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William Rennie #1
HMS Expedient
In 1786: Captain William Rennie is on the beach and on half pay. Things weren't always so bad for him. Four years earlier Admiral Rodney had singled him out for his part in the glorious Battle of the Saints, but since then he has found himself ignored by the Admiralty, and his career has all but gone by the board. So Rennie is amazed when he's given a prime HMS Expedient is a 36 gun frigate; she is to be sent to the South Seas on a scientific expedition. For Lieutenant James Hayter, in Dorsetshire, whose career had barely begun when the peace came, his own commission in Expedient out of the blue is equally surprising and exciting. Leaving his home and his sweetheart for at least a year is a small price to pay for this heaven sent opportunity to get to sea again. But for these two sea officers there is something odd and disturbing about the nature of their task. They sense that they are not being told the whole truth about the forthcoming expedition, and the shady, powerful figure of Sir Robert Greer is always at their backs. There is trouble at the dockyards - delays and disputes - and vexing difficulty over scientific instruments. There are clashes of personality, and unwelcome additions to the ship's complement just as she is about to leave harbour. Then a long series of mysterious accidents and setbacks as Expedient sails south. Is someone trying to sabotage their mission? Why is their progress dogged by a mysterious man of war? And what are the secret orders locked in Rennie's cabin which may only be opened once they round the Cape of Good Horn? The answers lies on a beautiful uncharted island, in the remotest corner of the Pacific immensity, to which the storm-battered Expedient limps for desperately needed repairs. Soon the dangers of the voyage will pale in comparison with what they discover there, across the limpid waters of the lagoon ...
416 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2006
74 people want to read
About the author
Peter Smalley
22 books6 followersFrom Wikipedia
Peter Smalley is an Australian born author, screenwriter and broadcaster who lives in the United Kingdom, who has written a series of naval thrillers featuring Captain William Rennie. His first Rennie adventure HMS Expedient was published by Century, an imprint of Random House in 2005. His screenwriting credits include Dead-End Drive In (1986), The Return of Captain Invincible (1984) and Chopper Squad (1978–1979).
Smalley was born in Melbourne, Victoria, and following a career in advertising he became a screenwriter, broadcaster, and novelist. Smalley is from a seafaring family, and lives in London with his wife, Clytie.
Peter Smalley is an Australian born author, screenwriter and broadcaster who lives in the United Kingdom, who has written a series of naval thrillers featuring Captain William Rennie. His first Rennie adventure HMS Expedient was published by Century, an imprint of Random House in 2005. His screenwriting credits include Dead-End Drive In (1986), The Return of Captain Invincible (1984) and Chopper Squad (1978–1979).
Smalley was born in Melbourne, Victoria, and following a career in advertising he became a screenwriter, broadcaster, and novelist. Smalley is from a seafaring family, and lives in London with his wife, Clytie.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 16, 2022
Read this book in 2006, and its the 1st volume of the "Rennie & Hayter" series.
This tale starts off in AD 1786, and England in peace at the moment, Captain Rennie is on th beach and on half pay, when he's singled out for a prime commission and given the 36 gun frigate HMS Expedient.
Along with him is selected someone who's career has barely begun when the peace came and that's Lieutenant James Hayter.
Together they will set sail to Cape Horn and they need to round it before reaching their final destination, but before they set sail towards that destination they feel as if their task is not as straightforward as they think, with various accidents at the dockyard and the like, and with the powerful Sir Robert Greer always at their backs it makes it even more difficult for them both.
When they are on their way, several accidents will occur as if trying to sabotage their mission, as well as being followed by a man-of-war, but still they will reach and round Cape Horn, and after doing that Captain Rennie can open this mysterious packet and read the secret orders of what needs to be done.
The answer lies on a beautiful uncharted island in the remotest corner of the Pacific, and with much trouble they will be able to reach this island.
