Customer Reviews

The Admiral

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Very hard to put down my only regret was that it wasn't a bit longer. Mr. Tranter found his gift in storytelling and giving everyone the ability to be captivated by his telling.

The Admiral, by Nigel Tranter is one of his faster reads. This is the story of the rise and life of Andrew Wood from fatherless farmer, helping his mother and brother, to Lord High Admiral of Scotland and Knight. Andrew wood served 3 kings and witnessed the birth of Queen Mary of Scots. Andrew Wood was the eldest son of a merchant who was killed by pirates. Andrew at the age of 20 leaves the family farm and goes to sea. There he gets revenge against pirates for his father's death and captures their ship single handedly. This gets him started on a rapid rise his own trading merchant and the recognition of King James III. From there he establishes his trade between, Iceland, Scotland, Denmark, Norway and the Lowlands and creates his own fleet. He dedicates the fleet to the will of the crown when ever there is a need. Through King James III, James IV and James the V his service is requested from making a religious pilgrimage, seeking the pope, fighting Isle men in the Hebrides to battling English and rebels in Scotland. He even helps in seeking a wife for the young James V. Throughout his adventures and service he finds a little time to marry and have a son who succeeds him as Lord High Admiral. Andrew Wood led an adventure filled life straight to the top of society. Nigel Tranter covers his life quickly in "The Admiral", I feel is could have been expanded and it left me wanting more 1st and 2nd person thought and detail. It didn't have the depth of typical Tranter. A undertold story and quick read left me wanting.

This is a fairly well written book. However it is not quite up to the high standards seen in The Robert Bruce trilogy. The story of how a relatively low-born sailor's son became so successful to be a friend of two scottish kings and their High Admiral is not very as convincingly related as Tranter's previous books. The perspective does not seem to be that of fifteenth century England. Also, there is no 'nautical' feeling to the story. Acustomed as I am to previous books such as 'the isleman, The Bruce Trilogy, Sword of State...etc, this has been a letdown