To Glory Arise

Privateers & Gentlemen #1

by Jon Williams, Walter Jon Williams

Originally published as "The Privateer," this is Walter Jon Williams’ first published work, one of the historical novels with which he began his career. The American Revolution is throwing up a new breed of hero, Yankee privateers who dare the might of the Royal Navy to slash at British commerce. Foremost among them are the three Markham brothers, Jehu, Josiah, and Malachi, who link their destiny to that of their young nation, and seek their fortune in the cannon’s mouth.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Nautical

405 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1981

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was okay. Long on battle sailing, guns, etc., little history. I won't read the remaining series.

Probably fine for others. I was weaned on CS Forester, Douglas Reeman and Patrick O'Brian.

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Privateering was not a profession for a man who held ultrafine scruples, but Malachi had hoped that the American breed would somehow be better than others, that fighting for a just cause could inspire a more upstanding brand of warfare than that inspired by tyranny. [loc. 3841]

First novel by Walter Jon Williams: not SF or fantasy, but naval, set during the American War of Independence, and written as a tie-in to the RPG Privateers and Gentlemen.

I doubt I would have stuck with this if I hadn't been reading it for book club: the opening chapters are clunky, with a lot of repetition and a sex scene that includes the phrase 'willing breasts'. It does improve a bit after that, though. The first chapters introduce the three Markham brothers -- Jehu (the one educated in England), Josiah (the religious one) and Malachi (the fun one) -- and much of the rest of the novel focusses on Malachi and his privateering adventures. There are a lot of gory naval battles (mostly against the perfidious English) but Malachi nevertheless finds time to fall in love with an English lady, Georgina, whose probing questions about his future plans can only mean that she reciprocates his feelings. Oh, wait ...

There are too many infodumps, not enough depth of character, and so much repetition that I wondered if To Glory Arise had been published in a rush, without thorough editing. I was also deeply unimpressed with the end of the novel, in which a major character is killed off in a single sentence. If I hadn't already known from his other work that Williams is an accomplished and inventive author, this novel would have convinced me not to read anything else by him.

I am, of course, spoilt by having read Patrick O'Brian at an early age: and now I want to reread some, as a palate cleanser.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

American privateers hunt the british in the revolutionary war. It was OK not my favorite age of sail adventures. Was interesting enough that I will read the next book.

[Darel Krieger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book had promise when I first started reading it, unfortunately it just takes the reader on a long unexciting journey to nowhere.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as "To Glory Arise" by Walter Jon Williams. Picked up on Smashwords.com for $4.99.

I rounded up from 3 1/2 stars. It wasn't Forester or O'Brian but at under $5 it is a worthy read. The action stops and goes and the pacing seems to follow the same jumpy pattern. I liked the characters and the color and enjoyed the read overall. Smashwords.com says this was his first published work so I will cut him a little slack.

I am certainly going to pick up the next book in the series.... I'll let you know how it goes. You can find "Yankee" the 2nd in the series as "The Tern Schooner" on Smashwords.com.

[Richard Stover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for Glory Arise

I am not a sailor so so much of the description of the ships were Greek to me. I didn't understand them so just skipped over a lot. But it was an exciting epic.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining. Educational. Sometimes exciting. Don't let the romance scare you away. This may prove to be a good series of sea novels.

[Rocklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent naval historical fiction