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Bliven Putnam Naval Adventure #1
The Shores of Tripoli: Lieutenant Putnam and the Barbary Pirates
Now in paperback, the first novel in the brilliant series by award-winning historian James L. Haley featuring young midshipman Bliven Putnam as he begins his naval service aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.
It is 1801 and President Thomas Jefferson has assembled a deep-water navy to fight the growing threat of piracy, as American civilians are regularly kidnapped by Islamist brigands and held for ransom, enslaved, or killed, all at their captors' whim. The Berber States of North Africa, especially Tripoli, claimed their faith gave them the right to pillage anyone who did not submit to their religion.
Young Bliven Putnam, great-nephew of Revolutionary War hero Israel Putnam, is bound for the Mediterranean and a desperate battle with the pirate ship Tripoli. He later returns under legendary Commodore Edward Preble on the Constitution, and marches across the Libyan desert with General Eaton to assault Derna--discovering the lessons he learns about war, and life, are not what he expected.
Rich with historical detail and cracking with high-wire action, The Shores of Tripoli brings this amazing period in American history to life with brilliant clarity.
It is 1801 and President Thomas Jefferson has assembled a deep-water navy to fight the growing threat of piracy, as American civilians are regularly kidnapped by Islamist brigands and held for ransom, enslaved, or killed, all at their captors' whim. The Berber States of North Africa, especially Tripoli, claimed their faith gave them the right to pillage anyone who did not submit to their religion.
Young Bliven Putnam, great-nephew of Revolutionary War hero Israel Putnam, is bound for the Mediterranean and a desperate battle with the pirate ship Tripoli. He later returns under legendary Commodore Edward Preble on the Constitution, and marches across the Libyan desert with General Eaton to assault Derna--discovering the lessons he learns about war, and life, are not what he expected.
Rich with historical detail and cracking with high-wire action, The Shores of Tripoli brings this amazing period in American history to life with brilliant clarity.
496 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2016
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1245 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
April 20, 2017
Enjoyed this historical fiction book about the US efforts against the Barbary Pirates. Not sure why there are some poor reviews for this book, I understand it is not a non-fiction account of the situation but the authors research was outstanding and the book really was a fine blend of action and historical accuracy. It also brought to light how difficult it was to operate during those years when there was little immediate means of communication and also how difficult foreign policy was made and carried out.
It is a very easy and fast read and takes us all over the Southern Mediterranean, then back to New England and back again to Northern Africa. If you like a good adventure/historical fiction read than this one is a good one. Apparently this was the first in a seried of Bliven Putnam naval stories and I am looking forward to the next one to come out.
It is a very easy and fast read and takes us all over the Southern Mediterranean, then back to New England and back again to Northern Africa. If you like a good adventure/historical fiction read than this one is a good one. Apparently this was the first in a seried of Bliven Putnam naval stories and I am looking forward to the next one to come out.
July 11, 2018
4 1/2 stars. Anyone who enjoys nautical themed historical fiction set in the Napoleonic era will love this book. Think Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin novels, but set in the U.S. Navy. I was hoping for Patrick O’Brian, or at least Horatio Hornblower, but not getting my hopes up too much. This author totally delivered the goods. In some ways it surpasses O’Brian, which is no small compliment. Erudite, descriptive prose, carefully developed characters and battling the Barbary pirates in the waters of North Africa- what more can one ask for?! If you enjoy the genre, I cannot recommend this book too highly. Very good stuff.
December 29, 2016
Having read every single one of C. S. Forester's, Patrick O'Brian's, Alexander Kent's and Dewey Lambdin's sailing novels, I was looking forward to this new entry in the genre. However, either the young American Navy operated much differently than the British Navy, or Mr. Haley doesn't know how sailing vessels were commanded.
First, to have junior officers actually manning the wheel, and at the same time determining the ship's course while the ship's commander is apparently doing nothing, beggars the imagination. Granted, this novel is about Putnam's first years in the Navy, but compared to the activities covered in the novels of the first years at sea of Hornblower, Aubrey, Bolitho and Lewrie, it's hard to see how Putnam learned anything about the skills needed to command a sailing ship. Interpersonal dealings with subordinate seamen, fellow junior officers and senior officers necessary to shipboard operations are glossed over in favor of inconsequential conversations.
I doubt whether I'll follow up with the next novel about Bliven Putnam, if it's written. In this novel, Putnam is little more than an aide to his commanding officer, interspersed with a few instances of independent action. Little to anticipate him having a future of nautical daring do.
First, to have junior officers actually manning the wheel, and at the same time determining the ship's course while the ship's commander is apparently doing nothing, beggars the imagination. Granted, this novel is about Putnam's first years in the Navy, but compared to the activities covered in the novels of the first years at sea of Hornblower, Aubrey, Bolitho and Lewrie, it's hard to see how Putnam learned anything about the skills needed to command a sailing ship. Interpersonal dealings with subordinate seamen, fellow junior officers and senior officers necessary to shipboard operations are glossed over in favor of inconsequential conversations.
I doubt whether I'll follow up with the next novel about Bliven Putnam, if it's written. In this novel, Putnam is little more than an aide to his commanding officer, interspersed with a few instances of independent action. Little to anticipate him having a future of nautical daring do.
January 28, 2017
Ultimately disappointing. Incredibly heavy in exposition (explainer dialogue), it reads like a history lesson with a naive, Pollyannaish YA hero thrown in to make it more accessible. The author goes to too great lengths to shoehorn his hero into some heady events, but even then, what should be great conflicts between towering egos, or page-turning battles swimming in powder smoke and blood, are usually abstracted and described in passing, rendering them tepid at best. Doesn't fare well beside the works of O'Brien, Kent, or Cornwell (to name just three). For YA historical, look to L.A. Meyer's "Jacky Faber" series. For a great - and surprisingly authentic - fantasy spin, check out Naomi Novik's "Temeraire" series.
July 2, 2017
Like many reviewers, I wanted to like this book. I had low expectations and they were met. It was ok. Outside of subject matter, it does not compare with O'Brian in the least.
While the historical background is accurate, the ship handling and chains of command as depicted are not. Moreover, the exploits of the young hero are closer to comic book superhero type than young midshipman in the equally young U.S. Navy.
Too much too soon - if this is to be a series. Young Putnam goes way too far too fast and is thrust into way too many situations in too short a time to lend any realistic aspect to this tale.
This book only served to remind me how much I miss Jack Aubrey.
Ok for a beach read over a long weekend.
While the historical background is accurate, the ship handling and chains of command as depicted are not. Moreover, the exploits of the young hero are closer to comic book superhero type than young midshipman in the equally young U.S. Navy.
Too much too soon - if this is to be a series. Young Putnam goes way too far too fast and is thrust into way too many situations in too short a time to lend any realistic aspect to this tale.
This book only served to remind me how much I miss Jack Aubrey.
Ok for a beach read over a long weekend.
April 17, 2017
I got this as an ARC, and finally read it. It is well written with accurate historical details. Part of the setting is Northwestern Connecticut (Litchfield), territory with which I am familiar.
Great plot line and an auspicious start for a series.
Great plot line and an auspicious start for a series.
May 6, 2017
I came to this book with high hopes. I have read nearly every book of this sort in print, but they are universally told from the British point of view. So I began this book. Yet I found it underwhelming. Bliven Putnam seems an incredible character, entrusted with great responsibilities at such a young age and with such little experience. It's hard to believe, even given the circumstances of the US Navy at this time. Much of the story seems contrived and Putnam is pushed into too many situations that his rank would not permit. There is a scene of action in which he and his friend take particularly prominent positions. He is a junior officer one of the most junior on the frigate. Yet he still has this prominent position. The first lieutenant is almost never mentioned, even though a lieutenant of Putnam's rank would have more contact with the first lieutenant that he ever would have with the captain. This is explained by saying that the captain took a liking to him and made him his adjutant. This position does not exist in the Navy. The Navy has flag lieutenants, and only admirals get them, not commodores. Then the love angle is so forced and useless; if this is meant to be a series, it is not necessary to introduce everything in the first book. I hope the next book is better, but I am doubtful.
August 31, 2018
This is definitely the best contemporary American literature I've read in a long time. Haley brings his setting to life vibrantly, with rich and interesting detail. Thankfully, he doesn't shy away from writing honestly about Islamic culture, and the beliefs underlying their practice of taking slaves, which practice continues to this day, in the very same areas. The characters are well-defined and very likable. Barnes' transformation after his captivity is simply heartbreaking.
If I have one criticism, it's with the story itself, in that there doesn't seem to be one. We follow the adventures of Putnam, which is fun and exciting to be sure, but there's no story arc. Things just happen in sequence, and then the book is over. More attention to the story would have made the book more compelling, and is the reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5.
