Today we are reviewing three books:
ON THE BARBARY COAST
- “On the Barbary Coast” (347 pages, paperback, 2022) by Alaric Bond: The 15th, and last(?) in our series. Great and getting better. The Amazon description is: “Spring 1814 and, after four exhausting years on the North American Station, HMS Tenacious is finally heading home. With the war in Europe drawing to a close, it is even doubtful whether she will be needed again while her captain has his own reasons to reach England. But their journey is broken by a strange encounter, and many are soon robbed of the peace they have earned as a new and particularly wicked enemy emerges, one that threatens far more than their personal safety.”
Last (?) book in the 15 part series about the British navy during the Napoleonic era.
AHOY! SPOILERS ahead, me matey. Arrrrrrrrrrr?
As you remember; British naval fiction, fighting sail, during the Napoleonic era, which also includes the War of 1812 with the young USA. Different that the other classics (Patrick Obrian, Capt Aubrey; Douglas Reeman; one of my favorites Captain Richard Bolitho; Dudley Pope, Lord Ramage (at the beginning); my favorite, Dewey Lambdin (RIP), Captain Alan Lewrie; and finally, the grandfather, C S Forester, Horatio Hornblower) in that it highlights not only the officers (especially the captain) but also the ordinary seamen.
The other characteristic of this series that I have notices and come to appreciate is that the characters have a life outside of the navy, outside of the affairs in the book. So, some leave to pursue other endeavors. That is the main subplot in this episode also.
And another thing I like about these books is that the author includes “Author’s Notes” which he discusses how he got this story and some key historical details to support the plot. For example, in this story nationals from the USA and even France helps (fight) the British to fend off a pirate attached. Bond cites examples of this actually happening in history; even French men serving in the British navy during great Nelson’s victory at Trafalgor.
Not the last; author is still alive; this book was written in 2022.
The ending and epilog set up the next story. The characters are headed to France from Spain, overland. Napoleon is about (weeks) to escape from his island exile in Elba. He restarts the was with our friends right in the middle.
Let’s see what Alaric does with this.
MEMORY’S LEGION
- “Memory’s Legion” (432 pages, paperback, 2022) by James A Corey: I picked this up at a Barnes and Noble visit along with the next book. The Amazon description is: “From Leviathan Wakes to Leviathan Falls, James S. A. Corey’s Hugo Award-winning Expanse series has redefined modern space opera. Now, available in print for the first time comes the complete collection of short fiction set in the Expanse universe, including both a brand-new novella set after the events of Leviathan Falls and author’s notes on each story.”
WHY: I’m a fan of hard science fiction; niven&pournelle, Asimov, Dune…
Turns out this is short stories in a fictional universe “The Expanse” which consists of several (six?) novels and now a six season TV series, first three on SyFy, then picked up by Amazon. The expanse is set in a future world where Earth, Mars and the asteroid belt are populated and competing against each other, economically and war.
So, I’m coming in in the middle of the universe/books/TV shows…
These are short stories which are meant to fill in the back story of characters or events in the books.
So, I read three of the stories.
First, ‘the butcher of Anderson station’; not SF; could have been placed in time or geography anywhere; tells the back story of a major character who was tricked into committing war atrocities by his own side. Well done, though.
Second, “Drive”: is SF, tells the personal back story of the “genius” who invented the faster than light engine that allows the expanse to exist. Good Story telling…
Third, “The Vital Abyss”; Now this is some story telling; excerpts.
Also has “author’s notes” like alaric bond’s fighting sail series. Here the authors wax philosophical; excerpts.
I watched season 1, episode 1. There’s something there, but it’s hard to get immediately into. In fact, one comment was it takes two seasons…
If I was 20 years younger, I might enter this universe.
SHINANO
- “Shinano!: The Sinking of Japan’s Secret Supership” (250 pages, paperback, 1987) by Joseph F. Enright and James W. Ryan: I forgot how I came to buy this book, but it was great. Firsthand accounts by Enright on the submarine side and recreation of Abe (who literally went down with his ship) dialog on the carrier side based on discussions with those who were there. The Amazon description is: “Shinano was the largest warship in history to be sunk by a submarine, and Enright was the skipper of the sub that sank it. This firsthand account, based on Enright’s recollections and statements by American and Japanese veterans of the action, can be recommended without hesitation as a WW II naval classic. While the basic story is simple, its unfolding is as complexly gripping as a chess match between grandmasters. The opponents: Commander Enright and his counterpart, Capt. Toshio Abe, commander of Shinano.”
