Siege

Fox #3

by Adam Hardy

(also titled SAVAGE SIEGE)FOX UNDER FIREThe siege of Acre was a savage and desperate action where the British and the Turks fought together against the dreaded Napoleon. It was Napoleon's first setback— the defeat that cost him all chance of spreading his Empire to the East.George Abercrombie Fox, ambitious and ruthless, hero of THE PRESS GANG and PRIZE MONEY, played a key role at the terrible siege. It was a role that brought him both enormous success and catastrophic failure.Two duels, hidden treasure, torture, and violent, bloody death, are just some of the ingredients in this suspense-filled and authentic novel. For where Fox sails, excitement and explosive action are always on board!FOX IS NOT THE NOBLE HERO OF TRADITIONAL FICTION. FOX IS A FIGHTING MAN WHO TRANSCENDS HEROISM — HE DOESN’T CARE HOW HE WINS AS LONG AS HE WINS. HE’S MEAN, CUNNING AND MOST VICIOUS WHEN TRAPPED. THERE’S NO WAY TO OUTFOX FOX!Adam Hardy was a pen name used by Kenneth Bulmer (1921-2005). A prolific writer, Bulmer wrote over 160 novels and many short stories, both under his real name and various pen names. He is best known for science fiction, including his long-running Dray Prescot series of planetary romances, but he wrote in many genres.

145 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Adam Hardy is a pseudonym used by Kenneth Bulmer (1921-2005).

Reviews

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fox spends most of this book on land, having been ordered to Acre to rendezvous with another ship and work with that captain. He never actually meets that ship but does find out that Napoleon has broken out of Egypt and is headed up the coast.

Why does this matter? As the book explains a couple of ways, if Napoleon isn't stopped here, he'll gather forces and followers and rampage his way to Constantinople and taking that he can head into Europe or, more troubling, go east into India where the British have wealthy holdings and need the cash to pay for the war. Fox does his part to harass and trouble the French, and then heads to Acre where he's met up with Miller, one of Nelson's Band of Brothers from the Nile who knows Fox.

Acre is in pretty sad state but soon, Fox and especially Sidney Smith the quirky, chaotic but brilliant sea Captain shore up the defenses and add cannons. Fox does his part to fight the enemy and the bulk of the story is a tense and bloody account of the siege of Acre, one of the lesser-known but critical events in the Napoleonic wars.

And, because its Fox, there are several twists, few of which go his way.