Destiny's tide by J.D. Davies

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Once a vibrant town, Dunwich’s importance dwindles because of Mother Nature and because of its rivalries with other Suffolk towns. Jack and his father, Peter Stannard, are English traders whose ships make them important merchants in Dunwich. But growing up in Peter’s shadow is fraught with peril, for Peter is abusive and Jack never measures up to his deceased older brother. His father’s penchant for drink and strange affliction only worsens the abuse that Jack endures.

Jack has high hopes to reclaim his town’s stature by answering King Henry’s summons to first teach the Scots a lesson for reneging on a promise to wed their infant queen Mary to Prince Edward and then attack France. Jack commands the Suffolk contingent of ships, much to the chagrin of Raker of Southwold and Maddox of Walberswick. The rivalry between the three towns is an ancient one, but there is bad blood between Raker and Peter. Jack doesn’t understand why, but he definitely experiences the results. No sooner do they arrive at the gathering spot for the king’s ships than he is arrested. When he finally faces his accusers, he also learns the serious charges they have brought against him.

Once a soldier, Thomas Ryman set aside his sword to take holy orders. After a decade with the Grey Friars of Dunwich, he and his fellow brothers are turned out of their home upon the king’s dissolution of the Catholic Church and its monasteries. Having last fought the Scots at Flodden Field, he decides to take up his sword once again and sail with Jack, his former student. Thomas’s familiarity with soldiering and his past contacts provide him with a means of rescuing Jack after his arrest.

This first book in the Jack Stannard of the Navy Royal series occurs between 1537 through 1547, although the principal portion of the story takes place from April 1544 through July 1545. It is a mix of life in England during perilous times and battles at sea in which ingenuity and fortitude play equal roles. Davies’s vivid and poignant portrayal of the capture of the Scottish warship Unicorn, the rescue of a Genoese captain, and the sinking of the Mary Rose keeps readers on the edges of their seats while holding their breaths. Equally compelling are scenes involving the ongoing religious changes that begin with the dissolution and climax with the partial destruction of a Dunwich church. Destiny’s Tide is also a tale of secrets, jealousy, and betrayal. Since most naval stories focus on later historical periods, it is refreshing to be to an earlier era when a temporary navy safeguards the realm and we see it begin to evolve into the royal navy we are familiar with today.




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