09-22-2021, 03:09 PM | #1 |
Running with scissors
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Naval historical fiction series
Here are the ones that I've either started and abandonded or finished or am in progress on: Horatio Hornblower by C. S. Forester, Lt. Peter Harding series by Antony Melville-Ross, Lord Ramage by Dudley Pope, Commander Shaw by Philip McCutchan, Halfhyde by Philip McCutchan, Cameron by Philip McCutchan, Tom Chatto by Philip McCutchan, and Alan Lewrie by Dewie Lambdin
The ones that I've enjoyed and finished are Hornblower, Lt. Peter Harding, and Tom Chatto. The Hornblower series is what got me started on this genre (Canadians can download them from Faded Page). At the moment I'm reading the first of the Alan Lewrie series and really loving it; funny and engaging. FantasticFiction.com has a see also section at the bottom of the book pages which should keep me going for a while. |
09-22-2021, 03:33 PM | #2 |
o saeclum infacetum
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You don’t mention the greatest of all Royal Navy/Napoleonic Wars series, the Aubrey/Maturin books by Patrick O’Brian. A must read for any fan of the genre.
I liked the Hornblower books well enough, but I preferred the ones earlier in the chronology that were written later. There’s also a good series by Alexander Kent, the Bolitho series. However, I abandoned the first Lewrie book; I couldn’t get into that at all. IIRC, I thought it was sensational for the sake of being sensational. |
09-22-2021, 04:29 PM | #3 |
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The undoubted best series is the Aubrey/Maturin series from Patrick O'Brian. The Alexander Kent (real name Douglas Reeman) Bolitho books are also pretty good, though I don't think up to the level of O'Brian's.
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09-22-2021, 05:13 PM | #4 |
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Bolitho lacks the charm of Aubrey/Maturin, but in its place you get a much better sense of how these ships functioned, and a master class in military leadership. Reeman conveys the valor and dignity of the common sailors, who are sometimes reduced to doltish comic relief by other authors.
If you want the same flavor in a different venue, check out Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey novels. Hervey commands British Light Dragoons, but he and Bolitho would get along famously. |
09-22-2021, 10:05 PM | #5 |
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09-23-2021, 05:22 AM | #6 |
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09-23-2021, 01:23 PM | #7 |
Running with scissors
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09-25-2021, 01:24 PM | #8 |
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12-07-2021, 11:46 AM | #9 | |
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Quote:
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0013TX9QY |
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12-07-2021, 01:18 PM | #10 | |
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Quote:
On the other hand I did finish and enjoy the entire Nathaniel Drinkwater series. |
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12-07-2021, 01:35 PM | #11 |
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A while back I picked up some of P. T. Deutermann's WWII Navy series. They are still in my "to be read" collection, I haven't gotten to them yet. The cover art grabbed me, but I have no idea if the books are any good or not.
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12-07-2021, 07:22 PM | #12 | |
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12-14-2021, 11:10 AM | #13 |
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I had not heard of some of these series. I will have to try them out.
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