Richard Bolitho - Midshipman is the first book of Alexander Kent’s (Douglas Reeman’s) Bolitho series. Published in 1975, it introduces the reader to 16 year old Richard Bolitho as he boards his second ship, the HMS Gorgon. The time is 1772 and England is at peace but that doesn’t mean that the officers and men of His Majesty’s Royal Navy are idle. The Gorgon is sent to the coast of North Africa with the orders to end the plague of piracies that occur there. This is a real salt-spray in your hair, boom of cannon in your ear high seas adventure that is bound to keep you on the edge of your seat turning page after page. I recommend this book to all lovers of history and the sea. It is the introduction to a truly remarkable and highly readable series.
Having heard of this series and still on a Napoleonic War/Age of Sail kick, I decided to seek it out. The writing is simpler and more straightforward than Master and Commander (it's really not fair to compare the two--despite similar settings they're very different works), and the author takes more time to explain what's going on in terms the reader might understand. This obviously has its benefits, but I ended up feeling less immersed in the world. On the other hand, in many ways I could imagine the ship and the surroundings more clearly. There's more boyish derring-do and heroics, less politics and interpersonal complications. A pleasant read, and I'm curious to see where the series goes.
Young cornishman Richard Bolitho comes from a long line of seafaring men. In 1772 he is assigned to the Gorgon, an 74 gun, ship of the line, as a midshipman. Fellow midshipman Martyn Dancer and himself distinguish themselves in the pursuit of pirates on the African coast. I really liked this book. While in essence it's not much different than other books in the historic naval fiction genre, I found the writing smoother and the descriptions not quite as confusing. I love the thought that I will get to follow Richards career to the end and then continue the series with his nephew Adam.
—Dawn
I do love a high sea tale! And this one didn't disappoint. I've seen every Hornblower series over and over and love the adventure of new lands, brawls, warships and handsome ship commanders which Midshipman Bolitho Sea Adventures by Alexander Kent contains.With the old British language it could become a bit of a drag at times, but then!! A new combat arises and unfairness to sailors gets your goat and the whole bloody thing keeps me turning a page.I liked it for the genre it is. I liked it for the sense of adventure it stirred in me. I like it because the author wrote a good story.
—June Ahern
