This is the second book in Alaric Bond's "Fighting Sail" series. I previously reviewed the first book in the series, His Majesty's Ship, on this blog.
Like His Majesty's Ship, Mr. Bond does a fine job with this tale of the voyage of Pandora (the jackass frigate herself). What is a jackass frigate, you ask? I will encourage you to read the book to find out.
There are many series of novels in the sub-genre of Age of Sail fiction. However, I have found only a few whose first book encouraged me to read further in the series. Mr. Bond's first effort, however, did so entice me to travel onward. The Jackass Frigate did not disappoint, and I look forward to the rest of the series.
What attracts me the most to the "Fighting Sail" series is Bond's attention to the men of the lower deck. So much of this genre is populated by characters who are officers in the Royal Navy, so Bond's approach is refreshing. While he does not neglect the upper ranks, the common jack tar gets equal billing.
Like the first book, The Jackass Frigate has multiple viewpoint characters, sometimes changing within individual scenes, but Bond has the ability to keep the reader's focus clear. His relatively short scenes and forward flow of narrative makes the book an easy read.
One of the sub-plots I enjoyed was the "ghost" who appeared here and there throughout most of the story, though I admit I almost wished that thread had run a bit longer. However, I can see why Bond revealed the truth behind the "ghost" because shortly thereafter is when the book crescendos to its climactic scene-a fleet action with the Spanish, during which the Pandora serves as signal ship for the British line-of-battle ships.
I'm not someone who reads historical fiction to "meet" real-life people as characters, but I did enjoy Bond including the famous Lord Nelson in the final battle. This was the first time I had seen an author rise to that challenge, and Bond does a seamless treatment of the fabled naval hero.
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A fresh take on nautical adventure fiction
Alaric Bond's Jackass Frigate is comfortable and familiar while managing to be fresh and distinctive at the same time, not an easy trick to pull off. More than anything else, it is simply fun to read. I picked it up and literally had a hard time putting it down. While that may be a cliché, in my case, it was indeed true.Virtually every work of naval fiction since Marryatt has followed a young officer; whether as midshipman, lieutenant, captain or admiral. Jackass Frigate is different. Bond uses a wide range of characters and perspectives from the gun deck, to the cockpit, to the quarterdeck. Eighteenth century men-of-war were the most complex, technologically advanced machines of their day, requiring a wide range of skills and abilities to function It took far more than the officers on the quarterdeck to sail and to fight. Jackass Frigate gives the reader a glimpse at the ship in action, from top to bottom.Bond gives voice to topmen, gunners, surgeon's mates, landsmen and idlers, as well as to the midshipmen, lieutenants, the master and, of course, the captain. The danger to this approach is that the voices can become jumbled, which to Bond's credit somehow doesn't happen. He has the enviable skill of making each sufficiently distinctive to stand out while under way or in the heat of battle. The shift between the various voices and perspectives is remarkably smooth and seamless.Jackass Frigate follows the newly fitted out HMS Pandora from her maiden voyage to join the Mediterranean fleet in 1796 to the battle of Cape St. Vincent. Along the way, the captain and crew they find themselves surrounded by a French fleet, the First Lieutenant is murdered, rumors spread of a specter aboard ship, and they must fight in desperate single ship combat and assist in a brutal fleet battle. We also rub elbows with Admiral Jarvis and a young Commodore Nelson.Lively, fast paced, and cinematic in scope, Jackass Frigate is a truly entertaining read.
Top reviews from other countries
Justin
A great insight into the life on board a frigate
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 14, 2013