Rating: 
Summary: Action! Action! Action!
Review:
So far this is the fourth in the Bolitho series I've read, by Alexander Kent (a pseudonym). That must tell you that I like the series. I have also ordered, and just received the next three in the series.
Like O'Brian's Captain Jack Aubrey series, it is best to read these books in order, since they are in a chronological series as far as the protagonist's career is concerned. Richard Bolitho was born and raised in Cornwall of a seafaring family. He went to sea as a midshipman at the age of twelve. The series picks him up at age 16, in Midshipman Bolitho, the first book of the series, when he was serving on a ship-of-the-line--a third rater. There are actually two stories in that first book. Each book will stand alone, but I think it is better to read them as the fictional hero lived it, in order. There are a great many books in the series. I'll be sorry when I've read the last one--number 26, Relentless Pursuit. Kent is obviously very knowledgeable about the sea and the square rigged ships of the Royal Navy circa the late 18th and early 19th century, as well as the customs, hardships, and naval strategy of the time. But, to him, the story comes first, and he is a master story-teller. The action never drags, and his characters seem to live. There is truth in his depiction of the brutal, sometimes arrogant, often bullying sea officers and petty officers that feels accurate and realistic. The implements of sea warfare: pikes, pistols, muskets, and especially cutlasses, swords and hangers are well described, as are their uses. I had to look up the "hanger." It is a short, usually curved, thick-blades short sword used in hand-to-hand combat. And there is a lot of hand-to-hand combat in this book, as well as the others. As the late O'Brian indicated in his series, the cannon balls were less destructive of human life than the splinters they caused when they struck these wooden sailing craft. This is truly a great series, and if you like sea tales--expecially those written about this period in history often referred to as the time of "wooden ships and iron men," then I cannot recommend Alexander Kent's books too highly. Joseph (Joe) Pierre, USN (Ret)
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Rating:
Summary: Action! Action! Action!
Review:
So far this is the fourth in the Bolitho series I've read, by Alexander Kent (a pseudonym). That must tell you that I like the series. I have also ordered, and just received the next three in the series.
Like O'Brian's Captain Jack Aubrey series, it is best to read these books in order, since they are in a chronological series as far as the protagonist's career is concerned. Richard Bolitho was born and raised in Cornwall of a seafaring family. He went to sea as a midshipman at the age of twelve. The series picks him up at age 16, in Midshipman Bolitho, the first book of the series, when he was serving on a ship-of-the-line--a third rater. There are actually two stories in that first book. Each book will stand alone, but I think it is better to read them as the fictional hero lived it, in order. There are a great many books in the series. I'll be sorry when I've read the last one--number 26, Relentless Pursuit. Kent is obviously very knowledgeable about the sea and the square rigged ships of the Royal Navy circa the late 18th and early 19th century, as well as the customs, hardships, and naval strategy of the time. But, to him, the story comes first, and he is a master story-teller. The action never drags, and his characters seem to live. There is truth in his depiction of the brutal, sometimes arrogant, often bullying sea officers and petty officers that feels accurate and realistic. The implements of sea warfare: pikes, pistols, muskets, and especially cutlasses, swords and hangers are well described, as are their uses. I had to look up the "hanger." It is a short, usually curved, thick-blades short sword used in hand-to-hand combat. And there is a lot of hand-to-hand combat in this book, as well as the others. As the late O'Brian indicated in his series, the cannon balls were less destructive of human life than the splinters they caused when they struck these wooden sailing craft. This is truly a great series, and if you like sea tales--expecially those written about this period in history often referred to as the time of "wooden ships and iron men," then I cannot recommend Alexander Kent's books too highly. Joseph (Joe) Pierre, USN (Ret)
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction to the series
Review: A gripping sea adventure novel that lets you place youself in the line of battle. If you or someone you know loves adventure and action mixed with accurate historical detail,this book and the entire series is a must!
Rating:
Summary: Clear for Action!
Review: Alexander Kent is undoubtedly the best writer of naval fiction on the market today. His books are packed with action, are accurate as to ships, armamment, and the interaction of the different ranks and classes in the Royal Navy of the period, with enough swashbuckling to keep the reader enthralled.
This book in the series, which tells the tale of our hero, Richard Bolitho, as a young naval commander in his first command, the Sloop 'Sparrow' during the American Revolution, is a tale of leadership, betrayal, intrigue, and fast-paced, bloody action. Ships, seaman, soldiers, and the sea all combine to give a fast-paced. grim and bloody tale of those men that 'go down to the sea in ships,' and put those ships 'in harm's way.' Bolitho's First Lieutenant is an American Loyalist, and the relationship Kent builds for these officers, as well as the rest of the crew of HMS Sparrow is one of the highlights of Kent's novels. Kent knows men and ships, and it shows in his action-packed prose. Ships to him are living things, and his affection for them and the sea in general, is quite obvious. My own father was a professional seaman, which may be the reason these books are a favorite. Better than the Hornblower series, as serious and grim as actual history, they are a pleasure to read, and to follow the fortunes of Bolitho from Cornwall and the colorful cast of characters that Kent has created. The Royal Navy during the period has been accurately described by a modern historian, and authority on the period, as 'man-eating' and Kent brings this out. His characterization of Bolitho as a humane officer is also compelling, for during this age thoughtful commanders took good care of the men they had to lead into the hell of combat. Good book, excellent read, compelling characters, superb adventure-what else could you ask for?
Rating:
Summary: Clear for Action!
Review: Alexander Kent is undoubtedly the best writer of naval fiction on the market today. His books are packed with action, are accurate as to ships, armamment, and the interaction of the different ranks and classes in the Royal Navy of the period, with enough swashbuckling to keep the reader enthralled. This book in the series, which tells the tale of our hero, Richard Bolitho, as a young naval commander in his first command, the Sloop 'Sparrow' during the American Revolution, is a tale of leadership, betrayal, intrigue, and fast-paced, bloody action. Ships, seaman, soldiers, and the sea all combine to give a fast-paced. grim and bloody tale of those men that 'go down to the sea in ships,' and put those ships 'in harm's way.' Bolitho's First Lieutenant is an American Loyalist, and the relationship Kent builds for these officers, as well as the rest of the crew of HMS Sparrow is one of the highlights of Kent's novels. Kent knows men and ships, and it shows in his action-packed prose. Ships to him are living things, and his affection for them and the sea in general, is quite obvious. My own father was a professional seaman, which may be the reason these books are a favorite. Better than the Hornblower series, as serious and grim as actual history, they are a pleasure to read, and to follow the fortunes of Bolitho from Cornwall and the colorful cast of characters that Kent has created. The Royal Navy during the period has been accurately described by a modern historian, and authority on the period, as 'man-eating' and Kent brings this out. His characterization of Bolitho as a humane officer is also compelling, for during this age thoughtful commanders took good care of the men they had to lead into the hell of combat. Good book, excellent read, compelling characters, superb adventure-what else could you ask for?
Rating:
Summary: A rattling good tale of courage and initiative under fire.
Review: In the later years of the American Revolutionary War Richard Bolitho has his first significant command, a trim, fast and deadly slop of war, the smallest class of square rigged vessel in service. His objective is interception and destruction of French supplies to the American and French Armies and his main area of duty is in the Bahamas and the north-eastern West Indies. As always in the Kent novels secondary characters are interesting and contribute significantly to the development of the plot and the mechanics of sailing operations are realistically described, without the detail becoming overwhelming. A young man's delight in his independent command, and his dawning realisation that he is in fact good at what he does, is well conveyed. An act of betrayal by an immediate superior, leading to a court-martial, and an equally stinging betrayal by a society beauty who humiliates him, mature Bolitho rapidly. The novel culminates in the events surrounding the Battle of the Virginia Capes and the British surrender at Yorktown. My only gripe with this book, and its predecessors "In Gallant Company" and "To Glory We Steer", is that Kent compresses Bolitho's American War service into only three novels. There must have been other possibilities - e.g. the young Bolitho would have been the ideal man to have confronted Arnold's fleet of gundelos on the lakes as the British pushed southwards from Canada for their appointment at Saratoga!
