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Lord Ramage #18
Ramage & the Dido
Ramage is hoping to enjoy a well-deserved leave when he instead receives new commission and take command of the Dido, a massive 74-gun ship that carries enough weight of metal to destroy a frigate in a single broadside or sweep a ship's decks clear of men. Accompanied by the courageous crew of the Calypso, Ramage ventures to sea once again—bound for the West Indies, where he faces the challenge of commanding this massive weapon of war.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 4, 1989
65 people are currently reading
179 people want to read
About the author
Dudley Pope
130 books93 followersDudley Pope was born in Ashford, Kent.
By concealing his age, Pope joined the Home Guard aged 14 and at age 16 joined the Merchant Navy as a cadet. His ship was torpedoed the next year (1942). Afterwards, he spent two weeks in a lifeboat with the few other survivors.
After he was invalided out of the Merchant Navy, the only obvious sign of the injuries Pope had suffered was a joint missing from one finger due to gangrene. Pope then went to work for a Kentish newspaper, then in 1944 moved to The Evening News in London, where he was the naval and defence correspondent. From there he turned to reading and writing naval history.
Pope's first book, "Flag 4", was published in 1954, followed by several other historical accounts. C. S. Forester, the creator of the famed Horatio Hornblower novels, encouraged Pope to add fiction to his repertoire. In 1965, "Ramage" appeared, the first of what was to become an 18-novel series.
Pope took to living on boats from 1953 on; when he married Kay Pope in 1954, they lived on a William Fife 8-meter named Concerto, then at Porto Santo Stefano, Italy in 1959 with a 42-foot ketch Tokay. In 1963 he and Kay moved to a 53-foot cutter Golden Dragon, on which they moved to Barbados in 1965. In 1968 they moved onto a 54-foot wooden yacht named Ramage, aboard which he wrote all of his stories until 1985.
Pope died April 25, 1997 in Marigot, St. Martin. Both his wife and his daughter, Jane Victoria survived him.
By concealing his age, Pope joined the Home Guard aged 14 and at age 16 joined the Merchant Navy as a cadet. His ship was torpedoed the next year (1942). Afterwards, he spent two weeks in a lifeboat with the few other survivors.
After he was invalided out of the Merchant Navy, the only obvious sign of the injuries Pope had suffered was a joint missing from one finger due to gangrene. Pope then went to work for a Kentish newspaper, then in 1944 moved to The Evening News in London, where he was the naval and defence correspondent. From there he turned to reading and writing naval history.
Pope's first book, "Flag 4", was published in 1954, followed by several other historical accounts. C. S. Forester, the creator of the famed Horatio Hornblower novels, encouraged Pope to add fiction to his repertoire. In 1965, "Ramage" appeared, the first of what was to become an 18-novel series.
Pope took to living on boats from 1953 on; when he married Kay Pope in 1954, they lived on a William Fife 8-meter named Concerto, then at Porto Santo Stefano, Italy in 1959 with a 42-foot ketch Tokay. In 1963 he and Kay moved to a 53-foot cutter Golden Dragon, on which they moved to Barbados in 1965. In 1968 they moved onto a 54-foot wooden yacht named Ramage, aboard which he wrote all of his stories until 1985.
Pope died April 25, 1997 in Marigot, St. Martin. Both his wife and his daughter, Jane Victoria survived him.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 8, 2020
Ramage finally gets to command a ship of the line, but deploys the only tactics he knows - playing subtefuge like a frigate to sink, burn or destroy innumerate french ships thereby earning him the favour of his new admiral.
There was less map recital, more plot and action, and about the same innane recapitulation of plot from every previous ramage novel.
Nevertheless I enjoyed it more than some of the previous ones and am just a tad disappointed that I don't get to find out more about the line-of-battle-Ramage as this is the last in the series!
There was less map recital, more plot and action, and about the same innane recapitulation of plot from every previous ramage novel.
Nevertheless I enjoyed it more than some of the previous ones and am just a tad disappointed that I don't get to find out more about the line-of-battle-Ramage as this is the last in the series!
November 25, 2025
♥️ this is the end. It didn’t feel like the end but it was. Farewell dear Ramage, I will not forget you.
May 5, 2016
It has been 2 days since I finished reading the book but still I have re-reading details in my mind. It is probably because it is the last book of the series (Dudley Pope died before writing another book)
After the first books (read 17 of the 18) I remember I was happy to see the hero does not get a promotion after each book. But now after I have seen that Ramage is commanding a ship of the line, and not even a big one that is, I am wondering how good the books might have been if he got promoted quicker in the story
After the first books (read 17 of the 18) I remember I was happy to see the hero does not get a promotion after each book. But now after I have seen that Ramage is commanding a ship of the line, and not even a big one that is, I am wondering how good the books might have been if he got promoted quicker in the story
August 17, 2021
Spoilers ahead.
This is the last of the Ramage books and I feel a pity that there are no more. It seems that there would be a next one as the admiral was going to give Ramage a special mission at the end of the book. It appears that Pope might have passed before he could write any more Ramage books. I had originally read my first Ramage 40 years ago, didn't like it and forgot about it. I started again this year, having gone on a naval historical action kick. I read the Kydd and Lewrie series and then decided to try this one again.
40 years ago I compared every naval hero to Hornblower and there was no comparison. Fast forward 40 years and I'm more tolerant. Honestly, Ramage isn't bad, the writing is pretty easy to read and follow. The main thing I didn't like then was the absurd hero worship (got less towards the end of the series) as well as the self doubt (copied from HH like many other authors) and some other mannerisms like stuttering or fear. Towards the end of the series, there was much less effort to make a difference, it was almost like Pope was calling it in, fulfilling a contract.
Another thing I didn't like towards the end was the dialog driven writing. A lot of the book was simply the crew talking among themselves. I basically just fast read through those parts. I also sometimes disagreed with the way Ramage handled the action but that's no biggie. In a way, it was a good thing the series ended when it did because once the bigger plot ran out, there wasn't much more to write about. Unlike Hornblower, which was a character driven series, I read each of those books more than 20 times and still enjoyed them, sometimes discovering things I hadn't before.
Summary: Ramage is sent to the West Indies again, this time with a 74 SOTL. This at least was something new. There was a interesting bit where Ramage compared commissioning a frigate with a SOTL Then he is sent to Barbados(?) where he has a friendly admiral who puts him to watch Fort Royal.
All in all Ramage captures 3 frigates, blows up a 74 and captures a convoy. He's pretty much given carte blanche by the admiral who is happy with the results. I would have enjoyed less talking, more action and something more than run of the mill action but I'm satisfied.
This is the last of the Ramage books and I feel a pity that there are no more. It seems that there would be a next one as the admiral was going to give Ramage a special mission at the end of the book. It appears that Pope might have passed before he could write any more Ramage books. I had originally read my first Ramage 40 years ago, didn't like it and forgot about it. I started again this year, having gone on a naval historical action kick. I read the Kydd and Lewrie series and then decided to try this one again.
40 years ago I compared every naval hero to Hornblower and there was no comparison. Fast forward 40 years and I'm more tolerant. Honestly, Ramage isn't bad, the writing is pretty easy to read and follow. The main thing I didn't like then was the absurd hero worship (got less towards the end of the series) as well as the self doubt (copied from HH like many other authors) and some other mannerisms like stuttering or fear. Towards the end of the series, there was much less effort to make a difference, it was almost like Pope was calling it in, fulfilling a contract.
Another thing I didn't like towards the end was the dialog driven writing. A lot of the book was simply the crew talking among themselves. I basically just fast read through those parts. I also sometimes disagreed with the way Ramage handled the action but that's no biggie. In a way, it was a good thing the series ended when it did because once the bigger plot ran out, there wasn't much more to write about. Unlike Hornblower, which was a character driven series, I read each of those books more than 20 times and still enjoyed them, sometimes discovering things I hadn't before.
Summary: Ramage is sent to the West Indies again, this time with a 74 SOTL. This at least was something new. There was a interesting bit where Ramage compared commissioning a frigate with a SOTL Then he is sent to Barbados(?) where he has a friendly admiral who puts him to watch Fort Royal.
All in all Ramage captures 3 frigates, blows up a 74 and captures a convoy. He's pretty much given carte blanche by the admiral who is happy with the results. I would have enjoyed less talking, more action and something more than run of the mill action but I'm satisfied.
April 26, 2024
So it ends
In the grand scheme of things, Pope’s Lord Ramage series is too saccharine. The action is fine, but the resolution is always too pat. Across the 18 novels in the series, I can recall only one named member of the crew (Lieutenant Brown?) being lost. The rest of the time, Ramage gambles the lives of his crew and it ALWAYS works out. Sure, he has been wounded. If anything though his wounds have appeared to heal his slight speech impediment. Women always fall in love with him. Intraservice opponents squander their advantage before him. The French fall for every gambit, sail in to each other, or miss with their broadsides, or set their own ships aflame.
It’s fun, but boring when EVERY roll of the dice works out. Looking back over the last 5500 or so pages, I wish there had been a few more impactful twists and turns. Good escapist fun, but little else. Shame to have it end on a cliffhanger.
