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Nathaniel Drinkwater #5
The Corvette
The frozen splendor of the Arctic Ocean and the absorbing drama of a nineteenth century whale hunt unfold in The Corvette. Rewarded by promotion for his services at the Battle of Copenhagen, Commander Drinkwater is dispatched in haste to replace the captain of the MELUSINE, who has been shot in a duel. The ship sails as an escort to a whaling fleet on its annual expedition to the Greenland Sea in pursuit of right whales. During the whale hunt the loss of one of the vessels sets off a chain of misfortune. Disaster, death and treachery result. To repair his ship, Drinkwater seeks shelter off the Greenland coast and finds more hazards than the Arctic alone can produce. It is here that Drinkwater makes the most difficult decision of his career.
240 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 1985
32 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Richard Woodman
132 books70 followersCaptain Richard Martin Woodman was an English novelist and naval historian who retired in 1997 from a 37-year nautical career, mainly working for Trinity House, to write full-time.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 4, 2021
I found this historical novel most interesting. It is different than the prior Nathaniel Drinkwater books. I thought the information about the whaling ships off Greenland was fascinating. Our protagonist, Nathaniel Drinkwater, was assigned a French built yacht to protect the whalers from French privateers during the Napoleonic Wars. The problems he had sailing a ship not built for the ice were interesting. Toward the end of the book, there is battle action with French privateers.
I read this as a hardcover book published in 1985 by John Murray Publishing Company of London. It contained 231 pages. Thanks Goodreads’ friend, David, for the book.
I read this as a hardcover book published in 1985 by John Murray Publishing Company of London. It contained 231 pages. Thanks Goodreads’ friend, David, for the book.
March 27, 2025
"I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by" *. Or maybe just a good book filled with seagoing adventure such as, novel #5 in the Nathaniel Drinkwater series (14 novels) by Richard Woodman. Royal Navy Commander Drinkwater is on escort duty for a fleet of English whalers in arctic waters off the east coast of Greenland. There are dangers in these water involving ice flows, icebergs, the whaling hunt itself and attacks by French privateers. These novels continue to be exciting, adventurous and fast paced.
* Sea Fever, poem by John Masefield
* Sea Fever, poem by John Masefield
September 14, 2019
While The Corvette isn’t Moby Dick, it isn’t the typical Nathaniel Drinkwater story either. There is no surreptitious spy endeavor and the expected sea battles don’t appear until very late in the game. Rather, it is a tale of escort duty in Arctic regions where icebergs, ice floes, and icing over are as dangerous to Drinkwater’s converted French corvette as the rumored French privateers from which he is supposed to protect his convoy of whaling ships. And, since the astute reader has now figured out my Moby Dick comparison, I will admit that I read the most about whaling that I have since reading that Melville classic an that the whales themselves become a threat to the ship’s integrity.
I liked the fact that the author appeared to set up the usual officer who achieved his post through connections versus officer rising through experience competition, only to have the expected showdown attenuated by one officer’s illness and an unexpected answer to the problem from that officer. Indeed, one later discovers that not all officers who gained their rank by virtue of privileged connections are incompetent fools. They may not have the same leadership styles as the Richard Bolitho of Alexander Kent’s novels or Drinkwater’s in these novels, but they aren’t incompetent.
Instead of struggles against the aristocracy (though there is still enough for some potential spice), there are interesting verbal jousts between Drinkwater, his officers, the whaling masters, and a missionary who wants to preach the gospel to the Eskimos. The conversations do a great job of considering the perspectives of all the characters, as well as the tendency to try to tell your captain what he wants to hear. There is definite tension between the fanatical missionary, the Quaker captain, and Drinkwater on the subject of “Providence,” but I rather like the way it resolved. Of course, with all of this shipboard conversation, the first part of The Corvette reads more like the Jack Aubrey novels of Patrick O’ Brian than the Drinkwater novels read previously.
If you’re looking for the break-neck combat of some of the other novels, you’re not getting it here. But if you’re looking for a balanced “fighting sail” novel with a different perspective and flavor from the typical breed of the genre, The Corvette may find you volunteering for another tour of duty.
I liked the fact that the author appeared to set up the usual officer who achieved his post through connections versus officer rising through experience competition, only to have the expected showdown attenuated by one officer’s illness and an unexpected answer to the problem from that officer. Indeed, one later discovers that not all officers who gained their rank by virtue of privileged connections are incompetent fools. They may not have the same leadership styles as the Richard Bolitho of Alexander Kent’s novels or Drinkwater’s in these novels, but they aren’t incompetent.
