Customer Reviews

The Raider (Privateers and Gentlemen, Volume Three)

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This is the second of the series that I've read. It is relatively uncommon because most nautical fiction series of the Age of Sail deal with the Royal Navy. I'd like to see a publisher, maybe McBooks, reach a deal to bring the series back into print. Highly recommended to anyone who reads Alexander Kent, Patrick O'Brian, Dudly Pope, et al.

If you'd like a series of naval fiction from a gung-ho American perspective, this is it. They are all good, but I'd rate The Raider as the best. These stories have all the battles and romance you'll find in Hornblower or Ramage, but Williams' protagonists all have a surprising twist or two to their characters. The novels also have a bloody good time blasting the British, yet don't go so far as to sugar-coat our own shortcomings. And if you're a sailor, you'll enjoy the occasional EXTREME detail as our heroes call out sailing directions to their crew. These are very fine novels, on a par with Pope's Ramage; better, I have to say, than James Nelson's fiction, which is also from an American perspective.

Jon Williams wrote five excellent nautical novels about the fictional Markham family. "The Raider" is the third and best novel in the series.

This novel is set during the War of 1812, between the fragile young United States, and Great Britain. Mr Williams obviously took the trouble to research the background to his novels -- always a good sign. Some readers may not enjoy getting a small bit of a (painless) history lesson in their works of fiction. Personally, I enjoy it when historical novels are firmly based in history. And I like it when an author can painlessly educate me about that context.

The novel starts with Favian Markham, sailing under Stephen Decatur, as his first lieutenant. Decatur has just captured the HMS Macedonian. In those days, as a compliment to the commanding officer, the first lieutenant of a ship that captured an enemy warship of equal strength was always rewarded with a promotion.

Favian, an unusually intelligent, ambitious officer, rushes to the new capital of Washington to bring this news to Mr Madison's beleaguered adminstration. Favian knows the war is unpopular, and news of this victory will help the administration, the US Navy, and his own career. Favian makes a grand entrance at a social event, and delivers the Macedonian's battle flag to Dolly Madison.

But although he gets his promotion to Master Commandant, the rank between Lieutenant and Captain, he does not get an enviable command. He is appointed to the command of the USS Experiment, a fictional sister ship to the USN's first USS Enterprise. It is a very small vessel. Normally it would be a Lieutenant's command.

Favian takes his vessel on a commerce raiding cruise. This a serious blow to Britain, which, like in ww2, depends on its overseas trade to prosecute its main war, on the European continent.

Early in this cruise Favian declines battle with a Royal Navy vessel of equal force. Winning a battle with a ship of equal force would earn him a promotion to Captain, would earn a promotion for his first Lieutenant, and would aid the careers of his more junior officers. Favian resists the temptation. He knows that he has a responsibility to deal Britain the most serious blow he can, and he believes that that blow lies in destroying merchant ships.

Unfortunately, this causes his crew to doubt his courage.

Nevertheless he leads the Experiment on a daring circumnavigation of Great Britain where they destroy dozens of merchant vessels.

A duel in neutral Norway partially restores his reputation with his men. Captured newspapers reveal that his devastating captures have sent shipping insurance to crippling levels. With his stores exhausted it is time to return home.

And on his way he meets another RN vessel.

For readers who read these novels for depictions of battle, let me reassure you that there is plenty in this novel. Space hasn't permitted a fuller depiction.

I rank Jon Williams second in my list of favourite authors of nautical fiction, right after Patrick O'Brian, and right before CS Forester. I'd like to see his work become more widely appreciated.