Kydd [Import] [Paperback]

Julian Stockwin (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Hodder Paperback (May 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340898615
• ISBN-13: 978-0340898611
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,783,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I wanted to go to sea ever since I can remember. My mother says that as a toddler I went up to sailors on the street, and on one occasion dragged home a dead seabird because it smelled of the sea! I was entranced when my great uncle Tom Clay, a seaman in square-rigged ships who had sailed around the Horn in the "Cutty Sark", took me over this ship. As a young boy I read everything about the sea and I was especially terrified by a description of a great storm, but longed to go to sea to experience one.
I won a scholarship to a grammar school, but my mind was captivated by seeing low grey shapes far out to sea, outward bound to who knew where. I passed this sight every day on my way to school; my scholastic performance suffered!
In the hope of having the nonsense knocked out of me, my father sent me to a tough sea-training school. This only strengthened my resolve for a life at sea and at fifteen I joined the Royal Navy.
After leaving the Navy (rated Petty Officer) I practised as an educational psychologist. I worked for some time in Hong Kong, where I was commissioned into the Royal Naval Reserve.
I now live in Devon with my wife and literary partner, Kathy - and two Siamese cats.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Snatching despair from the jaws of victory, October 16, 2007

By 

Sophist - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Admiral's Daughter: A Kydd Sea Adventure (Kydd Sea Adventures) (Hardcover)

While reading this work, I was struck by what must have been a Herculean research effort. The myriad details of the English coast, and the look into the vast differences between social classes was excellent. However, the fact that I noted the quality of the underlying research effort while I was reading the story says something about the quality of this reading experience. When I read Kydd, I expect to be transported back into that time. Supporting details are important, but they should not impinge on the overall story line and the quality of the reading experience. The balance between the supporting details and the ability of the story line to dominate your attention seemed to be a bit off in this effort.

I got the impression that the author hurried the last twenty percent of the final story. This might explain my dissatisfaction with how the story concludes. The entire book seemed to be setting up a battle royal with the primary protagonist, but instead ended up with a particularly non satisfying, and I must say unrealistic ending to that particular aspect of the story line. For example, its understandable that Kydd's men were not carrying fire arms, but their protagonists?? The highly competent enemy basically falls on Kydd's sword??

Kydd's complete lack of social sensibilities ends up causing considerable harm to his and his Admirals social position. This quite rightly earns Kydd his first true enemy, an Admiral no less. Yet when Kydd suffers the grounding of his ship, and then is not present for several days to take care of final repairs, the Admiral responds by removing Kydd's privilege to sleep off his ship?? This before Kydd has any victories... I would think the Admiral would have been well justified to remove Kydd from command at that point, particularly when the Admiral would know that would be the worse punishment for Kydd.

I also note that the Kydd novels seem to be developing a familiar pattern where Kydd snatches personal despair from the jaws of victory. I really like the Kydd character. I hope the author does better on the next journey. Perhaps the in-shore squadron for the next go?

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars First disappointment from this author, January 14, 2008

By 

Donald P. Hayes (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Admiral's Daughter: A Kydd Sea Adventure (Kydd Sea Adventures) (Hardcover)

This book disappointed me because the author has the main character take an action which is completely outside of the personality of the intelligent and ambitious man so far portrayed. Also, that action was unthinkable and socially unrecoverable for a gentleman of the early 19th Century. Sadly, the book was demonstrating that navagating the waters of society at that time was as difficult and complicated as commanding a sailing vessel. This was ruined by the sudden and unrealistic turn of events. I hope the author does not repeat this mistake in his next volume.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars in which the author loses touch, December 31, 2007

By 

John Rice (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Admiral's Daughter: A Kydd Sea Adventure (Kydd Sea Adventures) (Hardcover)

THE KIDD SERIES HAS BEEN PROMISING IN TRACING THE PROGRESS OF A PRESSED MAN FROM FO'CASTLE TO QUARTERDECK, AND HIS CHALLENGES IN LEARNING HIS NAVAL TRADE WHILE ALSO ENCOUNTERING A HARDENED UNFORGIVING CLASS SYSTEM. IN ADMIRAL'S DAUGHTER, THE AUTHOR LOSES TOUCH WITH HIS HERO, LOSSES TOUCH WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SEA STORIES TO THE READERS OF THIS SERIES, AND PROVES HIMSELF INEPT AND UNCONVINCING INEPT IN WRITING ABOUT WOMEN. HIS AFTERFORWARD LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT SUCCESS MADE HIM LAZY AND SELF-INDULGENT. THIS IS REALLY A DREADFUL BOOK.