Baltic Mission: A Nathaniel Drinkwater Novel (Mariner's Library Fiction Classics) [Paperback]

Richard Woodman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Mariners Library Fiction Classic | Publication Date: June 15, 2000

"Usual splendid attention to detail and character" The Seafarer

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This duo of sea adventures spans the historic to the contemporary. Written in 1988, Baltic Mission is an installment in Woodman's Nathaniel Drinkwater series. This episode finds the British sailor on a secret assignment for the crown while Napoleon continues to acquire real estate. Drinkwater is soon at odds with his crew and hamstrung by his drunken first mate. The Endangered Species of this 1992 title are both the British merchant fleet and Capt. John Mackinnon, skipper of the Matthew Flinders. On his last voyage before retirement, Mackinnon, too, finds himself facing a hostile crew, as well as a typhoon and a load of Vietnamese refugees he feels he must rescue and deliver to safety. Now that Patrick O'Brian is gone, this is a solid author to recommend.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

This duo of sea adventures spans the historic to the contemporary. Written in 1988, Baltic Mission is an installment in Woodman's Nathaniel Drinkwater series. This episode finds the British sailor on a secret assignment for the crown while Napoleon continues to acquire real estate. Drinkwater is soon at odds with his crew and hamstrung by his drunken first mate. The Endangered Species of this 1992 title are both the British merchant fleet and Capt. John Mackinnon, skipper of the Matthew Flinders. On his last voyage before retirement, Mackinnon, too, finds himself facing a hostile crew, as well as a typhoon and a load of Vietnamese refugees he feels he must rescue and deliver to safety. Now that Patrick O'Brian is gone, this is a solid author to recommend.

 

(Library Journal )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Sheridan House (June 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574090976
• ISBN-13: 978-1574090970
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #387,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a stand alone book, May 24, 2000

By 

Fred Camfield (Vicksburg, MS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Baltic Mission: A Nathaniel Drinkwater Novel (Mariner's Library Fiction Classics) (Paperback)

This is book 7 in the Drinkwater Series. I have previously read number 10, but the U.S. publisher has not been reprinting the books in the order they were written. To fully appreciate the book, you need to read the previous books in the series. Otherwise you will feel at points as if you have walked in on the middle of a story. In this particular episode, Drinkwater is off on a special mission to the Baltic, only to have his orders changed via a message sent through diplomatic channels in Sweden, and by the request of an agent picked up in Russia. Things are complicated by an unreliable lieutenant aboard the ship. Events lead to the diversion of a cargo of gold, and Drinkwater's participation in an intelligence gathering operation. One of Drinkwater's old enemies (from books 2 and 3) is reintroduced. Part of the plot seems a little contrived, but overall it is an interesting story.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More Cloak and Dagger than Broadsides, December 12, 2000

By 

Bill Mac "hmcs_kenogami" (windsor, ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baltic Mission: A Nathaniel Drinkwater Novel (Mariner's Library Fiction Classics) (Paperback)

Richard Woodman is perhaps the most underrated writer of naval action novels. His Nathaniel Drinkwater series, of which Baltic Mission is the seventh, combines realism, action, excellent characterization, and a gothic thread running through it. Drinkwater, who is a very decent man although not simplistically so, has to face various levels of human evil and depravity. Drinkwater has had three nemeses woven in and out of the series; the vile Morris from his first ship, the evil but cunning Edouard Santhonax, and his own wayward brother Edward. In Baltic Mission Drinkwater deals with two out of the three.

The time is 1807 and Napoleon has been checked but not defeated at Eylau. Only Csar Alexander of Russia is able to stand against Napoleon and Drinkwater is sent to the Baltic to provide encouragement/assistance to the Russians. However, Alexander may be tiring of his fight against Napoleon and Drinkwater must be sure that he doesn't enrich a potential enemy. A mission to find out the status of the combatants is in order. Along the way Drinkwater has to deal with his irascible First Lieutenant Sam Rogers who is descending into alcoholism.

Drinkwater is now in his 40s and suffering from his wounds. Series regulars Mr. Q. and Tregembo are back. Tregembo is now described as an old man although his age before was never specifically mentioned. I had the impression that Tregembo was a few years older than Drinkwater but he seems to have reached old age in one novel.

Much of Baltic Mission takes place on land so it doesn't have the same level of naval action that other novels in the series have although the rousing conclusion is in keeping with earlier series entries. This one is more cloak and dagger with continued gothic elements and suspense. While Baltic Mission doesn't have the same intensity as Eye of the Fleet or sense of grand tragedy as 1805 it's still an entertaining read and perhaps a bit of a change of pace. To this point there have been no bad entries in the series and given Woodman's writing ability I doubt there will be.

4.0 out of 5 stars Living History!, September 1, 2008

By 

John R. Linnell (New Gloucester, ME United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Baltic Mission: A Nathaniel Drinkwater Novel (Mariner's Library Fiction Classics) (Paperback)

Woodman's seventh novel involving the life and times of Captain Nathaniel Drinkwater, provides a change from the usual naval action that the prior Drinkwater books have dealt with. That, however, takes nothing away from the historical setting or the intrigue that awaits Drinkwater and his cohorts as they set about to discover Napolean's plans for an alliance with Russia. Woodman is a master at making history come alive.