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Thrillers #1
Wildtrack
There's trouble at sea for an ex-war hero in this gripping thriller from the international bestselling author of the Sharpe novelsIn muddy waters, even heroes drown . . .With his father in prison for fraud, his ex-wife bleeding him dry and his spine shattered by a bullet, Falklands war hero Nick Sandman, VC, has no money and no prospects.Only his boat - Sycorax -and his dream of sailing her away from his troubles is keeping him alive. But Sycorax is as crippled as Nick.To rebuild his wrecked and stranded dream, Nick is forced into a devil's bargain with egomaniacal TV star Tony Bannister. Bannister is the owner of Wildtrack, an ocean racer, and he wants Nick to be part of the crew that will sail the ship to victory.Bannister, though, has made some powerful enemies who are out for revenge, leaving Nick caught in the middle . . .Can he keep Wildtrack and his dreams of escape aboard Sycorax afloat?
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 1988
282 people are currently reading
1187 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Cornwell
542 books19.4k followersCornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother, who was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his birth mother's maiden name, Cornwell.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.
He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.
Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.
He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.
Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
September 8, 2019
A book about sailing and boats which are not usually my interest, but as I am a big fan of Bernard Cornwell's historical novels. I thought Id give this one a chance.
I quite liked it and finished it over a weekend
The hero of the book, Captain Nick Sandman wounded in the Falklands War and told he will never walk again by doctors is a stubborn man, and his only wish is to sail his boat Sycorax to New Zealand. The boat is impounded and a well known wealthy media mogul, Tony Bannister, wants to make a film of Nick's story.
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Soon he comes up against an Arab American billionaire , Kassoluli, who wants to destroy Bannister who he believes killed his daughter
Good plot, good characterization, especially of Nick and his love interest Angela, and well paced
I quite liked it and finished it over a weekend
The hero of the book, Captain Nick Sandman wounded in the Falklands War and told he will never walk again by doctors is a stubborn man, and his only wish is to sail his boat Sycorax to New Zealand. The boat is impounded and a well known wealthy media mogul, Tony Bannister, wants to make a film of Nick's story.
\
Soon he comes up against an Arab American billionaire , Kassoluli, who wants to destroy Bannister who he believes killed his daughter
Good plot, good characterization, especially of Nick and his love interest Angela, and well paced
April 24, 2018
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean people aren’t out to get you
I nearly gave up on this book about halfway through chapter one but I am now glad I didn’t.
There used to be a concept of national character (since rejected by most people because it can easily descend into racism), and there is certainly a strain of that in the opening of this book. Nick, the protagonist, is not only handicapped badly by a wound sustained in the Falklands, but when he manages to walk enough to inspect the boat he’s planning to cruise, he finds it has been vandalized and there doesn’t seem to be a realistic way to get it back in functional condition without making a sordid deal with the villains who did it. He descends into paranoia and rightly so.
I couldn’t see how this opening could come out well, but having read so many of the author’s historical novels I know he’s an expert at creating a satisfying ending. Also, as I got deeper into the book I discovered that he knows the sailing world well. No terminology mistakes, each boat behaves as you’d expect, wind and tide work their will and have to be used to get where a skipper wants to go. I’m glad I persevered.
So, I recommend this book to people who have owned boats especially, but anyone who can get past that depressing opening should get a charge out of it!
I nearly gave up on this book about halfway through chapter one but I am now glad I didn’t.
There used to be a concept of national character (since rejected by most people because it can easily descend into racism), and there is certainly a strain of that in the opening of this book. Nick, the protagonist, is not only handicapped badly by a wound sustained in the Falklands, but when he manages to walk enough to inspect the boat he’s planning to cruise, he finds it has been vandalized and there doesn’t seem to be a realistic way to get it back in functional condition without making a sordid deal with the villains who did it. He descends into paranoia and rightly so.