What is follow is an exciting seafaring story, in which Rennie and Hayter will go through different emotions before finally reaching their destination, and in doing so they will have to encounter some hard fought sea-battles and secrets to solve.
Very much recommended, for this is a very thrilling start to this seafaring series, and that's why i like to call this first episode: "A Very Satisfying HMS Expedient"!
This tale starts off in AD 1786, and England in peace at the moment, Captain Rennie is on th beach and on half pay, when he's singled out for a prime commission and given the 36 gun frigate HMS Expedient.
Along with him is selected someone who's career has barely begun when the peace came and that's Lieutenant James Hayter.
Together they will set sail to Cape Horn and they need to round it before reaching their final destination, but before they set sail towards that destination they feel as if their task is not as straightforward as they think, with various accidents at the dockyard and the like, and with the powerful Sir Robert Greer always at their backs it makes it even more difficult for them both.
When they are on their way, several accidents will occur as if trying to sabotage their mission, as well as being followed by a man-of-war, but still they will reach and round Cape Horn, and after doing that Captain Rennie can open this mysterious packet and read the secret orders of what needs to be done.
The answer lies on a beautiful uncharted island in the remotest corner of the Pacific, and with much trouble they will be able to reach this island.
What is follow is an exciting seafaring story, in which Rennie and Hayter will go through different emotions before finally reaching their destination, and in doing so they will have to encounter some hard fought sea-battles and secrets to solve.
Very much recommended, for this is a very thrilling start to this seafaring series, and that's why i like to call this first episode: "A Very Satisfying HMS Expedient"!
December 3, 2008
Could it be I've finally found someone to satisfy my hunger for really good nautical fiction since the passing of Patrick O'Brian?
I've tried Forester, Kent, Needle, Pope, Stockwin (not bad), Lambdin (quite good), et al, but no one yet has managed to create that rare combination of intelligence, wit and that particularly masculine sense of adventure that O'Brian was so good at. Until now...?
What makes the first in the series unique for this genre is characterization. Captain Rennie is a bit of a paradox: mean-spirited and generous, good-natured and tempestuous, in short: an autocrat whose word aboard ship must be obeyed no matter how unreasonable. His long-suffering first lieutenant James Hayter smooths out the captain's often prickly dealings with his crew and eventually befriends the captain, although even he isn't sure of the captain's sanity.
Writing is first-rate, though sadly, a tad lacking in the sophisticated wit of O'Brian. I'm looking forward to the second in this series, Port Royal, to find out if the relationship between Rennie and Hayter can possibly succeed.
I've tried Forester, Kent, Needle, Pope, Stockwin (not bad), Lambdin (quite good), et al, but no one yet has managed to create that rare combination of intelligence, wit and that particularly masculine sense of adventure that O'Brian was so good at. Until now...?
What makes the first in the series unique for this genre is characterization. Captain Rennie is a bit of a paradox: mean-spirited and generous, good-natured and tempestuous, in short: an autocrat whose word aboard ship must be obeyed no matter how unreasonable. His long-suffering first lieutenant James Hayter smooths out the captain's often prickly dealings with his crew and eventually befriends the captain, although even he isn't sure of the captain's sanity.
Writing is first-rate, though sadly, a tad lacking in the sophisticated wit of O'Brian. I'm looking forward to the second in this series, Port Royal, to find out if the relationship between Rennie and Hayter can possibly succeed.
March 6, 2014
Opening: 1786 Britain v France.
Solid adventuring and I'm looking forward to the next...
September 14, 2014
An enjoyable read. A map would have helped in understanding the journey that HMS expedient took. Other than that, the story telling is a fine art in this novel.
March 16, 2017
This novel charts the progress of the titular ship, supposedly sent on a scientific mission, but the captain is given a second set of orders that he may not open until they are round Cape Horn.
I liked the fact that we saw not only the voyage, but the preparations for it - it really brought home how complex and time-consuming it was to get a ship ready for going to sea in the first place. In this case, the captain starts out with most of his crew missing for good measure! You sense almost immediately that the author is trying to model Rennie and Hayter on Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin - right down to the difference in religious opinions.
