Good start to hopefully another "Age of Sail" series with interesting characters on both sides of the conflict. ( )

This is the first book in the Richard Cutler series, and it recounts the story of a young American serving in the fledgling U.S. Navy during the American Revolution. William Hammond’s story is part nautical history (keep the glossary handy!), part Forrest Gump (in that the hero is frequently found next to famous figures in history), part Harlequin romance (with overly detailed and steamy love scenes), and part old-fashioned great story. Overall, the different parts mix well and result in an enjoyable reading experience. However, I was frequently struck by the overuse of naval terminology from the age of fighting sail, such as this example, which describes the commands by the first mate to the deck crew: “Hands by the t’gallant halyards! Up fore course; in spanker and topgallants! Goose-wing the main course! Set the storm jib! Ease off lee topgallant and topsail sheets!” In another section, Midshipman Cutler learns his trade the old-fashioned way: “He stepped out for the first time from the larboard chain-wale onto the tar-encrusted standing rigging.” Very few readers will understand the majority of this esoteric jargon, and the four-page glossary at the book’s end is insufficient. The book includes no pictures, diagrams or maps, so learning opportunities are generally wasted unless the book is read while sitting at a computer so the nautical terms can be looked up online. Although I was intrigued by the detailed glimpse into the life of sailors aboard a sailing warship, I felt the author used too many obscure terms, almost as a way of showing off his superior knowledge even when it wasn’t critical to the main story. ( )

Excellent!

Having received For Love of Country, from Library Thing earlier, I was so impressed with the story and taken with the characters, that I ordered A Matter of Honor through Amazon upon completing it. Although there was a couple of instances where ‘I knew what was going to happen’ having read the next book in the series, the story of Richard Cutler’s adventures still kept me intrigued throughout the pages.

What I enjoy most about the hero of these books is that young Mr. Cutler is just an average guy caught up in the events taking place around him. Certainly the characters are much more realistic than I’ve read about in other novels where you almost expect them to don a cape and fly across the sky. There is no false bravado amongst these pages; just realistic, human emotions.

The intertwining historical events add a wonderful touch of reality to the novel and I can certainly attest to the accuracy of William Hammond’s description of naval warfare in those times. The story starts out in Cutler’s childhood and describes how life in those times was so different from today. I found myself constantly having to remind myself how old the characters were and how vastly different the level of responsibility was back then.

Without giving too much away, we see Richard grow from boyhood to naval officer where through an incredible turn of events he…well, you’ll just have to read the book.

Admittedly, as a Canadian, I did find my loyalty swaying back and forth between the British and Americans at times, especially living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, settled by General Edward Cornwallis, who sadly, ends up being a bad guy in the novel.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good sea story, a good war story, a good love story, or a good historical fiction…It really does have something for everyone!

I do have one complaint however. I can’t go to Amazon and order the next book in the series yet! How long do I have to wait to find out what happens to Caleb and on a more interesting note, what happens when Richard’s wife meets Anne-Marie?

http://www.bill-hammond.com/index.htm ( )

A questionable historical novel. Little things bothered me, which I have not yet checked out: when did the Georgian style start being called Georgian? Still accurate about naval battles which occurred between the French and the English during our Revolutionary War. Apparently we really lucked out since the only one the French won lead to Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown. ( )

He's not Hornblower
He's not Jack Aubrey
He's not Bolitho or Ramage or Lewrie

Cutler, our hero in this story is just plain not...

Not heroic or exciting. He is wordy and he is so fortunate as to meet and be a part to great events. He meets and has intimate dialogue with John Paul Jones and gets to become a worthy companion so as to get to the French Court and meet notables there. He has strong ties to England so he can do a turn there and meet Nelson. (Both sides of our heroes bread is buttered it would seem.)

He witnesses the end of the war of the revolution. As an American, since we won't have another war until 1812 (30 years later) perhaps we will be spared seeing him again. Since 50 is the now 80's what with medicine and the hardships of life in the late 1700's... Something tells me though that every little provocation that the US is involved in will have this hero, or his descendents involved.

The author ruins a good read with too many coincidences of being involved in the great events of the day. Then making our lowly midshipman capable of giving long paragraphs of what should be short dialogue. The genre that so many worthy others have tackled has more adventure and less preaching by the protaganist to establish their characters. More show, less tell perhaps is the rule.

The hero is supposedly going to war over the death of an elder brother but there seems little emotion over that except as the briefest overlay. He falls for a daughter of a British Post Captain in the course of a few weeks one summer while in his early teens. That daughter can turn her back on Sovereign England for the cause of the Rebels just because they are so in love.

Just can't believe it. Which further makes our hero that much harder to accept. Cutler the hero is too much favored by providecne to be believable and thus the whole tale is weakened by it. ( )