From C.S. Forester onwards, the tale of high adventure on the sea has produced some splendidly vivid writing; in fact, as genres go, there have probably been more consistently impressive creations in this field than in all historical fiction. With such a legacy looming behind him, a new author has to be able to present something special in order to make any kind of mark. With Kydd, Julian Stockwin quickly signals that he is an innovative and accomplished fresh talent in the field, with a complex and richly drawn hero (always so necessary in the naval tale) at the centre of an intelligently structured narrative.

Thomas Paine Kydd is press-ganged in Guildford, and is wrenched from his safe profession of wig making to join the crew of the 98-gun line-of-battle ship Duke William. We have been treated to the horrors of the below-deck life of the common seaman before, but Stockwin renders these scenes as exuberantly as any of his predecessors. He is also particularly good at delineating the changing character of his hero, as Kydd comes to admire the skills of the seamen and (of course) becomes a true sailor himself. Although, at times, the book has the feel of the setting up of a new series, it's none the worse for that. Stockwin can command your attention with ease when his writing has such unyielding power as:

The boatswain's mate advanced, taking the cat-o-nine-tails from the bag. He took a position a full eight feet away to one side, and drew the long deadly lashes through his fingers, experimentally sweeping back to ensure that there was enough clear space to swing it. Kydd stared across the few yards of empty deck at the man's pale, helpless body. At the instant it flew downward the drumbeats stopped, so the sickening smack of the blow came loud and clear. Donelly did not cry out, but his gasp was high and choked. The nine tails not only left long bruised weals, but at every point where they landed, blood began to seep.

--Barry Forshaw

'Another thundering good read for those who love seagoing stories in the Hornblower mould'

Praise for Julian Stockwin (- )

'Another thundering good read for those who love seagoing stories in the Hornblower mould'

 

(Peterborough Evening Telegraph )

'I was soon turning the pages almost indecently fast . . . Roll on, the promised adventures of Kydd and Renzi.' (Independent on KYDD )

'Stockwin paints a vivid picture of life aboard the mighty ship-of-the-line... the harsh naval discipline, the rancid food, and the skill of the common sailor are all skilfully evoked.' (Daily Express on KYDD )

'In Stockwin's hands the sea story will continue to entrance readers across the world.' (Guardian on KYDD )

'The appeal of the story is in the telling, which is atmospheric, authentic ... The author had a long career in the Royal Navy, which adds to his prose that extra dash of salty realism.' (Publishing News on MUTINY )

'Kydd: the Admiral's Daughter by Julian Stockwin (Hodder & Stoughton, 360 pp, £18.99, ISBN 9780 3408 9859 8); eighth in the saga, located this time in the western approaches and coasts of Devon and Cornwall, with smuggling and privateering well to the fore.' (Naval Review )

'Impressively full of life'

'In Stockwin's hands the sea story will continue to entrance readers across the world.'

'impressively full of life. I was soon turning over the pages indecently fast.'

1803. Tensions are escalating again between England and France. While the Royal Navy launches reconnaissance, rescue missions and spies on the continent, French privateer ships are lurking in English waters poised to strike at British trade. Smugglers, perilous storms and a treacherous coastline all threaten to overcome HMS Teazer" as her men fight to gain control of the seas around Cornwall and Devon. Meanwhile an unlikely rival is seeking her captain's heart. The beautiful and determined admiral's daughter could be the key to realising all Kydd's career ambitions and dreams of love. But high society, he finds, can be as treacherous as his first mistress -- the sea.

1783 and Thomas Paine Kydd, a young wig-maker from Guildford, is press-ganged and taken to serve on the 98-gun ship Duke William. Kydd has to learn the harsh realities of shipboard life fast but despite all that he goes through he takes up the challenge to become a true sailor.

The genesis of the Thomas Kydd series was some statistics I came across when I first decided I wanted to write a series set in the Great Age of Fighting Sail. In the bitter French wars at the end of the eighteenth century, there were, out of the hundreds of thousands of seamen in the Navy at that time, 120, who by their own courage, resolution and brute tenacity made the awe inspiring journey from the fo?c?sle as common seamen to King?s officer on the quarterdeck. And of those 120, a total of 22 became captains of their own ship ? and a miraculous three, possibly five to Admiral. Thomas Paine Kydd is not based on any one of these men. He is a composite of them all and a result of my author?s imagination. But in him there are certain elements of those like William Mitchell, a seaman who survived being flogged around the fleet for deserting his ship over a woman ? 500 lashes ? but later became an admiral; Bowen of the Glorious First of June ? and others ? in VIC!
TORY at Trafalgar her famous signal lieutenant, Pascoe hailed from before the mast and the first lieutenant, Quilliam, was a pressed man, who like Kydd was promoted from the lower deck at the Battle of Camperdown.

Julian Stockwin was sent to sea-training school at the age of fourteen, then he joined the Royal Navy at fifteen. He transferred to the Royal Australian Navy when his family emigrated and saw service in the Far East, the Antarctic and the South Seas.In Vietnam he served on a carrier task force. Later commissioned into the Royal Naval Reserve. He was awarded the MBE and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He now lives in Guildford with his wife Kathy.

2008-08-31 The Admirals Daughter

This book is appalling, the author is living off the quality of his first few books. The storyline has moved from naval adventure to a poorly written description of the society of the age. Too much land based, it is after all a naval adventure novel!