Squalls Before War: His Majesty's Schooner Sultana

by Ned Bustard

Using extensive research and the actual logs of her tour of the colonies from 1768-1772, a tale is spun about the Royal Navy's smallest schooner. The Boston Massacre, the Great Awakening and even George Washington play a part in this account of colonial life. It's as close to being there as is possible without a time machine!

Genres: Historical Fiction

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

I have written a number of books including Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups, History of Art: Creation through Contemporary, the Legends & Leagues geography series, and Squalls Before War: His Majesty’s Schooner Sultana. I am the owner of World’s End Images. I am on the board of ASCHA and on staff with CIVA. In my spare time I am the creative director for Square Halo Books, for whom I edited the book It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God and Bigger on the Inside: Christianity and Doctor Who. I recently illustrated the Saint Valentine the Kindhearted for IVP Kids. Find me on Amazon and buy all my books through Hearts & Minds Bookstore.

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another historical fiction read aloud for the kids to help illustrate the tensions felt in the colonies leading up to The Revolutionary War. There was precious little character development, so none of us felt much attachment to the fates of any of the characters; not even the schooner, who was the main "character" of the story. It was far more "historical" than "fiction."

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

By far the most boring book ever written.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to my nine and eleven year old sons to go alongside our history studies this year. They enjoyed the bits of action here and there but there is not much story. More like chapters written around the historical log book entries from the Sultana. The two men who are the lead characters don’t have much depth but seem to act more as narrators to what was happening in the colonies and how the Townsend act was being carried out.

It gave a nice picture of some of the unrest leading up to the war. I don’t regret choosing it to read to them but I don’t know that I want to read it again for my next two children down the road. I personally found the epilogue the most interesting part of the book where the author shared what happened to the Sultana when it was sent back to England for repair.