Still, I loved it. I think this book should take its place in schools alongside the great wartime classics like April Morning, Drums Along the Mohawk, and All Quiet on the Western Front.
If I have one criticism, it's with the story itself, in that there doesn't seem to be one. We follow the adventures of Putnam, which is fun and exciting to be sure, but there's no story arc. Things just happen in sequence, and then the book is over. More attention to the story would have made the book more compelling, and is the reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5.
Still, I loved it. I think this book should take its place in schools alongside the great wartime classics like April Morning, Drums Along the Mohawk, and All Quiet on the Western Front.
May 23, 2021
A little disjointed at the beginning, but a well written story. I wanted a little more action, but I loved the history involved.
April 2, 2019
I apologize beforehand for whatever images you may concoct in your minds of me pacing back and forth while gesticulating wildly. If this is the tack you take, please envision me walking a little slowly and gently cradling my abdomen so I don't strain any surgical incisions unnecessarily.
The one positive thing I have to say about this book is that I'm FINALLY done with it...and good riddance.
The credibility of The Wall Street Journal's book reviewers has tanked for me. Either they haven't read O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels (or C.S. Forester's Hornblower series for that matter), or they were smoking something that completely altered their perspective while reading Haley's book. To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen's bard directed at Dan Quayle: "Mr. Haley, you're no Patrick O'Brian".
I admitted to my husband last night that perhaps I was being harsher on Haley because of my familiarity with O'Brian and Forester. Horatio Hornblower and I have been closely acquainted since my youth and Aubrey and Maturin have been a part of my stream of books for many years. I confess that this, of course, will affect the way in which I judge other novels of the same nature...
Haley was so...scattered! He doesn't seem able to take a dramatic moment and actually let you insert yourself into it. The moment you think "ok, We're in the Strait of Messina! Scylla and Charybdis...alright! This is HAPPENING!" he resolves it in two paragraphs.
No tension.
No build-up.
No crescendo.
There's the whirlpool. There are rocks. And we're through...phew...good thing I didn't have to sit up straighter for that one, I guess...
Haley wastes a lot of words. He goes on and on and on like a person who thinks he has the most amusing and interesting story to tell. Not only does he write pointless descriptions that lead to nothing, but he also has to PROVE that he's got the nautical lingo down. At one point we witness the most informal lieutenant's examination ever, and the most unnecessarily long answers to questions about tacking the vessel and finding true azimuth. The reason they are unnecessarily long is they are there just to prove that Haley needs us to know he can write sailor dialogue with the best of them. The result of all this is tremendously boring. Yeah, yeah...we know that you know, and that your characters know...but you're just yammering away when something that actually develops these characters and moves the action forward could be happening.
He has, to my mind, the attention span of a two-year-old hopped up on sugar on a Christmas morning...there're gift-wrapping paper and toys scattered everywhere, someone decided a puppy was a good idea for a gift and the kid is climbing over furniture and people to play with a cookie tin. Haley had a lot of post-its with ideas on his desk (and walls and cabinets and bulletin board) and he used ALL OF THEM. "OOOh...pirates! Oooh...commentary of slavery! Ooooh!!!! DEATH OF A LOVED ONE!!!! I'm stoked!!! Wait...I'm forgetting a sex scene...he needs a sex scene...I have to write a SEX SCENE!!!!"
(Are you getting the impression that I want to stomp on this book?)
Why is Bliven Putnam the hero of this story? Only Haley knows. As far as characters go, he's very one-dimensional. He's a wall of a man (for a boy) who has an intellectual bent and he wants to be a sailor. Is he patriotic? Not really. Is he skilled as a mariner? Not really. Is he a warrior? One gets the impression that it's an afterthought for him. Is he a lover? Probably the most milquetoast one ever. This is the type of dude who determines his feelings for his girl are "real" because he's jealous of her description of a minister. He wouldn't be jealous if he didn't love her...right? He mounts the chubby chick and does the business because she wants it...he finds her rather large...he gets the deed done...he goes home...it's neither here nor there for him. We don't even get the impression he was competent at the sex thing...she certainly didn't seem particularly impressed.
Haley had many ideas for characters he wanted to put in this book. A Jewish midshipman who feels he's been overlooked by his superiors and wants to prove his worth. You see him maybe four times, briefly...spread out over the course of the narrative until, BOOM!, he's DEAD! Blown to bits! Just when his ship was about to come in in terms of promotion... A problematic social issue is solved just like that. We also have Jonah, an African who is a dey's chamberlain after being taken from Africa to America and then away in a ship to the Barbary Coast. We see him be fiercely loyal to his master and then equally disloyal by helping Bliven Putnam liberate prisoners on the condition that he's taken back to America and dropped off somewhere where there's "no slavery." We have Scottish Moslems who converted to save their lives. We have a kidnapped consul and, Rebecca, his saucy, unattractive daughter. We also a British commander who will most assuredly turn up in the sequel(s) as the thorn in our young midshipman-lieutenant-lieutenant commander's side. (Putnam is only 18 by the time this book is over, by the way...talk about quick promotions!). Let's not forget Sam Bandy, Putnam's friend, who is the polar opposite of our hero...South Carolinian, a good navigator, owns slaves, of a higher socio-economic echelon. They are FORCED into friendship after nearly coming to blows for some really stupid reason that is obviously only there to force a pledge of friendship and loyalty from them. (Hornblower has Mr. Bush...Aubrey has Maturin...what's a Putnam without a Bandy????) Lest we forget what this book is all about (presumably our hero...maybe???? He sort of disappears from time to time, and comes up only when he's needed.) Sam Bandy gets put in a corner and pretty much forgotten there until it's convenient to bring him back in to save Putnam from an awkward apres-sex interaction with Rebecca. Yes...Haley pairs up his hero's boot-knocking partner with his so-called best friend...I wonder how that will turn out in the sequel...it cannot possibly be good, can it???
Let's talk briefly about the women in this book...the few there are. This would be the classic example to illustrate what my Seventh-Grade English teacher described as "flat characters"...
1) Clarity Marsh, Putnam's sweetheart...conditionally...
2) Putnam's mother...bakes, comes to the door...isn't anywhere near as important as his father.
3) Rebecca Barnes, the daughter of a consul. Along with her father, she is kidnapped and spends 9 months in a harem...eating figs and olives. She basically regrets she wasn't "interfered with" and quickly seeks a solution to the issue by throwing herself at our hero. He doesn't resist but neither seems to be into the whole scenario either. Haley makes sure we know this is not a "flat" character: "once uncorseted she proved larger than he anticipated", "he stroked her breasts; they were large, as formable under his hands as udders, which he found did not kindle passion." SERIOUSLY??????
4) Mrs. Susan Barton...overweight...married to a diplomat...a saucy vivacious woman who gardens and wants to go back to Virginia.
5) Mrs. Marsh, Clarity's mother.
6) Miss Pierce, of Miss Pierce's School for Girls...or is it Mrs. Brace, Miss Pierce's sister?
7) Queen Maria Carolina of Naples and Sicily.
None of these women really mean much. They're just there because a book without women would be weird??????
Clarity is a stick in the mud. A pretty stick in the mud, but a stick in the mud nonetheless. Bliven Putnam has his reasons for loving her, I guess. She loves him too, I guess...maybe...if she still likes him when he comes back???
Rebecca Barnes isn't pretty, but she's game for adventure...there's a lot of her when she takes her clothes off, Bliven thinks. Doesn't stop him from having sex with her, though...not that it's enjoyable or meaningful for either one of them. The logic behind this bedding, heaven help me, is that since no man has made advances at her (and none will unless she throws herself at the situation, I guess?????), she might as well just get under Bliven Putnam and say "that was the best specimen I could ever have and I'M NOT A VIRGIN ANYMORE...WOO HOO!!!!" If Haley can't see why this is a stupid, denigrating, outdated stereotype (a la Donna Pescow's character in Saturday Night Fever), I don't know if I can explain it to him. I can see him tapping away quite happily: and then the fat chick...I mean...her jugs are like COW UDDERS...and Putnam knows he should squeeze them... (Insert WTF face here.)
Haley, I'm pretty sure, wrote this book in a frenzy of enthusiasm thinking it would be awesome because HE was having so much fun. I can almost hear the "oooh...oooh, I know, I know...next I'm going to write a scene about THIS!"
I cannot forget to mention, though, "...Mr. Sheffield, acting bosun...an extraordinarily tall and lanky Englishman with a heavy influence of Nordic from is mother's side." And exeunt Mr. Sheffield...he of the unnecessarily detailed genealogical description, never to be mentioned again...EVER!!!!
