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The Messenger: Donland and the Hornet
Hornet was a cursed ship. Distrust of the fever-laden Hornet and the young American born Captain are an ill-fit to the fleet of Admiral Hyde Parker and Admiral Rowley. Yet, their communications are hampered by a small squadron of Spanish and Hornet is given the task of running the gauntlet. Trapped and outgunned he must use his wits to escape and keep the dispatches he is carrying from falling into the hands of the Spanish. From Charles Town to Martinique Donland faces storms, treachery and envy.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
111 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 22, 2015
181 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 7, 2024
Too Many Mistakes!
I am a retired professional writer/editor with dozens of awards and honors to my credit. I enjoy reading historical fiction, especially about British naval events. In 2024 alone, I must already have read more than 60 books in that genre. This one is certainly the worst of them, with dozens of misspelled words, run-on sentences, incredibly inappropriate punctuation, misused adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions—and I’m only in Chapter Six! I routinely highlight such mistakes as I read, but I’m spending more time doing that with this book than reading! Before he publishes a sequel, he should seriously consider hiring an editor. This book certainly wasn’t ready for Prime” time!
I am a retired professional writer/editor with dozens of awards and honors to my credit. I enjoy reading historical fiction, especially about British naval events. In 2024 alone, I must already have read more than 60 books in that genre. This one is certainly the worst of them, with dozens of misspelled words, run-on sentences, incredibly inappropriate punctuation, misused adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions—and I’m only in Chapter Six! I routinely highlight such mistakes as I read, but I’m spending more time doing that with this book than reading! Before he publishes a sequel, he should seriously consider hiring an editor. This book certainly wasn’t ready for Prime” time!
October 25, 2022
Short, too short!
Interesting story but too short and lacks depth. Can be fun working through the errors....
Towards the end there is a bit where Medusa goes into action at the end of it Donland and Powell are sitting around Captain Oakes table. Then Donland starts handing out orders - no mention of what happened to Oakes until they bury him at sea the next day. Did the author get worried about exceeding his word count....
Interesting story but too short and lacks depth. Can be fun working through the errors....
Towards the end there is a bit where Medusa goes into action at the end of it Donland and Powell are sitting around Captain Oakes table. Then Donland starts handing out orders - no mention of what happened to Oakes until they bury him at sea the next day. Did the author get worried about exceeding his word count....
February 15, 2021
Fun story but needs editing,
Good characters and action but a ridiculous number of typos. I suspect there are plenty of underemployed English majors who could solve this inexpensively.
Good characters and action but a ridiculous number of typos. I suspect there are plenty of underemployed English majors who could solve this inexpensively.
June 2, 2023
As I could not figure out the order these books go in, I read the 2nd book first, and there are a lot of references to the previous book in this story. Its a pretty standard sea novel, with a lucky and ambitious lieutenant showing his skills and gifts, going up the ladder of promotion.
I would personally love to see someone write one of these series starting at nothing and taking their time moving up the ladder, since it took years each rank but they all blast up as fast as possible to get to captain.
In this book, the protagonist has what feels at first to be a cursed ship with a very dark and miserable history. The captain steps on deck of what is considered a plague ship and rapidly determines the stores are corrupted and sickening everyone aboard, killing many.
Sadly this initial premise is not given much attention or thought after that, and the psychological effect of being on a plague/cursed ship on the crew is dismissed. The Hornet ends up being a mail ship in essence, just delivering messages and packets around the Caribbean fleet.
One interesting and well-handled part of the storyline is how the captain and first lieutenant are both Americans, and viewed with deep suspicion and even hostility by others in the fleet, because the story is set during the US Revolutionary War. This is a fresh conceit and makes the book more engaging.
Some of the writing is a bit off, in a minor way. Characters use "aye" when they should use "yes" (aye is in response to orders, yes is in response to questions), for example.
I would personally love to see someone write one of these series starting at nothing and taking their time moving up the ladder, since it took years each rank but they all blast up as fast as possible to get to captain.
In this book, the protagonist has what feels at first to be a cursed ship with a very dark and miserable history. The captain steps on deck of what is considered a plague ship and rapidly determines the stores are corrupted and sickening everyone aboard, killing many.
Sadly this initial premise is not given much attention or thought after that, and the psychological effect of being on a plague/cursed ship on the crew is dismissed. The Hornet ends up being a mail ship in essence, just delivering messages and packets around the Caribbean fleet.
One interesting and well-handled part of the storyline is how the captain and first lieutenant are both Americans, and viewed with deep suspicion and even hostility by others in the fleet, because the story is set during the US Revolutionary War. This is a fresh conceit and makes the book more engaging.
