The Midshipman Prince

This is an auspicious start to what I hope will be an extended series of novels based on the adventurous life of Sir Sydney Smith, a contemporary of Admiral Nelson, in the late XVIII - early XIX centuries. this one occurs towards the end of the American Revolution and introduces the main and supporting characters of the series and their endeavors to keep Prince William alive during his time afloat. GOOD WORK!!!

A rather interesting plot, well written, but what I have never heard mention is that women were allowed on Man-o-war ships of the Royal Navy, except perhaps for the Captain, Master and senior officers. This seller ships very fast, I received the book within 4 days.

An excellant book, I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys British naval fiction as I do.

This is a tale of high - and low - adventure during the latter months of the American Revolution. Of the four main characters, two are historical: Prince William Hanover and Lieutenant Sidney Smith. Lucas Walker, American, is a 22 year old alcoholic failure who is pressed into service aboard HMS Richmond when he is recued from a stormwreck. Smith befriends him, and assigns him to help the acting ship's surgeon. Walker is surprised to find he'll be working with a woman - Susan Whitney, a gunner's widow. Susan is a fictional character, but the existence and active role of women in the royal navy is factual. If Susan Whitney seems a remarkable character, she is a fitting tribute to the real women who served on sailing ships. The plot concerns the efforts of Lieutenant Smith, Lucas Walker, Susan Whitney, and a few of their friends, to locate, rescue, and return the missing Prince William to the safety of England when it becomes clear that England will lose the war - and the colonies. The action covers the pivotal Battle of the Capes and the extraordinary Battle of Frigate Bay. Never heard of these? Most Americans haven't, even though we'd probably still be British colonies if England had won the Battle of the Capes. Instead, as this novel realistically depicts, Admiral Graves allowed the French navy to escape a bottle-neck, unchallenged and unscathed, when he could have destroyed the French fleet. As for Frigate Bay, that battle is the adrenaline high point of this book, with the historically accurate pile-up of four French warships; ships burned, sunk, and captured; and sailors in the water being devoured by sharks. Sidney Smith was as real a naval officer as Admiral Horatio Nelson; they even served in some of the same campaigns during the Napoleonic Wars. Author Tom Grundner is appalled that almost no one knows of Smith; this series aims to rectify that, combining naval and medical descriptions that are faithful to history with a fictional side-adventure. One of the best features of this book is the Historical Postscript which explains, chapter by chapter, the facts alongside of the embellishments. Also, unlike most authors of naval historical fiction who assume all readers are intimately familiar with all things nautical, Grundner explains as he goes the actions and vocabulary of shipboard life. First and last, Grundner clearly has fun with the story, and he invites readers to do the same. Strongly recommended.