Rating:
Summary: Action from start to finish
Review: Richard Bolitho has now reached the pinnacle of all naval officer's desires, a command of his own. Bolitho has had temporary commands in the past, of short duration. But now, he is given a command all of his own. Now it is up to him to execute the orders he receives and there is no one to turn to for advice or guidance. He is the one everyone turns to when in need. The book is set in the middle part of the American war of indepence. There are no fleet to fleet actions. Rather it is a sea war of small ships on both sides, schooners, sloops and in the case of the Americans, what ever they can lay their hands on. It is a campaign of blockade pure and simple. It is also a war of combined or joint operations. The Navy getting the Army off a hostile shore or transporting them to one. It is a difficult process in the best of times but for a new captain it is more difficult than usual. Bolitho is a success as a privateer hunter and over the course of the book brings pain and discomfort to those who operate these ships. Little does he know that some of the discomfort is felt by the very people he and his ship are trying to defend and maintain in power. This almost costs him his life in more than one instance. Bolitho is also faced with the daunting task of working for a superior Naval officer consumed by a desire for distinction and who will stop at nothing to achive it. His desires, likewise, almost cost Bolitho his life, and does cost the life of his sistership. There is another person in his crew you come to learn more about and admire or dislike for it. This is his first lieutenant, an American who has stayed loyal to the crown. He is hated by the American rebels, his property and friends have all been destroyed by either the British or American forces. He is not really trusted by the British. His is a lonely life and as I learned more about him, as the story developed, I found he had a lot that made me admire him. Kent catches the extreme difficulty of a man in this situation with accuraccy and understanding. It is a continuing high point of the story. Bolitho's ship misses the one fleet action during this time frame. Rather he is transporting troops to assist in Cornwallis's defense of Yorktown and arrives too late. So after almost three years, he is sent back to the United Kingdom and it is with sorrow that he leaves the ship and crew, who have become his friends. Kent delivers a great read. One I have read and read over the last few decades. It is one of the first of Kent's books I read and have never forgotten it. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Royal Navy of sail and the American War of Independence as seen from the Royal Navy's point of view.
Rating: 
Summary: Great adventure
Review: Sloop of War was the first of Alexander Kent's books I read, starting when I was 14. I enjoyed this book enough to move back to what I thought was the beginning (Stand Into Danger). Now that I have gone online, I realize that there are six Kent books I haven't even read yet (pretty tough to get ahold of some of them now). Nevertheless, I am making it my goal to own the entire series in hardcover (first edition if possible). I enjoy following the life of Richard Bolitho, and think that Kent has masterfully developed his character.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction to the series
Review: Sloop of War, by far, is the best book to begin with if you are a new reader to the Alexander Kent series about Richard Bolitho. The book covers his first true appointed command as Commander of the Sloop of War Sophie during the time period of the American Revolution. The book is packed with action and intrigue from many different angles. Characters are introduced that make appearances again in later books. The writing is superb and often glues you to the pages as you keep reading just to find out how the characters are going to fare. Alexander Kent weaves Bolitho into a true complete picture, a hero who isn't perfect, a man who isn't perfect. But he makes you care so much about him that as I read the novel, I feel like Bolitho has been a lifelong friend. Your emotions rise and fall with each turn of his life. I highly recommend the entire series, but this book in particular is a great place to start if you aren't sure you'll like this kind of fiction. In the world of nautical fiction Alexander Kent #1, C.S. Forester #2, Dudley Pope #3.
Rating:
Summary: The Burden of Command
Review: With this book my opinion of Alexander Kent soars. This is a terrifically well written novel of small ship coastal actions during the American rebellion. Bolitho has risen to command his own ship and is engaged in many forms of convoy duty under some commanders of indifferent talent or active malevolence. It is a tale of astounding betrayals, and unexpectedly resolute loyalty. The book is two stories in one (as also was the first volume, Midshipman Bolitho), set in 1778 off the East Coast and then in 1781 in the Bahamas, the beginning and end of his time in command of the Sparrow sloop. This is a masterful story in young command. It presents a remarkable interior look at the development of command, not only in the outward heroism of Bolitho and the contrasting incompetence of arrogant superiors, but of their inner states of mind, and occasionally that of their subordinates in the gut-wrenching heat of battle. We see the minutiae for which a captain is responsible, but especially the burden of command when people will die from the decisions he must make. Also, Bolitho falls resoundingly in love again, this time with an insouciant and manipulative aristocrat, of whom he had best beware! (This minx would make a great continuing character, a beguiling nemesis in the wings.) This is an altogether better and deeper story than its predecessors. It is as full of exciting episodes of bloody action as ever, but contains multiple plot lines and carries an emotional depth that is new.
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