Publisher's Weekly Review
After losing his first ship to a storm, Matthew Quinton, the 21-year-old gentleman hero of this promising 17th-century English nautical saga, is given a second chance when newly restored King Charles II names him the captain of the frigate Jupiter and orders him to Scotland to stop a potential rebellion. The novice captain has to deal with warring clans, the temptation of a beautiful countess, Dutch intervention, allegations that the Jupiter's previous captain was murdered, and, eventually, a surprising foe. The author does a creditable job of dramatizing life in Samuel Pepys's navy, and by the explosive climax, Quinton has developed into a hero worth rooting for and meeting again in further exploits. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
A sprightly fictionalized account of the fatal cleft in loyalties among seamen following Charles II's restoration in 1660.English historian Davies (Pepsy's Navy, 2008, etc.) applies his impressive depth of knowledge of the 17th-century British navy to re-create the chaotic state of affairs that reigned when Cromwell's Commonwealth collapsed and Charles II was invited back to the throne. The seas had been commanded handily over the previous 11 years by the Commonwealth seamenthe humble but capable "tarpaulins"whose achievements included beating the Dutch in the maritime war of 1652'54. These commanders were now regarded as having suspicious allegiances, and Charles needed captains loyal to king and throne"gentlemen captains," chosen by breeding rather than competence, such as our 21-year-old narrator Matthew Quinton, the younger brother of the current Earl of Ravensden. Summoned by the king for a new assignment, despite his disastrous previous commission as captain of theHappy Restoration, which ended in a shipwreck only months before, Quinton is ordered for immediate boarding of theJupiter, which, along with its companion,Royal Martyr, is supposed to sail to the Scottish isles and intercept a huge arms shipment lest it fall into the hands of the restive Scottish clans. Ominously, theJupiter's previous captain, James Harker, died under shadowy circumstances. Davies, steeped in the language of the era, proceeds to depict the drama with confidence and verve, and he fashions a convincing crew of personalities and types, such as Quinton's irreplaceable mate Kit Farrell, who teaches his master the ropes in exchange for learning to read and write. Along the way, Davies takes every opportunity to feed the reader some British dynastic history, but the writing is natural and well worth the instruction.A delightful tale.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Fans of high-seas adventures by Patrick O'Brian or C. S. Forester should definitely be steered in the direction of this rousing first novel by an expert in seventeenth-century British naval history. This really is a splendid book, with terrific characters, a thrilling adventure, and a wonderful sense of time and place. The year is 1662. Matthew Quinton, born into a noble family, is a ship's captain with a poor record, having seen his first command sink to the bottom of the sea. Surprisingly, the king asks Quinton to take command of a new vessel, the Jupiter, and set sail for Scotland, where antiroyalist rebels are causing concern. Commanding an unwilling crew, with only a few supporters, Quinton is forced to learn the ways of the sea . . . or, perhaps, die trying. Davies is a talented storyteller, with a real gift for memorable phrases and visually evocative prose He writes, for example, about a storm's wind that came straight from the flatulence of hell's own bowels. Quinton is a likable and sympathetic lead, a gentleman who surprises even himself with his inner reserves of strength and bravery. The book is the first in a projected series, which should be jolly good news for anyone who reads this one.--Pitt, David Copyright 2010 Booklist
