Quarterdeck: A Kydd Sea Adventure (Kydd Sea Adventures)

Thomas Kydd has survived the Battle of Camperdown, arriving back home as an acting lieutenant. In wartime, men could advance by their abilities. The novel opens with Kydd being examined for a commission. He does have a champion on the examining board. Having obtained his step up to lieutenant, he is taken in hand by his friend Renzi for training to be a gentlemen. In that regard, his sister Cecilia, now a companion of Lady Stanhope, takes a hand. But when Thomas reports back aboard ship, he finds that the captain is an upperclass prig who does not want tarpaulin lieutenants on "his ship." (That upperclass attitude is reflected in the novels of Frederick Marryat, written in the early 19th century, and did exist in the Royal Navy). The captain attempts to have him removed without success (one can wonder what is left unsaid; was the captain told, perhaps, that Thomas was a friend of Lord Stanhope and known to Admiral Onslow?). In any case, Thomas stays on board, for better or for worse.

Action proceeds, and Thomas finds he can no longer be "one of the guys" before the mast and, at the same time, he does not fit in well with the "gentlemen" officers, having no small talk about foxhunting, society, etc. Thomas makes a few gaffes, getting some unwanted attention from the Admiral, but also distinguishes himself in some detached duties.

He finds himself seconded as a naval observer to the fledgling United States Navy, and making some acquaintances that may show up in the future. Returning to the squadron in Halifax, he obtains some detached duty doing a hydrographic survey, and makes a chance acquaintance with a mysterious, very beautiful young woman whom he invites as his companion to a state function in Halifax which he must attend. That leads to some unexpected results and a sudden rise in social status.

We will have to wait for the sequels to see what further adventures the author has in mind for Thomas.

The novel is generally well researched. My main complaint is that the author seems to have Thomas zipping about at a time when transportation was notoriously slow. Perhaps a few too many adventures in too short a time. The late Patrick O'Brien seemed to have that problem in his novels, but perhaps we can give the author a little literary license. Richard Woodman is generally the best in defining the passage of time in his Drinkwater novels. The present novel might have been aided by the inclusion of a couple or three maps of the areas of action.

Julian Stockwin has grown in his Kydd series and I was most happy to read his latest offering. Although it is not to the high standard that the late Patrick O'Brien has set, it was certainly an enjoyable read. The plot sometimes seems improbable and contrived, but the humanity of Kydd shines through and I found myself rooting for the character throughout. Kydd has a particularly American appeal as a commoner among the gentry triumphing in spite of his humble beginnings, but shines through as an unmistakably British stout heart of oak. I look forward to the next installment.

"Quarterdeck" is the fifth book in Julian Stockwin's "Kydd" series. These books are set in the Napoleonic-era Royal Navy and follow in the same vein as C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin books.

In the first book, Kydd was initially a pressed seaman, but Kydd has now earned a king's commission and can walk the quarterdeck as a lieutenant. In "Quarterdeck" he serves on a ship-of-the-line sent to the North American station. Although he is filled with the self-doubt of as he tries to live in the world of officers and gentlemen, Kydd enjoys some interesting and original adventures and has a very successful start to his career as an officer in the King's Navy.

Although it has taken a few books, I'm finally truly enjoying Julian Stockwin's books. "Mutiny" was a very good book, and "Quarterdeck" is by far the best of the five "Kydd" novels. Kydd is growing as a character and Stockwin's writing style is developing. Anyone who has enjoyed Horatio Hornblower or Patrick O'Brian will enjoy these books.

Stories within stories! Can I call them yarns? I am hooked on these books and Tom and am reading nothing else til I've read them all. Aweigh ya lubbers!

Following Patrick O'Brien, C.S. Forester and others I am enjoying this series of novels immensely. Written by an author who is a seaman himself it is a wonderful recreation of the days of fighting sail.