Customer Reviews

Jester's Fortune (Alan Lewrie Naval Adventures)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In this eighth novel, Commander Lewrie, in his sloop-of-war Jester, is attached to a British squadron tasked to the Adriatic to cooperate with incompetent Austrian and uncooperative Venetian allies. In desperation the British are driven to attempt to enlist the assistance of Serbian pirates to harass French trade in naval stores. A quirk of this novel is that Lewrie spends a lot of time on shore or in negotiations, rather than in his usual settings of boudoir or battle. While offered opportunities to play his usual "ram-cat," Lewrie now acts like an "old maid." Maybe it's understandable why this particular volume fell out of print.

On the other hand, an attactive new plot device here is that the Great Enemy, Napoleon, is seen closeup with his admiring staff, plotting the ever-surprising tactics of his rapid conquest, er "liberation," of Italy, in occasional chapters counterpoised to slow Allied expectations or Commander Lewrie all at sea. Also, in one surprising chapter we have no idea what's going on-has the author gone mad?-until the ruse is explained in the next chapter. While the infamous Alan Lewrie contends with the expectable obstructive superior, here this stock character becomes much more understanding and empathetic than usual, to Lewrie's discomfiture. Travel quotations from an ancient Roman author are vaguely relevant. A map of the Adriatic would help visual the movements.

This series is captivating, but the quality is somewhat varied. I suppose that it's hard to maintain the same interest throughout a series as long as this. I'd equate Lambdin with O'Brian.

Disappointed with this adventure as felt author used too much padding and not sufficient flow of the story. Although background detail is important I felt the attempts to captivate dialects made the reading very sluggish.

I'm about to start on 'The King's Captain' and hope that this gets back to a good rollicking type yarn.

Any book about the sea is interesting to us. This one was very interesting for us as the history was very true.

I've read O'Brian and Kent over and over again... Mr. Lambdin will also be a re-re-read!. Will certainly buy the entire series.

Disagreeing wholeheartedly with the reviews preceding this one, I find a more "thinking" Lewrie who has risen above his Ram-Catting somewhat. I think Lambdin has pursued excellence with diligence and obvious research to describe naval action in a little known corner of the world. If I remember my early history studies these were known as the Balkan States and we knew little or nothing about them especially during a period not generally covered or written about by any other author whom I have read so far. The suggested map would help but my atlas suffices "main well" for the "nonce". Doncha love it?
I spent years and years in the Middle East and I can tell you this...much of what Lambdin hints at and infers is true. I will never go there again no matter the salary.
Great book for getting a feel for the Levant.
Sharkey

I have enjoyed reading all of Dewey Lamdons books thus far. They have never failed to keep my interest.