As I said: maybe it's the fact that recovering from surgery makes me "tetchy" or the fact that I've read O'Brian and Forester with great affection (and enthusiastic physical involvement...OK, I might have once stood on a bed while yelling and brandishing a non-existent weapon at a non-existent enemy...or so I have been told...but I digress). Maybe it's that Haley's book just isn't that good. Four-hundred and thirty-eight pages and you feel like not a lot is happening because it all happens in brief, frantic spurts that leave you cold. Maybe it's that our hero "pounded his head with his open palms and tugged at his hair but did not pull it out" when some Greek mercenaries didn't fire a cannon properly during a crucial battle.
Having met Horatio Hornblower as a young, inexperienced and awkward midshipman with a tin ear and very little by way of social intelligence, it's hard to empathize with a dude who has been sailing longer, been involved (and declared heroic to the point the whole US Navy bigwigs know him) in battle, and see him throwing a tantrum of that nature on paper.
As Elvis Presley sang: a little less conversation, a little more action, please. Too much explaining the intrigue and too little actual worthwhile action. This book is populated by Derek Zoolanders and Hansel McDonalds trying to get the files that are "in the computer"...
The one positive thing I have to say about this book is that I'm FINALLY done with it...and good riddance.
The credibility of The Wall Street Journal's book reviewers has tanked for me. Either they haven't read O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels (or C.S. Forester's Hornblower series for that matter), or they were smoking something that completely altered their perspective while reading Haley's book. To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen's bard directed at Dan Quayle: "Mr. Haley, you're no Patrick O'Brian".
I admitted to my husband last night that perhaps I was being harsher on Haley because of my familiarity with O'Brian and Forester. Horatio Hornblower and I have been closely acquainted since my youth and Aubrey and Maturin have been a part of my stream of books for many years. I confess that this, of course, will affect the way in which I judge other novels of the same nature...
Haley was so...scattered! He doesn't seem able to take a dramatic moment and actually let you insert yourself into it. The moment you think "ok, We're in the Strait of Messina! Scylla and Charybdis...alright! This is HAPPENING!" he resolves it in two paragraphs.
No tension.
No build-up.
No crescendo.
There's the whirlpool. There are rocks. And we're through...phew...good thing I didn't have to sit up straighter for that one, I guess...
Haley wastes a lot of words. He goes on and on and on like a person who thinks he has the most amusing and interesting story to tell. Not only does he write pointless descriptions that lead to nothing, but he also has to PROVE that he's got the nautical lingo down. At one point we witness the most informal lieutenant's examination ever, and the most unnecessarily long answers to questions about tacking the vessel and finding true azimuth. The reason they are unnecessarily long is they are there just to prove that Haley needs us to know he can write sailor dialogue with the best of them. The result of all this is tremendously boring. Yeah, yeah...we know that you know, and that your characters know...but you're just yammering away when something that actually develops these characters and moves the action forward could be happening.
He has, to my mind, the attention span of a two-year-old hopped up on sugar on a Christmas morning...there're gift-wrapping paper and toys scattered everywhere, someone decided a puppy was a good idea for a gift and the kid is climbing over furniture and people to play with a cookie tin. Haley had a lot of post-its with ideas on his desk (and walls and cabinets and bulletin board) and he used ALL OF THEM. "OOOh...pirates! Oooh...commentary of slavery! Ooooh!!!! DEATH OF A LOVED ONE!!!! I'm stoked!!! Wait...I'm forgetting a sex scene...he needs a sex scene...I have to write a SEX SCENE!!!!"
(Are you getting the impression that I want to stomp on this book?)
Why is Bliven Putnam the hero of this story? Only Haley knows. As far as characters go, he's very one-dimensional. He's a wall of a man (for a boy) who has an intellectual bent and he wants to be a sailor. Is he patriotic? Not really. Is he skilled as a mariner? Not really. Is he a warrior? One gets the impression that it's an afterthought for him. Is he a lover? Probably the most milquetoast one ever. This is the type of dude who determines his feelings for his girl are "real" because he's jealous of her description of a minister. He wouldn't be jealous if he didn't love her...right? He mounts the chubby chick and does the business because she wants it...he finds her rather large...he gets the deed done...he goes home...it's neither here nor there for him. We don't even get the impression he was competent at the sex thing...she certainly didn't seem particularly impressed.
Haley had many ideas for characters he wanted to put in this book. A Jewish midshipman who feels he's been overlooked by his superiors and wants to prove his worth. You see him maybe four times, briefly...spread out over the course of the narrative until, BOOM!, he's DEAD! Blown to bits! Just when his ship was about to come in in terms of promotion... A problematic social issue is solved just like that. We also have Jonah, an African who is a dey's chamberlain after being taken from Africa to America and then away in a ship to the Barbary Coast. We see him be fiercely loyal to his master and then equally disloyal by helping Bliven Putnam liberate prisoners on the condition that he's taken back to America and dropped off somewhere where there's "no slavery." We have Scottish Moslems who converted to save their lives. We have a kidnapped consul and, Rebecca, his saucy, unattractive daughter. We also a British commander who will most assuredly turn up in the sequel(s) as the thorn in our young midshipman-lieutenant-lieutenant commander's side. (Putnam is only 18 by the time this book is over, by the way...talk about quick promotions!). Let's not forget Sam Bandy, Putnam's friend, who is the polar opposite of our hero...South Carolinian, a good navigator, owns slaves, of a higher socio-economic echelon. They are FORCED into friendship after nearly coming to blows for some really stupid reason that is obviously only there to force a pledge of friendship and loyalty from them. (Hornblower has Mr. Bush...Aubrey has Maturin...what's a Putnam without a Bandy????) Lest we forget what this book is all about (presumably our hero...maybe???? He sort of disappears from time to time, and comes up only when he's needed.) Sam Bandy gets put in a corner and pretty much forgotten there until it's convenient to bring him back in to save Putnam from an awkward apres-sex interaction with Rebecca. Yes...Haley pairs up his hero's boot-knocking partner with his so-called best friend...I wonder how that will turn out in the sequel...it cannot possibly be good, can it???
Let's talk briefly about the women in this book...the few there are. This would be the classic example to illustrate what my Seventh-Grade English teacher described as "flat characters"...
1) Clarity Marsh, Putnam's sweetheart...conditionally...
2) Putnam's mother...bakes, comes to the door...isn't anywhere near as important as his father.
3) Rebecca Barnes, the daughter of a consul. Along with her father, she is kidnapped and spends 9 months in a harem...eating figs and olives. She basically regrets she wasn't "interfered with" and quickly seeks a solution to the issue by throwing herself at our hero. He doesn't resist but neither seems to be into the whole scenario either. Haley makes sure we know this is not a "flat" character: "once uncorseted she proved larger than he anticipated", "he stroked her breasts; they were large, as formable under his hands as udders, which he found did not kindle passion." SERIOUSLY??????
4) Mrs. Susan Barton...overweight...married to a diplomat...a saucy vivacious woman who gardens and wants to go back to Virginia.
5) Mrs. Marsh, Clarity's mother.
6) Miss Pierce, of Miss Pierce's School for Girls...or is it Mrs. Brace, Miss Pierce's sister?
7) Queen Maria Carolina of Naples and Sicily.
None of these women really mean much. They're just there because a book without women would be weird??????
Clarity is a stick in the mud. A pretty stick in the mud, but a stick in the mud nonetheless. Bliven Putnam has his reasons for loving her, I guess. She loves him too, I guess...maybe...if she still likes him when he comes back???
Rebecca Barnes isn't pretty, but she's game for adventure...there's a lot of her when she takes her clothes off, Bliven thinks. Doesn't stop him from having sex with her, though...not that it's enjoyable or meaningful for either one of them. The logic behind this bedding, heaven help me, is that since no man has made advances at her (and none will unless she throws herself at the situation, I guess?????), she might as well just get under Bliven Putnam and say "that was the best specimen I could ever have and I'M NOT A VIRGIN ANYMORE...WOO HOO!!!!" If Haley can't see why this is a stupid, denigrating, outdated stereotype (a la Donna Pescow's character in Saturday Night Fever), I don't know if I can explain it to him. I can see him tapping away quite happily: and then the fat chick...I mean...her jugs are like COW UDDERS...and Putnam knows he should squeeze them... (Insert WTF face here.)
Haley, I'm pretty sure, wrote this book in a frenzy of enthusiasm thinking it would be awesome because HE was having so much fun. I can almost hear the "oooh...oooh, I know, I know...next I'm going to write a scene about THIS!"
I cannot forget to mention, though, "...Mr. Sheffield, acting bosun...an extraordinarily tall and lanky Englishman with a heavy influence of Nordic from is mother's side." And exeunt Mr. Sheffield...he of the unnecessarily detailed genealogical description, never to be mentioned again...EVER!!!!