Some of the writing is a bit off, in a minor way. Characters use "aye" when they should use "yes" (aye is in response to orders, yes is in response to questions), for example.
October 3, 2020
Sloppy editing
Quite a well written book, but have I missed the first book in the series? Events were referred to that were obviously from another set of adventures and so we lack any insight into characters or storylines.
Additionally, I don’t think I am a pedant, but there were a few typos that really threw me. Should that say “thrust” not “thrush”? And “out” not “our”. Don’t rely on a spell checker to do your editing.
Quite a well written book, but have I missed the first book in the series? Events were referred to that were obviously from another set of adventures and so we lack any insight into characters or storylines.
Additionally, I don’t think I am a pedant, but there were a few typos that really threw me. Should that say “thrust” not “thrush”? And “out” not “our”. Don’t rely on a spell checker to do your editing.
January 5, 2021
Some issues, but enjoyable in the main
Enjoyable, but anachronisms and inappropriate language-no, not that way. No crows nests on ships of this period, and ships that keel over have capsized. The word should have been heeled, but it is used several times inappropriately. Short on naval etiquette, and too informal for naval protocol.
Needs copy editing.
Otherwise, enjoyable.
Enjoyable, but anachronisms and inappropriate language-no, not that way. No crows nests on ships of this period, and ships that keel over have capsized. The word should have been heeled, but it is used several times inappropriately. Short on naval etiquette, and too informal for naval protocol.
Needs copy editing.
Otherwise, enjoyable.
November 8, 2020
Splendid reading for us armchair sailors
This series is, thus far, a fun, salty read for fans of the late and much missed C.S. Forester. Am planning on reading the next next book in the series forthwith.
This series is, thus far, a fun, salty read for fans of the late and much missed C.S. Forester. Am planning on reading the next next book in the series forthwith.
July 8, 2021
Excellent
.Fast paced without extraneous distractions. Captain Donland is a sympathetic duty bound officer. The language appears authentic for the period and historically accurate.
.Fast paced without extraneous distractions. Captain Donland is a sympathetic duty bound officer. The language appears authentic for the period and historically accurate.
March 18, 2025
Great First Read
This is the first book by Perry Comer that I have read and I enjoyed it very much. The characters were well thought out and interesting. The storyline had a lot of action, but the back story left many questions. Need to see if there is a before book.
This is the first book by Perry Comer that I have read and I enjoyed it very much. The characters were well thought out and interesting. The storyline had a lot of action, but the back story left many questions. Need to see if there is a before book.
November 11, 2019
A short parasailing story
Although the stories are rather easy to read, once one gets started, how become involved with the characters, thus keep reading.
Although the stories are rather easy to read, once one gets started, how become involved with the characters, thus keep reading.
July 23, 2020
Good
Fun to read and the characters are well drawn .All in all I have enjoyed reading the 1st 2 books
Fun to read and the characters are well drawn .All in all I have enjoyed reading the 1st 2 books
October 13, 2020
A Great Read
If the rest of the Donland and the Hornet books are as much fun as this anyone that enjoys naval fiction or the age of sail will be glad they signed aboard!
If the rest of the Donland and the Hornet books are as much fun as this anyone that enjoys naval fiction or the age of sail will be glad they signed aboard!
April 11, 2021
Could not finish
Poor in comparison to other writers of the age of sail. far too many errors in the text as well.
Poor in comparison to other writers of the age of sail. far too many errors in the text as well.
December 23, 2023
First Read of Perry Comer
Engaging descriptions of Donland and crew. Action well paced with accuracy. Ship handling and maneuvers presented in a way that made easy to visualize.
Engaging descriptions of Donland and crew. Action well paced with accuracy. Ship handling and maneuvers presented in a way that made easy to visualize.
December 21, 2020
Good book.
October 23, 2015
So Full of Errors!,
A very short "novel" and full of grammatical and spelling errors. It's too bad someone doesn't proof read these books. Nevertheless, the story is entertaining and true to the genre and time period.
A very short "novel" and full of grammatical and spelling errors. It's too bad someone doesn't proof read these books. Nevertheless, the story is entertaining and true to the genre and time period.
August 13, 2016
Salty
Bit confusing with all the characters to keep track of but the detailed research is apparent in the telling of the story. The sailing terms are too complicated for a landlubber like me but I managed to get the gist and in the end a good yarn i.e. all that is required.
Bit confusing with all the characters to keep track of but the detailed research is apparent in the telling of the story. The sailing terms are too complicated for a landlubber like me but I managed to get the gist and in the end a good yarn i.e. all that is required.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews