Admiral

Thomas Kydd #27

by Julian Stockwin

April 1814. Napoleon is deposed and exiled after defeat by a resurgent allied collation. Saddled with huge war debts, the British government has no choice but to place many of its naval ships in reserve.

Captain Sir Thomas Kydd is one of the lucky officers not to be put on half pay. Instead, in the realisation of his life's ambition, he is offered an admiral's flag, but the station is West Africa and with it comes anti-slavery operations set in fever-ridden swamps. Despite the obvious dangers and hardships, Kydd readies for sea with his beloved Thunderer as his flagship.

But before he can set sail comes the electrifying news - the tyrant has escaped from Elba and is marching on Paris, the citizens flocking to join him.

Napoleon's invasion fleet is still in being and if the French navy declares for him they can sail from the ports now free of blockade and make the invasion of England a reality. What's more, the entire Channel Fleet has been stood down, its ships in various stages of repair.

There's one man in active service who happens to be on the spot - Admiral Sir Thomas Kydd. With frantic haste he's appointed temporary commander-in-chief to sail with all the men-o'-war that can be scraped together to stand athwart the French.

Waterloo is coming but before then Kydd must use all his legendary subterfuge and daring to save England from her peril.

Admiral is the twenty seventh and last of the adventures of Captain Sir Thomas Kydd whose story began in the year 1793 and tells for the first time in fiction how a pressed man through his bravery and ingenuity progresses to the quarterdeck of his own ship, and here, in the final book of the series, the command of a fleet with an admiral's pennant.

Genres: Historical Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

Published January 7, 2025

About the author

Julian Stockwin was sent at the age of fourteen to Indefatigable, a tough sea-training school. He joined the Royal Navy at fifteen. He now lives in Devon with his wife Kathy. Julian has written 24 books to date in the Kydd series of historical adventure fiction, the story of one man's journey from pressed man to admiral in the age of fighting sail, and a non-fiction book, 'Stockwin's Maritime Miscellany.' His latest Kydd series title is THUNDERER. And, he's also published two historical standalone novels, THE SILK TREE, set in the time of Emperor Justinian and THE POWDER OF DEATH, about the quest for the secret of gunpowder.

Series:
* Thomas Kydd

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very likeable book is the 27th and last volume of the overall wonderful "Thomas Kydd" series.

At the beginning of the book you'll find phrases by Napoleon Bonaparte and Alfred Thayer Mahan, followed by well-drawn maps and a Dramatis Personae, while at the back you'll encounter a well defined Glossary and Author's Note.

Storytelling is excellent, the story is filled with authentic sea-language, all characters are very lifelike and believable, but sadly the book includes more ground action than real sea battles.

The story starts off in April 1814 and will end in 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo, and the total defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte and his subsequent surrender to the British.

After Napoleon's defeat against the Allied Coalition, he will be exiled to Elba, but after his escape from Elba to renew his hunger for power and conquest, he will succeed to gain support but will lose it all at the Battle of Waterloo, while instead now made Admiral by the Admiralty, Sir Thomas Kydd is aboard the "Centaur" accompanied by his battle fleet and they are pressed hard to keep the French Navy in a desperate and determined effort in ports like Brest and Rochefort, until the news comes of the eventual surrender of Napoleon on board the "Bellerophon".

What is to follow is more a action-packed ground story than a full naval battle story, and one in which the author has been working towards this inevitable end, and this was started already in his previous book(s), and that's why I will give this book nevertheless 4 STARS simply because as a sincere tribute for the author's superb series as a whole.

Highly recommended, for this book is "A Fitting Kydd Finale"!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've followed, now Admiral Thomas Kydd, through all of his twenty-seven ventures on the high seas in His Majesty's wooden ships of sail. From the foremast (enlisted) to the quarterdeck (officer), they have been fun reads of history. This final book depicts the final days of Napoleon from exile on Elba to Waterloo, to St. Helena.

Stockwin has a knack for penning these tales. If you enjoy, sagas of sea in the days of sail this series will provide hours of entertainment and historical knowledge.

Sad to say, "Admiral," ends the series, though Stockwin suggests he will start another series beginning with a British Lieutenant.

Sail Ho!

[Bob Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last Admiral!

Been following Kydd since the start, loved the series. Some were not up to the high standard set early on by the author, but on the whole you can call me a fan!
This last installment was, for me, a little bit of an anticlimactic end to the series, but understandably so given the paucity of sea action at this time.

[Stevan L · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very disappointing ending to one of my favorite maritime series, by far the worst book in the series.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the first book in the Kydd series on the remainders table of a local book store. Or rather my wife did, drawn by the cover art and knowing my interest in historical fiction of the age of righting sail. The small, pocket book sized hardcover book of only 250 pages wove the tail of Kydd and his soon to be friend, Renzzi, had me hooked and I went in search of other books from this author. I soon learned that there were more books in the series and after reading them, awaited each new instalment with growing anticipation. Some of the series were stronger than others and I found Kydd's rapid rise in the navy to be a bit of a stretch, but that excepted, I rank Stockwin right up there with the likes of Forster, O'Brian, Kent & Donachie. Thank you Julian for many hours of entertaining reading and another view of that slice of time during the Napolianic Wars.

