: Henning Mankell, Kurt Wallander, Main character, Prize winning novel, Swedish writer, bestseller, book review, crime book, recommendation
Sidetracked starts off with two bangs. First, Kurt Wallander is called to a nearby rapeseed field where a teenage girl has been loitering all day long. He arrives just in time to watch her douse herself in gasoline and set herself aflame. Then, the next day he is called to a beach where Sweden’s former Minister of Justice has been axed to death and scalped. The murder has markings of a demented serial killer, and
Sidetracked is the fifth book in Mankell’s series about Inspector Kurt Wallander. It is a highly praised book, and has won The Macallan Gold Dagger for Fiction and Sweden’s 1997 Best Crime Novel of the Year awards.
“Before dawn he started his transformation. He had planned everything meticulously so that nothing could go wrong. It would take him all day, and he didn’t want to risk running out of time.” This is how Sidetracked begins. A hard, vicious award winning crime fiction novel. The translation of Sidetracked by Steven T. Murray is excellent.
In this book, Henning Mankell tells the story from the perspectives of both cop and criminal. So there are no surprises for us as readers – this is not a who-dunnit but a wonderful police procedural.
The action in Sidetracked is fast paced. Soon, three more people are found murdered and scalped, and signs suggest that the perpetrator is becoming increasingly agitated. Wallander and his crew follow standard procedure and try to link the four victims. However, their lives seem never to have intersected. Using American profiling methods as well as his own intuition, Wallander struggles to make headway in the case.
Kurt Wallander’s investigation is beset with obstacles – a police department distracted by the threat of impending cutbacks and the frivolity of World Cup soccer, as well as hiw own tenuous long-distance relationship with a murdered policeman’s widow.
Mankell’s meticulously detailed descriptions of Wallander’s investigation as well as his somewhat lyrical portrayal the Inspector’s attempts to rearrange his thought processes in Sidetracked are masterful. This, along with his treatment of the deeper phenomena involved in this crime, turns Sidetracked into something much more than an ordinary police procedural. This is another great Henning Mankell, with Kurt Wallander, the fumbling Ystad police detective with the big heart and the great intuition, at his very best.
, Prise for Sidetracked:
“Connoisseurs of the police procedural will tear into this installment like the seven-course banquet it is.” Kirkus Reviews
“[A]bove all, the novel stands out for its nuanced evocation of even the peripheral characters. Winner of Sweden’s 1997 Best Crime Novel of the Year, this is another terrific offering from the talented Mankell.” Publishers Weekly
“It is Wallander’s anguished voice. . . that captures us….Mankell’s philosophical hero vows to make it up to the coming generation while he still can.” The New York Times Book Review
See more reviews of books by Henning Mankell at ScandinavianBooks.com (and other Scandinavian crime fiction writers as well)!
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