Tenacious

Julian Stockwin, a retired naval commander, has taken on a herculean task: competing with Patrick O'Brian, who many feel has written the best historical novels ever. And to engage O'Brian broadside to broadside, in his own sea ... why it's madness. But Stockwin has at least varied his approach -- he's not going "right at 'em," as Nelson declared. Stockwin has taken seriously the approach through the hawse hole. His hero, Kydd, is resolutely a man of the people. He has even been involved in the great mutiny at Nore, on the sailor's side! Somehow Stockwin brought him out of that safely, just as he has from various more predictable engagements at sea. In "Tenacious," Stockwin boldly recreates the Battle of the Nile, a battle which O'Brian's Jack Aubrey often recollects for us, but which we as readers have never had dramatically presented. Here the battle is marvelously presented, with all its horror, all its pathos, and all its exhausting but exhilarating glory. Thank you, Julian Stockwin, for remedying this lack. On the one hand, it must be admitted that Stockwin has learned a lot from O'Brian, has clearly emulated him with his hero: like Aubrey bluff, hearty, not very brilliant but devilishly shrewd as a seaman and a fighting commander (working class origins notwithstanding). And he has supplied him with a much more intellectual companion in Nicholas Renzi -- not Stockwin's best effort, however, since Renzi is at once too like Maturin and no comparison in depth of characterization and, frankly, interest. It must also be observed that Stockwin, even after eight books (through The Admiral's Daughter) has yet to really find the magic in the buddy story that O'Brian brilliantly supplied. The problem is probably Kydd, who sometimes seems fairly uninspired, although he does have his moments. And the relationship with Renzi is not exactly electric, nor yet rich and engrossing. Still, Stockwin is a terrific researcher and he has not O'Brian's squeamishness about approaching larger than life historical figures, such as Nelson and Buonaparte. That's very gratifying. Why, indeed, should not Kydd in his peripatetic adventures find occasion to confront these semi-legendary personages and even exchange words, or be acquainted with them on some level? O'Brian should have paid more attention to one of his literary heroes, Tolstoy, who had no fear of the famous: his Napoleon could stop and chat with an ordinary soldier. And Stockwin rightly does the same. Beyond that, we no longer have O'Brian. If one has read and re-read (many times!) the Aubrey-Maturin novels and regretted that they've become too familiar, take heart! Stockwin is worthy. Long may he prosper and write. And may his Kydd, his Renzi, get better and better, more and more accomplished.

The story of the battle at the Nile and Acre was refreshing. Kydd adventures usally please. This book seemed to have more action than the last one, in which I had trouble in reading. Glad the author has pick the action. I now look forward to reading further novels by the author.

"Tenacious" is the sixth, and best so far, book in Julian Stockwin's "Kydd" series. These books are set in the Napoleonic-era Royal Navy and follow in the same vein as C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin books. In "Tenacious," Lieutenant Kydd is posted aboard the 64-gun Tenacious. Kydd sees action at the Battle of the Nile (where he meets Horatio Nelson and is inspired in his career by that great leader), the retaking of Minorca, and the Siege of Acre. Kydd, who began his career as a pressed seaman, is now a confident leader and officer in the Royal Navy - and more importantly, an inspired fighter. Although this genre was obviously inspired by C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brian, the Kydd novels remind me more of Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe" series of books. Richard Sharpe started as a private in the British Army and ended up an officer, just as Kydd started as a pressed seaman and eventually walked the quarterdeck as an officer. But more than that, Kydd's adventures, and Stockwin's use of some dramatic license to involve Kydd in almost every major military engagement of the time (whether at land or at sea), are more in the style of the Sharpe books than the older Hornblower or Aubrey-Maturin books. Stockwin can tell great sea tales about Thomas Kydd, and this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys military historical fiction or the Napoleonic era.

The earlier Kydd sagas took a bit of fortitude to get through. Clearly, Stockwyn was so invested on seamanship, he did not seem as committed to spinng a page turning yarn. However, as time has gone on, Stockwyn and his hero, Kydd have improved. In this most recent novel, Stockwyn takes us into the presence of Lord Horatio Nelson, through the eyes of Thomas Kydd. It is a fascinating and compelling experience. The story is well told and of course endowed with the qualities of seamanship and historical perspective, which have made Julian Stockwyn a real master of this genre. One feels the surge of rising along with Kydd, through the clumsy early novels, much like Kydd's clumsy growth before the mast. Now that he has become an officer, there is a greater sophistication to the plots and storylines, which truly make the reader feel the saga as a matter of personal experience. Bravo Julian Stockwyn for germinating, tending and growing the fascinating, engaging Thomas Kydd!

Outstanding. Stockwin's discription of the Battle of the Nile is first rate. I always wondered why The British captains took a chance by sailing between the anchored French Line of Battle and the shore. Surely the risk of grounding was extremely high. Stockwin explains that the British took note of the way the French were moored, which allowed for their ships to swing at their moorings. Thus giving away the depth of water between ship and shore. Wonderfully discriptive of the recapture of The Island Of Minorca. The mysterious Renzi is revealed to be a much more complex character, and Kydd's standing continues to rise, as does Stockwin. To paraphase Nelson, "No writer can do very wrong if he places his pen alongside a great yarn"