In the grand scheme of things, Pope’s Lord Ramage series is too saccharine. The action is fine, but the resolution is always too pat. Across the 18 novels in the series, I can recall only one named member of the crew (Lieutenant Brown?) being lost. The rest of the time, Ramage gambles the lives of his crew and it ALWAYS works out. Sure, he has been wounded. If anything though his wounds have appeared to heal his slight speech impediment. Women always fall in love with him. Intraservice opponents squander their advantage before him. The French fall for every gambit, sail in to each other, or miss with their broadsides, or set their own ships aflame.
It’s fun, but boring when EVERY roll of the dice works out. Looking back over the last 5500 or so pages, I wish there had been a few more impactful twists and turns. Good escapist fun, but little else. Shame to have it end on a cliffhanger.
August 30, 2023
Ramage finally gets command of a ship of the line, a 74 gun warship, and is sent to the West Indies. He also gets to keep all who served on the Calypso through most of the books. I am said to see this series end as I have enjoyed the adventures and life aboard a sailing ship of war whether it be a frigate or a 74. As always, Ramage is more than successful at his assignment and the book leaves you waiting for the next one, however sadly there are no more.
January 16, 2023
Ramage Review
Just finished all 18 Ramage books. Full of detail about that period of the British navy and of how the ships are handled. Interesting but eventually repetitive details. Good action. Ramage presents a good example for any person growing through early life…intelligent, thoughtful, concerned about others, and even self critical. A good series.
Just finished all 18 Ramage books. Full of detail about that period of the British navy and of how the ships are handled. Interesting but eventually repetitive details. Good action. Ramage presents a good example for any person growing through early life…intelligent, thoughtful, concerned about others, and even self critical. A good series.
February 5, 2023
The last of the Ramage books though not meant to be as the end obviously leaves room for more. Ramage is finally given command of a ship of the line the Dido and allowed to keep his old crew plus some newcomers to travel to the Carribean. Once again dispatched to Martinique he is put on blockade duty to try and keep supplies from reaching the French Island with spectacular results.
March 6, 2021
Final book in the series
I am a big fan of the series, but I would rate this story in the bottom third of the 18 books.
Ramage is now in a 74 gun ship of the line. He is no longer fighting against the odds. There are no new characters.
I am a big fan of the series, but I would rate this story in the bottom third of the 18 books.
Ramage is now in a 74 gun ship of the line. He is no longer fighting against the odds. There are no new characters.
November 11, 2018
So sorry to see this series end. Even though I'm not a big military or naval book fan, I have truly enjoyed this series immensely, much to my own surprise. Sad to see it come to an end.
Read
November 15, 2019He still doesn't know what the admiral has for him, and unfortunately neither do we.
August 15, 2020
This was a really good story, I couldn't limit myself to a chapter a night! So disappointed that this is the last book in the series.
April 18, 2022
The last of the series…and Ramage doesn’t grow old, die, or become an admiral.
October 10, 2022
Pope died after writing this one. It is a bit sad no one took up continuing the series.
March 15, 2014
The last of the Lord Ramage series of Napolionic era nautical fiction. The book ended with Ramage awaiting new orders for a special mission. Unfortunately Mr Pope's failing health and subsequent death apparently kept that from happening. Apart from the continued invincibility of the lead character, the book continued the well written series. Rampage returns to the West Indies where he tackles the French after being promoted into his first ship of the line, the 74 gun Dido. As her Captain he captures, sinks, and burns his way through the French fleets both on the way to and in the islands. Mr Pope's writing will appeal to those interested in nautical fiction in the age of sail, as well as fans of Forrester, Kent, and Lambdin.
March 2, 2016
Another great story with new adventures in a 74 . . . How sad this is the last Lord Ramage novel; the story does not end and intimates that Ramage will have a new assignment when he returns to England . . . what gives? I have to go to Wikipedia to find out what ended Dudley Pope's novels! Oh well . . .
May 5, 2012
The first of the Ramage books - all of which are exciting and well written. The Ramage series ranks 3rd with me behind Hornblower and Bolitho for age of sail excitement. Ramage is just a little too good and nothing is impossible..
Read
July 28, 2009Enjoyed
February 28, 2013
Finally...Ramage gets a Third Rate 74 Gun Ship of the Line!
January 27, 2013
Final episode in the Ramage sage. Not an end to the story and plenty of loose ends left dandling. Better than 16, and 17.
May 6, 2015
I have read all the Dudley Pope Lord Ramage books and I enjoyed them very much. I'm only sorry I'm not sailing in the West Indies or the Mediteranian right now...
March 30, 2016
It is with a heavy heart that, after eight months, I finished the 18th and final Lord Ramage book. Alas, no more age of fighting sail books to be written by Pope or, the master, O'Brian.
June 18, 2016
The last in a thrilling series of books. Bigger ship no problem for Damage and his crew, they still wreak havoc against the French.
November 16, 2016
Love these books and sad the series is over just as Ramage starts commanding a 74!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews