Seaflower, by Julian Stockwin

April 11, 2009 by
Filed under: Fiction, Julian Stockwin, naval fiction 

This is the third book in Stockwin’s series (it follows Artemis)about Thomas Paine Kydd and his friend Nicholas Renzi. Both Kydd and Renzi are now wiser and more seasoned seadogs than before.

This tale moves quickly from the grim Seaflower, by Julian Stockwin 18th-century England to the beautiful and lawless ports and seas of the West Indies, and the adventures of the cutter Seaflower. While the story can be read as a continuation of the Kydd series, it also stands up well as a tale in its own right and reveals much about the way ordinary seamen viewed themselves and their superiors.

Seaflower provides a good and detailed account of shipboard life in the late 18th century from the point of view of the common sailor. It’s all here – the cramped conditions, the disgusting food, the undeserved punishment and cruelty of some of the officers, and unremitting toil – and well described as well!

There is a lot of action in this book – both on land and sea. And there is romance, sea battles, tales of cynical exploitation of seamen as well as a breathless episode set in a wild hurricane. The fast action and a good plot, along with the fact that Stockwin’s writing is improving with each new book, all help to make Seaflower the best Kydd novel yet. Very promising for the series, and a nice and entertaining tale!

Read more reviews of Julian Stockwin‘s books!

Links to Julian Stockwin’s books at amazon US, amazon UK, and amazon CAN.

Praise for Julian Stockwin’s books:

‘I was soon turning over the pages almost indecently fast … Roll on, the promised adventures of Kydd and Renzi.’ (Independent)

‘The vantage point of the common sailor gives the nautical novel a fresh twist. In Stockwin’s hands the sea story will continue to entrance readers across the world.’ (Guardian)

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