Pirates and Patriots

The New World Nautical #1

by David Field

Lose yourself in this gripping historical adventure! Perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden, Robyn Young, Alison Weir and Anthony Riches.

The world is Drake’s oyster…

England, 1554

Fifteen-year-old Francis Drake is realising his dream of sailing on the open seas. After training with his cousins William and John Hawkins in their naval business, he takes his first commission upon the Bonaventure.

But when disaster strikes the ship and Francis saves the men with his quick-thinking, he makes an enemy of the captain, who threatens to charge Francis with mutiny.

Francis must seek a new path to make his fortune and he joins with the Hawkins brothers to search for glory in foreign lands.

But trading on the world stage is already being dominated by Spanish and Portuguese explorers and so Francis must act quickly if he wishes to make his mark.

And as one Tudor queen makes way for another, and Spanish relations grow ever tenser, Francis Drake may soon be needed to help save his country from the threat of war...

Pirates and Patriots is the first Tudor novel in The New World Nautical Saga Series – historical adventures set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

THE NEW WORLD NAUTICAL SAGA
BOOK Pirates And Patriots
BOOK Beyond The Setting Sun
BOOK Westward To Freedom

Genres: Historical Fiction

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 2, 2023

About the author

David was born in post-war Nottingham, and educated at Nottingham High School. After obtaining a Law degree he became a career-long criminal law practitioner and academic, emigrating in 1989 to Australia, where he still lives.

Combining his two great loves of History and the English language he began writing historical novels as an escape from the realities of life in the criminal law, but did not begin to publish them until close to fulltime retirement, when digital publishing offered a viable alternative to literary agencies, print publishers and rejection slips.

Now blessed with all the time in the world, his former hobby has become a fulltime occupation as he enjoys life in rural New South Wales with his wife, sons and grandchildren to keep him firmly grounded in the reality of the contemporary world.

David Field is published by Sapere Books.

Reviews

[Ron Baumer]

A great read in what looks to be an exciting new series. The book was hard to put down. This book was a historical look at Francis Drake. The story was well written and there was plenty of action/excitement to hold your attention. A terrific read, and I cannot wait for the next one to come out.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Mr Robin Smith]

I am familiar with David Field as an excellent author of historical adventures and this book is no exception. Pirates & Patriots tells a possible fictional story of a young Francis Drake growing up from age 15 and learning much of his seafaring skills from his mentor John Tench, the owner of the “Bonadventure” the ship that eventually becomes Francis’s first ship of his own. As is usual with David Field this book is full of well researched historical background taking us through the reign of Queen Mary and into the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. For interest we also learn that Francis had two wives, coincidentally also by the names of Mary & Elizabeth. In his early days Francis learns much of the working and installation on ships of large cannon in readiness of possible conflict resulting from competition with both Portugal and Spain for future trade in the Americas. Francis also learns much from a scientist, Dr John Dee, who has discovered a way of navigating by the stars, which much improved the accuracy of ships’ navigation on long journeys. With well armed ships and the ability to navigate long journeys, Drake became one of the first transatlantic slave traders; he of course was also both a pirate and a patriot having been given permission by Elizabeth I to raid enemy ships and “claim” the cargos they carried. Francis was also famous for being the first English sailor to circumnavigate the world and was equally famous for helping defeat the attacking Spanish Armada in 1588. All in all, this book was most enjoyable and described in much detail the various battles that Drake was involved in and his adventures in all parts of the world. Anybody that has an interest in the reigns of the Tudor Queens Mary and Elizabeth I, specifically during the time of Francis Drake, will enjoy this book and I thoroughly recommend the book to one and all. I also thank Sapere Books for providing a review copy of a most enjoyable book.

[Zeb Kantrowitz]

In the middle 1500s Spain and Portugal ruled the Atlantic. Though other countries had merchant fleets, the kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula controlled the Western Hemisphere and built navies to protect the riches of gold and silver taken from the native mines.

As a young man Francis Drake looked forward to commanding one of the ships that his family built in the southern English ports. As he grew old he began to create a navy for Elizabeth. He spent years raiding the Spanish Main and circumnavigating the globe. His adventures brought him a knighthood.

What makes this an interesting read is the amount of time that Field's must have spent learning about how the average sailor lived and worked out on the Atlantic. He has a fine style that makes his battle scenes like watching a movie.

[ShellieJ]

Another fantastic book from David Field. His Medieval saga series is great too. I can't wait to read the next one in this series about Sir Walter Raleigh. I knew next to nothing about Francis Drake and I feel like the history in this one was superb. He says he had to create some of Drake's backstory but that's okay because the true history was woven into it so well. I will be reviewing it on my book blog this week https://www.shellielovesbooks.com/

I have also reviewed several of his other books on my site. Thank you David Field for preserving history in such an entertaining way! And please, please, please consider some books on the three Edwards.....that period is neglected and you would make it come alive :)

[Ishani Guha-Shepherd]

4 🌟
This is a sharp, fast-paced origin story about the young Francis Drake, it leans into ambition, conflict, and the blurred line between hero and rebel. His fallout with the Bonaventure’s captain after saving the crew is a strong early hook, pushing him toward bigger risks alongside William Hawkins and John Hawkins.
The Hawkins brothers add weight to the story, pulling Francis into the high-stakes world of trade and rivalry with Spanish and Portuguese powers. The Tudor backdrop and rising tensions with Spain give the narrative a sense of purpose, hinting at the legend he’ll become.
Overall: It’s brisk, readable, and thematically solid, though a little light on emotional depth. But still it works well as a coming-of-age tale at sea.

[Vicky Edwards]

Outside of the basic facts I learned in school, Sir Francis Drake is mostly a mystery. While Pirates and Patriots is a work of historical fiction, I found the real events of his life woven into an interesting story enjoyable to read. Having read multiple books by David Field, I can say that it fits well with his other works, but is not a favorite. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Victoria]

An easy read story about Francis Drake in the 1500s. A time when some still believed the world ended at the horizon but others were setting off to explore the world. Quite adventurous in the naval sense. It was interesting to read but I wont go for the #2 in the series. A bit blokey for me.

[Christopher Curran]

Well written

A naval adventure from the early days of British navy history. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next.

[Pete Loveday]

An excellent read , filled with wonderful descriptions of sea battles and tactics. Strongly recommended!

[Phillip Mclaughlin]

David Field writes a great sea story

Tudor England from the ascension of Elizabeth to the defeat of the Armada. This fictional piece tells the story of Francis Drake . Well done