Being his last book of the Kydd series, I anticipated a dramatic battle to close out Kydd's career. Stockwin has give us some great story telling as we followed Kydd from a pressed hand to full Admiral of the Blue and he did not disappoint with this closing instalment. No, he didn't go out in a cloud of gunpowder, but as Napoleon makes his bid to retake the throne of France after his escape from exile, Stockwin built a tale that grows in tension. As Kydd struggles to adapt to his role as admiral of a modest fleet, charged with the task of preventing Bonaparte's bid to escape France for America.

As all the chess pieces are set in motion, the tension builds and although I tried to savour this book and read it slowly, I ended up not being able to put it down.

[Centurio52 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all books of this series and I had my doubts about some of them, especially the last 5 or so. However this last book was a pleasant surprise. Of course there is a lot of retelling of the already known facts of emperor Napoleon's comeback from Elba but this is skillfully done, and nicely interwoven with Kydd's rise to flag rank and his corresponding command of the Channel fleet, at least what's left of it after the cutback of naval strenght. All in all I found it a pleasant read and a worthy conclusion of the life and times of the sea warrior Thomas Kydd.

[S.W. Clemens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorites among the 27 books in this series. It's rich with details about the duties that fall to a newly minted admiral, and the consequences of decisions he must make, as well as historical context and how politics effected the transition from a wartime to a peacetime economy after twenty years of war (sound familiar?). The stakes are high, the storytelling is taut and the action is compelling.

[Bob Cantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last voyage of Thomas Kydd is an exciting ride to end exciting life. I liked this story even though it is the end of a journey. Kydd has risen to the rank of admiral and finds that it is really lonely at the top. He has to adapt to his new role and he manages to do so. Along with the adventure of Kydd we get to see Napoleon in his last attempt to gain his freedom. The story jumps between the two men and that is a bit strange for the reader, but it works.

[John Sapienza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Napoleon And the Navy

This last novel in the Kidd series covers the disruption of British soldiers and sailors demobbed when Napoleon was exiled to Elba. And the frantic efforts of a badly strapped navy to prevent a resurgent emperor from invading Britain with a French fleet that was still powerful.

[John Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A satisfying ending

I have devoured the Kydd books. They have seen me through a marriage birth of my kids, their growth to manhood, a few illnesses, and now heading into my twilight years. Kydd has been a long-term friend.

[Conrad Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodbye Kydd

A good but not great ending to a series that started out great but kind of ended with an “OK” set of final books. Too bad really when you feel like it’s ok for a series to end. No regrets for gutting it out, but equally no regrets for there being “no next book”!

[Richard Allan Forsythe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all 27 one after the other and have enjoyed them all. Having sailed extensively in the Channel and off the west coast of France, the books providing fascinating insights into the challenges of fighting under sail.

[John Nino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well plotted novel. Excellent writing. Keeps your interest with the many moves of Napoleon Bonaparte. Good concluding narrative. Kydd learns from several sources how to become an admiral. I enjoyed it

[Kevin O'Connor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't expect an exciting sea yarn


Sadly the worst of the 27 books in the series in my opinion. Possibly necessary to move the story on if that is to be the case. Very little about the sea and no real action as has come to be expected.

[Ian Pruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last in the series #27. I learned a lot about Napoleon and his escape from Elba and how Britain was nearly caught out by our tendency to reduce our armed forces after a conflict.
A really enjoyable series, in line with Hornblower, Bolitho and Aubrey.

[Mr William Gordon Mrs Christina Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

End of a great series. This and the last book were not up to the usual standard so it's of no surprise it has ended.
However, that does not take away the time I purchased the first book, Kydd, back in 1999 and enjoyed a great journey through life in the Napoleonic English Navy.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Kydd series of books is great. This is a nice end to the series although it is the worst book in the series,not enough of Kydd and friends and too much of Napoleon.

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I was sad knowing this was the final Thomas Kydd novel, I was happy to read that the author plans new adventures with a new character set again during the Age of Sail.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A grand conclusion to a fantastic series

[Susan Berg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry to say about the last book in this good series but it was boring. A reminder that it was the action that made the books worth reading, not the quality of the writing.

[Kds99 · Rating 5 out of 5]

a satisfactory end to the series

[Jim Purcell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine finale to this very good series. Much about Napoleon, as his reign comes to an end, interwoven with HMS involvement in his denouement and final exile.

[David Kidd · Rating 1 out of 5]

the most uninspiring book of the whole series. a real waste of time reading it. should have been better written as a short story. not up to his usual standards.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather disappointing ending to a great series, the two final books were more a history of Napoleon and Europe than the "swashbuckling" adventures of the the previous books.