A King's Commander

Alan Lewrie #7

by Dewey Lambdin

Alan Lewrie is now commander of HMS Jester, an 18-gun sloop. Lewrie sails into Corsica only to receive astonishing he must lure his archenemy, French commander Guillaume Choundas, into battle and personally strike the malevolent spymaster dead. With Horatio Nelson as his squadron commander on one hand and a luscious courtesan who spies for the French on the other, Lewrie must pull out all the stops if he's going to live up to his own reputation and bring glory to the British Royal Navy.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Nautical, Audiobook, Adventure, Action

445 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Dewey Lambdin (1945-2021 ) was an American nautical historical novelist. He was best known for his Alan Lewrie naval adventure series, set during the Napoleonic Wars. Besides the Alan Lewrie series, he was also the author of What Lies Buried: a novel of Old Cape Fear.

A self-proclaimed "Navy Brat," Lambdin spent a good deal of his early days on both coasts of the U.S.A., and overseas duty stations, with his father. His father enlisted as a Seaman Recruit in 1930, was "mustanged" from the lower deck (from Yeoman chief Petty Officer) at Notre Dame in '42, and was career Navy until May of 1954, when he was killed at sea aboard the USS Bennington CVA-20 (see below), on which he served as Administrative Officer, 5th in line-of-command (posthumous Lieutenant Commander).

Lambdin himself attended Castle Heights Military Academy, graduated in 1962, and was destined to be the family's first "ring-knocker" from the U.S. Naval Academy, "... until he realised that physics, calculus, and counting higher than ten were bigger than he was."[1] He studied at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, majoring in Liberal arts and Theatre, where he was published in The Theme Vault in 1963, also reprinted in a national textbook, which whetted his appetite for writing. However, he failed his degree. He finally graduated with a degree in Film & TV Production from Montana State University, Bozeman, in 1969. This was considered at the time to be the McHale's Navy of the academic set, so the nautical influence was still at work. He has worked for a network affiliate TV station as a producer/director for twelve years, an independent station as production manager and senior director/writer/ producer for three years, all in Memphis, and as a writer/producer with a Nashville advertising/production facility, or in free-lance camera, lighting and writing.

He has been a sailor since 1976 and spends his free time working and sailing on his beloved sloop Wind Dancer, with a special taste for cruising the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Lambdin has thus far resisted the temptation to trade his beloved typewriter for a computer. He lived in Nashville, Tennessee.

He was a member of the U.S. Naval Institute, a Friend of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England; Cousteau Society; the former American Film Institute; and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
-Wikipedia

Mr Lambdin passed away on July 26, 2021 at the age of 76.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/deweyl...

Reviews

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, second Alan Lewrie book I've read (back to back) this week. I like these books and wish I could give them a bit higher rating. I'm sure others will but for me every time Alan leaves his ship the story slows to a crawl.

Alan has received his first command here and having received promotion to Commander (one epaulet only). Of course being a commander instead of a "Post Captain" (at that time when a man was given a Captaincy his name was "posted" in the London Gazette) two guns were taken off his ship. You see Alan captured a Corvette from the French which had 20 guns. When it was recommissioned as a Sloop of War in the British (Royal) Navy he was given command, however a twenty gun Sloop of War required a Post Captain to be in command. A Commander could only command a 15 to 18 gun Sloop of War.

Yeah, I know..but it's important...really.

The book is a good one leading us up to the time just before Napoleon comes to the fore. While we still have to get through Alan's domestic trials and tribulations (most of which troubles he brings on himself) there is still a good story here. As noted before what I like in these books I like a great deal, though there is always a goodly amount of yawn material for me (Feebie is still with us, and Lewrie's time ashore is relished by him more than by me).

Not to spoil anything but this book after a bit of sea action turns to a bit of a spy novel. It's not bad and Lewrie will never be 007. Still it ends with a nice credible chase and some land action. Though Alan still hasn't ended the life of his arch enemy. He doesn't know that however so...we'll see him again.

So, good book(s) good story, a bit too slow in places but then I read these mostly for the sea action.

I can recommend this series, with the note that I found "bits of it a bit" slow. Enjoy.

[Sunhawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 7 in Lambdin's series, and he holds my interest. Inexorably sexist, as (presumably) were the times, our hero lets his "wedding tackle" lead him into further embroilments leading, of course, to an unpleasant denouement. An old nemesis reappears and seems to be bested; would we be wrong to expect him to reappear in a later volume? Deliciously frivolous!

[Malum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lambdin seems to be hitting his stride at this point in the series. The villains are more interesting and the stories seem more fun.

[l'Inspecteur Malgracieux · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the fighting sail heroes who will not ever make my favourites list is Dewey Lambdin an American who started his Alan Lewrie series in 1989 and has written 25 books since. Though I tried hard I couldn't begin to start liking the main character. He is intended to be a devil-may-care rogue, but ends up as an unlikeable, arrogant child with little if any redeeming qualities, and any moral or personal self-searching is just straight-up self-interest. In the first book he beds his half sister, in the third he marries and American Indian girl leaving her behind after barely a fortnight. In the next book he is amazed that his patron tries to have him killed for cheating him with his wife. In the fifth book - barely married - he sleeps with a local Carribean girl. After years of half-pay in England and living on the estate of one of his wife relatives (with three children) a new command is the trigger to take up with a Corsican prostitute he meets in France. I stopped reading a few chapters into the seventh book. Not only could I no longer stand A King's Commander barely finding the time for wife and children while refitting in England and hastening back to the war and Gibraltar where he set up Phoebe as his mistress. I'd had it with the writing.
Witness the scene where Lewrie meets Napoleon in H.M.S. Cockerell :
“M'sieur, permettez-moi…" the cavalryman said in a gentler and much more polite tone of voice as he did the introductions. "… ze lieutenant colonel, Napoleone Buonaparte, chef d'artillerie, a General Dugommier, commandeur de l'Armee. 'Is aides-de-camp, ze capitaines Marmot et Junot… m'sieurs, ici capitaine Luray, marine royal, de roi britannique, Georges troisieme."
"Colonel," Lewrie nodded, laying a hand on his breast to salute with a slight bow.
"Capitaine Luray, enchante," the little fellow smiled of a sudden, and offered his hand, reeling off a rapid, very fluid French.
"Ze colonel say please to forgive, 'e 'ave no anglais, m'sieur," the cavalryman translated. "But 'e eez delight to mak' you' ac … acquaintance. 'E offer 'is congratulation … votre gunnerie … votre courage magnifique. You no strike votre flag, sink viz les canons blaze? Magnifique, tres magnifique!”
[...]
"Ah, m'sieur le colonel is sadden to 'ear zis, Capitaine Luray. 'E 'ad wish 'e may 'ave meet ze artilleriste avec ze grand courage. Ze colonel, 'e alzo say, 'e 'eez 'ave ze 'ighes' respect pour votre generosity a' votre late ami. Encore, 'e e's-press 'is amazement de votre brave deeds."
"I thank him kindly," Lewrie smiled.
"Colonel Buonaparte, 'e say 'e eez know les batteries de General Carteau sink ze bateau, ze batterie de flotte, las' mont', in ze Petit-Rade, avant 'e arrive. An' now 'e 'ave ze grand distinction to do same. An' not only sink une batterie de flotte… but tak' 'er officeurs an' crew prisoner. Weech ze ozzer chef d'artillerie do not," the captain said, with a smirk again.”

[Mike Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

More seafaring derring-do with the rakish Alan Lewrie. He and his sl00p Jester are back in the Mediterranean and once again confronting the evil Captain Choundas, a villain from an earlier volume. While vanquished at the end, he's sure to reappear in a future installment. Also, as Alan's direct superior, Nelson is a major character and Lambdin portrays him in a convincing manner. As much as I appreciate the wealth of period and nautical detail, Alan's misadventures, attacks of conscience, and unvarnished observations, - all informed by what appears to be diligent research - there is a certain sameness to the books that was not true of other masters of the genre like C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brien. Nevertheless, I will undoubtedly be reading more of them.

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A King’s Commander, the seventh in the series of fighting sail novels about Alan Lewrie, is almost like an anthology of short stories. I say, “almost,” because there is a continuing and developing plot that runs through the various segments like a string pulling together beads in a necklace. Yet, there are many missions which seem so self-contained that they could have been short stories. I see that as both good and bad. It’s good in that it creates a verisimilitude toward the reality that not every mission brings about a highly anticipate battle and not every mission is heroic. The mix of narratives describing the missions certainly cover the both the exciting and the frustrating, making the sum of its parts into a plausible campaign.

What is truly enjoyable about A King’s Commander is that it not only takes historical figures like Admiral Nelson (prior to his admiralty) off the pedestal, but it even shows the chinks in Lewrie’s figurative armor. The “swordsman” has always played fast and loose with the ladies, but the ladies have never really managed to get any sort of “justice” out of the junior officer. Now, in many ways, the ladies have both positive and negative effects to the immediate and future career of our worthy protagonist.

But it isn’t just sensual dalliances (beyond sexuality, there seems a fair bit of gluttony involved with a certain pot of shrimp at an important social event) that endanger Lewrie’s future, there is his nemesis from the past (and, as at the end of old monster movies, likely, in the future), Guillaume Choundas. Sherlock has his Moriarty, Nayland Smith has his Fu-Manchu, James Bond has his Blofeld, and Batman has his Joker, Choundas has an uncanny ability to come back from the dead with the flair of a serial hero who jumps to safety just before his certain death at the end of the last episode. There is also his relationship with a fellow officer that threatens to throw his advancement off-course and even runs him afoul of Lewrie’s beloved Nelson.

But most of all, I appreciate the fact that Lewrie isn’t pulling off any of those minor miracles where his smaller ship takes down a first-rate or his intervention turns the tide of a major historical battle. The engagements, save for one, use his Jester corvette as a sloop or frigate should be used. And even in that exception, there is a sense that Lewrie is just desperately trying to guarantee his ship survives. Flight, subterfuge, and asylum behind larger ships of the line was required rather than some miraculous tactic imagined by the author.

As with many of the Lewrie novels, there is a mix of spycraft, strategy, suspense, and seafaring battles. Lewrie’s nimble mind may point him the right way in terms of his spycraft and diplomacy, but he isn’t experienced enough to close the deal without help. And, of course, such help has strings attached. It’s always complicated and that’s what makes it worth reading. Somehow, A King’s Commander worked better for me than earlier works in the series.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5. 5 is for books I will read again and again. 4 is for things I would like to read again sometime. 3 is good, but not that good!
I was put off by the funeral – burial at sea. Spoilers – someone dies! The problem is, when you know about something in some detail and you see they have it so wrong, then you wonder about the other things you don’t know so much about. In the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, which was in use at the time, the ‘Forms of prayer to be used at sea’ make provision to use the standard funeral service, with just one amendment. And if you look at the ‘Order for the burial of the dead’, the main texts of scripture are: Psalm 39 (LXX 38) Dixi Custodiam, Psalm 90 (LXX 89) Domine refugium and the reading 1 Corinthians 15:20 ff. There is no provision for Psalm 130 De profundis (although we might just allow that), nor for two readings, and certainly no special provision for funerals of children – that comes only in the C20. All that worried me and then we came to the committal. This is the point at which the ‘used at sea’ change kicks in: ‘instead of these words [We therefore commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, &c.] say, We therefore commit his body to the deep, to be turned into corruption, looking for the resurrection of the body …’
Added to that is the ongoing concern about Lambdin’s use of other languages. I’m sure a lot of it may be like that when colloquial, but there are a few points at which I want to say ’no!’ The final straw was the Austrian officer’s command ‘Vorwarts’. Close, but not there. Vorwärts! There was also an opportunity missed. Surely the Frenchman must have thought, ‘Lewrie – Lugh rit – Lugh laughs’?
And then there is the story itself. It’s just a bit too preposterous. There was all that work setting up the characters for the Bond-esque triste with the spy, only for the plot to miss the target so limply? Sorry, that probably is a bit of a spoiler.
All that said, I would commend Lambdin’s portrayal of Nelson. The vanity and self-importance of the man lauded by generations of the Navy is consistent with the picture painted by Elizabeth Longford in her biography of Wellington. She recounts how the two met at the time of Wellington’s (Wellesley at the time) return from India and just before Nelson departs on his final voyage. Has Lambdin read this?
In summary, this is a good yarn and worth its place in the Lewrie series but fraying at the edges in too many places to allow me to read it without some irritation.