As I said: maybe it's the fact that recovering from surgery makes me "tetchy" or the fact that I've read O'Brian and Forester with great affection (and enthusiastic physical involvement...OK, I might have once stood on a bed while yelling and brandishing a non-existent weapon at a non-existent enemy...or so I have been told...but I digress). Maybe it's that Haley's book just isn't that good. Four-hundred and thirty-eight pages and you feel like not a lot is happening because it all happens in brief, frantic spurts that leave you cold. Maybe it's that our hero "pounded his head with his open palms and tugged at his hair but did not pull it out" when some Greek mercenaries didn't fire a cannon properly during a crucial battle.
Having met Horatio Hornblower as a young, inexperienced and awkward midshipman with a tin ear and very little by way of social intelligence, it's hard to empathize with a dude who has been sailing longer, been involved (and declared heroic to the point the whole US Navy bigwigs know him) in battle, and see him throwing a tantrum of that nature on paper.
As Elvis Presley sang: a little less conversation, a little more action, please. Too much explaining the intrigue and too little actual worthwhile action. This book is populated by Derek Zoolanders and Hansel McDonalds trying to get the files that are "in the computer"...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2025
The plot was somewhat interesting so I will give it two stars but I disagree with those who say this is at a level of O’Brian and Forester. I had a number of issues that prevented me from enjoying this book; I found myself not caring about the characters and found the interactions between characters unbelievable. The pace was off and I was often under the impression that ships were almost immediately getting to their destination with no issues. The author is credited with researching this time period and certain points do appear to be historical accurate but there are definitely areas that I feel are incorrect, especially in character mannerisms and conversations. Disappointed as I was looking forward to reading about the age of sail from the American perspective.
July 27, 2021
What does the young United States do when their shipping has been threatened by Mediterranean pirates? They send the navy of course. As an young midshipmen from the east coast is sent on an adventure of life time, the book weaves a fun romp through multiple adventures. For hundreds of years now the United States has been sending young men off to war to each play their own small part in a much bigger picture of International policies. Is this the early 2000's no, not this time, its one the first for the US in the early 1800's.
March 24, 2023
I really enjoyed the history and the storyline and the character of Mr Putnam. It’s now quite as good as Horatio Hornblower, but almost. Very worthwhile reading.
February 3, 2017
I liked it. It is historical fiction following the adventures of our young Bliven Putnam who has joined the US Navy in its infancy. I love history. The author used real events - the First Barbary War with real people. The events are all historical and mostly accurate. When we all studied American History, the Barbary Wars will get a few paragraphs in our history books. A book like this brings that time frame and those events to a much more detailed and intriguing level. Yes, there are probably many non-fiction books one could read on this subject as well. The historical fiction aspect of it though allows the telling of these events through the life of a fictional character. So, you get the best of both worlds - learn some history along with the fictional aspect of character development and being able to connect with that character in that time frame.
Everyone is trying to compare it to Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander series with Capt. Aubrey and Dr. Maturin. The books both take place in about the same time. They are both set on the high seas. After that, the similarities end. James L. Haley is a different writer with different characters with a different navy. The United States Navy is young as is our Lt. Putnam. Her Majesty's Royal Navy is well established and the world power on the high seas at the time. It really isn't a fair comparison. Two different authors with two different characters. If anything, if I didn't know better, there were a few nods to the Richard Sharpe series (which is another historical fiction series taking place in the early 1800s) and more specifically just a quick nod to Sharpe's Tiger, and our young navy hero ends up with a somewhat permanent scar although not on the face as Mr. Richard Sharpe had.
At the beginning of the Aubrey/Maturin series, Jack Aubrey is about 30 years old in 1800. At the beginning of the Richard Sharpe series, Richard Sharpe is approximately 22-23 years old in 1800. Bliven Putnam is a teenager in 1800. So, all three series the books start around 1800. I hope that Lt. Putnam has an exciting life and career ahead of him.
Everyone is trying to compare it to Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander series with Capt. Aubrey and Dr. Maturin. The books both take place in about the same time. They are both set on the high seas. After that, the similarities end. James L. Haley is a different writer with different characters with a different navy. The United States Navy is young as is our Lt. Putnam. Her Majesty's Royal Navy is well established and the world power on the high seas at the time. It really isn't a fair comparison. Two different authors with two different characters. If anything, if I didn't know better, there were a few nods to the Richard Sharpe series (which is another historical fiction series taking place in the early 1800s) and more specifically just a quick nod to Sharpe's Tiger, and our young navy hero ends up with a somewhat permanent scar although not on the face as Mr. Richard Sharpe had.
At the beginning of the Aubrey/Maturin series, Jack Aubrey is about 30 years old in 1800. At the beginning of the Richard Sharpe series, Richard Sharpe is approximately 22-23 years old in 1800. Bliven Putnam is a teenager in 1800. So, all three series the books start around 1800. I hope that Lt. Putnam has an exciting life and career ahead of him.
November 18, 2019
JAMES HALEY is a prolific and award winning writer of history and fiction. For years, he lamented the lack of an American naval fiction series to rival C.S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower, Alexander Kent’s Bolitho or Dudley Pope’s Lord Ramage series. At the request of publisher G.P. Putnam, he set out to create such a series. THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI is the first book. There is at least one more in print with hopefully more to come.
Bliven Putnam is the hero of the series. He is from the town of Litchfield in the state of Connecticut. His great uncle was General Israel Putnam a leader of the American Army, in the War for Independence from England, 1775-1783. Bliven’s father is a farmer and drayage company owner. As such, he is among the leading citizens of the town. At the age of fourteen, Bliven enlists in the fledgling U.S. Navy in the year 1801.
He is assigned to the military schooner Enterprise. It was the smallest class of ships in the Navy. Eventually, Bliven ends up on the U.S. frigate Constitution, the most powerful ship in the the U. S. Navy at that time. The ship is also known as “Old Ironsides” and is still in commission in the Boston, Massachusetts harbor. It is open to visitors.
Over the course of the book, Bliven and his shipmates face the Barbary Pirates based in North Africa, from Libya to Morocco. Most of the military leaders and diplomats he meets were real people. Most of the events in which Bliven participates are real events. The line in the Marine Corps Hymn “From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli” are partially derived from these events.
Among the stories told in this book are the capture by the pirates and subsequent burning of the U.S. frigate Philadelphia by the U.S. Navy and the land-based attack on the pirates by led General Eaton, U.S. Marines and an Islamic army.
I highly recommend this book to fans of naval fiction and history. Good action sequences. Well written. Good characters. There are strong male friendships being cultivated. A romance or two are also developing. Kudos to the writer. I look forward to reading book 2.
GO! BUY! READ!
Bliven Putnam is the hero of the series. He is from the town of Litchfield in the state of Connecticut. His great uncle was General Israel Putnam a leader of the American Army, in the War for Independence from England, 1775-1783. Bliven’s father is a farmer and drayage company owner. As such, he is among the leading citizens of the town. At the age of fourteen, Bliven enlists in the fledgling U.S. Navy in the year 1801.
He is assigned to the military schooner Enterprise. It was the smallest class of ships in the Navy. Eventually, Bliven ends up on the U.S. frigate Constitution, the most powerful ship in the the U. S. Navy at that time. The ship is also known as “Old Ironsides” and is still in commission in the Boston, Massachusetts harbor. It is open to visitors.
Over the course of the book, Bliven and his shipmates face the Barbary Pirates based in North Africa, from Libya to Morocco. Most of the military leaders and diplomats he meets were real people. Most of the events in which Bliven participates are real events. The line in the Marine Corps Hymn “From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli” are partially derived from these events.
Among the stories told in this book are the capture by the pirates and subsequent burning of the U.S. frigate Philadelphia by the U.S. Navy and the land-based attack on the pirates by led General Eaton, U.S. Marines and an Islamic army.
I highly recommend this book to fans of naval fiction and history. Good action sequences. Well written. Good characters. There are strong male friendships being cultivated. A romance or two are also developing. Kudos to the writer. I look forward to reading book 2.
GO! BUY! READ!
October 28, 2016
President Jefferson made the United States Navy to establish our place in the world. This story answered some questions for me concerning later events in the Arab world, such as our involvement during Teddy Roosevelt's term as president. I thought the characters were interesting and made you want them to be able to carry out their mission. I think you get a small look at the time of piracy on the high seas and realize that it wasn't only in the Carribean or South Pacific. The fact that Americans were being kidnapped, held for ransom on a regular basis is very disheartening and all you want is for Jefferson to storm Tripoli as soon as possible. But of course you know we must be diplomatic! As Bliven Putnam moves up the ranks, with more and more responsibility you what him to survive and return home to his family and the woman he loves. The history of Tripoli and the world during this period of time was very colorful and I learned much of this history and why we have become so involved in the Middle East, or at least with the sultans, pashas, Arabs and all the families involved, each with their own agendas. This region of the world seems quite intermingled and very complicated. It was good to see Gibraltar at its hay day, as I've been to the rock and found it amazing that so many people live their and especially loved the story of Barbary monkeys. They are still there today and are just as playful. The Shores of Tripoli was very insightful and I learned so much more about our history. The fact that Bliven Putnam is the great-grandson of Isreal Putnam, who was an American Revoluntionary war hero and on Bliven's first big battle returns home as a war hero and newly appointed Lt after the battle on board the Philadelphia enhances his role in the early Navy department.
January 7, 2019

Charles van Buren
Does not live up to its billing
January 6, 2019
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
I enjoyed this book despite its serious limitations. The main character, Bliven Putnam, is a mildly irritating boy who almost always does the right thing. Straight out of one of Horatio Alger's tomes. And his maybe intended, Clarity Marsh, is constantly on her high horse about slavery in the South. This in 1801 - 1803 New England. The center of the American slave trade and the source of prosperity for many wealthy and prominent New England families. As well as being the source of direct and indirect employment for scores upon scores of New Englanders. From the National Geographic Society, "On March 2, 1807, the United States banned the importation of slaves. The law took effect in 1808, although the slave trade actually continued for many decades—the law was never strictly enforced, and people already enslaved in the U.S. remained in servitude. Children born to enslaved mothers were also enslaved.". So much for Miss Marsh and her moral high ground.
If you can get past the insertion of modern political correctness and related bad history, the novel is a pretty good sugar-coated history of the U.S. Navy and the Barbary Wars. To say, as some have, that this is an American answer to C.S. Forster and Patrick O'Brien is a gross overstatement. For American seafaring tales try James Nelson.
Charles van Buren
Does not live up to its billing
January 6, 2019
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
I enjoyed this book despite its serious limitations. The main character, Bliven Putnam, is a mildly irritating boy who almost always does the right thing. Straight out of one of Horatio Alger's tomes. And his maybe intended, Clarity Marsh, is constantly on her high horse about slavery in the South. This in 1801 - 1803 New England. The center of the American slave trade and the source of prosperity for many wealthy and prominent New England families. As well as being the source of direct and indirect employment for scores upon scores of New Englanders. From the National Geographic Society, "On March 2, 1807, the United States banned the importation of slaves. The law took effect in 1808, although the slave trade actually continued for many decades—the law was never strictly enforced, and people already enslaved in the U.S. remained in servitude. Children born to enslaved mothers were also enslaved.". So much for Miss Marsh and her moral high ground.
If you can get past the insertion of modern political correctness and related bad history, the novel is a pretty good sugar-coated history of the U.S. Navy and the Barbary Wars. To say, as some have, that this is an American answer to C.S. Forster and Patrick O'Brien is a gross overstatement. For American seafaring tales try James Nelson.
October 14, 2016
I had high expectations of this book and was a little disappointed. I've read author James Haley's biography of Sam Houston and loved it, so I was looking forward to reading a historical novel by Haley. "The Shores of Tripoli" was an enjoyable read, but the narrative style was a bit fragmented at times. I've just come to the conclusion that Haley is probably better at writing history than fiction.
The overall plot of this book, as well as the historical part of the story, were excellent. The novel follows the career of the fictitious young American naval officer Bliven Putnam through America's on again, off again wars in the Mediterranean in the early 1800s. Putnam learns to sail, fight, and becomes a leader through the course of the book. His adventures make for a fun read, as do the historical events of the times. If you want to know more about this time period in American naval history or are just looking for something enjoyable to read, this book isn't a bad place to start.
I received a digital copy of this book for free from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are entirely my own.
The overall plot of this book, as well as the historical part of the story, were excellent. The novel follows the career of the fictitious young American naval officer Bliven Putnam through America's on again, off again wars in the Mediterranean in the early 1800s. Putnam learns to sail, fight, and becomes a leader through the course of the book. His adventures make for a fun read, as do the historical events of the times. If you want to know more about this time period in American naval history or are just looking for something enjoyable to read, this book isn't a bad place to start.
I received a digital copy of this book for free from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are entirely my own.
November 7, 2019
Absolutely excellent book !
This is the first in what will be a series of 8 novels set in the first part of the 19th century, beginning with the first foreign campaign of the new United States navy. It is a very enjoyable exercise in history, told in what I am convinced to be as accurate a manner as possible. The author is first and foremost an historian, not an author of 'historical fiction' novels. As such, I now realize that he may well be the first honest-to-God 'historical fiction' author. What I (and likely the majority of other avid readers of hist/fic) have so enjoyed throughout my lifetime reading is more accurately 'fictional history'. This, I believe, is why there are numerous reviews of this book that are less than positive. This author writes about history, and does a commendable job of not 'knocking you over the head' with details as he plots his story. My opinion - well done !
I look forward to reading the other 2 already released works in the series, as well as the further 5 to come. Highly recommended.
This is the first in what will be a series of 8 novels set in the first part of the 19th century, beginning with the first foreign campaign of the new United States navy. It is a very enjoyable exercise in history, told in what I am convinced to be as accurate a manner as possible. The author is first and foremost an historian, not an author of 'historical fiction' novels. As such, I now realize that he may well be the first honest-to-God 'historical fiction' author. What I (and likely the majority of other avid readers of hist/fic) have so enjoyed throughout my lifetime reading is more accurately 'fictional history'. This, I believe, is why there are numerous reviews of this book that are less than positive. This author writes about history, and does a commendable job of not 'knocking you over the head' with details as he plots his story. My opinion - well done !
I look forward to reading the other 2 already released works in the series, as well as the further 5 to come. Highly recommended.
April 20, 2020
A wonderful book, readable and informative. It's clearly aimed for teens but quite enjoyable for adults (me) without being patronizing or polemic. There is swashbuckling, some sailing issues, a realistic treatment of the subtleties of politics in a tough world. There is a decidedly pro-American version of history too, where the Islamic, Barbary behavior does not suggest "the culture of peace" but rather a back-stabbing, violent, slaver culture. Britain too is not described as a culture of nobles, but rather ambitious sub-nobles who use impressment (enslavement) of US sailors to complete their crews at low cost, and who treat their sailors horribly.
In short, this is like Master and Commander, but with more politics and a decidedly pro-American slant. There is also a little romance. I'm was not sure I liked that, but came to appreciate how it was done -- far better than in Disney where the heroes stay entirely free of any compromise, dirt, or financial thinking. US slavery also shows up, and is dealt with very well, I think. I'm looking forward Haley's next book.
In short, this is like Master and Commander, but with more politics and a decidedly pro-American slant. There is also a little romance. I'm was not sure I liked that, but came to appreciate how it was done -- far better than in Disney where the heroes stay entirely free of any compromise, dirt, or financial thinking. US slavery also shows up, and is dealt with very well, I think. I'm looking forward Haley's next book.
February 10, 2020
In the tradition of C. S. Forster and Patrick O'BRIEN James Haley has written a fast-paced tale of an American adolescent voluntarily serving in the new nation's navy. Bliven Putnam moved from his Litchfield, Connecticut farm to serve as Midshipman on a ship ordered to the Mediterranean to deal with Barbary Pirates preying on the commercial shipping of the region. The time is 1801, and the Quasi-War with the French has ended. Putnam, as farm boy, has to learn new skills aboard as a young officer.
As in the Hornblower and Aubrey novels, the author uses facts and historical personages to detail how the culture and life of the times affect the maturation of Putnam, as both seaman and young man.
Haley paints a clear picture of the difficult times of this new nation, and its fledgling Navy. He also paints a clear picture of the difficulty navigating the turbulent waters of politics, diplomacy, and national pride at the turn of the 19th century in the United States.
As in the Hornblower and Aubrey novels, the author uses facts and historical personages to detail how the culture and life of the times affect the maturation of Putnam, as both seaman and young man.
Haley paints a clear picture of the difficult times of this new nation, and its fledgling Navy. He also paints a clear picture of the difficulty navigating the turbulent waters of politics, diplomacy, and national pride at the turn of the 19th century in the United States.
November 6, 2016
As a reader it is important to feel passion from the author. This book has that in spades. With every word I could feel Haley's heart and soul being poured onto the pages. The book is full of historical and technical details. The battle scenes are fast paced and intriguing. Lieutenant Putnam is a likeable character. A mere teenager who is trying to carve his place in the world as a man. The Shores of Tripoli is a thoroughly researched look into the early 1800s and is a perfect read for lovers of nautical literature and historical fiction.
