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Nathaniel Drinkwater #14
Ebb Tide
It is 1843 and Captain Nathaniel Sir Drinkwater embarks on the paddle-steamer Vestal for an inspection of lighthouses on the west coast of England. Bowed with age and honors, the old sea officer has been drawn from retirement on half-pay to fulfill his public duty. The following day, tragedy strikes, and Drinkwater is confronted with his past life: his sins and follies, his triumphs and his disasters.
Drawing on a true incident, Richard Woodman deftly concludes the career of his sea hero. Drinkwater's complex character is revealed in its entirety. Far from being the reminiscences of an old man, the novel skillfully weaves the past with the present; the personal tensions below decks, the straining creak of a man-of-war under sail, the crack of a cannon shot, and the plaintive mews of the trailing gulls are never far away. To the end, Nathaniel Drinkwater's life is full of incident and the unexpected, so typical of the sea officers of his day.
Drawing on a true incident, Richard Woodman deftly concludes the career of his sea hero. Drinkwater's complex character is revealed in its entirety. Far from being the reminiscences of an old man, the novel skillfully weaves the past with the present; the personal tensions below decks, the straining creak of a man-of-war under sail, the crack of a cannon shot, and the plaintive mews of the trailing gulls are never far away. To the end, Nathaniel Drinkwater's life is full of incident and the unexpected, so typical of the sea officers of his day.
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2002
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56 people want to read
About the author
Richard Woodman
132 books70 followersCaptain Richard Martin Woodman was an English novelist and naval historian who retired in 1997 from a 37-year nautical career, mainly working for Trinity House, to write full-time.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 5, 2016
This is the last volume of a 14 book series recounting the British naval adventures of Nathaniel Drinkwater during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This series ranks as a classic member of the age of fighting sail genre and I have enjoyed it immeasurably. Admittedly I am a fan of this genre and despair at the conclusion of this series as I found this author's treatment of his hero quite unique. The series tracks Drinkwater's career in the British Navy from his entry as a young boy midshipman until the end as a an 80 year old retired post captain. During the various exploits recounted in these books the author has given his hero all the virtues and vices the, strengths and weaknesses, and the certainties and doubts that inhabit a normal man. Drinkwater is a fallible human being whom providence favors and ignores in all the unpredictable circumstances of life. It is this humanity which probably endears him to the reader and makes this reader admire the author. This last volume is unique in the series and as a last act that is probably to be expected. In this book Drinkwater is now 80 years old and is invited on an excursion for the Trinity House as a gesture to his becoming a senior elder of that organization. A tragedy occurs which places Drinkwater in serious jeopardy and it is during this stressful situation that Drinkwater reflects on past events of his life and career. In fact the book is something of a collection of short stories or episodes that allows the author to wrap-up loose ends of plot that were started in other volumes of the series. I suppose the author felt obligated to use this device to satisfy loyal readers and for that he should be commended. Following the resolution of these loose ends the author brings the Drinkwater series to satisfactory conclusion. This is a series worth reading for any fan of this genre. I found these books much more enjoyable than any by Patrick O'Brian and certainly easier to read.
March 11, 2019
A fitting end to the Nathaniel Drinkwater series. Sad the tale is over but all stories need an ending.
September 18, 2021
At the very least I would have to say this is a very unconventional series. All the other Hornblower clones are pretty much action oriented with the authors trying to throw in some curves to make their books distinct and mostly not succeeding. I had already started and could not stand to finish the Lewrie, Kidd and Ramage series.
This Drinkwater (ND) series had a promising start but seem to have lost its way. The author (Woodman) does a pretty good job of fleshing out his characters and giving them good stories but in the end this is still a naval fiction series and he doesn't do a good job of segueing them together. Hornblower remains the best of this genre by merging action, depth of character and brevity perfectly.
Spoilers ahead:
Plot: This is the last of the series and due to the huge gap in which ND was not a naval officer, Woodson had a very short time to put ND in action. In this last book, the background is of ND way after the war (in 1845 I think) on a paddle boat with sails. Interspersed within the narrative are stories while ND is drowning.
1) ND is back on the Cyclops. His acting commission as lieutenant was not confirmed because the Royal George sank and the confirmation sank with it. Captain Hope also died in the sinking and a new and incompetent Captain Smetherley and tyrannical first Lt. Calloway are installed making everyone on the ship miserable. They experience a lot of tyrannical events until they fight a French frigate where ND saves the day by single handedly turning the tide against French boarders. He is not recognized but Calloway is promoted to commander.
This is one of the reasons I don't like some of Woodson's writing. We all live vicariously through the characters and the whole experience of this chapter is miserable, without even a good ending. Who needs it.
2) It's the 100 days after Napoleon's abdication and ND gets a message from Hortense who dies in the attempt to bring him a message from his brother. Apparently his brother is in Calais and needs his help to rescue him a a baroness and her two children.
ND sails to France with his own cutter Kestrel with Frey as lieutenant. They land and trudge miles with Edward (his brother) to a farm house to finally reach the baroness. They walk back but by the time they get to the beach they are followed by French cavalry. They managed to get back to the ship but Edward is shot and dies.
Two luggers full of men follow them. ND bests them with his sailing skill and knowledge of local waters. First he sails over a shoal that the luggers have to go around, then he sails right next to the Sunk alarm ship. As the first lugger passes, the alarm ship blasts it with its carronade. ND follows up with his swivels. The lugger strikes and they sail back into port with a prize.
Not a bad short story and finally closes the chapter on his brother and Hortense. Too bad around the Russian Cossack though, he would have made a great retainer. The only problem is the Cossacks are supposed to be small not huge burly bearded giants. They are light cavalry scouts not heavy.
There are I think 3 more short stories but they are forgettable. I'm on next book already and I've already forgotten them. They're more like fillers than anything else. A poor ending to the last book, more like a book written to fulfill an obligation to the publisher.
This Drinkwater (ND) series had a promising start but seem to have lost its way. The author (Woodman) does a pretty good job of fleshing out his characters and giving them good stories but in the end this is still a naval fiction series and he doesn't do a good job of segueing them together. Hornblower remains the best of this genre by merging action, depth of character and brevity perfectly.
Spoilers ahead:
Plot: This is the last of the series and due to the huge gap in which ND was not a naval officer, Woodson had a very short time to put ND in action. In this last book, the background is of ND way after the war (in 1845 I think) on a paddle boat with sails. Interspersed within the narrative are stories while ND is drowning.
1) ND is back on the Cyclops. His acting commission as lieutenant was not confirmed because the Royal George sank and the confirmation sank with it. Captain Hope also died in the sinking and a new and incompetent Captain Smetherley and tyrannical first Lt. Calloway are installed making everyone on the ship miserable. They experience a lot of tyrannical events until they fight a French frigate where ND saves the day by single handedly turning the tide against French boarders. He is not recognized but Calloway is promoted to commander.
This is one of the reasons I don't like some of Woodson's writing. We all live vicariously through the characters and the whole experience of this chapter is miserable, without even a good ending. Who needs it.
2) It's the 100 days after Napoleon's abdication and ND gets a message from Hortense who dies in the attempt to bring him a message from his brother. Apparently his brother is in Calais and needs his help to rescue him a a baroness and her two children.
ND sails to France with his own cutter Kestrel with Frey as lieutenant. They land and trudge miles with Edward (his brother) to a farm house to finally reach the baroness. They walk back but by the time they get to the beach they are followed by French cavalry. They managed to get back to the ship but Edward is shot and dies.
Two luggers full of men follow them. ND bests them with his sailing skill and knowledge of local waters. First he sails over a shoal that the luggers have to go around, then he sails right next to the Sunk alarm ship. As the first lugger passes, the alarm ship blasts it with its carronade. ND follows up with his swivels. The lugger strikes and they sail back into port with a prize.
Not a bad short story and finally closes the chapter on his brother and Hortense. Too bad around the Russian Cossack though, he would have made a great retainer. The only problem is the Cossacks are supposed to be small not huge burly bearded giants. They are light cavalry scouts not heavy.
