H.M.S. Cockerel (Alan Lewrie Naval Adventures (Paperback))

Rating:
Summary: A Good Start That Bogged Down
Review: Alan Lewrie is a very likable character and I look forward to a long naval career for him. A few details detract from this installment. First, after 13 years in the British Navy, he should stop his ambivalence about doing something that he does quite well. It's fine that he is constantly tempted to be an amoral cad; he shouldn't have gotten married anyway. Second, long passages of Franglish were irritating and hard to follow. Is the author showing off his nodding acquaintance with French? Whatever the reason, it is unnecessary. Lastly, and it is a small complaint, but if the publisher is going to include maps, which are VERY useful to the readers, they should not be so dark as to be unreadable. All of the above seems, on rereading more negative than I intended; I like the series and would not have missed it.

Rating:
Summary: Like a rolling ride on a choppy sea
Review: I agree with the reviewer from Portland, OR. The fractured French/English was totally annoying and the map was very poorly printed, but ...
the story seemed like a serial drama, some parts were extremely well-written and exciting. Others were slow and plodding. It was good to sail with Lt. Lewrie again and I look forward to continuing his adventures. He's one of my favorite historical fiction characters.

Rating:
Summary: Cockerel In A Nutshell
Review: Lambdin does it again in this (the 6th) installment of the Alan Lewrie chronicles.

I really enjoyed this one though I must admit there were some slow points and trying to muddle through all the French was annoying.

Lambdin does a wonderful job weaving history and fiction and Cockerel is no exception. The thought of Lewrie getting a leg over on Emma Hamilton is quite amusing as is the idea of him coming face to face with Napoleon and Captain Bligh.

Lewrie and his well developed supporting cast will surely keep you entertained. Definitely a worth while read.

Rating:
Summary: Get back to the high seas, Alan, and quickly.
Review: Overall this is an excellent series which can be occassionally annoying as the author fumblingly tries to imitate the rake-hell character of G.M. Fraser's Flashman in his mock/hero Alan Lewrie but without the vigor and genius of that inimitable scoundrel.
This book is not the place to start and should probably be read only by those who are following the series in sequence. Too much time on land in this one, and the balance between hitorical backround and foreground action seems to be askew here. The sex scenes are again ludicrous (Alan mounts Emma Hamilton!!--right) and the potrayals of Nelson and especially Napoleon are flat and unoriginal. The maps and dialogue are as others have noted, annoying as well. But despite its longuers, I'll ship out with Alan and Dewey in the next adventure, hoping our hero stays on the waves where he belongs.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best of the Series-BUT...
Review: This books follows in the foosteps of previous installments of the series. The character development is believable and well thought out. However, trying to depict the French attempting to speak English was really frustrating for this reader. I did not mourn the passing of characters that I otherwise liked, because I was too relieved to not have to decipher their speech.