May 22, 2023
I often read books by gifted storytellers or gifted writers, but less often do I read a book penned by someone who is both of these things. Mr. Haley is, in my humble opinion, a master of his craft. This novel brings the historical world to life, full of vivid characters, a healthy dose of charm and wit, exciting battle sequences, and a respect for the people who lived through these days. It was my extreme pleasure to spend several hours in the company of Mr. Putnam, and I look forward to reading more about his adventures.
June 4, 2021
Extremely informative and well written
-The years leading into the 19th century were difficult for the fledgling young nation of the United States. Through Alexander Hamilton, the currency strengthened, allowing the country to survive, but their great reliance on trade was hampered by their lack of a navy. Slowly, they began to build up fighting ships and a navy but they were always lacking in sailors to man them. This was especially frustrating when their merchant ships sailed into the Mediterranean, for they were beset upon by the ships of the North African countries, manned by the Musselmen, the Moslems, who believed that it was their right to enslave anyone who was not of their faith and therefore an infidel. Ransoms were demanded to release those captured, and most often, the captured were enslaved for life.
-In order to avoid this, the only recourse was for the American government to pay a tribute to those countries, but the tribute demanded became excessive. Even despite these agreements, Americans were still being abducted and held for ransom. As the navy of the United States began to build up, and as the tribute demanded continued to rise, with attacks against our merchant ships continuing, sentiment in the US was pushing to end the power of those Barbary nations. It is in those times that the story unfolds which centers around Lieutenant Bliven Putnam, a Navy junior officer, as he begins his training on a navy man of war at the age of 14, and is part of the force that confronts the group that we now refer to as the Barbary Pirates.
-Though the main character and some of the other central characters are fictional (Putnam, his friend, Sam Bandy, and a woman that Putnam is fond of in the US) most of the characters are real and the stories are based on historical fact. That the author is primarily known for his historical non fiction books, is a plus, as he appears to have thoroughly researched his subject.
-The shifting political agreements that were made; the duplicitous nature of the leaders of the 4 Arab states that comprised the Barbary Coast; and dangers of the Napoleonic Wars that influenced the actions of those that were aiding the Americans in their actions against the Arab nations, reveal the true character of war. It’s never clean and there are rarely clear cut outcomes when an unconditional surrender cannot be obtained.
-What has now tipped the scales in favor of war was the abduction of an American diplomat and his daughter, who were on their way to Italy. Though diplomats had immunity on the seas, the Arabs considered kidnapping of any infidel as their right, despite agreements they signed to the contrary. Diplomacy could only go so far. Realizing that a navy was imperative, by 1801 the American nation had built up a small but powerful fleet and it was this fleet that was sent to, at first to threaten, but then to attack the Arabs, focusing on Tripoli, in order to effect the release of the prisoners
-The actions of the characters involved and their portrayal and reaction to events is very believable. The battle sequences and descriptions of life on ship are extensively detailed, but to the point that the reader who is unacquainted with those nautical terms could get a little lost in the beginning, but the rapidly moving story takes over, as the bravery of the captains of the American ships and the strategy of particular commanders in combat holds your high interest.
-As the story progresses, Blivey Putnam, who the author has made into the fictional hero of this story, is shown to be extremely brave, though not rashly so, with a high moral compass when it comes to defending the rights of American citizens against both the Arab leaders, who have no compunction against enslaving any infidel, as well as against the British, who, on more than one occasion, have kidnapped American sailors under the pretense that they are British deserters. His personal and family life, too, are very interesting, as he has views that he is not shy to express, while he also retains a certain humility so that he has the potential to rise to great heights.
-Though this story focuses on the exploits of Blivey Putnam as they relate to the Barbary Pirates, the stage is set for future stories of a more mature Putnam, as he pursues a woman that he would want to marry, and as he rightfully advances in rank in the now respected American Navy.
-The years leading into the 19th century were difficult for the fledgling young nation of the United States. Through Alexander Hamilton, the currency strengthened, allowing the country to survive, but their great reliance on trade was hampered by their lack of a navy. Slowly, they began to build up fighting ships and a navy but they were always lacking in sailors to man them. This was especially frustrating when their merchant ships sailed into the Mediterranean, for they were beset upon by the ships of the North African countries, manned by the Musselmen, the Moslems, who believed that it was their right to enslave anyone who was not of their faith and therefore an infidel. Ransoms were demanded to release those captured, and most often, the captured were enslaved for life.
-In order to avoid this, the only recourse was for the American government to pay a tribute to those countries, but the tribute demanded became excessive. Even despite these agreements, Americans were still being abducted and held for ransom. As the navy of the United States began to build up, and as the tribute demanded continued to rise, with attacks against our merchant ships continuing, sentiment in the US was pushing to end the power of those Barbary nations. It is in those times that the story unfolds which centers around Lieutenant Bliven Putnam, a Navy junior officer, as he begins his training on a navy man of war at the age of 14, and is part of the force that confronts the group that we now refer to as the Barbary Pirates.
-Though the main character and some of the other central characters are fictional (Putnam, his friend, Sam Bandy, and a woman that Putnam is fond of in the US) most of the characters are real and the stories are based on historical fact. That the author is primarily known for his historical non fiction books, is a plus, as he appears to have thoroughly researched his subject.
-The shifting political agreements that were made; the duplicitous nature of the leaders of the 4 Arab states that comprised the Barbary Coast; and dangers of the Napoleonic Wars that influenced the actions of those that were aiding the Americans in their actions against the Arab nations, reveal the true character of war. It’s never clean and there are rarely clear cut outcomes when an unconditional surrender cannot be obtained.
-What has now tipped the scales in favor of war was the abduction of an American diplomat and his daughter, who were on their way to Italy. Though diplomats had immunity on the seas, the Arabs considered kidnapping of any infidel as their right, despite agreements they signed to the contrary. Diplomacy could only go so far. Realizing that a navy was imperative, by 1801 the American nation had built up a small but powerful fleet and it was this fleet that was sent to, at first to threaten, but then to attack the Arabs, focusing on Tripoli, in order to effect the release of the prisoners
-The actions of the characters involved and their portrayal and reaction to events is very believable. The battle sequences and descriptions of life on ship are extensively detailed, but to the point that the reader who is unacquainted with those nautical terms could get a little lost in the beginning, but the rapidly moving story takes over, as the bravery of the captains of the American ships and the strategy of particular commanders in combat holds your high interest.
-As the story progresses, Blivey Putnam, who the author has made into the fictional hero of this story, is shown to be extremely brave, though not rashly so, with a high moral compass when it comes to defending the rights of American citizens against both the Arab leaders, who have no compunction against enslaving any infidel, as well as against the British, who, on more than one occasion, have kidnapped American sailors under the pretense that they are British deserters. His personal and family life, too, are very interesting, as he has views that he is not shy to express, while he also retains a certain humility so that he has the potential to rise to great heights.
-Though this story focuses on the exploits of Blivey Putnam as they relate to the Barbary Pirates, the stage is set for future stories of a more mature Putnam, as he pursues a woman that he would want to marry, and as he rightfully advances in rank in the now respected American Navy.
November 19, 2017
I'm a history buff, enjoy historical fiction, and this was about a time in history that I knew little about, so I was looking forward to reading it. Did I like it? Well, yes and no. In the end I felt like there was a really good book hiding behind all of the literary mistakes. Frankly, I was shocked that something so rife with literary faux pas could have made it past Putnam's editors. As any school kid will tell you, history books are usually heavy on historical minutiae and light on drama. Mr. Haley seemed to be trying to give us both a history book and a dramatic narrative, which meant, in my opinion, that both suffered.
I noticed other reviewers have complained that the naval protocol presented in Mr. Haley's book was incorrect in a few places, but honestly I know so little about these issues that this didn't bother me. I really enjoyed learning about the operation of a naval vessel in that era, and Mr. Haley's description of all of this was fascinating.
My complaints have more to do with his literary ability. He failed to consistently present Mr. Bliven's world through the eyes of Mr. Bliven. Yes, there are authors who present a world through the eyes of multiple characters--George R. R. Martin comes to mind--but Mr. Martin separates these points of view by chapters, whereas Mr. Haley jumps between differing points of view within chapters, and often within paragraphs. This prevents his reader from getting to know the protagonist and championing their goal. It was obvious from the beginning that Mr. Haley wanted Bliven to be his protagonist, and it was obvious he wanted the pirates to be his antagonist. The pirates did remain consistently evil, but Bliven was crowded out by other characters. This approach might work in nonfiction, but is deadly in fiction.
My other complaints were: Mr. Haley attempted to show the bigotry and prejudice of the era, but these attempts came across as naive, awkward, and not very well written. Even though I enjoyed some of the details about naval protocol, Mr. Haley spent way too much time on it, and used terms the average reader would find confusing. The ship's diagram in the beginning helped, as did the glossary, but when you have to spend your time looking things up, if pulls you out of the story. Mr. Haley also spent far too much time telling us things and not showing them to us.
SPOILER ALERT! Skip the rest if you want to read the book!
And finally there was Bliven's token sex scene with Rebecca Barnes at the end of the book. It seemed to be tossed in as an afterthought--as if some editor told Mr. Haley, "You need to spice things up a bit!" The reason why this stood out to me was that Mr. Haley had spent ninety-nine percent of the book showing Bliven to be an honorable man surrounded by dishonorable men--a man who was in love with Clarity back home--who when given the chance to hop into bed with the first girl who offered, did so. True, Mr. Haley showed Bliven feeling remorseful later, but that didn't make up for this appalling shift in character.
So, did I like THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI? In short, yes. I liked most of Mr. Haley's well-researched details, and, for the most part, I liked Bliven. The action scenes were also generally well done. I wish there had been more of them. And I enjoyed reading about this time in history. If Mr. Haley had focused on telling the story through the eyes of Bliven, it could have been a great book.
I noticed other reviewers have complained that the naval protocol presented in Mr. Haley's book was incorrect in a few places, but honestly I know so little about these issues that this didn't bother me. I really enjoyed learning about the operation of a naval vessel in that era, and Mr. Haley's description of all of this was fascinating.
My complaints have more to do with his literary ability. He failed to consistently present Mr. Bliven's world through the eyes of Mr. Bliven. Yes, there are authors who present a world through the eyes of multiple characters--George R. R. Martin comes to mind--but Mr. Martin separates these points of view by chapters, whereas Mr. Haley jumps between differing points of view within chapters, and often within paragraphs. This prevents his reader from getting to know the protagonist and championing their goal. It was obvious from the beginning that Mr. Haley wanted Bliven to be his protagonist, and it was obvious he wanted the pirates to be his antagonist. The pirates did remain consistently evil, but Bliven was crowded out by other characters. This approach might work in nonfiction, but is deadly in fiction.
My other complaints were: Mr. Haley attempted to show the bigotry and prejudice of the era, but these attempts came across as naive, awkward, and not very well written. Even though I enjoyed some of the details about naval protocol, Mr. Haley spent way too much time on it, and used terms the average reader would find confusing. The ship's diagram in the beginning helped, as did the glossary, but when you have to spend your time looking things up, if pulls you out of the story. Mr. Haley also spent far too much time telling us things and not showing them to us.
SPOILER ALERT! Skip the rest if you want to read the book!
And finally there was Bliven's token sex scene with Rebecca Barnes at the end of the book. It seemed to be tossed in as an afterthought--as if some editor told Mr. Haley, "You need to spice things up a bit!" The reason why this stood out to me was that Mr. Haley had spent ninety-nine percent of the book showing Bliven to be an honorable man surrounded by dishonorable men--a man who was in love with Clarity back home--who when given the chance to hop into bed with the first girl who offered, did so. True, Mr. Haley showed Bliven feeling remorseful later, but that didn't make up for this appalling shift in character.
So, did I like THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI? In short, yes. I liked most of Mr. Haley's well-researched details, and, for the most part, I liked Bliven. The action scenes were also generally well done. I wish there had been more of them. And I enjoyed reading about this time in history. If Mr. Haley had focused on telling the story through the eyes of Bliven, it could have been a great book.
August 25, 2024
My James Haley recommendation came for the biography that he wrote on Jack London. I was interested in reading a Jack London biography, but I already had Irving Stone’s Sailor on Horseback downloaded, and the James Haley recommendation guilted me into finally reading Irving Stone’s version rather than James Haley’s.
But, guilt leads to guilt! I felt bad that I had shorted James Haley, so I looked at other things he had written. Lo and behold, I find that he has written the American equivalent of the Horatio Hornblower series! Now he has my attention.
Having said that, I must give myself credit for appropriately curbing my expectations. Who in the world could hope to compete with C.S. Forester’s dynamic, historical, visceral, and brilliant narrative writing when it comes to naval stories? No one. And I mean no one. It is a huge reason that I was underwhelmed by the Jack Aubrey series. I kept telling myself that this was no Forester (though the movie … so good!).
After reading The Shores of Tripoli I can safely say I was wise to suppress expectations on some fronts … but not all. What James Haley does here, considering the scope of what he is attempting to do, is impressively talented, and I enjoyed it (mostly) throughout.
To give a proper framing for the overlap and contrasts of naval warfare novels, C.S. Forester uses history as the backdrop and then places character and plotting forefront. Haley reverses this and takes the history first and foremost and then provides a character and loose plot to fit that. This makes sense, especially seeing as how Haley comes into novel writing as an historian rather than novelist.
With this in mind, the results are surprisingly effective. Haley is not satisfied with just checking off all the proper historical moments. He includes some deliberate descriptive details that take both setting-relevant research and sensory writing awareness. He manages to make dialogue topics, comparisons, and general language fit the time period and characters he has created. And most of all, he really hits a home run on the historical writing—he understands in layered degrees not just the events, but the politics behind these moments, the details of the equipment of the time and its usage, and the philosophical and religious culture of the characters and era.
So, overall I was very impressed by Haley’s accomplishments. Perhaps my only qualm is that I noted most of these things in the moment of reading. That is to say, his novelist skills are impressively hard-earned but not natural enough for me to just notice them after the fact.
Okay, maybe I had one more qualm. Towards the end of the novel Haley includes a scene of moral ambiguity which feels unnecessary or even undermining for the main character. I know that it reflects some similar scenes of a few poor choices by Horatio Hornblower in Forester’s series, which may explain its presence. However, if you are going to borrow some tropes from a master, I would recommend not borrowing some of the weakest and most baffling ones.
On the whole, I was constantly impressed with Haley’s writing throughout. I am confident that if you follow my reviews enough, you’ll see a review of the next book in the series eventually slip into the feed.
But, guilt leads to guilt! I felt bad that I had shorted James Haley, so I looked at other things he had written. Lo and behold, I find that he has written the American equivalent of the Horatio Hornblower series! Now he has my attention.
Having said that, I must give myself credit for appropriately curbing my expectations. Who in the world could hope to compete with C.S. Forester’s dynamic, historical, visceral, and brilliant narrative writing when it comes to naval stories? No one. And I mean no one. It is a huge reason that I was underwhelmed by the Jack Aubrey series. I kept telling myself that this was no Forester (though the movie … so good!).
After reading The Shores of Tripoli I can safely say I was wise to suppress expectations on some fronts … but not all. What James Haley does here, considering the scope of what he is attempting to do, is impressively talented, and I enjoyed it (mostly) throughout.
To give a proper framing for the overlap and contrasts of naval warfare novels, C.S. Forester uses history as the backdrop and then places character and plotting forefront. Haley reverses this and takes the history first and foremost and then provides a character and loose plot to fit that. This makes sense, especially seeing as how Haley comes into novel writing as an historian rather than novelist.
With this in mind, the results are surprisingly effective. Haley is not satisfied with just checking off all the proper historical moments. He includes some deliberate descriptive details that take both setting-relevant research and sensory writing awareness. He manages to make dialogue topics, comparisons, and general language fit the time period and characters he has created. And most of all, he really hits a home run on the historical writing—he understands in layered degrees not just the events, but the politics behind these moments, the details of the equipment of the time and its usage, and the philosophical and religious culture of the characters and era.
So, overall I was very impressed by Haley’s accomplishments. Perhaps my only qualm is that I noted most of these things in the moment of reading. That is to say, his novelist skills are impressively hard-earned but not natural enough for me to just notice them after the fact.
Okay, maybe I had one more qualm. Towards the end of the novel Haley includes a scene of moral ambiguity which feels unnecessary or even undermining for the main character. I know that it reflects some similar scenes of a few poor choices by Horatio Hornblower in Forester’s series, which may explain its presence. However, if you are going to borrow some tropes from a master, I would recommend not borrowing some of the weakest and most baffling ones.
On the whole, I was constantly impressed with Haley’s writing throughout. I am confident that if you follow my reviews enough, you’ll see a review of the next book in the series eventually slip into the feed.
February 8, 2017
This was such a timely book! It focuses on the life of one lieutenant in America's fledgling navy. Set in the very early 1800's, it tells the story of how America decided that it needed a navy to fight off the Barbary pirates (as well as the French and British…).
In essence the people living along the northern coast of Africa—the Barbary States of Morocco, Tunis, Algers, and Tripoli—plied the waters of the Mediterranean looking for merchant ships to capture and claim. They also claimed the merchandise and everyone on board as slaves. At the time, both European nations and America paid a fortune in ransom for the return of their people. Sadly, the people often returned as hopelessly ruined shells, as they were either worked as the worst possible slaves or used as sexual tools during their captivity. It is said that the ‘princes’ of these states would demand around $100,000 US dollars for the return of the infidels and that they claimed that as Mohammedan’s, they had the right to capture the ships and demand tribute.
America for a time, also paid an annual tribute in both money and ships to ‘buy’ peace from the princes. Unfortunately, the princes often changed the terms of the agreement without informing America, so accepted the tribute and then simply continued to capture ships and people.
The characters were all very well developed and the storyline was fascinating. The tale follows the life of Lieutenant Putnam, who (for the sake of the story) is involved in essentially every aspect of the story, from fiery sea battles, daring feats of rescue, meetings with the Pasha or Dey (the Barbary rulers), fancy dinners at the Consul’s –to– life at home waiting for the next deployment. He was a good character to follow and the story flowed quite well.
If you have read “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville, you will also be familiar with the tendency to write very detailed descriptions of shipping, so be prepared for that…..
Description from https://history.state.gov/milestones/...:
The Barbary States were a collection of North African states, many of which practiced state-supported piracy in order to exact tribute from weaker Atlantic powers. Morocco was an independent kingdom, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli owed a loose allegiance to the Ottoman Empire.
In essence the people living along the northern coast of Africa—the Barbary States of Morocco, Tunis, Algers, and Tripoli—plied the waters of the Mediterranean looking for merchant ships to capture and claim. They also claimed the merchandise and everyone on board as slaves. At the time, both European nations and America paid a fortune in ransom for the return of their people. Sadly, the people often returned as hopelessly ruined shells, as they were either worked as the worst possible slaves or used as sexual tools during their captivity. It is said that the ‘princes’ of these states would demand around $100,000 US dollars for the return of the infidels and that they claimed that as Mohammedan’s, they had the right to capture the ships and demand tribute.
America for a time, also paid an annual tribute in both money and ships to ‘buy’ peace from the princes. Unfortunately, the princes often changed the terms of the agreement without informing America, so accepted the tribute and then simply continued to capture ships and people.
The characters were all very well developed and the storyline was fascinating. The tale follows the life of Lieutenant Putnam, who (for the sake of the story) is involved in essentially every aspect of the story, from fiery sea battles, daring feats of rescue, meetings with the Pasha or Dey (the Barbary rulers), fancy dinners at the Consul’s –to– life at home waiting for the next deployment. He was a good character to follow and the story flowed quite well.
If you have read “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville, you will also be familiar with the tendency to write very detailed descriptions of shipping, so be prepared for that…..
Description from https://history.state.gov/milestones/...:
The Barbary States were a collection of North African states, many of which practiced state-supported piracy in order to exact tribute from weaker Atlantic powers. Morocco was an independent kingdom, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli owed a loose allegiance to the Ottoman Empire.
September 23, 2024
My dad grabbed this for me at the library, and seeing as I'm on a Napoleonic era kick and I've played the board game (coincidentally of the same name) from Fort Circle Games, I decided to give this one a read. I was a little put off by the slow start but decided to stick with it, and found myself glad I did. The author does an excellent job of portraying the historical details of this setting, to the point where I found that I enjoyed the land-based segments (in North Africa, in Italy, and in the protagonist's own Connecticut) most of all, compared to the sea segments. A knock against the book is that it is rather fast-moving in its jumps from perspective to perspective as well as in the descriptions of the scenes—it's a book that takes you rapidly from one place to another rather than at a crawl, which I found sometimes endearing and sometimes a little strange. High marks for the romance plotline, the author's willingness to take slight historical liberties to place protagonist Bliven at the center of the action, and the general approachability of the book compared to Hornblower and Aubrey, both of which I've tried before.
The author also takes a firm historical stance as far as the villains of the story—Britain (or should I say, perfidious Albion) and characters of that nationality are portrayed as arrogant and scheming, which I agreed with and found gratifying, while the Barbary nations and characters of that nationality are uniformly portrayed as cruel yet cowardly, in a way that set my orientalism spidey-sense a-tingling, although I don't know enough about the Barbary states and their society to really say for sure whether Haley is being overly derisive. All in all, it's a fun and exciting read that takes the characters all over and sheds some light on a lesser-known episode in American history. I'll be reading the sequel.
The author also takes a firm historical stance as far as the villains of the story—Britain (or should I say, perfidious Albion) and characters of that nationality are portrayed as arrogant and scheming, which I agreed with and found gratifying, while the Barbary nations and characters of that nationality are uniformly portrayed as cruel yet cowardly, in a way that set my orientalism spidey-sense a-tingling, although I don't know enough about the Barbary states and their society to really say for sure whether Haley is being overly derisive. All in all, it's a fun and exciting read that takes the characters all over and sheds some light on a lesser-known episode in American history. I'll be reading the sequel.
February 26, 2017
This book was fun, and is one of the few that I think I would have enjoyed just as much had I read it as a 15-year old.
I'm not sure I'd call author James L. Haley the modern American Patrick O'Brian, but he's close. It was cool looking up the nautical terms as I read, which I had to do when reading Master and Commander. The main characters, Bliven Putnam, Sam Bandy, and their assorted counterparts and superiors on various ships, are enjoyable to get to know.
I once read a Christopher Hitchens piece about the Barbary Wars, and what an achievement they were for Jefferson, and for the young American Navy at the the time. This book gives that some human context, and helped me picture the day-to-day life of those that lived this particular story in American History.
Some of the jumps forward in time are a bit of a whiplash, as Haley treats them with a sentence or two. He also presents many towering figures (Kings of Algiers and Tripoli, the King of Sicily) very quickly, leaving many of them fairly one-dimensional. I suppose that was necessary given the repetitiveness of days at sea, and just how many colorful Heads of State were vying for control and influence in the Mediterranean at the time. None of this bothered me much though, given how well Haley developed the primary characters. The book would have been ten times as long if he'd given everyone their due.
Apparently this is the first in a trilogy, and I'll definitely read books 2 and 3 when they come out.
I'm not sure I'd call author James L. Haley the modern American Patrick O'Brian, but he's close. It was cool looking up the nautical terms as I read, which I had to do when reading Master and Commander. The main characters, Bliven Putnam, Sam Bandy, and their assorted counterparts and superiors on various ships, are enjoyable to get to know.
I once read a Christopher Hitchens piece about the Barbary Wars, and what an achievement they were for Jefferson, and for the young American Navy at the the time. This book gives that some human context, and helped me picture the day-to-day life of those that lived this particular story in American History.
Some of the jumps forward in time are a bit of a whiplash, as Haley treats them with a sentence or two. He also presents many towering figures (Kings of Algiers and Tripoli, the King of Sicily) very quickly, leaving many of them fairly one-dimensional. I suppose that was necessary given the repetitiveness of days at sea, and just how many colorful Heads of State were vying for control and influence in the Mediterranean at the time. None of this bothered me much though, given how well Haley developed the primary characters. The book would have been ten times as long if he'd given everyone their due.
Apparently this is the first in a trilogy, and I'll definitely read books 2 and 3 when they come out.
July 20, 2020
This is a fun adventure novel about the little remembered Barbary Coast War, in which the newly emergent US navy fought piracy by North African states in the Mediterranean. The war was important for the Early Republic, because it was the US' first chance to establish itself as something of a military power. The story gives a pretty good impression of the war by taking the protagonist, Bliven Putnam, through a lot of the major actions.
One big problem I have with the novel is that Putnam doesn't really have any flaws. He's a pretty flat protagonist. I mean, he's a good sailor, a kindly officer, a faithful friend, a loyal subordinate, a rational thinker, a scholar interested in gaining knowledge, he's moral and upright, he gets promoted rapidly. About the only thing we could really say is a moral failure is when he has sex with another woman than the one he's secretly betrothed to. But even with that, it's presented as something she wanted more than him and almost as though he's sleeping with her out of charity because she's convinced no one would ever want her, and then his guilt basically only lasts as long as it takes him to wash off his sweat. It's a war story, so obviously there are physical battles, but there isn't really any moral conflict to make Putnam an engaging protagonist.
One big problem I have with the novel is that Putnam doesn't really have any flaws. He's a pretty flat protagonist. I mean, he's a good sailor, a kindly officer, a faithful friend, a loyal subordinate, a rational thinker, a scholar interested in gaining knowledge, he's moral and upright, he gets promoted rapidly. About the only thing we could really say is a moral failure is when he has sex with another woman than the one he's secretly betrothed to. But even with that, it's presented as something she wanted more than him and almost as though he's sleeping with her out of charity because she's convinced no one would ever want her, and then his guilt basically only lasts as long as it takes him to wash off his sweat. It's a war story, so obviously there are physical battles, but there isn't really any moral conflict to make Putnam an engaging protagonist.
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