The Fireship

Fox #11

by Adam Hardy

FIRE AND FURYHe guessed that the mission wasn’t going to be particularly adventurous or suited to his style of command. But when he saw the ship he’d been given, the Nuthatch, he knew. It was a sorry bucket of boards and canvas.But no matter, it was to be a fireship, the most dangerous of maneuvers in any battle.However, there was a bright prospect to the mission. Captains of successful fireships are often rewarded handsomely, if they survive. Fireships that miss their target, or burn out uselessly, or blow up with all on board... well, death or disgrace. Fox had dealt with both before.Given a half-decent crew and fair weather George Abercrombie Fox would sail a leaking scow into Hell’s mouth. Pushing this gunpowder-laden old ship into the French port was just another part of the job, bigod! A minor tactic in the grand strategy. Or so he thought.Commander Fox would soon be in the midst of smoke, fire, and chaos again ... his favorite situation. Who else but Fox could glory in the joy of combat, laughing and leaping across a flaming deck, on a sinking ship, surrounded by the enemy?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.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

111 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2016

About the author

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

Reviews

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fox after being in a terrible predicament in the previous novel manages to get on top of things anyway. Other than Fox being a street rat who finds himself turning into a gentleman, the main theme of this series is a clever man who has incredibly bad and good luck at the same time. Things go horribly wrong and well for him alternately and he manages to find his way through anyway.

In this book, Fox is part of a squadron attempting to finish the job that Fox's enemy Admiral Lymm botched in the previous book. This time he's in charge of a fireship, a sailing ship specially built to carry incendiaries and explosives into a location to burn and destroy it. The French have sunk a ship to block a channel and protect their shipyard, and its Fox's job to wipe out the frigates inside.

But first, he has rescue his career in a court martial with his bitter enemy on the panel of judges, and then to man a ship destined to be destroyed anyway. And by the end of the book, its not clear if he's even alive or dead after a special surprise on his birthday.

[Curtiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting nautical war adventure series set during the Napoleonic Wars and featuring an antihero who is mistakenly picked up by the pressgang and enrolled in the Royal Navy as an ordinary seaman; this despite the fact that he is actually already an officer in His Majesty's Navy. The fact that George Abercrombie Fox is more than a bit of a neer-do-well and reprobate is his saving grace.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun Series

Lots of action, but they are too short. Some. Seem chapter sized for the whole book. Fox is a good hero.