September 3, 2007
Audio fans of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester will rejoice as Vance admirably re-creates Russell's debut novel set in 1793, during those authors' period. There's arguably more Forester than O'Brian here, but few listeners will be disappointed. A promising young Royal Navy officer, Lt. Charles Hayden, is passed over for a command of his own because his father is English and his mother is French. Instead, Hayden boards a smart new frigate called Themis, captained by Josiah Hart, who is reviled as "Faint Hart" by his crew for his cowardice. To make up for his dislike of battle, Hart treats his men like the enemy. Vance gets all the voices right: the proud and ambitious young Hayden and the sniveling Hart, who abuses his power. The other snobs and older officers, who don't have as much to do or say, are also vividly brought to life. Vance transports listeners to a world both exciting and memorable. Simultaneous release with the Putnam hardcover (Reviews, May 14).
August 1, 2007
Fans of Patrick O'Brian's works and other novels in the naval adventure genre will enjoy Russell's first novel, which takes place aboard the HMS "Themis" during the 1793 naval war between England and revolutionary France. The "Themis" sets sail with a crew on the verge of mutiny, owing to Capt. Josiah Hart's cowardice and cruelty. Battles with both the crew and the French navy insure a fast-paced and eventful narrative as the novel builds toward a climactic confrontation between Hart and 1st Lt. Charles Hayden. The contrast between Hayden's heroism and Hart's villainy often seems a bit too sharply drawn; however, Russell produces a satisfying resolution to their conflict while avoiding a storybook happy ending. The novel benefits from thorough research and a mastery of the technical details of sailing in the 1790s, though lines like "the back line, reeved through a block made fast to one of the shear heads, was then hauled" will have landlubbers frequently reaching for their nautical dictionaries. Russell is currently working on a sequel to be set in the Mediterranean in 1794. Recommended for medium to large libraries.Douglas Southard, CRA International Lib., Boston
Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
August 1, 2007
Both C. S. Foresters Horatio Hornblower series and Patrick OBrians Aubrey/Maturin novels reaped critical success and legions of faithful fans. Those authors succeeded by blending careful history, vast knowledge of ships and the sea, fascinating glimpses of the period, and ripping-goodadventure into spellbinding fiction. Now Russell is bidding fair to succeed the departed masters (and join those, like Bernard Cornwell, still asea).Its 1793, and England is battling revolutionary France. Honorable, heroic Lieutenant Charles Hayden has only one chance to get back to sea: he must join HMS Themis as first lieutenant, under Captain Sir Josiah Hart, despite Harts reputation for being shy about engaging the enemy. Hayden accepts the appointment and quickly learns that Hart is not only a coward but also a tyrant toward his crew, some of whom are intrigued by the republican ideas coming out of the U.S. and France. Perhaps not yet quite as polished as Forester or OBrian, Russell has the makings of an A-lister and is sure to attract fans of fighting sail.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)
May 14, 2007
R
ussell's first-rate debut features taut plotting, liberal action and an attractively modest hero: Royal Navy Lt. Charles Hayden. In 1793, Britain is at war with revolutionary France, and Hayden, the son of an English father and a French mother, feels “torn in half.” Denied a promotion, he reluctantly accepts appointment as first lieutenant to the frigate Themis
: the commander, Capt. Josiah Hart, has powerful connections in the Admiralty, but is widely disparaged among the fleet as a tyrannical coward. Hayden is dismayed to find the ship in “a state of dreadful disarray,” the crew on the verge of mutiny and Hart hostile to Hayden's remedial efforts. With the French in sight, tensions aboard come to a boil. Russell writes knowledgeably about late–18th-century naval warfare and lyrically about the sea. In Hayden, he has created a complex, sympathetic hero.