IMAGE
Julian Stockwin
Hardback
Book Reviews
281006
A reviewer is always in something of a dilemma when reviewing a book that is part of a series which the reviewer has not had the opportunity to read. As an author develops a story through a number of books, the characters mature but each previous title will contain elements of the story that are invisible when reading a later book. The reviewer cannot comment on what he or she has not read and has to treat the new book entirely in its own right which may not do full justice the evolving story. This book is the seventh in the series tracing the stories of two characters, Kydd and Renzi. At the ending of this book the author is clearly already well on his way to continuing the story through the next book to follow Command. This is a compelling story, filled with historical fact and with nicely drawn characters. In its own right, the storyline is a little odd because it is really two stories, a natural break appearing some two thirds of the way through the book, almost an engaging novel followed by an equally engaging but shorter work. The full impact may not be made until the reader continues into the next book when it becomes available. I look forward to reading that book and to reading the earlier titles because the author sets a new standard in the genre of Napoleonic War naval stories. The hero of the tale is Thomas Kydd, a press ganged wig maker who rises through the lower deck to a commission. With Command, he has reached the dizzy heights of Commander with his first command, the brig-sloop HMS Teazer operating from the newly taken island of Malta and into the Eastern Mediterranean. On receiving orders to Malta and his first command, he parts company with his friend Renzi who remains on HMS Tenacious. The author also made the rise from lower deck to quarter deck and although the ages were very different, his experiences provide him with insight into the challenges, joys, fears and frustrations of this experience. The Royal Navy has always been an organization of opportunity. There have been many over the centuries who have risen from the lowest rank to the highest, including one who not only survived a flogging round the Fleet, normally a barbaric death sentence, but continued his rise to the rank of Admiral. The author provides a very engaging story and paints a strong picture of the historical situation. He also explains through the story the disadvantage of a rapid rise to Commander when unexpected peace puts Teazer into Ordinary and Kydd on the beach on half pay. The tale then changes pace and venue into a new story. This works well and probably even better when the next book in the series is published. It takes Kydd into the very different world of captaincy of a prison ship to Australia, Antipodean adventures and reunion with his old friend Renzi, setting the scene for a continuation into another book. This Command only takes us to the brief peace between France and England with Napoleonic Empire yet to come, the author has much potential to develop his characters through many more books. A book well worth reading and well worth reading the earlier books in the series if they come up to the standard of Command.
R1379
Fiction
0-340-89855-0
http://tinyurl.com/
Command
345
£16.99
Hodder and Stoughton
Julian Stockwin
Softback
Book Reviews
280307
The reviewer was introduced to the saga of Kydd and Renzi by the hardback edition of "Command". Since then all the previous books in the series have been reviewed and this softback edition was nicely timed as a preparatory for the eight book due in October 2007. For any other reader coming into the saga with "Command" please seek out the previous books - it is well worth the effort. The softback edition will bring Kydd to a wider readership. It is released be midway between the publication of the hardback edition and the next hardback in the series. This book is the seventh in the series tracing the stories of two characters, Kydd and Renzi. Through the series from the first book, Stockwin has developed the characters and brought the reader firmly into their world. At the ending of this book the author is clearly already well on his way to continuing the story through the next book to follow "Command". We now know that the eight book in the series will be "Kydd: The Admiral's Daughter" and an extract from Chapter One of this next book concludes the new softback. It shows that Kydd is about to make a further rapid career gain. "Command" is a compelling story, filled with historical fact and with nicely drawn characters. In its own right, the storyline is a little odd because it is really two stories, a natural break appearing some two thirds of the way through the book, almost an engaging novel followed by an equally engaging but shorter work. The full impact may not be made until the reader continues into the next book when it becomes available. I look forward to reading that book because the author sets a new standard in the genre of Napoleonic War naval stories. The hero of the tale is Thomas Kydd, a press ganged wig maker who rises through the lower deck to a commission. With Command, he has reached the dizzy heights of Commander with his first command, the brig-sloop HMS Teazer operating from the newly taken island of Malta and into the Eastern Mediterranean. On receiving orders to Malta and his first command, he parts company with his friend Renzi who remains on HMS Tenacious. The author also made the rise from lower deck to quarter deck and although the ages were very different, his experiences provide him with insight into the challenges, joys, fears and frustrations of this experience. The Royal Navy has always been an organization of opportunity. There have been many over the centuries who have risen from the lowest rank to the highest, including one who not only survived a flogging round the Fleet, normally a barbaric death sentence, but continued his rise to the rank of Admiral. To those coming to naval stories for the first time there may be several things that seem strange but that is the way of the Navy. In recent times one Admiral was proud to tell people that he had reached his high rank as a result of being Court Marshalled. In his case he had reached a situation similar to that facing Kydd in "Command". He had achieved his command just as the Royal Navy was about to be savagely cut by brain-dead politicians. He ran his ship aground and was sentenced to loss of seniority. That meant he missed the next cull of commanders and when he qualified for promotion again there was a shortage of people giving him a rapid promotion path. Had he not lost seniority he would have been retired from the Navy. The author provides a very engaging story and paints a strong picture of the historical situation. He also explains through the story the disadvantage of a rapid rise to Commander when unexpected peace puts Teazer into Ordinary and Kydd on the beach on half pay. The tale then changes pace and venue into a new story. This works well and probably even better when the next book in the series is published. It takes Kydd into the very different world of captaincy of a prison ship to Australia, Antipodean adventures and reunion with his old friend Renzi, setting the scene for a continuation into another book. This Command only takes us to the brief peace between France and England with Napoleonic Empire yet to come, the author has much potential to develop his characters through many more books. A book well worth reading and well worth reading the earlier books in the series.
R1415
Fiction
978-0-340-89857-4
http://tinyurl.com/
360
£6.99
Hodder and Stoughton
Peter Harclerode, David Reynolds
Soft Back
Book Reviews
This is an example of the dilemma publishers often face. The quality of this book deserves a hard back binding, but that would have increased the production costs significantly, restricted the readership and resulted in a price probably double that of this extremely good value book. The authors served respectively in the Gurkas and the Royal Marines, both having direct experience of the type of operations for which the RM Commandos have become internationally famous. The work is lavishly illustrated throughout with some fine photographs, making use of full colour where material is available. Research has been careful and the story is traced from the tragedy of Dieppe in 1942 through to operations in Afghanistan in the Twenty First Century. In the age of international terrorism and action against rogue states, the Commando is even more relevant that in those early days of WWII. In a great many respects the Commando has changed little, being required to deploy rapidly by sea or air, often a long way from base, and relying heavily on himself and his comrades against an enemy that is frequently more heavily armed and in much greater numbers. However the equipment has improved over the years dramatically, making the modern Commandos even more potent a fighting force than their predecessors. Published at a time when Royal Marines may be adding to their battle honours this book is a valuable addition to available information on the subject.
Non fiction
0-7509-3164-7
Commando
273
£14.99
Sutton
Royal Marine
Commando
naval history
Twentieth Century
special operations
Afghanistan
policing
green berets
flexible response
amphibious warfare.
Octavio Diez
Soft back
Book Reviews
Once again Lema publications have managed to produce a series of informative books with full colour throughout for very reasonable prices. In Commandos Diez not only looks at the way in which these forces are organized and deployed but he also highlights many items of their equipment from RIBs and mini sub through to rifles and GPS Systems.
Non fiction
84-95323-42-7
Commandos
£9.95
Lema Publications
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