Customer Reviews

A Press Of Canvas (War of 1812 Trilogy, Volume 1)

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4 star:		(6)
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2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is volume one of a series, and perhaps should be read first to obtain the background for the other volumes. The author has trouble completing scenarios he creates. In some instances, the writing is clumsy. I have previously noted in reviews of books by other publishers that publishers should employ readers (people knowledgeable of the subject). This is another example of a book rushed into print without adequate proofing.

The book is three separate related novelettes. The first story features Isaac Biggs, captain of the foretop on the merchant bark Anne in 1810. It covers a time period of several days and deals with the problems and seamanship aboard the bark. There is a thieving third mate who intends to kill or injure Isaac. Having created this problem, the author extracts Isaac by having him pressed into service aboard an English frigate. No more is heard of the Anne or how the problems aboard were resolved. An additional chapter could have closed out this tale.

The second part of the book is a story about service aboard the British frigate Orpheus from 1810 to 1812. Isaac Biggs is a maintopman and plays a supporting role. The action skips forward rather quickly from 1810 to 1812 when the Orpheus leads a small squadron against a French convoy. Here the writing goes off track. The Orpheus is attacking a French brig, almost wrecking it completely with a couple of broadsides; then the brig is fighting like a frigate; then they board the brig; then they take off the captured officers who seem to be the complement from a frigate, etc. The author seems to lose track of where he is in the storyline, and seemed to forget that a brig was a lieutenant's command with perhaps 40 to 50 in the crew, no significant number of marines, and perhaps 12 four-pounder popguns for its armament (the light structure of a brig could not take the recoil of heavy guns). The story of the action against the French convoy is never completed, and the tale skips forward to a scene in a tavern in Nassau.

The third part of the book is about an American privateer commanded by Captain Smalley, formerly captain of the bark Anne. Isaac Biggs joins the tale at the midway point. Eventually Isaac is able to return to the United States. By placing three stories in the same book, the action becomes superficial at some points, jumping between points where action is very detailed. The repeated nautical commands for sail handling can get a bit tedious.

W.H. White's scholarship climbs the ratlines of our history for us. His views from the maintop, through the eyes of his Isaac Biggs, are knowing, intimate, and refreshingly American. The story pulses with action and the anticipation of action among a crew of real-sailor characters. The book disappears as we stand their watches and fight alongside them.

A Press of Canvas gives us an honest and previously poorly lit insight to the period when we confirmed the Revolution and won the world's respect.

The men, their spirit, and their wonderful ships were crucial to preventing our young nation's being stillborn. I look forward anxiously to the two more parts of the promised trilogy.

As good a yarn as ever one might want. Enertaining and historical with an interesting perspective. A good read for sailor or landlubber. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I love nautical fiction especially from the age of sail. I read all of it I can. All too often, there is a sameness to it. Britania ruled the waves so characters like Hornblower, Bolitho, Aubry, et al ruled the pages from their British quarterdecks. This time, though, we get a different point of view.

The main protagonist of this new work is not a British officer. He is an American foremast hand, Isaac Biggs, a topman. He is on his way up and has the chance of some day becoming a ship's master in his own right. The Royal Navy, though, has other plans for him. In their continuing war against the French, they are always short of crew for their men of war. So it is that they resort to the policy of pressing seaman from foreign ships (including warship) they stop on the high seas. They are not too picky about choosing only Englishmen. That is how they come to snatch Isaac Biggs from his ship and he becomes an unwilling part of the Royal Navy. A PRESS OF CANVAS follows Isaac through his indoctrination into this new world and even in this hostile environment his skill and devotion to duty sees him advance.

Continuing depredations on the part of the Royal Navy finally leads the US to declare the War of 1812. A small "fleet" of Baltimore privateers manages to swoop down on some captured British prizes and recapture them. In doing so, they liberate Isaac who is part of one of the prize crews. He is recognized by his old captain and immediately offered a position as third mate on one of the privateers. His experience in the Royal Navy sets him up to be a good officer for the US side of the struggle.

The actual story does not do much. We see the formation of Isaac as a seaman and potential officer, learning his motivations and drives as the story progresses. There are a few naval encounters but there is no great, overriding sense of mission. Instead, the books seems to be nothing more than a setup for a sequel. Even so, the lack of a real story line does not hurt this book too much. It makes for enjoyable reading with a different view on events and I look forward to reading the sequel.

Part of my disappointment in this book stems from the fact that I am naval historical fiction nut and have been really looking forward to something other than a British hero. As an American, I've alway thought that the War of 1812 would provide the perfect fodder for an American Hornblower. Unfortunately, that is not what we get here.
Clearly the author, Mr. White, knows his ships and his sailing. But that's like the special effects in a sci-fi movie, you have to care about the characters or else it's just a bunch of flashing lights. The author shows some potential as a writer, but it all reads a bit too amatureish -- like a first submission to a creative writing course. There are are way too many point of view shifts, so it can become difficult to remember who is who. Perhaps it was an intentional attempt at subtle parody, but I found it annoying to have very similar personality types in the role of junior officers on the the American Anne and the British Orpheus. And then, the story final seems to get going with a privateering raid -- and then they go home. Yes, it's the first book in a triology, but the story just stops -- it does not end.
I've also got to get this off my chest. The forward was written by someone who is supposed to be a professor of history at the Naval War College, yet his historical facts are wrong! James Barron, captain of the Cheasapeake during the Cheasapeake/Leopard affair was not killed in that action. He was courtmartialed and temporarily suspended from duty in the navy as a result of his role in the affair. His other claim to fame is that he was the one who killed Stephen Decatur several years later. Of course, none of this really matters since the none of the provocations for war (other than pressing sailors) was even mentioned in the novel --wasn't there something about "orders in council?"
Anyway, I don't recommend this book. I do not plan to purchase or read books two and three.

Generally, I am not an avid reader of historical fiction, but I read this book on a recommendation from a freind. I truly enjoyed White's work, so much so, that I found myself participating in the action, rather than reading it. I could feel the salt spray in my face and the boom of the cannon against my chest. Truly a wonderful read!

Mr. White's depth of research is reflected in his wonderful syntax of the times. I could imagine myself perched atop the topgallant, glass in hand, searching the seas for adversaries. A wonderful read even for a landlubber such as I. Hats off to Bill White for a stunning portrayal of conditions as they existed in 1812. I can't wait for the second of this delightful trilogy.

A splendid read for the followers of such maritime historical novels as the ones from Alexander Pope, Patrick O'Brian, and C.S Forester, A Press of Canvas looks at the War of 1812 from the American perspective and through the eyes of a sailor rather than the traditional officer's view. Salty and engaging, White has captured the spirit of the times and the genre. I enjoyed it greatly and look forward to the next two volumes in the trilogy.

First of all, I should say that I love this genre. Except for the occasional mystery or non-fiction history book, it is all I read. I was really looking forward to reading this book, because except for James L. Nelson (who's books I don't think very highly of) White is the only writer in this genre who writes from the American point of view. White does do one thing well: his descriptions of the workings of a sailing vessal during this period are wonderfully detailed (more than any other writer that I've read). There are a lot of problems with this book though. Most of the characters, including the main character, are not very well developed and are very one-dimensional. The plot is far too predictable. One of the best things about sea novels is that they are usually unpredictable; storms and enemy ships suddenly appear, a fire breaks out and quickly destroys the ship, etc. In this book, however, everything happens pretty much as you would expect it to. On top of that, there are some coincidences that are a little hard to believe. White also makes a mistake, in my opinion, by having what would have been one of the most exciting scenes in the book related to us in a brief conversation well after the fact. To end on a positive note, the book does seem to be very realistic, except for the coincidences, which I appreciated.

I had been reading almost all of Patrick O'Brian's and Alexander Kent's historical naval novels, which are written from the English Navy's perspective. It was such a treat to discover William White's War of 1812 Trilogy, which is from the early American Navy's perspective. I am not a very critical reader ... having tried my hand at a few novels, I know how difficult the process is. I just enjoy the stories and allow myself to get caught up in the adventure. William White's 1812 Trilogy is a great adventure. I really liked each of these books!
Prentice Kinser III, D.Min. Author of: Limitless Living, A Guide to Unconventional Spiritual Exploration and Growth