Pirates and Privateers
The History of Maritime
Piracy
Cindy Vallar, Editor
& Reviewer
P.O. Box 425,
Keller, TX 76244-0425
   
Books for Adults ~ Fiction
Kydd
Artemis
Seaflower
Mutiny
Quarterdeck

Kydd
by Julian Stockwin
McBooks Press, 2022, ISBN 978-1-4930-6880-7, US $19.95
    
After a long day at work in
his family’s wig shop, Thomas Kydd sits in
a pub, minding his own business. A press
gang waltzes in. forever altering his path
in life. He’s whisked aboard the Duke
William, an old ship-of-the-line
bound for Spithead where the Royal Navy
fleet gathers before setting sail to wage
war against France in 1793. Rated a
landman, Thomas finds his life is no
longer his own. It belongs to King George,
and no one in this new domain cares
whether he lives or dies. He is alone. He
has no friends. He is totally out of his
element. It is up to him alone to fit in,
to find his way in an alien world, until
one man, Joe Bowyer, takes him under his
wing with a warning: stay a landman and
remain mired in the anger and despondency
overwhelming him, or pull himself out of
the dregs to become a seaman.
Kydd takes Joe’s advice to heart and
discovers he has a knack for sailing . . .
if he survives. There are rumors that the
captain is a Jonah. The ship leaks. Each
day brings new trials: suicide, murder,
piracy, treachery, battles on land
fighting alongside French Royalists or at
sea against Revolutionists, imprisonment,
betrayal, desertion, menacing French
privateers, and fire.
With the mastery of a virtuoso, Stockwin
delivers a seamless tale that ensnares the
reader in whatever Kydd sees, hears,
feels, and experiences, be it a ferocious
flogging, the depths of despair, men
fomenting mutiny, or the brutality of war.
Readers quickly find themselves
transported back to the late eighteenth
century. No punches are pulled. No
incidents betray the readers’ sense of
believability. Kydd is a deftly
woven and riveting sea story that refuses
to let go once the grappling hooks are
thrown. When the last page is turned,
readers yearn for the next book in the
Kydd Sea Adventures.
Review Copyright ©2022
Cindy Vallar


Artemis
by Julian Stockwin
McBooks Press, 2022, ISBN 978-1-4930-6881-4,
US $19.95
    
Six
months have passed since Thomas Kydd was pressed
into the Royal Navy. He has risen through skill
and courage to become an able seaman. His mess
mates have helped him through thick and thin:
Renzi (his educated and logical friend), Stirk
(a tough gun captain), Doud (an easygoing
topman), Doggo (a wild but ugly able seaman),
Pinto (a well-groomed yet deadly Iberian), and
Wong (an enigmatic circus strongman). Together,
they embark on Artemis, a frigate
captained by Black Jack Powlett, in this second
in the Thomas Kydd Sea Adventures.
After a harrowing sea battle – replete with
broadsides and hand-to-hand combat – with the
French Citoyenne, Artemis returns
victorious, but wounded, to England where Kydd
meets the king and reunites with his sister.
Cecila’s news of home is not good; their
father’s eyesight is failing and Kydd must take
over the wig shop to support the family. He
thought he had finally found his path in life;
now, he must give up his love for the sea. It
seems a harsh sentence, one that will be akin to
life in prison, but Renzi is certain they will
find a solution. The question is whether they
will do so before Artemis sails after
repairs are made.
Between Renzi and Cecila, a remedy is found in
the nick of time. When their frigate weighs
anchor in August 1793, Kydd and his mates find
themselves bound for India. Speed is essential,
but only the captain knows why. During the
voyage, they endure storms at sea, lightning
strikes, a crossing-the-line ceremony, monsoons,
and encounter Army deserters, a pirate
execution, and a woman who drives a wedge
between Kydd and Renzi.
India turns out to be only their first
destination. From there they sail to China and
the Philippines. Their stop in the latter is
fraught with peril, since no one knows whether
Spain has joined the war as a French ally yet.
Kydd and Renzi are both promoted to petty
officers, which means new quarters and different
mess mates. A stranded scientist with Admiralty
orders sends the Artemis on an
expedition 2,000 miles away farther into the
Pacific and they must reach the island by a
specific date. Treachery and turbulence earmark
this stopover where they encounter cannibals and
an American marooned on the island for four
years.
From a journey to the far side of the world to
navigating the Roaring 40s, the Furious 50s, and
the Screaming 60s, Stockwin once again delivers
a masterful and galvanizing adventure that
provides us with numerous you-are-there
experiences alongside Kydd. Some scenes are
nightmarish. Others allow us to feel as bereft
as he does. We readily identify with how changes
impact existing ways of life and some
professions become antiquated. The final episode
in this circumnavigation of the world is
riveting and disquieting, compelling us to read
the next installment of Kydd’s exploits in the
Royal Navy.
Review Copyright
©2022 Cindy Vallar

Seaflower
by Julian Stockwin
McBooks Press, 2022, ISBN 978-1-4930-6881-4,
US $19.95
   
With
the demise of the Artemis, Thomas
Kydd finds himself the key witness in the
upcoming court martial of her only surviving
officer. His last visit to England involved
a hero’s welcome and grand celebrations.
Now, he and his surviving mates are virtual
prisoners, instead of being given leave to
visit family. Then, on an April night in
1794, they are whisked aboard a lumbering,
decaying warship bound for the Caribbean.
There will be no trial, no testimony, no one
to blame for the shipwreck. The
underhandedness leaves a bitter taste in the
survivors’ mouths, but what recourse do they
have against the Admiralty?
Their destination is Guadeloupe, currently
under the occupation of British troops
working with French royalists. Kydd and his
friend, Nicholas Renzi, quarter in the town
with a family still loyal to the monarchy,
but fear of retribution permeates their
lives. Rebels and insurgents inhabit other
parts of the island and, when fighting
resumes, the British and royalists are
unable to stop the enemy’s advance. A mass
evacuation ensues with much chaos, during
which Kydd and Renzi become separated. Renzi
accompanies the exiles on a different ship
for Jamaica; Kydd helps his countrymen evade
their pursuers, knowing that death awaits
him if they are caught.
Kydd and his comrades are rescued just in
time, but not without casualties. No sooner
is he safe aboard Trajan once again
than a hurricane strikes. Afterward, he is
tasked with sailing the damaged vessel to
the dockyard in Antigua for repairs;
instead, the shipwright condemns the warship
and Kydd finds himself ashore with a new
assignment, Master of the King’s Negroes.
Although he enjoys learning the construction
side of shipping, he feels out of his depth
in managing slaves who accomplish tasks he
has little knowledge of. He longs to return
to the sea, where his true talents will be
most useful. The master shipwright is a
religious man with strict rules. When Kydd
violates one of them, he commits an
unforgivable sin and is once again adrift.
A chance encounter with an admiral leads to
Renzi working as a writer in Spanish Town,
Jamaica. Most days he duplicates orders and
tends to mundane matters. On rare occasions
he translates French newspapers and papers
that might contain nuggets of intelligence
for the admiral. Renzi dislikes his
assignment, but it suits his despondency
over the loss of Kydd whom he believes died
as the insurgents overran Guadaloupe.
Reunion is a constant theme throughout this
story, not just with shipmates, but also
with family. Fire at sea, ship engagements,
a cutting out episode, and good leaders
versus bad ones are some of Kydd’s many
adventures this time around. His education
continues in ways that provide readers with
an understanding of life in the navy. He
also has the opportunity to see impressment
from the flip side; instead of being a
victim, he is charged with acquiring a crew
from amongst very reluctant men.
The mark of a great storyteller is one who
consistently captures the mood of the story
in ways that allow readers to experience
firsthand the highs and lows the characters
face whether these involve the pain of
flogging, the misery of yellow fever, the
bleakness of being landbound, the drudgery
of paperwork, or nerve-wracking
reconnaissance. Julian Stockwin is such an
author. At the same time, he spins his tale
with succinct writing and tantalizing
action. Seaflower catches the
reader in its web from the first page and
doesn’t let go until the last. Even then the
reader is left wanting more, which in this
case is possible because this is but the
third title in the Kydd Sea Adventures
series.
Review Copyright
©2022 Cindy Vallar


Mutiny
by Julian
Stockwin
McBooks Press, 2022, ISBN
978-1-4930-6883-8, US $19.95
Also available in e-book format
    
Thomas
Kydd, now a master’s mate, returns in
this fourth book that takes place in
1797. His promotion means he and his
friend have separated. While Nicholas
Renzi is aboard a 74-gun
ship-of-the-line, Thomas serves on Achilles
(64) where he makes a new friend, who
doesn’t always approve of what Thomas
does. He finds his mood turning morose
from being separated from Nicholas.
This changes somewhat after two
encounters. One involves a married
woman, and the other a drunken, but
veteran, sailor with a low opinion of
the Royal Navy.
The
fortuitous arrival of Nicholas’s
vessel reunites the two friends and,
when the opportunity presents itself
to forego the mindless routine of
being anchored at Gibraltar, they
volunteer for a special mission to
Venice. Being circumspect is a
necessary part of their assignment,
which proves both a blessing and a
hindrance. It is carnivale,
a time when everyone wears masks,
which makes it difficult to tell
friend from foe. Renzi is acquainted
with the city and speaks Italian,
but the visit stirs up memories that
drive a wedge between him and
Thomas, as well as the others
accompanying them. An additional
complication is a clandestine pact
between Austria and France that
impacts Venice and endangers their
lives and their freedom.
When
Kydd finally returns to Achilles,
he finds an unhappy ship. Some crew
replacements are men given little
choice in joining the navy. With
orders to return to England, the
ship sails for home. Thomas senses
the brewing tempest, and news of the
fleet’s mutiny at Spithead merely
adds to his growing unease. The
captain’s attempt to forestall the
men from joining that ill-fated
revolt backfires when the ships
anchored at Nore also rise up
against the Admiralty. Conflicted,
Thomas wavers between being an
officer now and a seaman before,
until a new love interest, a
dishonest gentleman, and a
charismatic mutineer push him closer
and closer to a fateful decision.
This
volume in the Thomas Kydd novels
focuses more on the mental and
behavioral aspects of sea life,
particularly as they affect Thomas
and Nicholas. Each portrayal differs
based on each man’s character traits
and past experiences, with striking
differences and similarities that
strain their friendship almost to
the breaking point. Rather than
concentrate on the better-known
mutiny at Spithead, Stockwin
portrays the subsequent insurrection
at Nore. The seamen’s discontent is
justified, but the Admiralty’s
response differs between the two
anchorages. This is convincingly
shown via scene shifts between
London and Nore, as well as the
almost palpable tug-of-war waging
within Kydd. Equally well-rendered
are the confusion and precariousness
of carnivale, and the tragic
death that leads to Thomas’s first
true encounter with love. Commodore
Horatio Nelson and Kydd’s first
fleet action are artfully entwined
with the major story threads. Mutiny
provides readers with the feel
of being swept into a maelstrom
where the only way to endure is to
hold on tight and hope to survive.
Review Copyright ©2023
Cindy Vallar


Quarterdeck
by Julian Stockwin
McBooks Press, 2022, ISBN
978-1-4930-6884-5, US $19.95
Also available in e-book format
    
Following the Battle
of Camperdown (October 1797),
Thomas Kydd is promoted to
lieutenant and assigned to HMS
Tenacious, a 64-gun
ship-of-the-line. He and his
friend, Nicholas Renzi (who
now holds the same rank), head
to Kydd’s home while the ship
undergoes repairs. During this
leave, Thomas realizes that if
he’s to succeed as a king’s
officer, he needs to acquire
the traits of a gentleman. An
assignment that falls to
Nicholas, who believes the
request reasonable but nigh
unto impossible. Still, with
dogged determination, Thomas
perseveres and benefits when
his sister helps add further
polish to his social graces.
When
Kydd finally meets his new
commander, all his hard work
and practice cannot erase the
fact that he is a tarpaulin
officer (one who begins his
career as a seaman who lives
on the lower deck). Captain
Houghton wants only gentleman
officers, men he can rely on
to represent the ship and the
country appropriately.
Therefore, Thomas is being
reassigned . . . until urgent
orders arrive that prevent
that. Consequently, he becomes
Tenacious’s fifth
lieutenant, the most junior
and the one responsible for
the signal flags.
Assigned
to the North American station,
Tenacious leads a
convoy of merchant ships west
to Halifax. Not even out of
sight of England, French
privateers cut out slower
vessels and it is Kydd who
alerts the captain to this
intrusion. As the voyage
progresses, Thomas feels more
and more like an outsider,
someone who doesn’t belong
among the other officers in
the wardroom. It doesn’t help
that Nicholas easily fits in
and has found someone new with
whom to have philosophical
discussions. Before long,
Thomas feels as if he’s caught
between a world in which he
doesn’t belong and one to
which he can never return.
A
misstep in reading the signal
flags doesn’t help the
situation; it merely serves to
intensify the isolation and
loneliness that he feels. Yet,
what he doesn’t understand is
that while he may lack all the
social graces that the other
officers have, he has
knowledge and experience they
lack because he has “come aft
by the hawse.” This expertise
comes in handy when he
commands a ship’s boat amidst
an ice field blanketed by fog
from which the French emerge
and fierce hand-to-hand combat
ensues.
Thomas’s
attitude begins to change
during a dinner conversation
on the admiral’s ship. Instead
of worrying about his social
station, he concentrates on
becoming as informed as
possible about global affairs
and how events in one place
affect events elsewhere in the
world. Then someone from his
past emerges who threatens his
ability to lead men. Only his
knowledge of life on the lower
deck allows Thomas to
effectively deal with the
situation. An encounter with a
French frigate with unexpected
armament requires his
knowledge of navigation and
working in a shipyard to
protect Achilles and those who
serve on her.
Quarterdeck
is an excellent account of
what it is like to be a fish
out of water in a world
totally foreign to all that
you know. It also shows the
intricacies of what is
required to be a lieutenant.
Along the way, Kydd encounters
three people who will
influence his life in
unexpected ways. One is a
relative he has never met. The
second is an American who
wants the new United States
Navy to be as successful as
the Royal Navy. The third is a
woman whose presence at a
royal ball is “either inspired
deviltry or the purest
ignorance!” (312)
While
readers may be unaware of the
fact that one aspect of
writing is to show how a
character matures and changes
between the beginning and end
of a story, Stockwin does a
superb job demonstrating this
character arc in Quarterdeck.
This allows us to experience
the full gamut of emotions
that Kydd does, while at the
same time, we readily identify
with each because in one way
or another we've felt the same
way.
Review Copyright ©2023
Cindy Vallar


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