However, the novel as a whole - while enjoyable and engrossing - falls somewhat short of O'Brian. The exploration aspect and depiction of locations are vivid and well written and given a good sense of what it must have been like for sailors encountering islands and their inhabitants for the first time. But certain other plot-lines seem under-developed - the romantic subplot feels unnecessary and the ending is very rushed, which in turn makes it feel inconsequential. And at the risk of sounding picky, I'm not sure Royal Navy *officers* would have sworn so much. I can understand rough language coming from the lower decks, but it feels wrong hearing f-words from 18th-century officers of the gentleman class.
It makes nice change to have a novel set in this era that is not focused on the Napoleonic Wars, and it is generally a good read, but not quite on a par with O'Brian.
I liked the fact that we saw not only the voyage, but the preparations for it - it really brought home how complex and time-consuming it was to get a ship ready for going to sea in the first place. In this case, the captain starts out with most of his crew missing for good measure! You sense almost immediately that the author is trying to model Rennie and Hayter on Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin - right down to the difference in religious opinions.
However, the novel as a whole - while enjoyable and engrossing - falls somewhat short of O'Brian. The exploration aspect and depiction of locations are vivid and well written and given a good sense of what it must have been like for sailors encountering islands and their inhabitants for the first time. But certain other plot-lines seem under-developed - the romantic subplot feels unnecessary and the ending is very rushed, which in turn makes it feel inconsequential. And at the risk of sounding picky, I'm not sure Royal Navy *officers* would have sworn so much. I can understand rough language coming from the lower decks, but it feels wrong hearing f-words from 18th-century officers of the gentleman class.
It makes nice change to have a novel set in this era that is not focused on the Napoleonic Wars, and it is generally a good read, but not quite on a par with O'Brian.
June 14, 2022
I am disappointed. The blurb promised me three things: science, sabotage, and mystery; but I didn’t find any of those inside this book. I was, to be brutally honest, bored out of my mind while reading it, but I kept going hoping something, anything at all, would happen. Sadly, nothing did. I can’t even say I liked or disliked the characters, I didn’t get to know any of them enough.
A pity, because it sounded like something I should have enjoyed.
A pity, because it sounded like something I should have enjoyed.
February 7, 2021
I may have been slightly cruel with a two-star rating, but this book is just dull and pointless. It mostly has the elements of a Forester or an O'Brian, but they don't mesh and frankly the story does not come together, even with the deus ex machina at the end. One could say, if feeling romantic, that it is the body of a competent novel of the Age of Sail without the soul.
January 1, 2023
Bit meh. Rubbish ending.
August 31, 2016
Fairly average. Started off reasonably well, I enjoyed the build up before they sailed with its intrigue and enjoyed the way they built up the character of James Hayter during this period, but the story seemed to loose the plot by the time they had reached the Pacific. A number of key adventures in the plot seemed to be pointlessly repetitive .... Devolving into an endless series of silly failure after silly failure before they finally succeed.
The finding of their final destination was fairly obvious for quite a while, except to the main characters in the plot, who seemed to take an excruciating length of time to come to the realization.
There was also one major event which came out of nowhere at the climax of the book and managed to solve a major hurdle which they had been facing.
The finding of their final destination was fairly obvious for quite a while, except to the main characters in the plot, who seemed to take an excruciating length of time to come to the realization.
There was also one major event which came out of nowhere at the climax of the book and managed to solve a major hurdle which they had been facing.
Read
June 2, 2015The first 25 pages of this book included a shore-bound captain weeping openly over the sight of a ship, a sailor falling overboard literally in slow motion (with blood spurting from his head), and misuse of your/you're.
No thanks. Life's too short to read poorly-written melodrama.
No thanks. Life's too short to read poorly-written melodrama.
March 4, 2009
frigates, doctors 1799 copper bottoms
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews