5 comments about Union 1812: The Americans Who Fought the Second War of Independence.

1. One of the major problems with this book (give it a C+) is that it doesn't seem that the editor had a strong grasp of the subject. As an aside, the book is dedicated to the editor by the author (maybe they both need help). Other reviewers have mentioned mistakes, here is another: in the text a general in 1813 is referred to as "Military Governor of Ohio Territory" ; Ohio was admitted to the Union in 1803.
   
   This is not the only time that the states and territories are mixed up or that placement is wrong. During the description of the Battle of New Orleans, he mentions a ship sailing 'down' the Mississippi (south) and then firing at the British on the east bank with their starboard guns. Any sailor will tell you that you have to be facing north to fire your starboard guns in an easterly direction. Of course the boat could have been turned around, but why? Sure it's a little picky, but that's what history is about.
   
   He does do a good job of entertaining us with anecdotes that add to our knowledge of many of the 'Founding Fathers', but it doesn't make up for the mistakes on so many of the other stories. That's another point that I would like to make. The book reads like a compendium of the works of many writers, and not the seamless work of one author. Could it be possible that some of his helpers and researchers did a 'little' of the writing? See for yourself.



2. I am glad to see that my contentions are well supported by the other reviews posted here. This book is, unfortunately, a sub-standard work. Its strength, which some felt was off the direct topic, is Mr. Langguth's treatment of the political climate leading up to the War of 1812. As mentioned elsewhere, a couple of the errors in this book are so blatant that it is hard to see how they got into the book, let alone how they would have survived even a rudimentary editing or vetting process. Sorry, but if you are going to only read one book about the War of 1812, don't make it this one.



3. I found this book very informative and hard to put down when reading it. It fills a part of US history about which little is written. It shows that even though the names and parties change, the political infighting and intense dislike of political leaders was the same then as it is today.
   
   This book gives insight into the writing of the US Constitution and events leading up to the War of 1812 by looking at the political leaders and Presidents of the era. It looks at the war in depth and then gives a short fast look at the aftermath leading up to the Civil War.
   
   I recommend this book for those looking for more on the birth and development of this nation.



4. Most historians think of America's second war with Britain as an American defeat, an embarrassment. After the Revolutionary War there was little doubt that we would clash with Europe again. With Spain to our South and West, England to our North, France seeking Canada and New Orleans back, none of these three belligerents showed the slightest bit of respect for the newly independent Nation. All three thought the US a short lived experiment to be plucked. But after Jefferson completes the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the US Western Boundary jumps the Mississippi River, Britain redoubles its efforts to control the borders of the Northwest Territory and the fur trade, while Spain continues to constrict American expansion to the South.
   
   For the next 10 years tensions mount, particularly in Kentucky and Tennessee, as the British and Spanish both waged a vicious frontier war against America by offering munitions and safe haven to their Indian allies. Assailed by the Brits to the North and the Spanish to the South, vicious clashes with the Indians were common and several movements, particularly by Aaron Burr, were underway to cleave those States from the US and move them into Spain's and Britain's orbit. The War Hawks finally succeed in declaring war on Britain and the stage is set for America to accomplish its goals. We were horrifically weak militarily yet we managed to control Lake Erie, regain Detroit, defeat Tecumseh, stop a British invasion down Lake Champlain, invade Spanish Florida with impunity and defeat Wellington's best at New Orleans.
   
   Langguth's title, Union 1812, says it all. Britain's second resounding defeat by American arms was not only as singular as its first, it accomplished more. The War of 1812 defined us for the first time as a Nation, North, South, East and West. As subsequent treaties proved, the stage was set to reinforce our Northern boundaries as agreed to with Britain in the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War and, under John Quincy Adam's Adams-Onis Treaty in 1818, extend the Continental limits of the US westward to the Pacific Ocean while acquiring all of Florida. Rather than the embarrassment most historians think it was, the War of 1812 was a significant, strategic victory that not only defined our continental limits, it reinforced the American Union and ushered in a period of prosperity our country had never before experienced, called The Era of Good Feelings. Thank you, Mr. Langguth, for setting the record straight.



5. "Union 1812" tells the story of the War of 1812 through the stories of the Americans who participated, in one way or another, in its lead-up and fighting. Author A. J. Langguth does an excellent job of telling the story of the War through these cameos of the participants.
   
   The individuals involved constitute could populate a pantheon of Early America. They include George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Andrew Jackson, Zebulon Pike, James and Dolly Madison, Tecumseh, William Henry Harrison, Davy Crockett, Sam Houston, and many others.
   
   I have read other books about the War of 1812 and do not recommend this as a first book for the study of the War. For one with a basic knowledge of it, this will pick your memory so as to enable you to appreciate aspects which may have been overlooked or have faded from memory.
   
   This book brings to the reader's attention the crucial role played by the Indian allies of the British. It covers the main theaters of operation, Lake Erie, the Niagara Front, New Orleans and Washington-Baltimore. I particularly enjoyed the repeated reference to operations involving Fort Malden, Ontario, which my family visited several years ago. It ties together the military, political and social aspects of the war into an understandable package. I enjoyed this thoroughly. I trust that you will also.

