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 Historical 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 making an entry in the Guestbook or using the contact form available in Contact Us.
In Fortunes's Favorite Christopher Valin puts forward a balanced and convincing case for greater recognition to be attributed to Sir Charles Douglas, both for his action at the Battle of the Saints, and as the instigator of many refinements to naval gunnery; improvements that certainly gave the British an edge in future conflicts.
Douglas come across as an interesting character; certainly as complex as any found in fiction. He spoke six languages, was married three times, lost the use of his left arm relatively early in his career, spent a good deal of time serving in the Dutch Navy, and was partially responsible for reorganising the Russian Navy for Catherine the Great. He also influenced the lives of several notable naval officers who grew to prominence on his interest.
Astrodene's Historic Naval fiction is pleased to have obtained an Interview with Mark Keating, author of the recently released The Pirate Devlin.
What inspired you to begin writing?
It was mostly out of frustration. I was in one of those lulls where I didn’t have a book primed and wanted to try something different. I tried to find some pirate fiction, as a change of pace, but came up short on finding any that satisfied. I thought that if there wasn’t one that engaged me I’d try and write one. I’d never written anything before but I knew what I liked to read so I did it out of pleasure thinking it would just be a pastime. It wasn’t that I thought I could write, just that I had no reason to believe that I couldn’t.
After a few weeks I was enjoying it so much that every evening stretched way past midnight and when I was about halfway through I gave it to some friends and they came back with positive responses and they wanted more.
I think that's the hardest part of writing: the moment when you give it to someone else for, what is essentially, judgement. I never thought that the first book I wrote would be picked up within two weeks of my finishing it. It's still a blur. I've been lucky.
Although his diary is now Samuel Pepys’s most famous work, it was unknown until long after his death. He only published one book in his lifetime, Memoires relating to the state of the Royal Navy of England, for ten years, determin'd December 1688, his account of the administration of the Navy from 1679 until his dismissal from office with regime change in 1688. It was published in 1690. With the exception of a 1971 edition titled Pepys' Memoires of the Royal Navy, 1679-1688, it has been out of print since 1908.
A new hardcover edition titled Pepy's Memoires of the Royal Navy, 1690with a new introduction by David Davies which explains the political controversy that formed the background to the book’s publication, and shows how Pepys manipulated his mastery of arcane information (indeed, he would have made an ideal spin-doctor to a modern government), was released yesterday in the UK and will be released on 15 June 2010 in the US
This eighth novel of the Honor Series begins with Commander Peter Wake, of the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Intelligence, at New York City in 1886, where he meets two intense young men who will dramatically influence his life: Theodore Roosevelt and José Martí. Presented with a secret coded message, he deciphers it for Roosevelt, and soon wishes he hadn't.
Returning to Washington, he is assigned to follow up on the secret message and uncover the extent of Cuban revolutionary activities between Florida and Cuba, along with investigating rumors of Spanish government agents operating in Key West. Most of all, this is to be accomplished quietly, to prevent international embarrassment for newly elected President Grover Cleveland, the first Democrat in the White House in 25 years.
Fortunes's Favorite grabbed my attention from the start and the authors passion for his subject came through clearly. I have read a few non-fiction books recently where the the Battle of the Saints has featured and credit for the Breaking the Line manouvere has been given either to Rodney or Clerk of Eldin and this book brings together all the evidence, including extracts of many contemporary letters, that makes it clear Sir Charles Douglas has not received the credit he deserves.
The impact of Trafalgar has long had the effect of concentrating the world upon Nelson as our greatest sailor but at the same time it has pushed many other brave, skilled and deserving officers into the shadows. It would seem Sir Charles Douglas must be added to this list.
Peter the Great created a navy from nothing, but it challenged and soon surpassed Sweden as the Baltic naval power, while in the Black Sea it became an essential tool in driving back the Ottoman Turks from the heartland of Europe. In battle it was surprisingly successful, and at times in the eighteenth century was the third largest navy in the world - yet its history, and especially its ships, are virtually unrecorded in the West.
I've just finished the first book in the trilogy, The Eaglet at the Battle of Minorca and I am happy to report a successful mission. Mariner* is a talented writer who draws the reader into the the story of Winchip's first missions in command of the Eaglet during the months leading up to the Battle of Minorca, while skillfully interweaving short flashbacks, bits of narrative and dialogue to reveal Winchip's back story without boring the reader.
In this tale, we witness several of Winchip's encounters with Admiral Byng, who is presented in a very favorable light, despite the incongruities of an admiral expressing dissatisfaction with his superiors to a subordinate. This I forgave, attributing it to a bit of artistic license that allowed Mariner to reveal the admiral's inner thoughts without subjecting us to reading boring letters, or having to unrealistically place Winchip in the position of over-hearing conversations between Byng and his confidants. In any event, we are left with a picture of Byng as a courageous, honorable leader who is intent on doing his best for his king and country.
This eighth novel of the Honor Series begins with Commander Peter Wake, of the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Intelligence, at New York City in 1886, where he meets two intense young men who will dramatically influence his life: Theodore Roosevelt and José Martí. Presented with a secret coded message, he deciphers it for Roosevelt, and soon wishes he hadn't.
Returning to Washington, he is assigned to follow up on the secret message and uncover the extent of Cuban revolutionary activities between Florida and Cuba, along with investigating rumors of Spanish government agents operating in Key West. Most of all, this is to be accomplished quietly, to prevent international embarrassment for newly elected President Grover Cleveland, the first Democrat in the White House in 25 years.
Author Seth Hunter has a new novel which is now available for pre-order in hardcover, The Price of Glory, due for release on 8 July 2010.
Nathan Peake charts a perilous course through the treacherous seas off Brittany and into the even more dangerous waters of post-Revolutionary Paris. There he encounters two of the most beautiful and scandalous courtesans in history - and their little toy soldier, laughingly dubbed Captain Cannon, who is about to win enduring fame as Napoleon Bonaparte. Returned to the command of the frigate Unicorn, Nathan is sent to join another young glory-seeker, Captain Horatio Nelson, in a bid to wreck Bonaparte's plans for the invasion of Italy.
Author Peter Smalley has a new novel which is now available for pre-order in hardcover, The Pursuit, due for release on 6 May 2010.
It was Spring 1792. HMS Expedient and her crew have survived their most perilous commission yet: the dead have been buried and the battle scars repaired. Captain James Rennie is anxious to be active again after a year on the beach. And this time he longs for regular service with the Fleet as opposed to the extraordinarily dangerous detached missions he has been assigned by Britain's shadowy spy masters in the last few years.
In 
Astrodene's Historic Naval fiction is pleased to have obtained an Interview with Mark Keating, author of the recently released 
Although his diary is now Samuel Pepys’s most famous work, it was unknown until long after his death. He only published one book in his lifetime, 
Author 
Authors John Tredrea and Eduard Sozaev have a new book out which is now available for pre-order in hardcover, 
I've just finished the first book in the trilogy, 
top
Author 
Author 