Badge of Glory (The Royal Marines Saga) [Paperback]

Douglas Reeman (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Royal Marines Saga | Publication Date: April 1, 2002

Travel through Britain's military history with a proud seafaring family, the Blackwoods, and the service tradition in which they make their careers—the Royal Marines. Captain Philip Blackwood of the Royal Marines rejoins his ship, the H.M.S. Audacious, in the summer of 1850. Sent out to Africa to eliminate the last strongholds of slavery, then on to the Crimean War.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Reeman, who also wrote under the name of Alexander Kent, here presents a tale of the soldiering part of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines. The characters in Badge of Glory are somewhat standard, with Capt. Philip Blackwood fighting to uphold his family's Marine traditions against the enemy and other officers. This story is unique because of the time period, the early 1850s, and the settings. Blackwood battles slavers in West Africa and then fights the Russians in the Crimea; there are also references to fighting the Maoris in New Zealand. Listeners also learn the effects of the new technologies of rifled musketry and steam power on warfare. David Rintoul is an experienced actor; his narration is clear and moves at a steady tempo. He is versatile, precise, and disciplined, giving each character a distinct and consistent voice. Popular, adventure, and large military collections should consider.AMichael T. Fein, Central Virginia Community Coll., Lynchburg
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Review

"If any author deserved to be ‘piped’ into bookshops with full naval honours it is Douglas Reeman." -- Books Magazine

"Masterly storytelling of battles and war." -- Sunday Times of London

Masterly storytelling of battles and war. -- Sunday Times

Reeman's a master of naval and military fiction . . . making sea and ground fighting . . . seem as authentic as today's television reporting. -- The Historical Novels Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: McBooks Press (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590130138
• ISBN-13: 978-1590130131
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #764,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Saga of the Royal Marines, November 9, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Badge of Glory (Hardcover)

This is the story of a young officer in the Royal Marines during the transition from sail to steam. The hero is from a Marine family, yet is thinking of leaving the Service. This is the background for the adventures off the African coast and in the Med. You see some of the resistance to change in the outlook of the Navy to steam and the new and strange machines. Possibly the start of a series. If you have read any of Alexander Kent's Bolitho series, you will like this.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good story, mediocre writing, March 16, 2006

By 

D. Sawyers (Ada, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Badge of Glory (The Royal Marines Saga) (Paperback)

Reeman has a talent for writing nautical fiction in unusual settings - for example, his novels about the British navy in the two World Wars range from commerce raiders to midget subs. The Royal Marines series is no different, with this book set during the transition from sail to steam. (The second valume takes place in China during the Boxer Rebellion, another interesting and overlooked period.)

However, the characters are a bit one-dimensional, and more importantly, Reeman's dialogue is incredibly choppy. Its as if he writes a complete conversation and then goes back and deletes every third line. He also has a habit of abruptly telling the reader what he wants them to know, rather than bringing it out through action or dialogue.

If you are interested in the time period, or in the history of the Royal Marines, you will probably enjoy this book in spite of its limitations. I just wish I could combine the imagination and historical perspective of Reeman with the storytelling ability of a Patrick O'Brien or Bernard Cornwell.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Per Mare-Per Terram, April 25, 2002

By 

Dinos (Limassol, Cyprus, Europe) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Badge of Glory (The Royal Marines Saga) (Paperback)

"...Hoarse drum of the regiment..." The story of a man and his world; a world that might seem incomprehensible to many: self sacrifice for the common good; the struggle between heart and tradition; fraternal love; the way some of us see duty towards flag and country;

The unbreakable bond that develops amongst men in battle; the inexplicable admiration and adoration for the leader; after all, isn't he the one leading them to their potential death? Yet, still ".... the unexplained glory flies above them...." and they try to forget that in that ".... field where a thousand corpses lie..." some of their most beloved friends ceased to exist;

There's not many ways that can project the majesty of a pure soldier's heart, yet this effort is more than successful; In a historical journey it wanders from sail to steam, from on-board soldiers to Royal Marines... And the unique way to present that "...these men were born to drill and die..." made "per Mare et per Terram". Superb!