Instead of struggles against the aristocracy (though there is still enough for some potential spice), there are interesting verbal jousts between Drinkwater, his officers, the whaling masters, and a missionary who wants to preach the gospel to the Eskimos. The conversations do a great job of considering the perspectives of all the characters, as well as the tendency to try to tell your captain what he wants to hear. There is definite tension between the fanatical missionary, the Quaker captain, and Drinkwater on the subject of “Providence,” but I rather like the way it resolved. Of course, with all of this shipboard conversation, the first part of The Corvette reads more like the Jack Aubrey novels of Patrick O’ Brian than the Drinkwater novels read previously.
If you’re looking for the break-neck combat of some of the other novels, you’re not getting it here. But if you’re looking for a balanced “fighting sail” novel with a different perspective and flavor from the typical breed of the genre, The Corvette may find you volunteering for another tour of duty.
September 5, 2021
After a disappointing book #4, I'm glad #5 is much better. This has an out of the box plot, which at first I was afraid would be boring but turned out to be quite good.
Spoilers all below:
Once again Woodman puts brakes on Drinkwater's (ND) career. Instead of being promoted to post captain, he's a job captain, something I've never heard of before. Basically the previous captain of the corvette was injured in a duel and ND is put in temporarily to command.
Characters: I'm actually getting to like the way Woodman does them. Instead of straight antagonists, the characters are more complex and many of them don't go the way you think. ND still has a cadre of supporters as in his coxswain and Mr. Quilhampton. Woodman puts them in to help ND achieve his goals in the book.
The other characters are less linearly defined. For example I expected the 1st Lt. Germaney to be an antagonist but he turned out differently. The surgeon had a much shorter part than expected, so did the noble officers. But overall, the large number of side characters made it interesting.
The other part that was interesting was the central theme of the book, the description of the whalers, how they went about their business, whaling and how it was viewed contemporarily. The side characters of the Quaker and the parson on the voyage to save the souls of the Eskimo also made for interesting reading.
Peace of Amiens. Every Hornblower clone has touched on this subject but this is the only series to have put it most clearly that the Peace of Amiens was basically Napoleon's trick to ask for a truce so that he could have breathing room to build up his forces to attack again and that the politicians were stupid enough to fall for it.
Summary: ND is tasked to protect a convoy of arctic whalers because French privateers are attacking them. He is further task to destroy France's attempt to build a toehold in that area and in that industry.
We are treated to a contemporary POV of the whaling process and whaler's thoughts on it. The whole occasion seems a light hearted hunting trip until a more powerful French privateer appears and snags the Quaker master's ship. The next 30% of the book deals with the long running battle with the French ship through arctic weather and the ship's battle against the harsh weather. This part is very well written and gives a very realistic POV of sailing in that northern sea.
They lose track of but eventually meet the French ship for a final battle with unexpected results.
Spoilers all below:
Once again Woodman puts brakes on Drinkwater's (ND) career. Instead of being promoted to post captain, he's a job captain, something I've never heard of before. Basically the previous captain of the corvette was injured in a duel and ND is put in temporarily to command.
Characters: I'm actually getting to like the way Woodman does them. Instead of straight antagonists, the characters are more complex and many of them don't go the way you think. ND still has a cadre of supporters as in his coxswain and Mr. Quilhampton. Woodman puts them in to help ND achieve his goals in the book.
The other characters are less linearly defined. For example I expected the 1st Lt. Germaney to be an antagonist but he turned out differently. The surgeon had a much shorter part than expected, so did the noble officers. But overall, the large number of side characters made it interesting.
The other part that was interesting was the central theme of the book, the description of the whalers, how they went about their business, whaling and how it was viewed contemporarily. The side characters of the Quaker and the parson on the voyage to save the souls of the Eskimo also made for interesting reading.
Peace of Amiens. Every Hornblower clone has touched on this subject but this is the only series to have put it most clearly that the Peace of Amiens was basically Napoleon's trick to ask for a truce so that he could have breathing room to build up his forces to attack again and that the politicians were stupid enough to fall for it.
Summary: ND is tasked to protect a convoy of arctic whalers because French privateers are attacking them. He is further task to destroy France's attempt to build a toehold in that area and in that industry.
We are treated to a contemporary POV of the whaling process and whaler's thoughts on it. The whole occasion seems a light hearted hunting trip until a more powerful French privateer appears and snags the Quaker master's ship. The next 30% of the book deals with the long running battle with the French ship through arctic weather and the ship's battle against the harsh weather. This part is very well written and gives a very realistic POV of sailing in that northern sea.
They lose track of but eventually meet the French ship for a final battle with unexpected results.
June 23, 2022
As much as I'm enjoying this series, which is the only thing I've ever come across that's nearly as good as the Horatio Hornblower books (and some of them, alas, are on land and suffer in consequence), I can't seem to find a single book therein which doesn't have something wrong with it. That's the case here. I love the fact that Nathaniel Drinkwater is escorting a whaling fleet to the ocean near Greenland - it's a side of Royal Navy operations which I'd never encountered before. And Woodman writes so well, generally, that I can "feel" the cold of the Arctic summer.
