Victory: A Kydd Sea Adventure »

Julian Stockwin is a retired lieutenant commander of the Royal Navy Reserve. He entered the British Navy at age 15 and was eventually named a Member of the British Empire. He is the author of the Kydd Sea Adventures series.

In the 11th book of this popular series, Napoleon Bonaparte continues planning for the invasion of England as Admiral Horatio Nelson and the Royal Navy patrol the seas, seeking out their elusive enemy. When convoluted political machinations in England lead to the impeachment of the head of the Navy, Commander Thomas Kydd is forced to choose sides. Eager to take on the real enemy, Kydd decides to join Nelson’s squadron just before the Battle of Trafalgar, the greatest sea encounter of all time. Amidst the chaos and bloodshed, Kydd and his shipmates must prove once and for all that the Royal Navy truly rules the seas.

Publishers Weekly

The sails are mostly slack in Stockwin's latest Thomas Kydd sea adventure. It's 1805, and as the British prepare for Napoleon's expected invasion of England, Kydd, a rising star in the Royal Navy, is given command of a frigate and ordered to join admiral Lord Horatio Nelson's forces in the Mediterranean. Much of the story is taken up with historical naval activity such as the British blockade of French ports and Nelson's pursuit of the French fleet across the Atlantic and back, with all of the sailing leading up to the Battle of Trafalgar, where the British defeat the combined French and Spanish fleets. Unfortunately, Kydd plays no part in the epic sea battle. In fact, Kydd and his ship spend most of this tale patrolling and carrying messages between fleets. Stockwin is a master of vivid, accurate narratives of seamanship and Napoleonic era naval warfare, but the lack of suspense and uneven bouts of action leave this series installment feeling limp. (Oct.)