Wildtrack: A Novel of Suspense [Paperback]

Bernard Cornwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 20, 2008

Nick Sandman's spine was shattered by a bullet in the Falklands. He has no money and no prospects, only a dream of sailing far away from his troubles on his boat, Sycorax. But Sycorax is as crippled as he is, and to make her seaworthy again, Nick must strike a devil's bargain with egomaniacal TV star Tony Bannister. Signing on to the crew of Bannister's powerful ocean racer, Wildtrack, Nick is expected to help sail her to victory. But the despised celebrity has made some powerful enemies who will stop at nothing for revenge. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Some readers may quibble at the ambiguous ending, but Cornwell's first modern-day novel, after Redcoat and the Sharpe series, works very nicely. Narrator Nick Sandman, Falkland Islands hero and Victoria Cross recipient, is determined not only to walk again after a war wound but also to sail his ketch Sycorax to New Zealand. After two years' hospitalization, he is, barely, walking again, but Nick's return to Devon finds Sycorax beached and vandalized, apparently at the behest of TV talk-show host Tony Bannister. Legal difficulties force Nick into making a TV movie for Bannister in exchange for salvaging Sycorax. Complications arise immediately: Bannister is out to win the Cherbourg-Saint Pierre race and wants Nick to be navigator; Bannister's ex-father-in-law is out to avenge his daughter's "murder" aboard Bannister's ocean racer Wildtrack and wants Nick to help; Bannister's beautiful mistress Angela is out to make that TV movie; and Nick falls in love with Angela. The climax comes with Nick racing across the Atlantic in a howling gale to prevent Bannister's murder. Even landlubbers will enjoy Cornwell's terrific pacing, colorful characters and dry humor, and perhaps, will learn a few things, too (e.g., in sailing jargon, "scuttles" means portholes). Reader's Digest Condensed Book selection.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Bernard Cornwell is the author of the acclaimed New York Times bestsellers Agincourt and The Fort; the bestselling Saxon Tales, which include The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, Lords of the North, Sword Song, The Burning Land, and Death of Kings; and the Richard Sharpe novels, among many others. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (May 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061462640
• ISBN-13: 978-0061462641
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #786,476 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bernard Cornwell was born in London in 1944 - a 'warbaby' - whose father was a Canadian airman and mother in Britain's Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted by a family in Essex who belonged to a religious sect called the Peculiar People (and they were), but escaped to London University and, after a stint as a teacher, he joined BBC Television where he worked for the next 10 years. He began as a researcher on the Nationwide programme and ended as Head of Current Affairs Television for the BBC in Northern Ireland. It was while working in Belfast that he met Judy, a visiting American, and fell in love. Judy was unable to move to Britain for family reasons so Bernard went to the States where he was refused a Green Card. He decided to earn a living by writing, a job that did not need a permit from the US government - and for some years he had been wanting to write the adventures of a British soldier in the Napoleonic wars - and so the Sharpe series was born. Bernard and Judy married in 1980, are still married, still live in the States and he is still writing Sharpe.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New/Old Series?, September 22, 2008

By 

L. J. C. Wise - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wildtrack (Kindle Edition)

I thought I was familiar with all of Cornwell's novels. Guess I was wrong. But I noted the copyright date of 1988 on this one, so it's been around for a while. Maybe he's got a new publisher. At any rate, this is very different from his historical novels. His main character is an ex-British Army Captain, severely wounded in the Falklands, who wants nothing more than to go to sea in his old, much-restored, wooden sailboat. There are hints of Nevil Shute's aviation-based stories, and of Dick Francis's racing stories -- essentially a story built around technical details of sailing and a reasonably plausible "thriller" plot. I noted in the Kindle edition a listing of five books in "The Sailing Thrillers" category. Think that I'll look for them. If you're looking for typical Cornwell historical fiction, this isn't it. If you like a nice read with modern sailing challenges, this is pretty good.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Star for Cornwell, June 29, 2008

By 

Henry Y. Stuart "Educator" (El Segundo, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wildtrack: A Novel of Suspense (Paperback)

The first thing the reader becomes aware of is that Cornwell really knows sailing. He know all the terminology, and ins and outs of sail craft. His characters are plausible and appealing. The plot develops well and has some surprising twists. Bernard Cornwell is a master story teller. Anyone who loves the sea and adventure stories will love this book.
Henry Stuart

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for the Nautically Obsessed, July 15, 2010

By 

Bruce B. "Bruce B." (Auburn Hills, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wildtrack: A Novel of Suspense (Paperback)

To fans of Cornwell's great historical fiction, the novels in the thriller series may disappoint. These are modern mysteries (inverted detective stories) with sailing themes and accurate accounts of seamanship and nautical lore. The thriller series includes "Wildtrack" (1988), "Sea Lord" (1989), "Crackdown" (1990), and "Storm Child" (1991) -- so these were published during the release of several novels in the Sharpe series. For the nautically obsessed, these are highly recommended.