Type of bind: Paperback
EAN num: 9780099484448
ISBN number: 0099484447
Label: Arrow
Manufacturer: Arrow
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 320
Printing Date: November 22, 2005
Publishing house: Arrow
Release Date: November 22, 2005
Sale Popularity Level: 933664
Studio: Arrow
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Product Description:
The exciting sequel to the previous Bolitho adventure — The Only Victor — it is March 1808 as Napoleon holds Portugal and threatens his old ally Spain. Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho is dispatched once more to the Cape of Good Hope to establish a permanent naval force there.
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Rated by buyers -
I have to admit that I am very confused about the direction that Alexander Kent is taking this series. On the one hand, this book continues the series with many of the normal and expected elements. So, we have a battle at sea between French and British fleets with the latter under Richard Bolitho's command; we have glimpses of Adam Bolitho's ongoing career progression; we see an evolution of Richard Bolitho's and Katherine Somerville's romance; and many other elements that have swirled around as sub-plots in previous novels.
On the other hand, this book seems to have very little to say in furthering the overall stories and so there are many, many recycled elements. There is yet again a mutiny (why do they appear to be so common?); enemies that have more information than Bolitho and his crews, yet they fail in their mission; a harrowing escape from a sinking ship via lifeboat and the terrible suffering of its occupants - and of course, Bolitho sustains everyone's morale through his example and only those who believe in him survive; ongoing political wrangling and more.
So, where does all this leave us? I do not know.
This is somewhat of a transformational novel as far as I can tell. With nothing really meaty for Richard Bolitho to be involved in, we see him being sent to Cape Town to re-organize patrol craft to watch for slave ships. Is this really what you need a fighting Vice-Admiral to be doing? Then, after the shipwreck, he returns to London and there is no more talk of Cape Town, but instead he is sent to the Carribean. What's up with that?
The only thing that I saw that was positive is that Alexander Kent is evolving in his writing along with the story line and the time it has taken to put all these books out. In earlier novels, he really struggled with the man/woman relationship thing and he still has a lot to work on. However, in comparison with his previous efforts, this book is much better. The relationships between Kate and Dick, and Adam, Val, and Zenoria are much better thought out. Now he has gone too far down the line of discussing sexual themes for a book series that is meant to be read by pre-pubescent boys. Love and infidelity also take place here.
Another story line that evolves a bit is the situation with Tom Herrick. This great friend of Bolitho's was last seen as a wreck on the wreck of the Benbow. The book starts with Herrick's Court Martial and exoneration. However, as Tom and Dick's paths cross again, I was reminded of the comments made in earlier books that Herrick should never have made it higher than a Lieutenant. If the juxtaposition between Herrick and Suttercliffe is not accidental, than Kent is making a point here of how some people are allowed to move on and get promoted well above their talents and shows the negative impact of that practice. Nonetheless, the falling apart of this great friendship is sad to read.
So, again, what is all this leading to? I have no idea. I get the impression that because there was a lull in the naval actions between Trafalgar and the end of the war that Kent himself is filling in the timeline with soap opera of the lives of the main characters. Until the war of 1812 with the U.S. breaks out, it may be that we read stories like this one. If so, that would be too bad.
Rated by buyers -
By now we've heard almost all the sail commands and maneuvers possible, and Kent seems to have run out of new sea lore. This is another book in which Bolitho's passionate interest in his married lover Catherine takes pride of place to sea action. Kent is spinning his wheels in these later stories, or better said: "he's all aback, an' that's no error." Now that Richard Bolitho has been an admiral for a while, he's become more involved with grand strategy than small ship actions, and Kent is harder pressed to make him an exciting figure. This is probably true to life but makes for a tedious tale. Symptomatic of the problem is the fact the publisher devotes most of the cover blurb to the author's credentials to write such a book, and only two sentences to the story. The "Reefs" of the title are more metaphorical than geographic: the estrangement of Bolitho and his favorite officer, Herrick; Herrick's court-martial; Bolitho's cruel sister; Herrick's betrayal; and Bolitho's continuing estrangement from power and reward due to envy and his illicit affair. Despite his youthful appearance, a lifetime's violent assaults and horrific losses are grinding Bolitho down. Kent's mistake may have been to start Bolitho too early in his career and promote him too rapidly, arriving at flag rank too long before the convenient end of the Napoleonic world wars. Kent seems to be grooming Admiral Bolitho's nephew, frigate Capt. Adam Bolitho, for better and more cheerful stories in the future.
Rated by buyers 
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This book may not have the major fleet engagements sprinkled through it as most Alexander Kent books do, but it is not lacking in action, character development and page turnability (that feeling when you just have to read the subsequent section to find out what's going to happen next). I very first fell in love with this series of books when I was 12, and I'm most of the way through a complete read of the series in many years. These books are as fresh and enjoyable to read as the very first time I picked up Sloop of War. I highly recommend this entire series to anyone who is interested in the days of fighting sails and sailors.
Rated by buyers 
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I love the Bolitho series and have reread them all several times, Kent has not proved able to handle the transition from officer/captain to flag rank. Too dark, not enough action, what happen to the brillance of "To Glory We Steer" and others of the earlier books.
Rated by buyers 
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In this book, Kent's hero Bolitho broods about marital difficulties and best friendships gone bad for most of the novel. There is only one major sea battle, and that starts at page 296 of a 310 page novel! Bolitho, his best friend, his nephew, his coxswain, his servant and his flag captain are all undergoing problems related to marriage simultaneously. I was left wondering if Kent has some recent disaster in his personal life and wrote this dark and depressing book as a therapy session. I rate this book as the worst I've read in years, the worst Kent book I've read (out of about ten), and a definite do not read.
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