Dragonfrigate Wizard Halcyon Blithe (Tor Fantasy) [Mass Market Paperback]

James M. Ward (Author)

Book Description

Series: Tor Fantasy | Publication Date: November 27, 2007

Halcyon Blithe, being a young man of good breeding and lineage as well as endowed with the qualities and abilities recognized as great potential, is ready to seek his fortune among those who tend and sail the awesome nautical juggernauts--the dragonships which harness the bodies and strength of living dragons with seafaring technology--as he accepts his rank as Dragonfrigate Wizard Halcyon Blithe.

In the latest chapter of the young wizard's nautical education he finds himself second in command of a captured enemy vessel that must engage a demonship in combat. When he returns to port, Blythe is assigned duty on a dwarven dragonship.  It is on this very ship that he and his shipmates encounter deceitful politics before they can regain the security of their Arcanian dragonship and trusted crewmates.

 

Combining elements of Hornblower with Harry Potter, and Robert Louis Stevenson with Robin Hobb, Dragonfrigate Wizard Halcyon Blithe is a nautical tale rich in magic and intrigue set against a panorama of fantastic naval battles.  

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With plenty of bravery and old-school marine derring-do, the second novel (after 2005's Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe) in this unabashed homage to the Horatio Hornblower series continues to follow the career of the 16-year-old eponymous naval officer and wizard serving the Arcania Empire aboard a fabled dragonship. Now Blithe finds himself tested by a jealous rival officer, Elan Swordson, and facing down the vicious Maleen enemy. Fortunately, Blithe's innate decency and honor earns him the loyalty of nearly everyone he serves with. A chance meeting at a ball also introduces a potential love interest, the Lady Teagan Delesanor, whose interest in taking a drop of Blithe's blood for a magical amulet will no doubt lead to major complications later in the series. Though suited for YA audiences, this cheerful fantasy adventure will also entertain adults who like their magical heroics burnished with a spot of navy spit-and-polish. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The fantastical adventures begun in Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe (2005) continue. Now a seasoned wizard-warrior, Blithe becomes second-in-command of the prize crew when his frigate captures an enemy vessel--and promptly faces a full-fledged enemy dragonship. Escaping by the skin of his teeth, Blithe is sent to another dragonship crewed by dwarves, whose politics and seamanship are enough to turn a seasoned mariner's hair gray. He acquits himself with honor, and the series seems to promise at least one more book. Since Ward's lighthearted but not light-headed confection reads like a collaboration between C. S. Forester and J. K. Rowling, bring it on! Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy (November 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765351110
• ISBN-13: 978-0765351111
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #533,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A worthy sequel to "Midshipman Halcyon Blithe", February 18, 2007

By 

Edward Alexander Gerster "miamibooks" (South Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dragonfrigate Wizard Halcyon Blithe (Hardcover)

Combining elements of Horatio Hornblower with Harry Potter, and Robert Louis Stevenson with Robin Hobb, "Dragonfrigate Wizard Halcyon Blithe" is a nautical tale rich in magic and intrigue, set against a panorama of fantastic naval battles. It is the second book in the series, and sequel to "Midshipman Halcyon Blithe".

Halcyon Blithe, a young man of good breeding and lineage--endowed with great potential, is ready to seek his fortune among those who tend and sail the awesome nautical juggernauts--the dragonships which harness the bodies and strength of living dragons with seafaring technology.

In the latest chapter of the young wizard's nautical education, he finds himself second in command of a captured enemy vessel that must engage a demonship in combat before returning to port--whereupon he is assigned duty on a dwarven dragonship. It is on this very ship that he and his shipmates must fight against crooked politics to regain the security of their Arcanian dragonship and trusted crewmates.


James M. Ward does an excellent job of spinning a tale that is fast paced, filled with drama, and highly entertaining. An exceptionally fine book, that is highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining series off to a great start, August 12, 2008

By 

Karris "yassa" (L.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dragonfrigate Wizard Halcyon Blithe (Hardcover)

James M. Ward has done a very good job of translating nautical fiction into a fantasy world, ala Noami Novik's Temeraire novels. While Novik's books are better crafted, Ward knows his subject well, and has obviously spent a lot of time reading Patrick O'Brien, Alexander Kent, and the Hornblower saga. His characters and plot twists are well executed and these books are a fun read. A couple of reviewers have pointed out Ward's writing flaws, and they are real - the most apparent being the rapid switch from one point of view to another. At first I couldn't believe that any editor would allow a book to be published with an exceptional error in prose like that - I mean, at LEAST seperate the paragraphs with a double space to warn readers it's no longer one character thinking but another. Aside from this at times annoying habit, one Ward will hopefully rectify when someone points it out to him, all other points are extremely minor and I find that the books are a good enough read to be able to ignore these violations of the sometimes ultra-rigid Hoyle's of writing. It just goes to show that a good story will overcome even glaring mistakes. God bless Tor and their writer-friendly editors who know their audience better than more uptight companies.

For a writer of role playing games and RPG novels, Ward shines like a diamond in the rough - there's a whole list of these who do not, and couldn't carry off a book like this.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even Better Than The First Blithe Book, December 7, 2006

By 

Bruce G. Rabe "Jean Rabe" (Kenosha, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dragonfrigate Wizard Halcyon Blithe (Hardcover)

James Ward aptly continues the adventures of Blithe, who manages to land a promotion in this sequel. The character grows during the adventure, leaving the reader wanting another book. The dwarves are particularly well done. Recommended!