[Warren S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewrie finally gets his own ship and starts to prowl the shores of the Mediterranean. While taking the fight to the French navy, he also carries out some spy work ashore. Perhaps the most interesting parts of the book are Lewrie crossing paths with Nelson again and also coming up against his old foe Choundas who had been left for dead back in SE Asia.

This installment of Lewrie's life in the navy includes a long horse chase along coastal Italy through the retreating Austrian army. Certainly his exploits are unique and also entertaining.

I continue to enjoy the series and will move to the next volume soon.

One point I have found is that Lambdin is not too bloodthirsty when it comes to Lewrie's crew. Other authors seems to whittle through those around their main character at a fast pace in order to show the brutality of battle.

[john temple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable

This latest in the series doesn't disappoint in the battle scenes and naval detail. Alan Lawrie has developed into to a "find sea officer" and his decisions on which sails and which course to take his seem completely natural to him. His introspection is still very much present, but his professional doubts are not as obvious. He still dislikes putting himself, ship and men in too obvious harms way. An intelligent position to my own mind! The only quibble I would have with the book is the too detailed sex scenes. They didn't progress the story very much and seemed to be there to pad out the story. However, this is a very minor quibble in an otherwise excellent story told with affection and humour.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 7 of the series. I missed number 6. In this book Lewrie has again been given command of a ship after a prolonged period on land. He now has several children and is well settled in his marriage. He ships out for Corsica where the British are working to evict the French and gets involved with Captain Horatio Nelson. He again becomes involved with his old mistress and again with his old nemesis, a French captain he almost managed to kill in Book 5 while in the China Sea. Still a good series, but missing some of the freshness of the first few books.

[Oismiffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just about 4 stars. Not as good as earlier books in the series, but still an enjoyable read.

I find the reappearance of Choundas an annoyance. There's no realism to his character to allow the reader truly loathe him, which I'm sure is the intention, so instead he ends up a sort of fairy-tale bogey man.

And Nelson can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. Bumpers to the immortal memory!

[Jerry Mercer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Well-written Lambdin Novel

Once again Dewey Lambdin brings to life Alan Lewerie, with his heroic actions and human foibles. The action scenes are accurate and exciting. The historical events are close to reality. The characters are believable and descriptions are excellent.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually think the writing in this series is getting better as it progresses but some of the uniqueness and caddishness is decreasing.
The start of this story was a little slow and staged a little but the last third was gripping and exciting. I liked the inclusion of the spy craft and espionage as something a bit different without detracting from the naval adventures.

[Tim McRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoying every minute of the series!

When I started reading this series of books I thought they would be fun. I was right. Now I am hooked and can't wait to continue the story. Damn good writing.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the rivalry builds between the two warring captains, the plot thickens. The story is more unpredictable in this installment and therefore more interesting. Sometimes, it can be difficult to follow the timeline, but overall a good read.

[John DeLargy Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatest sailing series ever

A fantastic read. I absolutely love this series. I have read the whole series 3 times and am now on my fourth time. I will own the whole Sr on my kindle eventually.

[Nicholas Quenet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alan Lewrie. Royal Navy. 1770s to ……………

I love all things connected with the American revolution & the Napoleonic wars including the Navy plus as long as it’s not too much I do like your twist on real events.

[Marc Altman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continues the adventures of Alan Lewrie. Clearly sets up book 8 and more to follow.

If you like Captain Lewrie, you'll like this. Quick fun read, and if you don't fully know all the naval language (like I do not), it doesn't matter or keep you from following the story and action.

[Charlie Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK

[donald coslett& christine coslett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rollicking good read.

