Customer Reviews

Man of War (The Bolitho Novels)

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

 

 

This volume in the Bolitho series does not need, or deserve, a long review. If you like the series about "we happy few," then you may want to read this, too. This is certainly not the place to start, as many references to earlier characters and situations of "the Bolitho legend" are oblique in the extreme: suitable for constant readers but hardly explaining the rushes of sentimental emotion among them that Kent offers here. Although this Capt. Bolitho, son of the revered admiral of earlier books, is young, he is not involved in much action because Napoleon has been finished off. Instead, the British are now pursuing American slave traders in a rather secretive fashion, and Bolitho has found a girl, another lost soul, to agonize upon. So, this is far from a sea-going swashbuckler of the sort found in the first ten or so books of this now-26 volume series. However, with its greater emphasis on manly sentiments among aging and retired sailors and their women on shore, this story is likely to appeal to a broader spectrum of readers of historical romance fiction than naval fiction is wont. This book is in a way of a love story between Adam and the lovely Lowenna, and also between Kent and his characters.

Many of the scenes are interior, either in offices, homes, or inside the characters feelings. Kent makes it easy to tell good officers from bad: if the lieutenant knows his men's names he's good, if he don't he ain't. In fact, however, there's very little of the conflict between ranks that is a staple of nautical fiction (and powering whole books earlier in this series). This, despite the fact Adam Bolitho is now a flag captain and under the potentially oppressive thumb of his admiral. But Admiral Bethune has too much respect for the revered Bolitho name! In fact, this book lacks tension or much suspense due to its pervasive sense of nostalgia and a scarcity of open conflict, either at sea or in the halls of Admiralty.

In the few scenes of life at sea, Kent is usually more careful than here to give wind and sailing directions so you can imaginatively follow the maneuvering. I think his mind was on other matters, a different kind of sea tale. As always, McBooks Press does a nice job of the somewhat antique typefaces, while avoiding the crowded little text of yore.

I've read all 26 books in the Bolitho series and thoroughly enjoyed the vast majority. Alas, "Man of War" stands alone as the weakest offering in the series. Foremost among the literary casulaties is the carefully perpetuated overarching series theme "We happy few". Sadly, it is overwhelmed in a pea soup fog of never-ending, tedious-beyond-words introspections by a proliferating cast of characters. Absent too are a compelling, coherent plot and the expected ration of expertly described naval engagements. Indeed, for those readers who "live" for the battles, be forewarned: you'll have to endure almost 300 pages of (pardon the pun) navel gazing to reach the only engagement in this 318 page book; and even then the reward is slight when compared to other books in the Bolitho series.To be fair to Reeman/Kent, the Bolitho series has arrived at a point in the history of the British Empire and the Royal Navy where there's not all that much exciting to write about. Still, he presses on; and it would seem there are enough loose ends in "Man of War" to suggest at least one more book is in the offing. If "Man of War" is a window on what the future holds for this mostly enjoyable series, it's time for Reeman to bring it to a merciflul end and let the Bolitho legend enjoy fair winds and following seas into a well deserved retirement.

For some time, I thought Alexander Kent was slipping a bit. His books have become more tedious and soap-opera like in concept and content. In this book, Man of War, the author filled the pages with non-action. The dead hero, Richard Bolitho is never far from the minds of the major characters in the book and so it appears in the mind of the author as well. While the time period was one of peace and hunting slavers seem to be a major letdown from fighting the French, the author could still add some excitment to the story. But instead, we are treated with a lot of talk, a lot of emotional repression and by the book characters. This is a very slow going book where many things are said but very little take place. The author is no longer the same man who wrote the initial books of the series that was filled with swift tale of action, seamanship and interesting characters, good and bad.

This book is still readable and for any Bolitho fan, it should provides several hours of interesting reading regardless of its overall quality. But if a first time reader of Bolitho series start off with this book, such a reader probably won't touch another.

In my humble opinion, the series should have ended with the death of Richard Bolitho since the series as it is, cannot let go of him.

While understanding the comments made by other reviewers, I can not agree on the low ratings. It was nice to have some 'action' with others in the series, i.e. sister Nancy, John and Unis and others.

Not all of the series need be sea battles, in fact it was nice to have some shore duty. Certain things were very obvious, such as the end of Kate, while others were nice to see, i.e. Thomas Herrick showing up and saying John had told him about Richard asking for him at the end.

It would be nice to have some happiness show up, it seems the last few books have been I loss after another. All in all, not as good as some earlier books, but not as bad as some think either.

Adam Bolitho, frigate captain, finds himself with a new role to play: that of flag captain to Vice-Admiral Sir Graham Bethune, who once sailed under the command of Adam's famous uncle, Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho. With Sir Richard dead, the Bolitho house and estate at Falmouth belong to Adam now. But Adam remains a bachelor; so the estate operates under a faithful steward's control, with Sir Richard's motherless fifteen-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, living in the nearby household of her father's widowed sister.

That's where things stand personally for Adam, who wants nothing more - beyond the sea and the Navy - than to marry Lowenna, the lovely artists' model from an earlier book in this long running series. For now, though, he must put to sea and take his new command to the West Indies with Sir Graham on board. The slave trade, outlawed in England and therefore for English ships, operates most profitably for captains and owners from other nations; and catching slave ships as they violate the British Empire's territory is now Adam's mission. Which is complicated by the presence of his uncle's long time love, Lady Catherine Somervell, who shelters under the protection of a man suspected of illegal slave trade involvement...and who is now the object of Sir Graham Bethune's unsolicited and unrequited passion.

I am glad author Kent decided to continue this series with Adam Bolitho as its new protagonist, because I've been reading his Bolitho novels since the 1970s. They are in my opinion the best of their genre, and as usual I enjoyed this one thoroughly. I did find some of the writing concerning Sir Graham's motivations a bit, well (pardon the unintentional pun) at sea. "Where did that come from?" But those few lapses did nothing to spoil the book for me, and I will continue to read these novels for as long as Kent continues to write them.

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of "Granite Island"

I am still suffering from Richard withdrawal. I continued with this book and its immediate predecessor to see how other characters tied to Richard would fair. However,I think this is my last read of Kent's books. He ought to go back and write an alternate ending to the novel where Richard was killed off. Then he could have an alternate #25 and #26 etc.. Still this book is a pretty good read for those who can accept Richard having been killed off and Adam now carrying the story.

If you are into historic naval fiction, this is the series to read!!

The last in the series , just as good as the first ! Hornblower had nothing on the Bolithos.Dare you not to read the whole series!

Kent's series is topnotch all the way. After reading Hornblower series as a young girl (yes...girl!!!) in the late 50's, I started reading Kent and began a lifelong quest to read 'em all. Fifty years later, I still am.

Kent started out ok, but the last 15 or so books of his are just aweful. Yes I did read them religiously, but it is getting harder. Kent is turning into some sort of "like, gag me with a spoon" vomit-fed Danielle Steel. These novels are becoming unbearable. The pity is that he's becoming just as prolific as Steel. Someone save us!
Granted they aren't having earth-shattering sex while ship-wrecked on some deserted island, but his characters are so overly-burdened with emotion it is amazing that we the reader can even see the ship through all this emotional fog.
And can he please, please, please stop ending every other paragraph with "It was enough." And is Bolitho alone? Or is he not alone? That seems to change every other page.
Save your money. Sorry Mr. Kent, but please spare us. Bolitho needs to stop sailing and see a shrink. Or perhaps you do?