A King's Commander: An Alan Lewrie Naval Adventure (Alan Lewrie Naval Adventure Series/Dewey Lambdin)

Rating:
Summary: Better and better . . .
Review: Just as Alan Lewrie has gotten much better at this Royal Navy thing, Lambdin has gotten better and better at writing novels about him. From a feckless 17-year-old midshipman, Lewrie has advanced in this seventh in the series to an experienced, competent commander of his own ship-sloop, . . . though he's sometimes equally feckless. If only he could keep his breeches buttoned, his life would have a lot fewer problems in it. But even with a loving wife and three kids back home, he still finds himself involved, willy-nilly, with the lovely young Phoebe Aretino from the previous installment. He won't keep her, though, which is just as well for him. On the professional front, having been posted off to the Med, Lewrie finds himself participating in a small way in that spectacular victory over the Republican French navy known as the Glorious First of June. Then he's off to join Hood's fleet and to participate in the conquest of Corsica as a colleague of Capt. Horatio Nelson -- and to be caught up in the machinations of Mr. Twigg, the spy from his time in the Far East, as well as Choundas, the French captain and pirate who has good reason to hate him, . . . and of whom Lewrie admits well-justified fear. The author seems to have gotten under control his penchant for over-writing and over-reliance on period slang, and his ability to clearly describe naval actions and ship-handling have progressed from occasionally shaky to considerably above average. But most important, Alan Lewrie, filled with self-doubts and a full realization of his own shortcomings even while he repeatedly proves his courage and his worth to the navy, is a fully realized human being of whom the reader can develop some understanding and about whom one cares -- even when he does something personally stupid.

Rating:
Summary: DOUBLY OUTSTANDING
Review: Mr. Lambdin has done it again. "Our hero" as Mr. Lambdin sometimes refers to his primary character continues the maintenance and, yes, love of his engaging Corsican mistress (Phoebe) while remaining wholly in love with his wife, Caroline. He concludes that it is possible to love them both, but is consumed (from time to time) by a horrendous and heavy guilt and self -loathing at the fact. This does not stop him from admiring and entertaining lascivious thoughts of other women who cross his path. When not feeling guilty, he is Commander of HMS Sloop Jester, which he manages with much success. The people he encounters (Captain Horatio Nelson) and others, are people you come to know and care for because of Mr. Lambdin's remarkable ability to create and develop characters that jump off the page at you. His storytelling is first class, his plots are fascinating without being contrived, and his sense of humor sets him apart from others of the genre. It is clear that he is at pains to be accurate in the slang and colloquialisms of the time, and he is equally accurate in the technicalities of sailing, without letting those technicalities overwhelm the reader. His sense of the historical is made clear by his notes at the end of the book noting where he deviated slightly from what is possible, historically speaking, or elaborating on an historical character in the story by explaining why he attributed the personality to them that he did. This is altogether a superb book, written by a master storyteller, who clearly commands his craft. This is great stuff.

Rating:
Summary: Commander Lewrie cannot resist the beautiful Phoebe
Review: Planning to cut loose from poor Phoebe with a cash settlement, Lewrie finds that is easier said than done. So off they go, with a surprising collection of her recent acquisitions, to find her accomodations in Corsica, Phoebe's homeland and Lewrie's next naval assignment. Once again Lambdin has done excellent research to cover a segment of the early Napoleonic Wars that has been neglected by most authors. The book develops as an excellent historical novel, mixing realistic accounts of well known historical figures with Lambdin's fictional characters. And what of poor Phoebe? The Contessa Aretino, a sharp businesswoman with a knack for turning a profit and a Corsican nationalist to boot? Well, now... And Le Hideux, an enemy from Lewrie's past reappearing to match wits and guns, will this be his end as Lewrie hunts him down? As with the other Lambdin books about Lewrie, the plot stands well by itself but, in this case, the previous book, H.M.S. Cockerel, should prob! ably be read first as a King's Commander is an obvious continuation of a tale. The ending of the tale is a little unfinished and leads into a necessary sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Commander Lewrie cannot resist the beautiful Phoebe
Review: Planning to cut loose from poor Phoebe with a cash settlement, Lewrie finds that is easier said than done. So off they go, with a surprising collection of her recent acquisitions, to find her accomodations in Corsica, Phoebe's homeland and Lewrie's next naval assignment. Once again Lambdin has done excellent research to cover a segment of the early Napoleonic Wars that has been neglected by most authors. The book develops as an excellent historical novel, mixing realistic accounts of well known historical figures with Lambdin's fictional characters. And what of poor Phoebe? The Contessa Aretino, a sharp businesswoman with a knack for turning a profit and a Corsican nationalist to boot? Well, now... And Le Hideux, an enemy from Lewrie's past reappearing to match wits and guns, will this be his end as Lewrie hunts him down? As with the other Lambdin books about Lewrie, the plot stands well by itself but, in this case, the previous book, H.M.S. Cockerel, should prob! ably be read first as a King's Commander is an obvious continuation of a tale. The ending of the tale is a little unfinished and leads into a necessary sequel.