The King's Commission (Alan Lewrie Naval Adventures) [Mass Market Paperback]

Dewey Lambdin (Author)

Book Description

Series: Alan Lewrie Naval Adventures | Publication Date: January 31, 1996

1782 First officer on brig o'war . . .
Fresh from duty on the frigate Desperate in her fight with the French Capricieuse off St. Kitts, Midshipman Alan Lewrie passes his examination board for Lieutenancy and finds himself commissioned first officer of the brig o'war Shrike. There's time for some dalliance with the fair sex, and then Lieutenant Lewrie must be off to patrol the North American coast and attempt to bring the Muskogees and Seminoles onto the British side against the American rebels (dalliance with an Indian maiden is just part of the mission). Then it's back to the Caribbean, to sail beside Captain Horatio Nelson in the Battle for Turks Island. . . .
Naval officer and rogue, Alan Lewrie is a man of his times and a hero for all times. His equals are Hornblower, Aubrey, and Maturin--sailors beloved by readers all over the world.
Praise for The Naval Adventures of Alan Lewrie
"Plenty of action . . . Fast-paced, graphically descriptive and well-plotted."
--The Virginian-Pilot & The Ledger-Star
"Fast-moving. . . A hugely likable hero, a huge cast of sharply drawn supporting characters: there's nothing missing. Wonderful stuff."
--Kirkus Reviews

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans garnered by Alan Lewrie (in The King's Coat and The French Admiral ) will gladly follow the 19-year-old scamp in his latest maritime adventure. In 1783, three years after being forced into the Royal Navy, Alan has risen to first lieutenant on the brig Shrike. Commanded by 50-year veteran Lt. Lilycrop, the brig does brisk business in taking French and Spanish prizes in the Caribbean. Learning seamanship under Lilycrop, Alan grudgingly realizes he enjoys the Navy. He continues to enjoy women: jolly war-widow Dolly; voracious adulteress Betty; sweet Indian maid Rabbit; rich, pretty and dumb Lucy (the last, chastely). An attempt to enlist Indian allies in West Florida ends badly and bloodily but with kudos for Alan. Horatio Nelson appears in a rare defeat and the book ends with the crusty Lilycrop's delivering a nicely sentimental, stiff-upper-lip farewell and Alan's taking command of Shrike. Lots of nautical color, especially war's gore and "the usual human odors" aboard crowded ships, accompany Alan's good-natured journey through admiralty policies and politics.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This third book of Lambdin's sea adventures takes Alan Lewrie, the reluctant naval officer, to the Caribbean. He finishes service on the frigate Desperate , becomes a lieutenant, and assumes the role of first officer on the tiny brig Shrike . Lewrie takes part in several well-described sea battles and meets the young Nelson. He learns to handle his ship in gales and shoals, earning the grudging respect of his captain, the navy, and ultimately himself. Alan finds to his surprise that he has matured into an effective officer. In 1783, with peace close at hand, Lewrie wonders if his new career is about to end just as he has come to enjoy it. Loose ends in the last chapter suggest otherwise. Lambdin's combination of technical and historical accuracy and a fascinating character calls for further sequels. This is a salty, bawdy sea story that will delight fans of the historical action novel. Recommended for public libraries.
- C. Robert Nixon, M.L.S., Lafayette, Ind.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett (January 31, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044922452X
• ISBN-13: 978-0449224526
• Product Dimensions: 4 x 1.1 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #344,687 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dewey Lambdin is the author of fourteen previous Alan Lewrie novels. A member of the U.S. Naval Institute and a Friend of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England, he spends his free time working and sailing (he's been a sailor since 1976). He makes his home in Nashville, Tennessee, but would much prefer Margaritaville or Murrell's Inlet.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great below-decks descriptions., June 17, 2003

By 

A. J. Watson "Bones" (Newcastle-on-Tyne, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The King's Commission (Alan Lewrie Naval Adventures) (Mass Market Paperback)

It is early 1782 and Desperate, 20 guns, having 'retreated gracefully' from the Yorktown debacle is now in train with Admiral Hood's fleet running down to the Caribbean. Unfortunately, the Frogs are chasing under the command of the wily de Grasse, who didn't get where he is by avoiding encounters.
The action starts soon enough and de Grasse exploits every possibility to bring the Rosbifs to task, but fails miserably, leaving Desperate to pick off a 28 shadowing a message schooner. In the aftermath of the battle, Alan Lewrie is appointed master of the prize. The result of Alan's actions is unexpected promotion into the brig Shrike, a Dutch-built 12, as 1st luff under a wily old sea-dog as mad as a hatter.
Alan can't keep his mouth shut or his breeches buttoned-up, which leads to some unfortunate and raunchy interludes, affecting his earlier career, and, it seems, his future.
Not a series for those new to the genre, or with no nautical knowledge, as there is not the untarred landsman colleague to explain the intricacies of naval terminology to, as in Aubrey & Maturin.
But ... the above- and below-decks descriptions are among the best I've read, although Mr. Lambdin does rather overdo the vernacular and accents a bit too much for fluid reading, however it does add an extra touch of reality.
Luck plays its part again in the aftermath of another debacle, this time to good effect as Lewrie meets Nelson and receives his second promotion in a year.
A raunchier series than most, but well worth reading.*****

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How about a "Lilycrop" series?, May 8, 2004

By 

Michael K. Smith (South Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The King's Commission (Alan Lewrie Naval Adventures) (Mass Market Paperback)

Alan Lewrie, now an experienced seaman and junior watch-stander despite only a couple of years in the Royal Navy, is a refreshingly Corinthian your rake, dividing his attentions pretty much evenly between increasing his growing competence in his profession and topping every female he can find. Here he parts company from the unpredictable Capt. Treghues and from his friend and mentor, Lt. Railsford. Then he receives, as a reward for bravery and demonstrated abilities, an early appointment as 1st Lieutenant into a small brig commanded by the superannuated Lt. Lilycrop -- one of the most delightful and fully developed supporting characters Lambdin has yet come up with. Of course, Alan later learns his being given such a post was a clerical error, . . . but he manages to keep his job nevertheless. (As a more senior officer later remarks, sheer luck and the ability to land on one's feet is probably as important a factor in naval success as seamanship.) Then comes a galloping but adventure among the Creeks of the West Florida coast -- including Lewrie's temporary acquisition of a lovely young Indian wife. The character of Desmond McGilliveray is based on the real Alexander McGillivray, a Creek-Scot half-breed raised white but still well-connected among the tribes. Lambdin paints him as a superior, rather prim sort, which doesn't really fit with the historical McGillivray's character (with which I am familiar from rersearch on the Panton and Leslie trading companies during that period). Nothing really goes quite right for Our Hero in this volume, but that's the way real life often is. An increasingly enjoyable series.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars passing decent Sea Opera, January 6, 2003

By 

Carper (Europe) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The King's Commission (Alan Lewrie Naval Adventures) (Mass Market Paperback)

Fast-paced and fun, this is a pretty good choice for fans of the really GOOD wooden ships & iron men stories. Lambdin isn't technically much of a writer and characterization is minimal but the pace is great and the author not only really seems to know his Age of Sail history. The anti-hero aspects of Lewrie make a pleasant break from his rivals who are generally perfect. Not as much of the fun bawdy sex in this one as in King's Coat, but its a plus. Comparisons to Patrick O'Brien or even C.S. Forester are embarrassing and stupid--this stuff is fun to read but Mr. Lambdin falls well short of the master..