I couldn’t see how this opening could come out well, but having read so many of the author’s historical novels I know he’s an expert at creating a satisfying ending. Also, as I got deeper into the book I discovered that he knows the sailing world well. No terminology mistakes, each boat behaves as you’d expect, wind and tide work their will and have to be used to get where a skipper wants to go. I’m glad I persevered.
So, I recommend this book to people who have owned boats especially, but anyone who can get past that depressing opening should get a charge out of it!
February 28, 2014
A high-spirited and engaging novel, as one would expect from the author. This marks the last of Cornwell's sailing thrillers that I had to read (following CRACKDOWN, SCOUNDREL, SEA LORD and STORMCHILD), although conversely it was the first written of the quintet.
And it's a cracker of a read, with an unpredictable storyline, carefully-crafted characters and all of the mystery, suspense and tension that one expects from the genre. I've found each of these five books to be very different in feel, mainly because they take place in different oceans around the world, with CRACKDOWN set in the Caribbean, STORMCHILD off the coast of South America, etc. WILDTRACK shares similarities - and a supporting character, George Cullen - with SEA LORD, but again, it's very different in tone.
Although this isn't a historical novel, WILDTRACK sees Cornwell at the top of his game. As a story, it's impossible to put down once you get into it, and I particularly liked the murkiness of the back story; no easy answers or clearly-defined heroes and villains here, just truths and half-truths and barely-hinted-at truths. It feels realistic, and yet it still blows you away as a thriller.
I'm sorry to see the back of these maritime thrillers, but I have a few more series to enjoy from this author yet so I'm not too worried.
And it's a cracker of a read, with an unpredictable storyline, carefully-crafted characters and all of the mystery, suspense and tension that one expects from the genre. I've found each of these five books to be very different in feel, mainly because they take place in different oceans around the world, with CRACKDOWN set in the Caribbean, STORMCHILD off the coast of South America, etc. WILDTRACK shares similarities - and a supporting character, George Cullen - with SEA LORD, but again, it's very different in tone.
Although this isn't a historical novel, WILDTRACK sees Cornwell at the top of his game. As a story, it's impossible to put down once you get into it, and I particularly liked the murkiness of the back story; no easy answers or clearly-defined heroes and villains here, just truths and half-truths and barely-hinted-at truths. It feels realistic, and yet it still blows you away as a thriller.
I'm sorry to see the back of these maritime thrillers, but I have a few more series to enjoy from this author yet so I'm not too worried.
October 6, 2017
This is the first book I've ever read by Bernard Cornwell and I really enjoyed it. I know he's known for writing historical fiction and this series of unrelated, non-series, thrillers are a little bit different for him. They're also somewhat different for me which is one of the reasons I tried this out; and glad I did.
Interesting characters, a mystery that holds out for a surprisingly long time combined with the nautical and coastal setting made for a good experience as my first novel by him. I'll be reading more in the future.
Interesting characters, a mystery that holds out for a surprisingly long time combined with the nautical and coastal setting made for a good experience as my first novel by him. I'll be reading more in the future.
March 7, 2013
Enjoyed the book but found it slow going in spots. My favorite character is the cat Vicky.
June 9, 2020
Although after starting this book, I expected to dislike it, I found in the end it to be a good read. Sailing plays a big part in the story, so it will help the reader to be familiar with the nomenclature.
Captain Nick Sandman, winner of the Victoria Cross (undeservedly in his estimation) in the Falklands War starts out the in the book as a somewhat surly character. But he can be forgiven this as he was badly wounded in the war and has been told he will never walk again. Since his love is the sea and wind sailing, he finds this unacceptable and determines to prove the doctors wrong.
Sandman is a rare individual who knows who he is and who he is not. His father (who is in prison for white collar crimes), brother and sister are all successful at business, but Sandman knows he has neither the drive nor the intelligence to succeed there. He is further hampered by actually believing in Queen, country, and honour.
After mostly regaining his ability to walk (although he is plagued by a leg that fails him from time to time), he sets out to recover his sailboat the Sycorax. He finds his dock occupied by someone else's boat and finally finds the Sycorax a stripped derelict hauled up on a bank among the trees.
He discovers that all of this was done by a wealthy media star's boat captain. He challenges them, but finds their money will prevent him from getting proper compensation. Instead they offer to help him restore the boat if he will let them make a movie about the process of restoring the boat and recovering from his wound as well as his war experiences. He hates the idea, but sees no other way of getting his boat back in shape. This is especially true since he does not want to hold down a regular job, which he sees as losing his freedom.
The filming is a tense and unenjoyable experience for him, especially since he lusts after and frequently clashes with the producer, Angela. Along the way we find certain types of women are his Achilles heel. He lets them manipulate him. Angela and he start an affair.
The other main plot line is the media star's wife died under suspicious circumstances and her father believes, but can't prove, the media star murdered her. Using another woman, he tries to manipulate Sandman into aiding him in his quest for vengeance. He declines and in the end tries to help the producer who is now the media star's new wife to prevent the murder of her husband. This entails taking Sycorax to sea to try and intercept the husband during a race. Mayhem ensues.
No really dull spots. The writing is Cornwell's normal high quality. The characters he included were well fleshed out and interesting. Worth reading.
Captain Nick Sandman, winner of the Victoria Cross (undeservedly in his estimation) in the Falklands War starts out the in the book as a somewhat surly character. But he can be forgiven this as he was badly wounded in the war and has been told he will never walk again. Since his love is the sea and wind sailing, he finds this unacceptable and determines to prove the doctors wrong.
Sandman is a rare individual who knows who he is and who he is not. His father (who is in prison for white collar crimes), brother and sister are all successful at business, but Sandman knows he has neither the drive nor the intelligence to succeed there. He is further hampered by actually believing in Queen, country, and honour.
After mostly regaining his ability to walk (although he is plagued by a leg that fails him from time to time), he sets out to recover his sailboat the Sycorax. He finds his dock occupied by someone else's boat and finally finds the Sycorax a stripped derelict hauled up on a bank among the trees.
He discovers that all of this was done by a wealthy media star's boat captain. He challenges them, but finds their money will prevent him from getting proper compensation. Instead they offer to help him restore the boat if he will let them make a movie about the process of restoring the boat and recovering from his wound as well as his war experiences. He hates the idea, but sees no other way of getting his boat back in shape. This is especially true since he does not want to hold down a regular job, which he sees as losing his freedom.
The filming is a tense and unenjoyable experience for him, especially since he lusts after and frequently clashes with the producer, Angela. Along the way we find certain types of women are his Achilles heel. He lets them manipulate him. Angela and he start an affair.
The other main plot line is the media star's wife died under suspicious circumstances and her father believes, but can't prove, the media star murdered her. Using another woman, he tries to manipulate Sandman into aiding him in his quest for vengeance. He declines and in the end tries to help the producer who is now the media star's new wife to prevent the murder of her husband. This entails taking Sycorax to sea to try and intercept the husband during a race. Mayhem ensues.
No really dull spots. The writing is Cornwell's normal high quality. The characters he included were well fleshed out and interesting. Worth reading.
July 17, 2024
A very strange book from Bernard Cornwell. I'm sure it's more interesting to those interested in a sailing thriller, but a distinct plod to those of us who don't know all the nautical terms. As thrillers go, predictable.
August 8, 2018
This book is one of Bernard Cornwall’s sailing novels. It is a complicated story of deception, revenge and ambition running in contrast to a desire for truth from a decorated war hero who simply wanted to be whole again and live his dream of sailing the open seas after an extended period of physical therapy following his war injuries. It is a great story that is filled with a typical assault on the senses that is a hallmark of Cornwell’s writing. The only problem I had with this book was the use of sailing terms by the writer. He rattles off terms that would be understood by an experienced sailor but for someone who has never been near a real yacht, it seemed like a foreign language. Fortunately it did not really detract from getting swept up in the wind and the waves on the high seas.