5 comments about When the Mississippi Ran Backwards : Empire, Intrigue, Murder, and the New Madrid Earthquakes.

1. The New Madrid earthquakes of 1812 were the most powerful quakes ever recorded in the contiguous United States. They were felt for hundreds of miles away. There are still visible effects of the quake in the area. If they had occurred today, they would have been a catastrophe of Biblical proportions, yet few people have even heard of them.
   
   In this excellent popular history, Jay Feldman gives the reader a view of several major currents in the US at that time; the steam-powered riverboat, the Indian "Wars", the War of 1812, and slavery. This was a very tumultuous time for the young United States as they were still striving with the British, the Spanish and the Native Americans in a surge of expansion.
   
   A murder is also thrown into the mix. Because of the quakes, a man who brutally murdered a slave was brought to justice.
   
   Now someone writing anything other than a geology book would not be able to spend 200 pages on an actually earthquake and Feldman does attempt to. (Who would read it, other than a geologist?) He does an excellent job of weaving the aforementioned themes together to show the impact of the quake on the people and on larger movement in our culture.
   
   Tecumseh, Andrew Jackson, and Meriwether Lewis are a few of the figures in the book.
   
   I really enjoyed this book. Know too that there is a show about the New Madrid quakes on the history channel and Jay Feldman is featured.



2. I don't know what to say except that the book is good. It is well written and enjoyable.



3. This is an interesting book but somewhat disorganized. The best part was when the author was describing the earthquakes and all that occurred. The historical facts were well researched. This book would make a good source of material for any researcher.



4. Well, speaking of earthquakes...this is one book that I've meant to review for quite a while and now, with a typhoon set to arrive at any moment, we'll begin.
   
   Jay Feldman has written a fascinating study of the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811--1812 which takes us through the politics of Native-American removal, the advance of the industrial revolution, internationsl politics, the horrors of slavery, the science of geology, the physics behind it, and all points in between. Not only does he give us a look at first-hand accounts of the tragedy itself--in which a series of quakes (some of which would have measured a mind-boggling 8 or higher on the Richter scale!) refashioned several hundred miles of the American frontier, and explains in a cogent fashion the arcana of seismology so that a layman can understand exactly what happened; but he gives us four focci through which we see how the quakes impinged on society, impelling savants, scoundrels and even seers to their peculiar destinies. He deftly interweaves the stories of Tecumsah, the gifted orator who attempted to set up a pan-tribal league to oust white domination of North America; the first riverboat, built and piloted by Theordore Roosevelt's great uncle; the grisly death of a slave at the hands of Thomas Jefferson's nephews and the consequent frontier justice; and the career of a scoundrel who plotted against American shipping interests, yet still managed to attain high distinction in the military, and was not found out until after his death. Each of these turbulent stories happened at the same time and reached their crises and denouements as Nature turned herself upside down and islands disappeared, new lakes fashioned themselves in front of disbelieving eyes, columns of water and sand blew into the air and wild birds were so frightened that they alighted on the arms of astonished on-lookers.
   
   Feldman is in complete command of his sources, and recounts the various stories in a gripping manner. It's rare for a book of history to be a page-turner, but this one certainly is.
   
   I guess the saga of Nicholas Roosevelt and his wife Lydia gripped my imagination the most. Nicholas designed and built the New Orleans, the first steam-boat to navigate the Mississippi. As fate would have it, Nicholas unwittingly chose the year of the quakes to test the New Orleans against the potentially murderous waters of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. As anyone who's ever read Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi knows, the river was filled with perils for those who were fortunate enough to captain river boats in more cultivated times; but can you imagine navigating the "American Nile" for the first time ever? In addition, Roosevelt's wife insisted on coming along, even though she was due to give birth during the trip. Roosevelt's little girl was also with them as well as the family dog. Moreover, the Mississippi was the haunt of river pirates, the war-gound of Native-Americans, and the catch-all for all manner of rough and tumble individuals who lived comfortably outside the reach of the law. But the crowning danger was the night that the Mississippi did indeed flow backwards! Did the Roosevelts and their ship survive?
   
   Read the book.



5. I would have liked to have given this book more than a two star rating. However, for those who wish to discover more about the New Madrid earthquake, you probably won't find it here. Somewhere between steamboats on the Mississippi, relations with local Indian tribes, and the War of 1812 the story of the quake is minimally told.
   
   A glaring error is found on page 227 where the author states that at the Battle of New Orleans the British troops fought with Wellington at Waterloo--a battle that occured six months later. This type of mistake is untenable in that it draws a conclusion within its assertion and suggests the possibility of other errors throughout the text.
   
   Readers of history would be better served by David McCullough or Joseph E. Ellis.

5 comments about The Far Side of the World (Aubrey Maturin Series).

1. Give these stories a chance! I credit the recent film "Master & Commander" with making the O'Brian series more accessible. One of the best films I have ever seen, it provided a visual context for me when I read the Aubrey/Maturin books. Though the film departs quite a bit for good reason from "The Far Side of the World", I thoroughly enjoyed the book and O'Brian's style of writing. Especially memorable for me was the unorthodox method O'Brian applied for conclusion of the book. Victory is in the air, and he dispenses with the need to drag the book out unnecessarily. Brilliant and revelatory to me!



2. I am working through Patrick O'Brian's famed Aubrey-Maturin series in order, and am both proud and sad to say that I've reached the midway point with Book 10, "The Far Side of the World." But it is without reservation that I say that this is my favorite novel in the series so far.
   
   Part of that enjoyment stems directly from my enjoyment of first nine books in this series - this is not an example of one sterling novel in a series of sub-par efforts. Rather, I appreciate "Far Side" for the new directions where O'Brian is willing to take the characters he has established so well.
   
   The first nine novels can be safely broken down into "Aubrey novels" or "Maturin novels". The "Aubrey novels" have plots that follow the personality of Captain "Lucky Jack" Aubrey - they are action packed, with taut sea-chases and horrific broadsides. "Master & Commander" and "The Mauritius Command" fall into that category. The "Maturin novels," on the other hand, focus their plots on Dr. Stephen Maturin and his spy-games. "The Surgeon's Mate" is one of these novels. While all the novels feature the classic O'Brian love of language, their plots tended to focus on one over the other.
   
   "Far Side" takes a new tack, as in this novel Aubrey is charged with tracking down an American frigate, the "Norfolk," that is harrassing British whalers in the Pacific. So there is lots of sailing - they have to get to the Far Side of the World, after all. O'Brian reveals himself as a travel writer of surpassing skill as he describes the wild sights that enchant the naturalist Maturin, including the Galapagos Islands. For the nature-lovers in O'Brian's cast of characters, the thought of spying a new type of beetle is just as romantic a notion as encountering a pod of eighty-ton sperm whales.
   
   In addition to some spectacular travel writing, O'Brian musters up fights, murder, mayhem, shipwrecks, and even the sub-plot of Aubrey and Maturin winding up lost at sea, only to be rescued by seafaring Polynesian/Amazonians. The novel twists and turns, but always seems both plausible and restrained. Look for a lot of humor and touch-and-go action in this novel, and the novel's conclusion is highly satisfying and yet leaves one panting for Book 11, "The Reverse of the Medal."
   
   Be warned - despite its title, this is not the sole O'Brian novel that was used to make the fantastic Peter Weir movie, "Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World." That movie borrowed several plots and ideas from many different novels in the entire series - you will surely recognize some of them in this book, but not all. For fans of the movie, this is a good thing - it will encourage you to read all the other novels as well. And you will be glad you did.



3. The 10th book in the Aubrey-Maturin seagoing series. This was my least favorite so far in the series. O'Brian's books are always episodic, rather than plot-driven, but this story seemed even more of a collection of random incidents than usual. In this book, the Surprise is sent to protect the British whaling fleet in the Pacific. Along the way, there's adultery, a murder, a shipwreck, sharks, a lesbian band of runaway Polynesian women, and much, much more. Maybe O'Brian had writer's block and a deadline when he wrote this one, or maybe he was just "having us on."



4. For those who find misspellings, bad punctuation and poor grammar quite jarring, you'll want to prepare yourself for this read.
   
   While every published book has its tendencies of style and its occasional errors, none of the previous books in this incantation of the series showed as little attention to consistency of style, proper usage and plain grammatical sense as this edition shows.
   
   It's still a great tale and it's still worthy of its forerunners, but if your eyes are sensitive to mistakes, you'll be rubbing them soon and often.



5. This was perhaps one of the best novels in the series. For those that enjoyed the film, loosely based on this book and others from the Aubrey-Maturin set, the book is far greater than the movie. I greatly enjoyed this volume in the series.

1 comments about 1812: War with America.

1. 1812 WAR WITH AMERICA by Jon Latimer is the 2008 Society for Military History Distinguished Book Award Winner for United States History.

5 comments about Sharpe's Company (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #13).

1. "Sharpe's Company" is one of the better books in the Sharpe series with a mostly convincing plot, a geniunely interesting series of complications for our hero Richard Sharpe to deal with (including a demotion, the birth of a daughter and the return of the evil Sgt. Hakeswill) and some really terrific battle scenes.
   
   If you've read any of the Sharpe in India "prequel" novels ("Sharpe's Tiger," "Sharpe's Triumph" and "Sharpe's Fortress"), this is an especially rewarding book because of the return of Sharpe's old nemesis Hakeswill.
   
   While a great adventure yarn, the book isn't quite perfect. As some previous reviewers have noted, there are a few contrived lapses in the way the characters behave, particularly the failure of the normally aggressive Sharpe to quickly and cleanly end his Hakeswill problem. But, if you've read the Sharpe in India prequels, you're likely to just see this as an ongoing weakness of Sharpe, who tended to do things in India such as force Hakeswill into a snake pit and then walk off without ensuring that the snakes actually finished off Hakeswill. (If I wanted to get all literary, I could possibly account for this by spinning out some psychological theory about Hakeswill's role as a distorted father figure for the orphaned Sharpe, but, hey, this really isn't *that* kind of historical novel ...)



2. I've eagerly poured through this great series, but was sorely disappointed to see a re-appearance of Sgt. Hawkeswill. His presence ads nothing to this book, other than a great unbelievable diversion.
   
   Sharpe mutters about his life-long desire to kill his arch nemesis Sgt. Hawkeswill at least every 200 pages of every book in the series. Then Sharpe, who has not hesitated to kill before, finds Hawkeswill alone in a barn raping his wife, and then decides to let him go?????? This is the same man that murdered 500 innocent people just so he could leave a city, and now he suddenly wants an honorable public death for for his arch enemy??? Cornwell has made Hawkeswill into the ultimate evil nemesis, and he is just too evil and too lucky to be believed. Having Hawkeswill again and again dance around Sharpe and his friend Sgt. Harper makes Sharpe's other exploits all that more unbelievable. How could anyone that is so easily fooled by the insane Hawkeswill accomplish all the heroics described in this and other books? Here is a guy that tracked one enemy through mountains, rivers, etc. for weeks, just for beating him up, but when he finds Hawkeswill raping his wife (for the second time), threating to kill his child, after Hawkeswill has already killed his good friend Cpt. Knowles, and had Sgt. Harper flogged and demoted, he lets Hawkeswill jump out the window without even a chase???? The Sharpe character wanders all over the place from a vile evil killing machine to a goof-balled mush-mellon.
   
   Fortunately, we have not had to contend with Hawkeswill for a long time in the series, and hopefully we will not see him again.



3. This is another entry on the Sharpe series. It is fun, entertaining and very readable. Cornwell's research is as excellent as usual. He takes some licenses for the shake of the story and continuity, but this is OK. Some people are outraged by the portrait of some of the real historical characters, but historical characters are rarely depicted accurately in historical fiction, so I think this can be forgiven. Besides, usually a more serious account of these characters is given at the end of the book on the Historical Note.
   
   Many people insist in compare this series with Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander. I don't think this is fair for any of the series, they are different entities. What they have in common is that once you start you may get hooked and devour one book after another...
   
   And in the literary world today that is a rare and marvelous thing.



4. Bernard Cornwell's series of Sharpe novels has delighted countless readers over the years. Cornwell is (famously or infamously, depending on your perspective) writing these novels out of historical sequence, so even though while "Sharpe's Company" is in the middle of the Sharpe series chronologically, it is among the earliest books Cornwell wrote about Wellington's favorite rogue. And it is easily among Cornwell's best books ever - thrilling, ghastly, funny, and with perhaps Cornwell's greatest villain, Obadiah Hakeswill.
   
   [Full disclosure - I read "Sharpe's Company" after reading the terribly disappointing "Hannibal Rising," and have Cornwell up on a bit of a pedestal right now. A gushing review follows.]
   
   Like all soldiers from the stews of London, born without name or wealth, Richard Sharpe started life in the British army as a lowly private. While serving with Lord Wellington (then merely Colonel Wellesley), Sharpe had the misfortune of serving under Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill, a grossly fat and evil man who knows that he cannot die - he even survived a hanging! Taking an instant hatred to Sharpe, Hakeswill has Sharpe flogged in events chronicled in Cornwell's "India Trilogy," a sub-set of the Sharpe novels. Sharpe swears revenge and thinks he has killed Hakeswill off . . . only to have the insane Sergeant return in "Sharpe's Company."
   
   Hakeswill is the kind of man who will trump up flogging charges on a soldier in order extort sexual favors from the soldier's desperate wife . . . and then kill her and frame her husband. Truly evil, Hakeswill's love for rape is only matched by his hatred of Sharpe. So what happens when Hakeswill comes across Sharpe's lover, the gorgeous partisan Teresa? He must have her, both to possess her beauty and to ruin Sharpe.
   
   And also, what is to happen when Sharpe finds himself demoted when a wealthier man buys his Captaincy and Hakeswill is put in charge of the 95th Rifles? A mere Lieutenant, Sharpe still outranks Hakeswill, but just barely. This gives Hakeswill the opportunity to ruin the Rifles, the only other thing Sharpe holds as dear as Teresa.
   
   Things are dire enough for Sharpe, what with the return of the mad, gibbering Sergeant. But he must also contend with Wellington's siege of Badajoz, perhaps the most impregnable French-held fort in all of Spain. Even the redoubtable Major Hogan despairs of British boots ever getting inside that mountain of rock and guns. And yet Sharpe must lead men inside, if not only for his honor and to earn his Captain's bars, but also to save Teresa and his new-born daughter, Antonia, who live inside the fortress.
   
   Cornwell writes a battle scene as well as anyone, and he has never been in finer form than with his description of the horrific siege. Perhaps shockingly for a proud Brit, Cornwell pulls no punches at the terrible crimes committed by the British soldiers once they crack open those walls - the robberty, rape and murder of the innocents is one of the most depressing passages you will ever read.
   
   For high adventure, slightly leavened with comedy, you will not find anything better than "Sharpe's Company." Read these novels in order - don't start with this book, because the characters will make much more sense if you have the entire back-story.



5. In the early months of 1812, Wellington led his army to French-occupied Spain. Captain Richard Sharpe participates in the storming of the fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. The siege of Badajoz is bloody for the British army. They failed twice before and now Wellington wants the fortress at any cost. As Wellington moves on Badajoz, a new Colonel and a new Captain arrive from England and the command of Sharpe's Light Company has been given to this new Captain who bought the promotion. Sergeant Hakeswill, who is ruthless, cruel, indestructible and Sharpe's oldest and toughest enemy also joins the company. Hakeswill could do anything to terrorise everyone in the company, including Sharpe and Harper. Sharpe desperately fights for his company, and for Teresa, the woman he loves and with her is Antonia, their daughter, both blocked in the besieged city of Badajoz.
   
   Again, Mr Cornwell did an excellent job in Sharpe's company. I would highly recommend this book to any Cornwell fan and any history buff.

5 comments about Against a Crimson Sky: A Novel.

1. I had such high hopes after being enthralled with "Push Not the River" that I couldn't wait for this to show up after I ordered it. But I am thoroughly disappointed after reading "Crimson Sky." I'm surprised it's gotten such good reviews. This book drags on and on, mostly without plot, and jumps forward decades at a time. In fact, it reads more like a history lesson on war in Poland and the surrounding countries than an intriguing story of an admirable woman (like Push Not the River), and per the author's note it is NOT based on actual diaries as was the first book: it is the authors "prediction" of what may have happened in Anna's life after the diaries ended.
   
   I actually stopped caring about what happened to the characters about half-way through, and was disgusted with myself because I loved them so much in the first book. I did manage to read the complete novel, but it was an effort toward the end. Unless you are a glutton for historical detail with no immediate need for a plot, save your time - read "Push Not the River" and skip this one. Try "The Tea Rose" by Jennifer Donnelly instead.



2. Against a Crimson Sky continues the saga of Anna and Jan Stelnicki and Anna's enigmatic cousin Zofia, against the background of the Napoleonic Wars. The book is rich in historical detail, from the final partitioning of Poland and the exile of the last Polish king, through the reign of Napoleon and the vital part the Polish army played in his military conquests in hopes that he would regain independence for Poland. Although their faith in Napoleon proved to be unfounded, their bravery and steadfastness cannot be questioned. The actual historical characters, including General Jozef Poniatowski and Napoleon's Polish mistress Maria Walewska, come alive in this exciting, beautifully written novel.



3. If you enjoyed "Push not the River", you will undoubtedly also enjoy its sequel. In "Against a Crimson Sky", James Martin delves more deeply into the lives of his characters, always working against the fascinating backdrop of Polish history and culture. He has done a superb job of incorporating what happened in the first book into the second novel. You do not have to have read "Push not the River" (or remember it perfectly) in order to enjoy the sequel. The women characters in particular seem to grow and come alive. And Martin continues to make good use of the wonderful Polish proverbs that he used to introduce each section of his first novel.



4. I find myself in the minority when reviewing this book. While the historical background and details provided are interesting and accurate, It was, for me, difficult to become attached to the characters. At different points in the novel I found myself disgusted with Zofia and at times really found it hard to like Jan at all, and he's supposed to be the noble/brave husband of the heroine! Also, Anna as a heroine, is lacking in some vital quality which would make her endearing to the readers (just an opinion). I do usually enjoy historical fiction especially when it is set against such an intriguing backdrop of time (such as this book). But in the end, I was disappointed. I did finish, but almost found it difficult to do so. This wasn't a book that I could not wait to get home to read as many others of the same genre have been in the past.
   
   I would like to add that I have not read the first installment of this series. I notice that most of the reviewers that rave about Against A Crimson Sky have read the prequel and I can't help but wonder if my attachment to the characters would have been strengthened if I had read the books in order.
   
   Another reviewer likened the first novel, Push Not the River, to Gone With the Wind (which I find hard to believe in the first place, as Margaret Mitchell is practically unrivalable). But if what the reviewer claims is true and the first book is truly that amazing, then I'm going to have to compare this second novel to Scarlett, the much-read yet ultimately disappointing sequel to Gone with the Wind.
   
   I am not trying to be antagonistic, just stating an opinion.



5. James Conroyd Martin has created yet another literary treasure with his sequel to PUSH NOT THE RIVER. Once again, his fabulous gift for storytelling has given me deeper insight into the history of Poland and has truly helped me understand how the political events of the day affected so many lives. Well done!

No comments about If By Sea: The Forging of the American Navy -From the Revolution to the War of 1812.

5 comments about The Fortune of War (Aubrey Maturin Series).

1. "The Fortune of War" continues where "Desolation Island" left the readers hanging in Patrick O'Brian's previous novel. But rather than being rescued and safe, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin are taken out of the frying pan and put in the fire. Whether it is an exploding ship heading home, the pummeling broadsides of the USS Constitution, or the clutches of the fledgling American intelligence network; Patrick O'Brian gives his famous and beloved protagonists almost more than they can handle.
   
   Aubrey and Maturin spend the majority of this novel as prisoners of war in Boston, while the War of 1812 continues a series of great victories for the newly founded American Navy. Aubrey, severely wounded, is more of an auxiliary character in this novel, and Stephen Maturin comes fully into the foreground as the main protagonist attempting to save his friends. Diana Villiers also returns to the series, and Maturin must deal with his feelings for her in addition to the American agent with whom she is currently associating. The great intelligence coup Maturin achieved in the previous novel has returned to haunt him, as his powerful enemies close in on all sides. . .
   
   This novel is great spy adventure set in Boston, and contains two very well written historical engagements with America's new fleet of frigates- the USS Constitution and the Chesapeake. As a patriotic American, it was a challenging read, as my two favorite literary characters would have been my adversaries if I had been their contemporaries. However, O'Brian writes this story with a well balanced eye to this conflict of interests between the British and American people. Additionally, I have to give a shout out to the USS Constitution, as I am a member of its honorific namesake in the modern American Army- the 1st Armored Division "Old Ironsides", and have spent some great times in her city of origin, & where she can be seen today: Boston. The one drawback of this story is that it has a substantive portion of the adventure on land. Granted, it is still a great story and very well written, but the magic of journeying across the wild and untamed ocean is not present.
   
   While not the best of the Aubrey/Maturin series; I am always eager for more action at sea, "The Fortune of War" is very readable and enjoyable. It is also essential to read in order as the second installment of the first miniseries within O'Brian's larger story arc. Make sure you start with "Desolation Island" first.



2. This one has it all! Romantic tension, exploding ships, climactic battle scenes, and (my favorite) ingrigue! The characters, are at their most Jack-and-Stephenesque. O'Brian manages to fit more meaning and emotion into a single simple sentence than any author since Austen and he manages to fit more events into this book than many of his others. Anyone who has gotten this far in the series doesn't need me to urge them to read this one, but I couldn't help but sing its praises.



3. For the first five novels in Patrick O'Brian's hallowed Aubrey-Maturin series, Captain "Lucky Jack" Aubrey was the swashbuckling hero and Dr. Stephen Maturin was the mysterious sidekick. Thanks to O'Brian's wonderful prose, this balance worked exceedingly well.
   
   And yet, there was always a sense that there was more to the surgeon-spy Maturin than O'Brian was letting on . . . that he was more than a sidekick, but a serious player in his own right. Of course, this was slightly undercut with Maturin's hilarious inability to master even the most rudimentary elements of the seafaring life, but you still knew that Maturin had a courageous, dashing heart to go with his naturalist's brain.
   
   In "The Fortune of War," Maturin shoves his way to the fore and Captain Aubrey is more or less sidelined with a grevious wound to his sword arm. The War of 1812 has broken out, and the British navy experiences some shocking defeats at the hands of the heretofore contemptible American navy. Eventually, Aubrey and Maturin find themselves going broadside-to-broadside with the Americans, but perhaps since Aubrey is not in command of his vessel (Aubrey and Maturin being saved from certain death after their ship sinks in a fiery accident), Aubrey is forced to watch his ship strike its colors.
   
   Maturin and Aubrey are brought to Boston as prisoners of war, and while Aubrey convalesces, Maturin dives pell-mell back into his life as a spy. Boston is a city of intrigues, and Maturin's history as a spy plays havoc with his attempts to free himself, Aubrey, and the lovely Diane Villiers. Maturin gets to demonstrate that he's got a bit of super secret agent in him, and many readers will be shocked at the violent means Maturin often uses to achieve his ends. He's a far cry from the non-violent physician he is often assumed to be!
   
   Perhaps spending more time on land than any book in the series so far, "The Fortune of War" still offers thrills and escapades galore. For fans of this series, this novel is not to be missed.



4. THE FORTUNE OF WAR is the sixth volume in Patrick O'Brian's masterful adventure series about Captain Jack Aubrey, R.N. and his dear friend, Dr. Stephen Maturin. Though the Aubrey-Maturin novels can stand more-or-less alone, the narratives are closely linked. THE FORTUNE OF WAR in this way finds Aubrey's ship, HMS Leopard, limping into the fictional bay of Pulo Batang in the Spice Islands, after its disastrous near-sinking by an iceberg in DESOLATION ISLAND. This volume has Aubrey and Maturin suffer two more disasters at sea before finding themselves prisoner in Boston. Earlier books in the series, in particular DESOLATION ISLAND, had had Americans figure into the story line, but this is the first in which the young American nation features prominently. The cause for this is the War of 1812, and now the focus of battle turns from the French and Spanish to the United States.
   
   Maturin plays an especially strong part in the plot of THE FORTUNE OF WAR. Although the Aubrey -Maturin novels are historical nautical fiction, largely renowned for their accurate depiction of the early eighteenth-century Royal Navy, some of the novels may also be seen as part of the espionage genre, with Maturin serving as a spy on behalf of the British crown. In previous stories, for instance, Maturin suffered torture under the French for his espionage; in another instance, one closely tied to the plot of this story, he tricks the French into killing off a number of their intelligence assets. In THE FORTUNE OF WAR, Maturin's past catches up with him, and he is forced to take action of a sort that belies his reputation as a physician and gentle naturalist.
   
   This novel is in some ways much stronger than the fifth volume, DESOLATION ISLAND, which, though having a strong finish, at times appeared to lose the wind in its sails. THE FORTUNE OF WAR makes it clear that O'Brian's ideas and storytelling remain strong and vibrant in this series; with so many volumes yet ahead, this is indeed reassuring.
   
   As usual, O'Brian's research is thorough, yet the historical details don't overwhelm the story. The pace is fairly brisk, with only some stalling--perhaps appropriately so--in Boston. This is fortunately not caused so much by the reappearance of Diana Villiers, Stephen Maturin's great love of his life. (She is as welcome to this reader of O'Brian's stories as is Jack's wife, Sophie.) The wimpy minor character Michael Herapath, the son of a wealthy American trader, also reemerges. But I find him somewhat interesting for his passionate interest in Chinese poetry; this accurately reflects the growing interest in the nineteenth century in the literature of China, and is an example of the interesting ways O'Brian treats the reader with tastings of such historical esoterica.
   
   THE FORTUNE OF WAR describes a couple of naval engagements. The one that features at the end of this novel is as good (if not better) as any rendered by Patrick O'Brian in any of the volumes up to this one. In it, O'Brian captures the technical details of the fighting while also conveying very effectively the horror of the moment (actually, fifteen minutes). It is crackerjack writing, vivid and spellbinding.



5. This deep into the Aubrey-Maturin canon, it seems pointless to write an in-depth review for an imaginary reader who is on the verge of buying The Fortune of War. By the time you're arrived here, chances are you're committed to reading the entire series, and the many sparkling virtues of O'Brian's writing hardly need praise. As have all the Aubrey-Maturin novels so far, this one kept me up far too late, on a weeknight no less, as I was unable to sleep until I had finished it. Having devoured it with so much relish I can hardly give it a bad review. But I must complain that it ends on such an abrupt note and leaves so much up in the air that I feel a little cheated. I have high hopes that the arc of the story in The Fortune of War will continue in the next book in the series, but I would encourage other readers who are about to buy this one to go ahead and purchase The Surgeon's Mate right along with this one. Indeed this one has convinced me to go ahead and purchase the box set containing all twenty novels, as even the six that I have already read warrant repeated reading in the future, and I will be spared the anguish of having finished one book without the next one to pick up.

5 comments about Queen of Swords.

1. This is the 4th book of the wilderness series by Sara Donati. I love her books, she writes of history, romance and adventure.



2. It usually takes me months to read a long book since we have young children at home. However, I find myself reading this book whenever I can squeeze in the time. The story is involving and keeps the reader connected and looking for answers. The characters of Jennet and Hannah are strong and empowering. Ben Savard is a new character to this series of novels and is a great addition. I can't wait to see how this book ends and will be looking forward to the newest novel late next year or early 2009!



3. This regards the quality of the book itself... Several of the pages near the beginning were cut off at the ends -- the book had been bound poorly. It was a gift for my mother and we were very disappointed.



4. This is an excellent read. This is the latest in a series of great books by Sara Donati. READ THEM ALL!



5. During the War of 1812, Montreal merchant Luke Bonner searches the Caribbean for his abducted wife-to-be, Lady Jennet of Carryk. Jennet, daughter and sister of Scottish earls, is also Luke's cousin; and as the story begins, she becomes the mother of his son. Joining Luke in his quest are his Mohawk half-sister, Hannah, and a British military officer who is interested in Jennet's abductor for reasons far less personal. Jennet is rescued, and Luke learns of his son's existence. This book's opening chapters could be a novel all by themselves, as they pick up a tale that ended in another book's cliffhanger.
   
   Jennet has turned her infant over to one of her abductor's visitors, in hope of keeping the baby safe - something she thought impossible, had she kept him with her. So Luke, Hannah, and Jennet head for Florida in pursuit of that visitor, New Orleans planter Honore Poiterin. Soon they're separated and on their way to New Orleans, where Poiterin and his grandmother - a harpy worthy of a Bronte's pen - have taken the baby, after Poiterin passes it off to his grandmother as his own child.
   
   Now we've got the setup for the rest of the book, which in paperback reaches over 700 pages. It's a fat, delicious historical thriller, distinguished from most other works in its genre by its incredibly strong and satisfying women. Jennet and Hannah, Quaker nurse Julia Savard, Julia's giddy yet solidly grounded adolescent daughter Rachel - that list takes in just the novel's major female players. There are plenty more, and the men are equally well realized. Want a bodice-ripper? Don't bother picking this one up. Want a good, long, satisfying read, with even the villians (and they also abound!) skillfully drawn? Then this is the book for you. I'm happy to say that it works just fine as a standalone, since I read it without having heard of its author before - much less having read the previous books in this series. My one criticism is my own inability to quite believe in the Bonner and Savard families both being so utterly untouched by the prejudices of their time and place.

5 comments about Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy.

1. "Six Frigates" is a real keeper. It will grace my bookcase for a long time. Being an engineer, I like the technical details of how something was built and of course, how it was used. "Six Frigates" contained just enough of the technical details to keep your interest. One of the interesting themes of the book is the way it relates to the present day situation in Iraq, and how history repeats itself. When will today's politicians learn? We can't keep paying tribute to the terrorists of the world.



2. A very good story told in a recording that could have been done better. Ian Toll has written a very enjoyable and instructive account of the first six frigates built by the U.S. Navy. Laymen like myself with an interest in the Age of Sail, the Quasi-War with France, the Barbary Pirates, and the War of 1812 should enjoy it. A nice book to listen to on your way to visit USS Constitution. Mr. Toll covers bits of the political background of events, snapshots of key figures, and recounts of many of the famous actions of these frigates. He says enough about each of those topics to be interesting and to keep the story going by quickly. It can be appreciated without constant reference to a map which is very nice since most of us purchase audio books for times during which reading is impractical. The reader speaks at a good speed and is clearly understandable although some of the early chapters are read in a monotonous tone. The audio recording leaves much to be desired, however. Most of us purchase audio books for times during which reading is impractical. For me, that is exercising on the treadmill. So any issues with the recording tend to be quite a nuisance. Most of the chapters start in the middle of a track, making it clumsy to find a stopping and restarting point. The last track on each CD starts and runs for several minutes of nothing before finally switching to the next CD - it distracts you into doing something and then resumes the reading on the next CD just before you could do anything. The audio level is not consistent between many tracts, requiring frequent readjustment of the volume. The first audio book I purchased had at least two bad tracks on the second CD but it was exchanged for me with one that worked. It is a great story but don't expect the quality of its recording to match.



3. Ian Toll's remarkably objective analysis of the Early Republic Navy gives him a position, to me, alongside Theodore Roosevelt. Anyone worth his naval salt will certainly understand that that is something not to be taken lightly. Those with more than a passing interest in the early U.S. Navy will know that Roosevelt's "The Naval War of 1812" is the outstanding, and standard, work of analysis of the sea actions on the subject, superseding anything published before, or since (and Roosevelt's compendium was released in 1882)--until now. The passage of time will demonstrate, I believe, that Ian Toll's book will assume a place alongside Roosevelt's classic and exceed it in some instances, not the least of which is the overall scope and dimension of "Six Frigates." While Roosevelt enthralls us with the details, maneuvers and minutiae of the 1812-1815 naval actions, both on the oceans and on the lakes, Toll goes several steps further and places the frigates' sea war in a national and even international context. He effectively does this by consolidating the kind of background information that both enhances and defines our understanding of such salient aspects of the times as the political implications of the 1812 war (and others), the often haphazard "catch-as-catch-can" administration of the Navy Department and something of the personalities, egos and the consequent squabbles that evolved from the inevitable conflicts of those egos among the firebrand captains of the early Navy. What makes Toll even more instructive is the "lead-up" to the 1812 war in which he demonstrates how the early Navy, featuring its original six frigates--Constitution, United States, President, Congress, Constellation, and the luckless Chesapeake--cut its teeth, politically through the Congressional debates over the actual need for a Navy, to an actual baptism of fire in the naval operations against the French in the 1798-1801 Quasi War (mostly in the Caribbean), and even more significantly, in the Mediterranean Barbary Wars of 1801-1805 and 1815. All of this is necessary context leading up to what, for me, is the "main event" of the period covered, that being the performance of the young Navy against the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Royal Navy. Mahan's work on the 1812-15 conflict over a century ago is valuable principally from the perceptions and analysis of the diplomatic context provided, while, as noted, Roosevelt concentrates mostly on the tactical details of individual battles. Toll effectively blends the best elements of each of these approaches, thus producing a volume that is highly satisfying to both the serious historian and researcher like myself, or the reader perhaps venturing into these waters for the first time. Finally, and of equal criticality, Toll both emulates and amplifies the hallmark of Roosevelt with the sheer weight of his objectivity, both in his analysis of, and his tactical descriptions of, the various battles. This objectivity, with the necessary accompanying detail, is found throughout the book, most particularly in Toll's analysis of Constitution's famous action with HMS Java, and the defeat of Chesapeake by HMS Shannon, my two favorite frigate actions of the war and, not coincidentally the two sea battles described in such impeccable style by Patrick O'Brian in "Fortune of War", the sixth book in the Aubrey-Maturin series. I am pleased to see that Mr. Toll takes equal delight in the writings of the late P.O'B, for O'Brian's fictional discussions of these two naval actions follows the strict letter of the manuscript records, logbooks, official reports of both the victors and the vanquished and the court martial testimony in both instances--all roads down which Toll has clearly, and extensively, traveled. I have studied virtually every printed account known to man of the famous actions of the Six Frigates and thought there was little else to learn. Toll, however, has managed to enlighten us yet further and has done so engagingly, compellingly, and with readable, intelligent prose that will ultimately place his work among the pantheon of learned works of the early American Navy. This is naval history at its best, supported with telling authority through immaculate documentation and annotation. This kind of careful research thus affords Six Frigates with the whiff of credibility comparable perhaps to the pungent whiff of gunpowder from the long 24s on the gundeck of Constitution in her epic duels with Guerriere, Java, Cyane and Levant.



4. I'm a naval war buff, I'll admit. I was willing to be pleased by this book, and I was. Great information on the creation of our navy, the political fueding behind it, and the end result. Not only is it a great book to read for the fascinating description of the ships, but getting a glimpse at the political scene during the early decades of our navy and how it almost exactly mirrors our current situation. Well worth the money.



5. Excellent read. Author has the right touch when it comes to how much detail he adds. Very interesting to learn about the politics and the economics of our young country that lead to the continual funding/defunding of the first naval ships. Really well done descriptions of some of the naval engagements. Hard to imagine a time when England ruled the seas with 800 warships and we had ...none.