But alas, the man still can't - or won't - punctuate, and his editor still can't - or won't - fix the mess this makes of narration and dialogue. And the whole situation with the rudder is irritating. Drinkwater has qualms about the rudder of his ship, which duly ceases to work. But a) Woodman never tells us what was wrong with the thing, and b) he goes into far too much excruciating detail of how the crew rigged a substitute rudder, c) without ever telling us why they didn't even try to fix the original rudder instead of going to the difficult trouble of the jury rig. When I was in school the teachers in math class would sometimes tell us to "show your work," and sometimes they'd tell us we didn't have to - we just had to have the correct answers. Woodman shows his work entirely too much; instead of enjoying an account of how a crew far from home uses spare spars and pieces of wood to create a new rudder, he gives us a dry, detailed, technical course in how to do it.
These are good books. They could be much better.
But alas, the man still can't - or won't - punctuate, and his editor still can't - or won't - fix the mess this makes of narration and dialogue. And the whole situation with the rudder is irritating. Drinkwater has qualms about the rudder of his ship, which duly ceases to work. But a) Woodman never tells us what was wrong with the thing, and b) he goes into far too much excruciating detail of how the crew rigged a substitute rudder, c) without ever telling us why they didn't even try to fix the original rudder instead of going to the difficult trouble of the jury rig. When I was in school the teachers in math class would sometimes tell us to "show your work," and sometimes they'd tell us we didn't have to - we just had to have the correct answers. Woodman shows his work entirely too much; instead of enjoying an account of how a crew far from home uses spare spars and pieces of wood to create a new rudder, he gives us a dry, detailed, technical course in how to do it.
These are good books. They could be much better.
August 23, 2024
Good story shows two faces of life at sea, civilian and military. Plus there is a dash of humor in it. An easy job suddenly becomes a difficult task.
November 17, 2015
My favorite Drinkwater book so far - his lack of opportunities and being passed over was frustrating, so I was glad of this opportunity for our gallant cap'n. The book was very different from other RN books and seemed to read like the account of an incredible exploratory adventure. However, combined with a good ensemble cast, some mystery and intrigue, a lot of seamanship and great battles, the book has a bit of everything.
March 4, 2016
Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good -- as long as you learn from your mistakes!
Fortunate to be assigned as a job captain, filling-in to protect a whale expedition, Drinkwater manages to overcome his numerous mistakes to successfully complete his mission beyond White Hall's expectations and further his career.
Being completely out of his element, Nathaniel's adventure off the coast of Greenland truly tests his meddle as Captain.
3.5 - 4 Stars
Fortunate to be assigned as a job captain, filling-in to protect a whale expedition, Drinkwater manages to overcome his numerous mistakes to successfully complete his mission beyond White Hall's expectations and further his career.
Being completely out of his element, Nathaniel's adventure off the coast of Greenland truly tests his meddle as Captain.
3.5 - 4 Stars
May 10, 2019
Another great story
I really enjoyed the interaction with the cleric, and the ongoing internal battles that both he and Drinkwater ( which could be a decent name for a teetollling missionary of the time - come to think of it.._)
This was a great treat of reading = best of the series so far.... yet there are more I believe!
I really enjoyed the interaction with the cleric, and the ongoing internal battles that both he and Drinkwater ( which could be a decent name for a teetollling missionary of the time - come to think of it.._)
This was a great treat of reading = best of the series so far.... yet there are more I believe!
June 27, 2021
An "okay" read, as part of a series
A couple of times I felt I was read a book on marine engineering, as the explanations as to what work is being undertaken is quite detailed. The plot was slow, and the end game, although unexpected, was concluded quickly. Nice link, at the end, to where Drink water goes next.
A couple of times I felt I was read a book on marine engineering, as the explanations as to what work is being undertaken is quite detailed. The plot was slow, and the end game, although unexpected, was concluded quickly. Nice link, at the end, to where Drink water goes next.
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March 30, 2021Greenland skulldugary
Another excellent book by this wonderful author.
This story tells of the history of Hulls whaling fleets .As I now live in Beverley ,which is about 8 miles from Hull. I found this story line most
exceptional.
Another excellent book by this wonderful author.
This story tells of the history of Hulls whaling fleets .As I now live in Beverley ,which is about 8 miles from Hull. I found this story line most
exceptional.
July 2, 2013
Interesting description of whaling off Greenland. A bit of a change from navy battles but a very readable book nonetheless.
September 6, 2014
Another excellent addition to the Drinkwater series.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews