Just Finished Reading: Victory by Julian Stockwin (FP: 2010) [339pp] 

England, 1805. After losing his beloved ship HMS Teazer to a French ambush, Commander Thomas Kydd is anxious to get back to sea at a time of England’s greatest need. With invasion in the air and Napoleon’s apparently unbeatable army ready to leap across the Channel it is only the Royal Navy’s ability to keep the enemy blockaded in their ports that keeps England safe. If any of the divided fleets can escape and join with the other blockaded forces the British would be seriously outnumbered and overwhelmed. Once that happened the way would be open and the Channel, Britain’s last defence, would be breached. When news arrives that he will be back in the fight soon enough Kydd, now the captain of a captured French frigate, is delighted to join Nelson’s fleet based in the Mediterranean. With everything resting on the great man’s shoulders and the stakes as high as they could be, Nelson needs the French to breakout so that he can catch them in the open sea. But when they do so and quickly disappear into the Atlantic vastness Nelson has a choice – does he go after them with the possibility of being led on a wild goose chase whilst England is being invaded or does he play it safe by protecting the entrance to the Channel. On his decision alone rests the fate of England and at the very heart of is the newly promoted Captain Thomas Kydd. Can he repay the Admiral’s confidence in him? Does he really have a choice with so much at stake? 

The Battle of Trafalger in 1805 is rightly regarded as one of the most important battles in British history. If it was lost the whole history of western Europe, indeed the world, might have been very different with Napoleon victorious in Europe and England defeated. Told through the viewpoints of Kydd in the frigate HMS L’Aurore as well as new Midshipman Charles Bowden on HMS Victory herself this is a very accomplished tale of some of the most exciting, most exacting and most important naval encounters in the 19th century. Despite this being 11th book in the Kydd sequence it is my first encounter with him. After reading this excellent novel it certainly won’t be my last – but I think I’ll go back to the start and work my way through them! The text isn’t quite as full of the naval terminology of the time as Patrick O'Brian's books but it still helps to know the difference between port and starboard and stern chasers might make all the difference in a close fight. The action is very well done – indeed often heart-pumping/palm sweating in intensity – and, as with all such books it’s often wise not to get too attached to minor characters who just might lose life or limb from a passing cannon ball or hail of wood splinters. This is definitely one of those books where you can taste the salt in the air, hear the decks creak under you and smell the gunpowder blowing across the ship after a broadside. I enjoyed this a lot and will be looking out for more. Definitely recommended for all Age of Sail enthusiasts.