November 11, 2013
I read this back in 1999 when it first came out and long before I discovered that Bernard Cornwell writes an excellent historical book. This one is about sailing, a man crippled in the Falkland war and his beat up boat that he hopes to race again one day. It is quite different from his other books and it wasn't until I saw it listed on Goodreads that I realized that I had even read it. Not that it wasn't memorable as I am able to recall large chunks in the storyline. I will add the book to my list of re-reads perhaps for 2014.
July 29, 2015
I recently saw somewhere that the amazingly prolific writer of historical novels Bernard Cornwell has recently written some "thrillers" set in the modern day and using sailing as a backdrop. I thought I'd try one. This is the first, and the best part of it is the beautiful, and I guess accurate, presentation of sailing a small boat in the unforgiving North Atlantic. It demonstrates the most heartfelt love of sailing I've read since Patrick O'Brian. The plot was OK, if a little contrived, and the characters were a bit better than stereotypes.
January 11, 2015
I enjoy the plot and pace of this author's work, so I have read a number of his books aloud to my husband while on road trips. I have found his sailing stories to be his least successful, with this single exception. The character of Nick Sandman, wounded warrior and VC recipient from the Falklands conflict, is well drawn and extremely appealing; and the mystery--who did it, was there even a murder--kept my interest throughout.
October 14, 2017
Marine adventure with twists
Bernard Cornwell certainly knows about sailing. He has woven his knowledge of the sea into an exciting story with some unexpected ted twists in the glamourous worlds of TV and business. His main character is a wounded Falkland s hero who has to overcome his own disability and contend with all manner of machinations in a world with which he is not familiar. A ripping yarn that is well written in clear, concise prose.
Bernard Cornwell certainly knows about sailing. He has woven his knowledge of the sea into an exciting story with some unexpected ted twists in the glamourous worlds of TV and business. His main character is a wounded Falkland s hero who has to overcome his own disability and contend with all manner of machinations in a world with which he is not familiar. A ripping yarn that is well written in clear, concise prose.
July 19, 2008
A terrific adventure/thriller with great characters as I have come to expect from Mr. Cornwell. I particularly enjoyed the sailing scenes. They made me feel like I was on Sycorax with Angela and Nick. I had complete sympathy with Angela, who was trying to maneuver a boat she was a novice on and not doing too well. Great writing!
September 26, 2012
B. Cornwell can write in any genre? This mystery rang with me because I am a sailing enthusiast, then the main character began to resonate. Harder genre than his HF as there is so much competition in the mystery genre. His gritty combat descriptions serve him well when his hero is attacked.
February 14, 2020
This was not as good as his Sharpe series, but still a good read. Learned a lot about sailboats. I am working my way through all of his books, I haven't been disappointed yet.
May 27, 2023
Bernard Cornwell, as an author, is perhaps better know/more associated with historical fiction as a genre.
Yet I was aware he had also written a couple of other, more contemporaneous set, novels and mainly concerned with sailing.
I had never read any of those until recently (they held little appeal), when I came across Sea Lord on offer on Kindle, and decided to pick it up. I did feel it was not as good as his more 'usual' sort of novel; not as good as the Sharpe books or those of The Last Kingdom, for example.
So I wasn't really on the look out for any more of his so-called 'sailing thrillers'.
Having said that, when I came across this one - which I have since learnt was the first of his sailing thriller novels - also on sale, I never-the-less thought I would give this style of work another chance.
As before, I found that - while an enjoyable enough read - this does NOT live up to the standards set by the likes of the aforementioned Sharpe or Uhtred novels.
This is set in the I-assume-then-present 1980s, and follows Falklands hero Nick Sandman who, as the novel starts, is in hospital after having his spine shattered by a bullet. Whilst there, he makes himself a promise that, once better, he will sail his beloved boat Sycorax to the other side of the world, but finds that this will be easier said than done once he discharges himself from the hospital and finds that his ex-wife has sold his berth to TV personality Tony Bannister and left the boat to rot, who - in exchange for his help in refitting Sycorax - want Sandman to help navigate his own boat Wildtrack to victory in an ocean race. The rest of the novel then deals with the fallout from this devils bargain, especially as Bannister has powerful enemies of his own ...
So, yeah, enjoyable enough but not Cornwell's best.
Yet I was aware he had also written a couple of other, more contemporaneous set, novels and mainly concerned with sailing.
I had never read any of those until recently (they held little appeal), when I came across Sea Lord on offer on Kindle, and decided to pick it up. I did feel it was not as good as his more 'usual' sort of novel; not as good as the Sharpe books or those of The Last Kingdom, for example.
So I wasn't really on the look out for any more of his so-called 'sailing thrillers'.
Having said that, when I came across this one - which I have since learnt was the first of his sailing thriller novels - also on sale, I never-the-less thought I would give this style of work another chance.
As before, I found that - while an enjoyable enough read - this does NOT live up to the standards set by the likes of the aforementioned Sharpe or Uhtred novels.
This is set in the I-assume-then-present 1980s, and follows Falklands hero Nick Sandman who, as the novel starts, is in hospital after having his spine shattered by a bullet. Whilst there, he makes himself a promise that, once better, he will sail his beloved boat Sycorax to the other side of the world, but finds that this will be easier said than done once he discharges himself from the hospital and finds that his ex-wife has sold his berth to TV personality Tony Bannister and left the boat to rot, who - in exchange for his help in refitting Sycorax - want Sandman to help navigate his own boat Wildtrack to victory in an ocean race. The rest of the novel then deals with the fallout from this devils bargain, especially as Bannister has powerful enemies of his own ...
So, yeah, enjoyable enough but not Cornwell's best.
September 3, 2018
I got this back when it first came out in paperback in 2008 and it sat on the shelf for 10 years before I got around to reading it. I should have waited another 10 years.
Bernard Cornwell is an excellent writer - one of my favorites as a matter of fact - and this earlier work - first published in 1988 - gives the reader a look at the writer just finding his way - in training, if you want to look at it from that point-of-view.
It's a good thing Cornwell decided to go with historical fiction since this novel just doesn't cut it. It's impossible to really care for the main character/narrator or any of the other characters in the book. There's no way you can feel sympathy for Nick Sandman, the main character, because the guy is a loser. Ditto all the other characters as well. You find yourself thinking when they say or do something, "dumbass, normal people wouldn't act like that (or say that)" - just no feeling at all for the characters.
I'm looking forward to Mr. Cornwell's next book since it goes back to what he does best - historical fiction. This book is one for the die-hard Cornwell fan or for someone who just wants to read something that won't require much thought.
Bernard Cornwell is an excellent writer - one of my favorites as a matter of fact - and this earlier work - first published in 1988 - gives the reader a look at the writer just finding his way - in training, if you want to look at it from that point-of-view.
It's a good thing Cornwell decided to go with historical fiction since this novel just doesn't cut it. It's impossible to really care for the main character/narrator or any of the other characters in the book. There's no way you can feel sympathy for Nick Sandman, the main character, because the guy is a loser. Ditto all the other characters as well. You find yourself thinking when they say or do something, "dumbass, normal people wouldn't act like that (or say that)" - just no feeling at all for the characters.
I'm looking forward to Mr. Cornwell's next book since it goes back to what he does best - historical fiction. This book is one for the die-hard Cornwell fan or for someone who just wants to read something that won't require much thought.
May 9, 2020
3.5 Wildtracks is a love story as much as it is a suspense/action novel. This book is filled with complex themes and interesting characters. I think I could write a lengthy paper on these complexities.
Even though Wildtracks is the “other” boat, the heart of the story is Sycorax. The underlying theme of the survival story is the passionate relationship our narrator, Captain Nick Sandman, VC has with his 38’ Ketch, Sycorax. From the very beginning, our narrator tells us how the dreams of sailing on his boat motivated his recovery from the military actions that destroyed his body and earned him the Victorian Cross.
Windtracks has mysteries, suspense, and some nice twists along the way. This book is heavy on background so I felt like I truly knew a lot of these characters. I adore shady characters who aren’t really “bad” guys. This book is also heavy on relationships which makes the actions understandable. I liked Nick’s journey with his relationship with his father and the avoided realizations. There is also no lack of action and all good action stories need a chase scene (or two). Chase scenes with boats are chilling and exciting with often unexpected consequences. Some of the events in this novel are a little too convenient but Cornwell does not disappoint.
Even though Wildtracks is the “other” boat, the heart of the story is Sycorax. The underlying theme of the survival story is the passionate relationship our narrator, Captain Nick Sandman, VC has with his 38’ Ketch, Sycorax. From the very beginning, our narrator tells us how the dreams of sailing on his boat motivated his recovery from the military actions that destroyed his body and earned him the Victorian Cross.
Windtracks has mysteries, suspense, and some nice twists along the way. This book is heavy on background so I felt like I truly knew a lot of these characters. I adore shady characters who aren’t really “bad” guys. This book is also heavy on relationships which makes the actions understandable. I liked Nick’s journey with his relationship with his father and the avoided realizations. There is also no lack of action and all good action stories need a chase scene (or two). Chase scenes with boats are chilling and exciting with often unexpected consequences. Some of the events in this novel are a little too convenient but Cornwell does not disappoint.
December 5, 2021
Kind of uneven. Cornwell is such a good writer that this probably deserves ⭐️⭐️⭐️ or more, but the plot is silly and the actions of the characters far fetched. The hero Nick Sandman, former soldier, miraculously recovers from a spinal injury suffered during England’s tiff with Argentina during the Falklands War. All he wants to do is sail away on his beloved boat Sycorax, but it’s been left untended and is also a wreck. As Nick rebuilds his life & ship, he tries to avoid getting involved in the despicably rich lifestyle of his tv-star benefactor Tony, who bought Nick’s father’s house & mooring for his own boat, a sleek modern yacht named Wildtrack, which he plans to race across the North Atlantic & back against the French. Nick falls for his producer (and lover) Angela, who’s making a film about Nick’s ship. She’s a bitch, and he’s smitten. He needs her the way the author needs her as a plot device to, well, sail off to intercept the death of the man she’s screwing over and is not in love with. But, hey, it makes for a great climax, I suppose, with a daring rescue at sea in a gale.
March 27, 2025
Once, just once in a while, you get a very pleasant surprise. I am often searching for Bernard Cornwell books and having only started reading his work in the last few years I have a big catalogue to hunt down. He is best know for his historical fiction, Sharpe, Last Kingdom, EtAl. So as I hunted through the "pre-loved" collection at a National Trust property, and promised myself, one book max, one book max, I came across my biggest ever BC haul...5 books, oops. And among them, I bagged this one, more as a curiosity.
And now, having blown through it like a force 7 gale, I can state with all confidence that a good writer is a good writer, whatever they are writing about. Also, I love the sea and boats, so this book had me from the get go.
Aside from the quality of the plot, characters and writing, I particularly enjoyed that it was first published in 1988, and set around 1984. And among the writing were definitely a couple of lines that were "of their time" and wouldn't be seen today. That they stood out to me is a validation that we (society) are improving, gradually, all the time.
In summary, well worth reading
And now, having blown through it like a force 7 gale, I can state with all confidence that a good writer is a good writer, whatever they are writing about. Also, I love the sea and boats, so this book had me from the get go.
Aside from the quality of the plot, characters and writing, I particularly enjoyed that it was first published in 1988, and set around 1984. And among the writing were definitely a couple of lines that were "of their time" and wouldn't be seen today. That they stood out to me is a validation that we (society) are improving, gradually, all the time.
In summary, well worth reading
March 10, 2022
I don't know when this book was written but it feels like a 70's thriller. The other thing about all the Cornwell sailing books I've read is that none of them went in the direction I thought they would. All of them are a little outside the box.
Spoilers/summary:
NIck Sandman, V.C. was seriously injured in the Falklands War. Once he got out of the hospital his goal was to sail his sailing boat to New Zealand. However Tony Bannister (a TV personality) wants to use him and his fame to help him win the St. Pierre race (from Cherbourg to New Foundland and back) and get publicity. Because Sandman didn't want to help, Bannister used bribery and blackmail to try and force him.
Meanwhile Bannister is speculated to have killed his ex-wife and now his ex-wife's father, an American billionaire, wants to bribe Sandman to help him kill Bannister. That's the crux of the story.
Overall not a bad plot. Cornwell is great with creating interesting characters and the book is full of them, main or accessory ones. The actual plot was a bit meh, but overall still interesting reading.
Spoilers/summary:
NIck Sandman, V.C. was seriously injured in the Falklands War. Once he got out of the hospital his goal was to sail his sailing boat to New Zealand. However Tony Bannister (a TV personality) wants to use him and his fame to help him win the St. Pierre race (from Cherbourg to New Foundland and back) and get publicity. Because Sandman didn't want to help, Bannister used bribery and blackmail to try and force him.
Meanwhile Bannister is speculated to have killed his ex-wife and now his ex-wife's father, an American billionaire, wants to bribe Sandman to help him kill Bannister. That's the crux of the story.
Overall not a bad plot. Cornwell is great with creating interesting characters and the book is full of them, main or accessory ones. The actual plot was a bit meh, but overall still interesting reading.
March 30, 2023
An early Cornwell. Not bad. Just not Sharpe.
A pacy enough plot that is a tad contrived in the way it manoeuvres the hero towards the final showdown. It's fine while you're reading it, as it sweeps you along with a reasonable amount of gusto, so long as you don't think about things too deeply.
But it's not terribly memorable once you've finished reading.
The hero is just about one step away from a stereotypical main character, who stubbornly ignores a poor prognosis and recovers from a supposedly irrecoverable injury.
There are a lot of sailing terms and there is a lot of sea-based action, which is fine. If you're a sailor you can enjoy this; if you're not a sailor you can skim through some scenes if you wish, but it's not that difficult to follow and understand.
It was enjoyable without making me want to run out and read other thrillers by Mr. Cornwell.
A pacy enough plot that is a tad contrived in the way it manoeuvres the hero towards the final showdown. It's fine while you're reading it, as it sweeps you along with a reasonable amount of gusto, so long as you don't think about things too deeply.
But it's not terribly memorable once you've finished reading.
The hero is just about one step away from a stereotypical main character, who stubbornly ignores a poor prognosis and recovers from a supposedly irrecoverable injury.
There are a lot of sailing terms and there is a lot of sea-based action, which is fine. If you're a sailor you can enjoy this; if you're not a sailor you can skim through some scenes if you wish, but it's not that difficult to follow and understand.
It was enjoyable without making me want to run out and read other thrillers by Mr. Cornwell.
September 26, 2025
Somewhat enjoyable in a 'blokey' way; if you're a dolly-bird I'm not sure you'll get much out of this. All the characters are cartoonish and stereotypical, we have the evil Nazi Boer and he's like really blonde and really evil (this book came out a year before Lethal Weapon 2) and the female characters are all sexy dolly-birds.
There's also not really much sea adventure, apart from the last 50 pages it's mostly set on land. So yeah, overall this is the literary equivalent of a bad 80s film.
Sample dialogue:
'I'm just waiting 'till the army takes over this country, Mouse, then I'm going to Fleet Street to beat up all the f*%king faries'
'Not a chance' Mickey said 'We've got dolly-bird secretaries who'd crucify you pansies'
'cheese gives me wind something rotten. I'll have a couple of bacon ones instead' He half crushed my fingers with his handshake.
There's also not really much sea adventure, apart from the last 50 pages it's mostly set on land. So yeah, overall this is the literary equivalent of a bad 80s film.
Sample dialogue:
'I'm just waiting 'till the army takes over this country, Mouse, then I'm going to Fleet Street to beat up all the f*%king faries'
'Not a chance' Mickey said 'We've got dolly-bird secretaries who'd crucify you pansies'
'cheese gives me wind something rotten. I'll have a couple of bacon ones instead' He half crushed my fingers with his handshake.
August 11, 2020
My kind of book
There are millions of writers but very few if any to match this man. One of my favourite books also by BC is Sealord I recommend you read it. It is similar but only similar to this one and they will remain always books to be read and re-read.I am not a sailor don't know the sharp end from the blunt end but that only seems to add to the pleasure in reading this book. The author obviously is a committed sailor and to some extent I envy that. Few things can be as satisfying as standing in your own vessel deciding where to go next and all you have to pick from is the whole world. On the other hand I don't know for certain he sails, after all he didn't live through the middle ages but writes of that with such gifted clarity. Well written sir, and thank you.
There are millions of writers but very few if any to match this man. One of my favourite books also by BC is Sealord I recommend you read it. It is similar but only similar to this one and they will remain always books to be read and re-read.I am not a sailor don't know the sharp end from the blunt end but that only seems to add to the pleasure in reading this book. The author obviously is a committed sailor and to some extent I envy that. Few things can be as satisfying as standing in your own vessel deciding where to go next and all you have to pick from is the whole world. On the other hand I don't know for certain he sails, after all he didn't live through the middle ages but writes of that with such gifted clarity. Well written sir, and thank you.
April 12, 2021
Nick Sandman, VC, owns a boat Sycorax which is his pride and joy but needs a lot of work doing to it. In order to earn the money for this, he agrees to do a TV story about his life, working with Tony Bannister who is a TV star with a shady past. Tony is a boat racer and wants Nick to crew for him. Tony's wife was drowned at sea in a race which allows the development of another thread of the story (which I won't go into here because I don't want to spoil it!) When all these various elements come together they make for a great story. If you don't know a lot about sailing (which I don't) you can also do a bit of "detective work" as to what is happening when Bernard Cornwell gives details about the sailing of a boat!
The story is a great read!
The story is a great read!
November 20, 2018
I picked this book up from a charity shop and read it in a couple of days. The story follows the trials and tribulations of an army officer who won a VC in the Falklands War. Seriously injured this former soldier is on his uppers. All he wants is to leave England and set to sea in his boat Sycorax. When he finds his boat it's in ruins and he sets about restoring it with the help of a TV show but there's a dark side to the TV mogul and soon our hero is in deep trouble. There's a love interest or two and an ex-wife. As you'd expect with Bernard Cornwell the violence when it comes is believable but all ends well too. It was a pleasure to read.
August 20, 2019
Good story with twists and turns as would be expected from the author of Sharpe. I admit to stopping reading Cornwell in about 1998 as I was no longer excited by the writing so it was interesting coming back after 20 years. A war damaged soldier has a dream to sail his boat to the Southern Ocean but to get it seaworthy again he has to sail some very troubled waters with some very ugly characters.
July 31, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book but it was not one of Bernard's best a bit slow in places and a bit dated . It was an easy read like a film and I liked the fact that the man didn't get his girl. How much someone with the injuries that the main character Nick Could do as described in the book , without shattering his damaged spine was questionable.
December 27, 2019
a page turner from Bernard Cornwell, more famous for his Sharpe series historical fiction. Nick is a VC hero from Falklands in a shattered shape, his father in jail for bankruptcy, his ex-wife left him for someone more moneyed, his sailing boat in tatters with no money to spare and caught between two egoistic billionaires in a fight to finish. Lot of sailing terminology though.
September 16, 2020
Great book. A lot of action and twist. The main character is a military guy with major injuries. One of the many plots is the return of his life back to semi-normal and showing the drive to overcome adversity. Is one desire is to get his yacht back in working condition and he uncovers many obstacles on his way. Very enjoyable read.
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