An
absolute delight
for lovers of naval fiction in the great
age of sail. It's a worthy companion to Forester, O'Brian, Kent and Pope. Good Reading Magazine
Imagine
Julian Stockwin with
a clay pipe clamped between his teeth, a glint in his eye, and a
tankard in one hand, sitting in the glow of a lanthorn 'tween decks of
a Royal Naval ship swapping sea stories with his tie-mates. That's the
sense he casts across the pages of SEAFLOWER, his latest Thomas
Kydd novel, which is set in the
beautiful but dangerous late 18C West Indies - English Harbour,
Antigua, Jamaica and the surrounding Caribbean.
Bowsprit
Compelling
and vividly portrayed...Stockwin
is right on the money. His knowledge of
lower-deck language and psychology alone makes these books worth reading. Sailing Magazine
Julian
Stockwin writes with a level of intensity and clarity of emotion both
dark and exhilarating.
He achieves for the reader the reality of Kydd's world - from the
seeming delights of the South Pacific to the pall of Caribbean slavery,
from the smell of Stockholm tar in the rigging to the horrifics of sea
battle. He writes of real ships and real battles and does it with a
sense of historical and cultural relevance. I will for now, feel the
loss for Thomas Paine Kydd and Nicholas Renzi. In the back of my mind I
will be wondering whether Kydd and crew aren't engaging the enemy just
over the horizon. Good
Old Boat
As
with the previous books, SEAFLOWER
is a busy story, crammed with events that are never predictable.
Like all good sea stories, it takes you to strange and wonderful
places. There are hurricanes and battles and intrigues. Fans of naval
fiction, or just those that appreciate a good yarn, will not want to
miss it. West Australian
This
volume is full of action
and is a welcome addition to the genre Historical Novel Society The
creator of KYDD
and ARTEMIS
continues the adventure of Kydd and his friend
Nicholas Renzi...[this] is a first-class tale of eighteenth-century
seamen and full of action, which makes a very good read.
Publishing
News
Stockwin's
richly detailed...portrait
of life on ship and shore is engrossing. He writes evocatively of
shipboard routine, the panic and confusion of combat and the terrifying
approach of a storm at sea, and he knows how to stage enthralling
action scenes. Publishers WeeklyREPORTS FROM READERS
Prior to publication six Shipmates won an Advance Review Copy of SEAFLOWER. Here's what they had to say:
In
my opinion it
is the best of Julian's books...from the opening scenes of the court of
enquiry into the loss of HMS Artemis to the final
scenes aboard SEAFLOWER -
the book just reaches out and grabs the reader and doesn't let go. My
favourite sequence in this book is the section with HMS Trajan
facing a Caribbean hurricane.
SL
SEAFLOWER is a fast moving, riveting yarn from beginning to end - full of
intrigue, twists and turns, plus the hardships, camaraderie and the
exhilaration of fast chases in a little cutter around the Caribbean. MG
Julian
Stockwin's expertise as
both a layman's historian and a masterful storyteller can only leave
readers clinging to each page as a topman to the yardarms. I found
myself savouring the experience of the novel while dreading its
imminent end. Set royals, weigh anchor and pick up a copy, this will be
the first great read of '03. TW
SEAFLOWER is fantastic
- the story flowed with ease from one situation to another and all the
while our understanding of Kydd's character continues to grow. I loved
chapter five about the hurricane; its every bit as exciting as any
naval battle. Bravo for another great novel! GD
Those
readers familiar
with the earlier exploits of Thomas Kydd will not be disappointed by
SEAFLOWER. Julian Stockwin's writing style blends the social
history of the period wonderfully with the hazards of seafaring and
war. SEAFLOWER
can be equally enjoyed on its own or read
as part of a series. And if reading SEAFLOWER
represents the readers first
exposure to Thomas Kydd, I can pay no bigger compliment to Stockwin's
writing than to hazard that such readers will be beating a hasty path
to their bookshop to purchase the books in the series. SC
This
instalment was
even better than its predecessors. The action is non-stop and it has
the hard life of being a sailor in the 18C together with romantic
episodes, sea battles, prizes...all rolled up into a thoroughly
enjoyable adventure. Please send along another cracking adventure for
Thomas and Nicholas soon! GM