This book is a little out of reading order. I had written it down in my list for No. 180, but then neglected to write the review. Or at least I can't find where I did, if I did. Now I just have to remember it...
My reviewer criteria. I like light, entertaining novels. I like smaller scale stories rather than epics. I like character focused novels featuring pleasant characters, with a minimum number of unpleasant ones. I greatly value clever and witty writing. I like first person, or close third person narratives. I dislike a lot of "head jumping" between POVs and flashbacks. I want a story, not a puzzle. While I am not opposed to violence, I dislike gore for the sake of gore. I find long and elaborate fight, action, and battle sequences tedious. Plot holes and things that happen for the convenience of the author annoy me. And I fear I'm a born critic in that I don't mind pointing out what I don't like in a story. However, I lay no claim to be the final arbitrator of style and taste, you need to decide for yourself what you like or dislike in a book.
Your opinions are always welcome. Comment below
The Friendly Sea by Andrew Wareham C+
As I said in the lede, I have to try to remember this book. The fact that I have to work at it, that I forgot to write a review of it right after I finished it, says something. I did, however finish the book, and while I have no intention on continuing on with the series; he seems to crank them out, it wasn't a bad book. It just didn't compare to Patrick O'Brian's work. None of these naval writers for that period do. It's just that high of a bar to clear.
This story starts with a naval engagement where in our hero Fredrick Harris, a masters mate, distinguishes himself leading a boarding party, and is promoted to lieutenant upon his return to England. He is then assigned a ship bound for the West Indies, as a competent second mate, and then gets promoted to first mate, followed by another promotion to master and commander of his own vessel during his two years sailing in the Caribbean. Things go pretty smoothly for Captain Harris in the Caribbean, earning him prize money, along with some sea battles.
The author knows his subject, and finds a way to explain the various aspects of service in the Royal Navy of the period and how ships are manned and run in the course of the narrative. The story flows and the main character is likeable enough, though, at least in this first outing, not all that deep. Serviceable, but I found him not all that engaging, not enough to follow his career for another 13 volumes. All in all, a petty simple, but pleasant story, though not particularly memorable.
I'll just mention here that I also sampled An Officer's Geneses by Anthony Morland, a story about a British soldier in the Napoleonic wars, but decided after just a couple of pages that it wasn't for me. Can't really say I started it to say, just sampled it, so I'll not count it as a DNF.
No comments:
Post a Comment