There are I think 3 more short stories but they are forgettable. I'm on next book already and I've already forgotten them. They're more like fillers than anything else. A poor ending to the last book, more like a book written to fulfill an obligation to the publisher.
December 10, 2024
This is the last of the Nathaniel Drinkwater series. So through the fourteen books of this series we the readers have met many adventures and tragedies in Drinkwater's life. However all things must come to an end. This book looks back on the life and career of Drinkwater as it reveals the ending of the series. Many loose endings are brought to a conclusion, as to how satisfactory they are done I will leave to reader to decide. The question that looms in my mind is did I enjoy this book or not. The answer to me is yes. Would I have chanced anything in this book, yes I would have. I would have had Drinkwater return to a younger version of himself to sail the seas forever.
This whole series is one that I will shelve with along with Hornblower, Ramage, Laurie, Bolitho, Sharpe, and Kydd. These tell a story of an age that has and will fascinate many readers to come over the years.
This whole series is one that I will shelve with along with Hornblower, Ramage, Laurie, Bolitho, Sharpe, and Kydd. These tell a story of an age that has and will fascinate many readers to come over the years.
August 23, 2019
Fine conclusion to wonderful series
It had to end — 14 books is a long series— and the author has come up with an ingenious plot devious. Part of the novel is flashbacks, filling in and extending themes and characters from prior books. The other part is Drinkwater’s demise. The narrative thus jumps around, but the author makes it work. I’ll miss Drinkwater, but this is a worthy send-off.
It had to end — 14 books is a long series— and the author has come up with an ingenious plot devious. Part of the novel is flashbacks, filling in and extending themes and characters from prior books. The other part is Drinkwater’s demise. The narrative thus jumps around, but the author makes it work. I’ll miss Drinkwater, but this is a worthy send-off.
June 24, 2017
I thought it a cleverly thought out plot to conclude a series! Now searching charity shops for the books I missed! Abebooks if all else fails.
March 28, 2019
A fine final novel of the a great enjoyable series
February 17, 2021
Nathaniel Drinkwater.
Having read the whole series of the Drinkwater books I have found them very entertaining, both in technical detail and in strong storylines. Excellent.
Having read the whole series of the Drinkwater books I have found them very entertaining, both in technical detail and in strong storylines. Excellent.
September 8, 2023
This book is an awful anticlimax to the enjoyable series. It opens with the death of ND so what is there to say after that. Definitely, a waste of money.
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March 17, 2025Drinkwater dies.
December 29, 2020
Crappy ending to the series.
June 21, 2010
In October 2009, I started the Nathaniel Drinkwater series by reading "The Eye of the Fleet." "Ebb Tide" is the last of the books. The first introduced the main character as a young boy serving in the British Royal Navy in the 1770's. The "biography" concludes in 1841 having taken Nathaniel's adventures from the American Revolution through the wars of the French Revolution and Empire. Captain Nataniel Sir Drinkwater is now in his eighties and he forgoes his retirement to check on lighthouses on the west coast of England. The ship that transports him in a paddle-steamer - the new breed of water craft for the navy. His end is not ignoble, more a fitting conclusion for someone whose first love was the sea.
December 14, 2016
Boy, I really hated the ending! Er, the ending of the series and the manner of Drinkwater's end, that is. I suppose, all things considered, the irony is fitting with the character of the tale.
Anyway, IMHO, this final installment satisfactorily answers a lot of questions by fleshing-out some of the backstory omitted during the course of the series and tying-up all the loose ends.
Overall, I would rate this final installment 4½ stars, rounded up to FIVE to encompass the entire saga.
Anyway, IMHO, this final installment satisfactorily answers a lot of questions by fleshing-out some of the backstory omitted during the course of the series and tying-up all the loose ends.
Overall, I would rate this final installment 4½ stars, rounded up to FIVE to encompass the entire saga.
April 20, 2014
No spoilers - but an extra star for a clever way to bring the series to a close
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews