Home - Historic Naval Fiction

Hello and welcome to Astrodene’s Historic Naval Fiction.

This site is dedicated to the Age of Sail and the transition to steam, and in particular the time of "Nelson's Navy" when sailing ships roamed and fought throughout the oceans of the world. Probably most people have heard of Horatio Hornblower the hero created by C S Forester but over the years many more authors and their heroes have appeared and these pages will summarise them under the Authors A-Z. You can also find them via the Book Title Index. If you want to chat about them or read additional reviews and comments not on this site why not join my Historic Naval Fiction forum.

I aim to provide details of all the naval fiction novels from the age of sail that have been written, not just the Royal Navy but the US Navy, the Bombay Marine and others. Many of these books are now out of print so I have also brought links to purchase them together in the online store. Please browse the various sections for further information. Let me know if you find my pages interesting, or if you know of another author that should be included, by using the contact form available in Contact Me. If you would like to receive a monthly email notification of what's new please subscribe to my newsletter.

Castaway Dreams (PB)

Details: Other Releases; Created on Thursday, 17 May 2012 16:40; By Darlene Marshall

Darlene Marshall has a new book which was recently released worldwide, Castaway Dreams. It is available in Paperback and ebook formats.

After a lifetime in the Royal Navy, surgeon Alexander Murray knows one cannot exist without a brain, yet Daphne Farnham may be the exception. Her head contains nothing but rainbows, shoes, bonnets, pink frills and butterflies. Even her fluffy dog is useless. But the war with Napoleon is finally over and Alexander is sure he can put up with the cloth-headed Miss Farnham only for a couple of months until they reach England.

Did that naval officer have his sense of humor surgically removed? It is bad enough Alexander has no fashion sensibilities, never smiles at Daphne like other men do and doesn't adore her darling pup Pompom. He had the gall to proclaim her "useless" when everyone knows it's Daphne who's the best at picking out just the right ensemble for any social occasion. Fortunately, she has to put up with the sour Scotsman only for a couple of months until they reach England.

'Enemies at Every Turn' Paperback now available for order

Details: Astrodene's HNF Blog; Created on Thursday, 17 May 2012 00:10; By David Hayes

The Paperback version of Enemies at Every Turn by David Donachie is now available for pre-order worldwide. It is due to be published in 15 November 2012.

Silver: Return to Treasure Island (HC)

Details: Other Releases; Created on Wednesday, 16 May 2012 00:00; By Andrew Motion

Sir Andrew Motion (Poet Laureate 1999-2009) has a new book which was recently released in the UK, Silver: Return to Treasure Island. It is available in Hardcover and other formats and will be released in the US on 7 August 2012.

July, 1802. In the marshy eastern reaches of the Thames lies the Hispaniola, an inn kept by Jim Hawkins and his son. Young Jim spends his days roaming the mist-shrouded estuaries, running errands for his father and listening to his stories in the taproom; tales of adventures on the high seas, of curses, murder and revenge, black spots and buried treasure - and of a man with a wooden leg.

Late one night, a mysterious girl named Natty arrives on the river with a request for Jim from her father - Long John Silver. Aged and weak, but still possessing a strange power, the pirate proposes that Jim and Natty sail to Treasure Island in search of Captain Flint's hidden bounty, the 'beautiful bar silver' left behind many years before. Silver has chartered a ship and a hardy crew for this purpose, whose captain is waiting only for the map, now locked away at the Hispaniola.

Making haste from London, Jim and Natty set off in the footsteps of their fathers, their tentative friendship growing stronger day by day. But the thrill of the ocean odyssey gives way to terror as the Nightingale reaches its destination, for it seems that Treasure Island is not as uninhabited as it once was...

"...our flag was still there" (PB)

Details: Non-Fiction Releases; Created on Tuesday, 15 May 2012 00:00; By William H. White

Covering the land as well as the sea campaigns, William H. White has a new book recently released in paperback, "...our flag was still there": The Sea History Press Guide to the War of 1812 - Its History and Bicentennial Commemorations. It is currently only available in the US.

As we approach the bicentennial of the War of 1812, "...our flag was still there" will explore the issues that led up to the declaration of war, political tensions, events and the key players. Maritime historian and award-winning author William H. White will guide readers through the highlights of both the land campaigns and the sea battles and answer the questions: "What really happened?" and "Why does it matter?" "...our flag was still there" also serves as a guidebook to the upcoming bicentennial celebrations across the country.

Review: Bring it Close by Helen Hollick

Details: Book Reviews; Created on Saturday, 12 May 2012 00:00; By David Hayes

Book 3 in the Sea Witch series, Bring it Close continues to reveal the lives of the pirate Jesamiah Acorne and the witch Tiola.

When you are an ex pirate trying to stay on the right side of the law and after your fiance finds you have been with another woman she has headed of to the town where an old enemy, the notorious pirate Blackbeard, is based life is bound to get complicated. Couple that with the fact that his fiance is a witch and the 'other woman' is the widow of the brother he murdered and then weave it all into the true story of Blackbeard's final weeks and you have the makings of an excellent story.

An Interview with J. D. Davies

Details: Astrodene's HNF Blog; Created on Wednesday, 09 May 2012 00:00; By David Hayes

Historic Naval Fiction is pleased to have obtained an Interview with J. D. Davies on the release of his new book in theJournals of Matthew Quinton, The Blast That Tears The Skies.

What can you tell us about Matthew Quinton's new adventures in The Blast That Tears the Skies, without spoiling the plot for readers?

The Blast That Tears The Skies, the third book in the series, is set in the year 1665 and places Matthew, his friends and family, at the heart of several real events, notably the terrible plague in London and the battle of Lowestoft, the first fleet action of the second Anglo-Dutch wars and one of the great epics of the age of sail. Many real figures of the Restoration age appear in the book, notably King Charles II, John Evelyn and Samuel Pepys. The story also includes some shocking revelations about his family's past and a showdown with the scheming seductress who has married his brother, the Earl of Ravensden.

Chatham Dockyard: The Rise and Fall of a Military Industrial Complex (HC)

Details: Non-Fiction Releases; Created on Sunday, 06 May 2012 00:00; By Philip MacDougall

Philip MacDougall has a new book which is now available for pre-order in hardcover, Chatham Dockyard: The Rise and Fall of a Military Industrial Complex. It will be released wordlwide on 1 June 2012.

Founded in 1570, Chatham Dockyard quickly became one of the most important naval yards for the repair and building of warships, maintaining a pre-eminent position for the next 400 years. Located on the River Medway, in all, the yard was responsible for the construction of over 500 warships, these ranging from simple naval pinnaces through to first-rates that fought at Trafalgar, and concluding with the hunter-killer submarines of the nuclear age. In this detailed new history of the yard from experienced local and maritime author Philip MacDougall, particular attention is given to the final two hundred years of the yard's history, the artisans and labourers who worked there and the changing methods used in the construction of some of the finest warships to enter naval service. Coinciding with the dockyard's seeking status as a World Heritage site, this fascinating history places Chatham firmly in its overall historical context.