Great sailing talk.I felt as if I was doing the jobs myself, lots of swashing and buckling. Keep them coming.

[robert brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book

A fast story with plenty of action. Looking forward to book 7 in the series. Will be enjoyable I'm sure

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The start has chapters of flummery. Like reading a poor romance.
Second have was better - more action.
Wouldn’t recommend it.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of the same. Rollicking stuff.

[Simon Brading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back on track with this one. There are some very good naval scenes and even when Lewrie does go ashore it's exciting.

[David Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly entertaining read - more twists than Chubby Checker!

[09/01 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stuff

Lewrie sails into danger,intregue and lust once more. Beware all who stand in his way. He might not win them all,but he,a sure going to try.

[Jonatan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, now pause for a while, too repetitive.

[Frank Mihlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great tutorial on naval tactics g

The naval chess of battle is wonderful. Sadly, the story is muddled with obscure and confusing espionage. Rated 3.6 in my mind.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is set against the backdrop of the larger Napoleonic Wars. The year is around 1797; a brilliant young general named Napoleon Bonaparte has just assumed command of the Army of Italy. It is considered an unimportant post and Bonaparte looks like he got his command due to politics, not ability. How the world was stunned when Napoleon takes this half trained, poorly supply army and turned them into a fighting force that shook northern Italy and the Austrian Empire's southern flank.

The British has just "liberated" Corsica; this is where Nelson loses his eye. Even though he is in tactical command under Hotham, going ashore to fight is typical Nelsonian grandstanding. This is where Alan Lewrie enters the story. As commander of an 18-gun sloop, Lewrie's much more shallow drafted ship can go in-shore to help with shore bombardment.

Lewrie is also caught in a Foreign Office spy plot like by Twigg to send false information to the French. There are Italian city states like Genoa with their own agendas and Alan is caught in the middle. His old enemy Choundas has reappeared and the two face off again.

With historical fiction, you cannot change the over-arching story; as I said, Napoleon's stunning victories against the Austrians and the British means that Lewrie and Nelson cannot snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at the 11th hour. The French win on land and will keep on winning until 1807. In that year, they nearly lose a major battle against the Russians and in 1808 make the strategically disastrous mistake of invading Spain.

At sea, the British are the masters with the high point at Trafalgar. They don't get any real challenge from the other European powers until the War of 1812 when the Royal Navy gets punched repeatedly by the upstart Americans. Will Lewrie have to fight that war? Who knows? Until then, Lewrie is in the Mediterranean for now.

I read this book for the first time in 2013 and didn't remember much except Lewrie meeting Nelson and realizing Alan slept with Emma Hamilton (Nelson's notorious lover) first.

[Michael Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as Alan Lewrie has gotten much better at this Royal Navy thing, Lambdin has gotten better and better at writing novels about him. From a feckless 17-year-old midshipman, Lewrie has advanced in this seventh in the series to an experienced, competent commander of his own ship-sloop, . . . though he’s sometimes equally feckless. If only he could keep his breeches buttoned, his life would have a lot fewer problems in it. But even with a loving wife and three kids back home, he still finds himself involved, willy-nilly, with the lovely young Phoebe Aretino from the previous installment. He won’t keep her, though, which is just as well for him. On the professional front, having been posted off to the Med, Lewrie finds himself participating in a small way in that spectacular victory over the Republican French navy known as the Glorious First of June. Then he’s off to join Hood’s fleet and to participate in the conquest of Corsica as a colleague of Capt. Horatio Nelson -- and to be caught up in the machinations of Mr. Twigg, the spy from his time in the Far East, as well as Choundas, the French captain and pirate who has good reason to hate him, . . . and of whom Lewrie admits well-justified fear. The author seems to have gotten under control his penchant for over-writing and over-reliance on period slang, and his ability to clearly describe naval actions and ship-handling have progressed from occasionally shaky to considerably above average. But most important, Alan Lewrie, filled with self-doubts and a full realization of his own shortcomings even while he repeatedly proves his courage and his worth to the navy, is a fully realized human being of whom the reader can develop some understanding and about whom one cares -- even when he does something personally stupid.