Alaric BondCritiques

OK tale of revenuers and smugglers defending the shores of England.½

Good insights into the corruption and resulting complications that smuggling caused in England during the Napoleanic Wars. Likely, too thin a theme to carry a series but a good solo read

Back at sea and off to join Nelson in the Mediterranean, the Prometheus first meets and captures a French Privateer and then survives an attempted escape by the captured crew. To be followed by a serious set-to with the regular French Navy. As always with Bond; lots of interesting characters. This good series continues nicely.

Delivering the new governor to St Helena turns out to be more dangerous and exciting than anticipated. The governor's heiress wife is also a problem. But first, the Captain must escape or deal with a strong French Squadron. with his wife and other passengers, a serious distraction. Much about politics but enough action to keep the story interesting.½

A tale set in an unusual place for warfare during these times. Adequate but not inspiring main characters do diminish reading interest.

Everybody Has Had A Bad Supervisor...

but this is ridiculous! A sympathetic hero, with no shortage of bad luck, somehow manages to succeed. We appreciate him, and his subordinates love him, but he can't quite seem to convince management- or himself - that he has leadership potential. His self-doubt wears a bit thin, even after he conquers every obstacle. Not great, but a fun read, with an interesting court marshal at the close. (I wish all these books with naval battles had diagrams!)

This latest novel displays all the skill we have come to expect from Bond with the story, as usual, following members of the crew from various ranks, not just the officers.

The book has a fresh perspective in that we are soon aboard an 'Indiaman', a ship of the Honourable East India Company, and seeing life from the view of not just merchant seamen and officers but also passengers from various stations in life. The narrative follows the ship, Pevensey Castle, as it prepares for sea in the Thames, joins it's escort and then heads out into the Atlantic.

However that does not mean that we see any less action. Tom King and other familiar faces are soon in the thick of it and Bond's skill in describing life and action at sea is, as always, evident.

Cut and Run, and indeed all of the 'Fighting Sail' series is highly recommended.

I really enjoy the gripping action and I appreciate the detailed descriptions of the ship's workings, but, as in the Jackass Frigate, Alaric Bond gets my highest marks for bringing to life the crew and officers of Vigilant. By mastering the tricky technique of shifting Point-of-View, Bond successfully makes readers privy to the thoughts and opinions of a thorough cross-section of the crew. Before Vigilant is at sea, we meet no fewer than twenty-three named characters. (I counted the second time I read the book.) The number climbs above forty by the novel's climax. It is a tribute to Bond's craft that by the time Vigilant joins battle we feel a personal connection to some 10% of the ship's company. I am grateful to Bond for creating this new paradigm for Historic Naval Fiction.

This is book #1 in Alaric Bond's "Fighting Sail Series". As an 'age of sail' story the action, tone and progression of the tale is on par with many other 'Age of Sail' books.
What makes this book different is the use of many characters and shifting point of views. You have the young boy that volunteers for service and is on a great adventure. The older men who were pressed into service and haven't been off the ship or see home in many years. Even some sailor's who belong to a clandestine group that is dedicated to the overthrow of England. A full gambit of officers from the older Midshipman who has almost no chance of making Lt.. To the Peer who has friends in high places, and one who has worked his way up from between decks.
With the many characters and shifting point views tends to make the ship and the sea going life the main characters in this story. This change in points of view is refreshing in a well worn age of sail genre.
After all there is only so many times you can follow Midshipman _________ to his rise to Admiral _______________. Don't get me wrong I've enjoyed every one of these series I've read (Hornblower, Bolitho, Ramage etc.). It's my feel good and safe genre, my comfort food of literature, but they can be a little repetitive. Anyway it's nice to see them handled in a little different and fresh way.

In his new novel His Majesty's Ship Alaric Bond once again grips readers with his detailed knowledge of the Georgian navy. In this prequel to The Jackass Frigate the earlier careers of crew members we have become familiar with are developed. From gundeck to quarterdeck, from powder monkey to Captain, we follow all divisions of the crew of HMS Vigilant, a 64 gun ship-of-the-line, as she is got ready for sea and then escorts a convoy. Ending in a climactic battle, the book, first in the 'Fighting Sail' series, fulfils the authors promise to “give an insight into the world of the seamen and naval officers who fought during the Revolutionary war” and will delight all readers of historic naval fiction.

With The Jackass Frigate (2008), Alaric Bond has stepped into the first rank of writers of historic naval fiction. The story follows the fortunes of the officers and crew of the frigate HMS Pandora, newly built and commissioned, but smaller and more lightly armed than most. After an exciting bit of detached service, the Pandora joins the Mediterranean Fleet under Jervis in time for the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. Bond shows a deceptively easy mastery of the mainstays of Historic Naval Fiction narrative – ship handling, seamanship, shipboard life (both before the mast and in ‘officer country”), gunnery, surgery, and above all, flawless descriptions of both fictional and historic battles. It is, however, the loving and thorough treatment of the principal characters aboard the Pandora that make The Jackass Frigate transcend mere adventure fiction. Many of the Pandora’s people resemble the “stock” characters that, in the hands of lesser writers, stand as cardboard figures that serve only to carry the narrative forward: the sadistic first lieutenant, the rich young captain buoyed by “interest,” the newly-made junior lieutenant, the japing-but-good-hearted midshipman, the drunken surgeon, the up-through-the-hawsehole master’s mate and the heart-of-oak yeoman sailors. Under Bond’s pen, however, each of these men – among others – takes on a real life. The reader comes to see each as a unique individual, to understand his feelings and motivations, and finally to care very much about him. Bond achieves this through the risky technique of frequently-changing points of view. The reader sees in turn through the eyes of most of the important shipboard characters – from the simple boy who tends the manger to the captain, and even Sir John Jervis and Horatio Nelson (well, eye, singular, in his case.) Shifting POV often makes me grind my teeth and sigh in exasperation, but Bond makes it seem sweet and natural. The charming narrative quirks, like the trope that brings us aboard Nelson’s flagship in time for the battle, are worthy of Patrick O’Brian; moreover, they flow naturally from a well-established understanding of the characters involved. Bond’s prose is clear and writerly with none of the awkward little lapses that pull the reader’s attention away from the story. Alaric Bond has laid the groundwork for a great series of Age of Fighting Sail novels and I can only hope that the next one comes soon. I am mystified and disappointed that this book is not available in a handsome hardcover edition and marketed by a major publishing house. Editors take note – somebody has missed the boat on this one!

An excellent novel which deserves to be better known. Has a lot of well developed characters which gives good insight at all levels of the ships company and contains probably the best description of the Battle of Cape St. Vincent I've read in a fiction novel. Also seems to be a well developed back story for the characters as you get hints of their past on the 'Proteus' which leaves you wanting to know more. If you haven't read it, I recommend it and I'm looking forward to the sequel.