In Distant Waters: #8 a Nathaniel Drinkwater Novel

You kind of suspect that any sailing to strange waters is probably not off to a good start when it begins with hanging one of the crewman. Especially, when you as Captain, recognize that it is most like unwarranted, although absolutely required under British law. Drinkwater is being sent to the Pacific Northwest to "show the flag" so to speak and in doing so he encounters difficulties and dangers that seem to await him wherever he sails. As usual, Richard Wodman captures the essence of wht it must have been like in those days and gives the reader a large measure of sailing adventure as the H.M.S. Patrician ventures forth into "distant waters." The author continues to excel at this type of novel and I have ordered all of the remaining books he has written with Captain Drinkwater and look forward to several months of adventure on the high seas.

This is one of the later novels in the Drinkwater series. I believe it is number eight if I have counted correctly. It is passably good fiction, but not the best in the series. The author seems to borrow a bit from Forester, sending Captain Drinkwater on a mission to the Pacific just as Spain is again switching sides, destroying a Spanish frigate and then discovering belatedly that Spain is now again an ally. The author seems to fall into the bad habit O'Brien had in some of his later novels, i.e., the action brushes past some events that are referred to by reference, and the action is left somewhat unfinished, with Drinkwater still in the Pacific, to be picked up in a sequel. I think perhaps that Drinkwater also comes across a little too much as a superhero. Forester's Hornblower was a more believable character if you stick to the novels (the second TV series went a bit astray with the character, and seemed to be about someone else). When Hornblower lost a ship, he escaped and returned to England in a smaller, recaptured vessel. Perhaps this would have been a better novel if Drinkwater would have escaped and returned home in the captured Spanish dispatch vessel. The action in this novel was more along the lines of George Abercrombie Fox capturing the Turkish harem. I would note that the author seems to get a bit inventive with United States history (I had that problem in another of his later novels). In checking the history of Astoria, Oregon (inside the mouth of the Columbia River), I can find nothing about Russians. The American Lewis and Clark Expedition reached the location by land in 1805, and spent the winter there before returning home in 1806. John Jacob Astor's fur trading company (American) founded a permanent fur trading post at the site in 1811, which was sold to the British NorthWest Company in 1813.

Here we see Nat in command of Patrician, a cut-down 64 (Antigone having been too badly damaged in the previous battle); neither he nor his men were allowed leave for reasons of national security and his first task is to hang a deserter - not an auspicious start to a trip round the Horn.Mother Russia is in evidence again and there are hints of desertion that become all too real after landing on a deserted island; the little freedom the crew are given is curtailed as they sight, then sink a prize; more desertions as they repatriate the prisoners, then sabotage almost completes the felony. To say more would reveal too much, but there is more than enough intrigue and action to hold the attention.Slightly different from the previous 7 in the series, it appears stilted and chopped into seemingly disparate paragraphs, which throws one initially, but ultimately works very well as the hints and threads of the plots are drawn together. As usual, the spare, accurate descriptions leave one in no doubt as to the relative positions of the protagonists in each action, making it enjoyably easy to follow the sequence.Again, this is based on fact, the surprising thing is how many of the characters really existed.An exceptionally fine read *****

I became addicted to the Nathaniel Drinkwater series with the first installment. In my opinion the Drinkwater series is greatly underrated in the genre. Woodman has managed to create a niche between the lyricism of Patrick O'Brian and the furious action of Alexander Kent. Woodman writes well but sparingly and creates realistic characters with depth. Drinkwater, his prime creation, is the most realistic of any protagonist in the genre. He is a decent man who makes mistakes and doesn't always have control of the situation. He doesn't have the personal magnetism of a Bolitho or Ramage nor does he have the brilliance of a Hornblower. He does his duty to the best of his ability and ultimately is successful.In Distant Waters starts out ominously where Baltic Mission left off. Having brought sensitive intelligence back to England Drinkwater and his crew are immediately dispatched halfway round the world more for security reasons than from necessity it appears. Drinkwater must begin by hanging a deserter who in his own mind shouldn't be hanged under the circumstances. The demands of duty outweigh all other demands. The hanging casts a pall over the entire novel and is undoubtedly a motivator for some of the later problems.The route, the date and to some extent the mission are similar to The Happy Return, a trip round the Horn in 1808 to play havoc with the Spanish. Readers of the genre will know what neither Drinkwater nor Hornblower knew, that the Spanish will change sides. Like Hornblower in The Happy Return Drinkwater will not find out about the switch in time and must pursue subsequent plans accordingly. At this point the similarities end. While Hornblower was in firm command of his ship, Drinkwater's leadership and crew loyalty are tenuous. Drinkwater has the added complication of needing to deal with the Russians without complete orders.In Distant Waters proceeds from bad to worse and if the reader didn't know this was a series would wonder if things could ever work out. Drinkwater must deal with a crew that quite rightly believes that it has been mistreated (not by Drinkwater's hand), limited information, perfidious and dishonourable enemies, and an overall sense of gloom. The Drinkwater series is gothic in nature and In Distant Waters is one of the most gothic in the series. Fortunately for Drinkwater he has his wits about him, his faithful Tregembo and the redoubtable Mr. Q.The novel features only one major sea battle in its climax. However, there are a number of minor engagements plus a steady progression of action that builds suspense to a thunderous climax. When the climactic battle occurs, it is a release from the tension and gloom that have built up throughout the novel.The Nathaniel Drinkwater series is excellent and In Distant Waters is a strong entry worthy of inclusion. If you haven't read the earlier novels read them. If you have read In Distant Waters then proceed immediately to A Private Revenge.