Napoleon's Run

William John Hazzard #1

by Jonathan Spencer

London, 1798. A junior naval officer intercepts a coded Napoleon Bonaparte is about to launch the largest invasion fleet in history. Unknown. Can the British Navy uncover Napoleon's plans in time to prevent a disaster?

After receiving a mysterious dispatch that Napoleon's army is preparing an invasion, the Sea Lords of the British Navy fear an assault on England and need a special officer to uncover the destination of Napoleon’s armada—a man who never Marine Lt William John Hazzard. But Hazzard has left the Navy, vowing never to return. The Admiralty, however, knows just how to persuade him. They know where his missing fiancée, Sarah, is…and she’s in danger.

This epic adventure is perfect for fans of Cornwell and C. S. Forester.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 24, 2020

Reviews

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting!

Spencer has not only written an energizing Naval saga around the times of Nelson, but he's thrown in a mystery, a love story and intrigue that sweeps from Cape Town to Naples and on to Malta, between 1795 and 1798. Our hero William John Hazzard, Lieutenant of Marines, has become an embittered disillusioned figure after his Cape Town endeavours and what he perceives as a politically motivated treachery and dishonor on the part of the Admiralty. For me Hazzard is a man in the vein of of Cornwell's Sharpe figure. (Whom I have for ever been in love with--or is that Sean Bean? Oh my! Shallow side of me revealed!) I'm really enjoying this new anti hero, somewhat of a berserker when pressed. No wonder another of my fav. historical writer's Michael Jecks likes this.
The enemy within? Figures within the Admiralty who obfuscate situations, and lie to Hazzard, sending him on kamikaze style missions.
The enemy without? Citizen Jules-Yves Derrien, known as Citizen Croquemort –the Mortician, Bonaparte's spymaster. A character right out of the excesses of the post Revolution era, a zealot of a man, committed to Bonaparte. A devil incarnate.
Then there's the band of men who would walk through fire for Hazzard. Men from his past and those he gathers to him like a magnate gathers iron filings.
The woman he's always loved, Sarah-Louise Chapel, who as the saga unfolds, is apparently trapped in Naples and needs Hazzards help.
Hazzard crosses oceans seeking Nelson's fleet, facing unimaginable odds and showing his shrewd intuitive skills in his quest to rescue Sarah.
I read the Run over the course of one night into the ridiculous hours of the next morning because I could not put it down.
I was left exhausted and yet salivating for more. A saga wrapped up in Intrigue, heroics and ignoble actions, that doesn't shrink from the bestiality found in war.
Spencer's Historical Notes places occurrences and known figures into their historical timeframes, outlining the realities of the occasions confronted and their consequences.
Thorough research and a magnetic story. I'm well and truly ready for the next in the series.

A Canelo ARC via NetGalley

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Napoleon’s Run by Jonathan Spencer
The William John Hazzard Series #1

Swashbuckling adventure on the high seas with a bigger than life but very real hero swept me into a world long gone but not forgotten. This book reminded me of some on my father’s shelves that he would loan to me to read. One such was Captain Horatio Hornblower comes to mind. This action-packed historical novel drew me in and didn’t let me go till I finished it. I highly recommend it.

What I liked:
* William John Hazzard: a good man, a great marine, a superior leader, highly skilled and educated, perhaps suffering from PTSD, willing to make difficult decisions, there for his men and also for those he truly cared about.
* Sarah Chapel: William’s betrothed that waited for him then got tired of waiting and struck out on her own…and what an adventure her life became
* The writing, plot and story as it was written – I grew to care about the characters and the outcome of the story
* The history that I learned
* The descriptions of fighting, sailing and personal interactions seemed believable and also appealed to all my senses
* Getting to know a new author and reading his debut work
* The realness including the grit, grime, and dirtier aspects of being a sailor, captured, spying and what could happen if you were caught
* Wanting to find out what happens next AND knowing that the second book in the series is already listed
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Jules-Yves Derrien: a cruel, twisted, evil man…do hope he gets taken down in the future
* Being reminded how cruel some Naval officers were and the punishments that were meted out
* Having to say goodbye to the characters and now wait for the next book in the series

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars


Merged review:

Napoleon’s Run by Jonathan Spencer
The William John Hazzard Series #1

Swashbuckling adventure on the high seas with a bigger than life but very real hero swept me into a world long gone but not forgotten. This book reminded me of some on my father’s shelves that he would loan to me to read. One such was Captain Horatio Hornblower comes to mind. This action-packed historical novel drew me in and didn’t let me go till I finished it. I highly recommend it.

What I liked:
* William John Hazzard: a good man, a great marine, a superior leader, highly skilled and educated, perhaps suffering from PTSD, willing to make difficult decisions, there for his men and also for those he truly cared about.
* Sarah Chapel: William’s betrothed that waited for him then got tired of waiting and struck out on her own…and what an adventure her life became
* The writing, plot and story as it was written – I grew to care about the characters and the outcome of the story
* The history that I learned
* The descriptions of fighting, sailing and personal interactions seemed believable and also appealed to all my senses
* Getting to know a new author and reading his debut work
* The realness including the grit, grime, and dirtier aspects of being a sailor, captured, spying and what could happen if you were caught
* Wanting to find out what happens next AND knowing that the second book in the series is already listed
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Jules-Yves Derrien: a cruel, twisted, evil man…do hope he gets taken down in the future
* Being reminded how cruel some Naval officers were and the punishments that were meted out
* Having to say goodbye to the characters and now wait for the next book in the series

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Lee Chisman · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a massive Sharpe fan, I found this book as a recommended reading on my Amazon Kindle account. I was definitely not disappointed. It is a gritty, action packed story which is bound to keep any readers of Sharpe or Hornblower entertained.

It was also very refreshing to read a story from the perspective of the Marines, perhaps something often missed when stories about the Napoleonic wars are written and as we know the Royal Navy and Army are most often written about.

Hazzard is a great character who I think any fan of Sharpe will identify with and sympathise with.

My only criticism is that I felt that the story built up to this amazing crescendo which then fell a little bit flat and the ending felt a bit rushed but it expertly sets up the next volume in the series and hopefully the next story of many to come!

I definitely would recommend reading this for amy fans of historical fiction or action and adventure books.

[Oismiffy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve been looking forward to reading this for some time, so it is abandoned with much disappointment on page 88.

Whilst I did enjoy parts of it I found I kept putting it down for a few days and then trying to come back to it with a fresh and open mind, mainly because the flipping backwards and forwards across the time period is so infuriating. It’s not clever writing, it’s just confusing and breaks up the flow. Just lay it out in a linear fashion so it makes sense.

And while I understand that PTSD is a truly troublesome condition, I have no relationship with the main character after just 22 pages, so as the reader I don’t give a tuppenny-shit. You need to develop my relationship with him much more for me to care, otherwise he just seems boring and sulky. A bad misjudgement here which for me sealed the book’s fate.

Sad to be putting this in the DNF pile, but I’m not wasting my time finishing this dross.

[Studebhawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Interesting Beginning to a New Series
This book is beautifully researched. It is full of historical detail of the area and this period during the Napoleonic War in Europe. There are too many problems with this book to keep me interested enough to continue to the next story.
The main character starts with an appealing storyline, and his friends that he adds along the way. However, the main storyline is weak, and midway through it story weakens further into the ridiculous. I had trouble maintaining my interest as the main character continues making bad decisions endangering himself and his friends.
Napoleon’s Run started with great promise. With all of its inherent faults of plot and character, Napoleon’s Run never delivers.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Action and misadventures. History, certainly. A very accomplished protagonist (fluent in many languages), who likes to fight and take a beating. Doesn't really plan well, and being extremely independent, frequently doesn't bother to clue in his team (they are left in the dark). So while charismatic, not really too effective, and prone to unrealistic scenarios which promote a thin plot line. Certainly prone to unfortunate missteps and sudden plot twists. Very frustrating to follow along. The perfect Villain, always a few steps ahead, reminiscent of the inspector in Les Miserables - as far as the villain goes.

[Don · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having seen some positive comments I was excited to read this book , but unfortunately I was left disappointed ..
For me it was 90% non -fiction ,with 10% adventure story thrown in to make it more readable. If you enjoy French military history then this book may be for you , but I struggled to enjoy it despite it initially promising so much & having so much potential . In my opinion both the "Sharpe" & also the ' Hornblower ' stories were much more enjoyable.

[Jordan Korol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this first instalment is packed with non-stop action. William Hazzard is a compelling and exciting protagonist who still remains a mystery to the reader.

4 stars simply due to my complete ignorance of ship/navy terminology that made reading confusing at times. Very detailed, almost to a fault.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story based on real events.

The story was pretty good, but I found the book pretty hard to follow. It seemed to jump around a bit at the start, and I was finding it hard to keep track of what was happening. As you got used to it, though, it became more enjoyable.

[Trevor rowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the best

Strong historical detail, good character development, and some excellent prose in this closely plotted narrative. It is First class historical fiction.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

More 3.5 stars. Found the opening event a bit random and struggled to relate to it, but the story got going when Hazzard set out on his main mission in the Med. Then that ending, for me, was a mess.

[Donald Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Napoleon Run

Lovely factual story with undertones of the navel war with France.. Much of the story is based on fact but written in away to make you want to read more.

[Kevin Cannon (Monty's Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1 of a new series of Napoleonic historical novels featuring William John Hazzard.

Mixing historical fact with a boy's own adventure story Jonathan Spencer brings to life the tale of Napoleon's assault on Malta and the action and intrigue that takes place on the lead up to the invasion.

The story moves along at a good pace and introduces an interesting collection of characters both real and fictitious who Hazzard meets on his mission to rescue his fiancée and support Nelson's search for Napoleon's armada.

Being the first in a series means that there are a fair few loose ends that will move into book 2 but the story is engaging and keeps your interest throughout.

My one issue with the book is the use of French, Italian and other languages in the test - some of which are immediately translated into English and some which are not. I understand that this is to give the story a flavour of the settings and foreign characters but after a while it can get distracting especially if your command of foreign languages is as bad as mine.

For me this is a 5 star story but with a 1 star deduction due to the overuse of foreign languages

I'll certainly be looking out for Book 2 to see how Hazzard gets on in his quest to foil Monsieur Bonaparte.

https://montysbookreviews.blogspot.co...

Merged review:

Book 1 of a new series of Napoleonic historical novels featuring William John Hazzard.

Mixing historical fact with a boy's own adventure story Jonathan Spencer brings to life the tale of Napoleon's assault on Malta and the action and intrigue that takes place on the lead up to the invasion.

The story moves along at a good pace and introduces an interesting collection of characters both real and fictitious who Hazzard meets on his mission to rescue his fiancée and support Nelson's search for Napoleon's armada.

Being the first in a series means that there are a fair few loose ends that will move into book 2 but the story is engaging and keeps your interest throughout.

My one issue with the book is the use of French, Italian and other languages in the test - some of which are immediately translated into English and some which are not. I understand that this is to give the story a flavour of the settings and foreign characters but after a while it can get distracting especially if your command of foreign languages is as bad as mine.

For me this is a 5 star story but with a 1 star deduction due to the overuse of foreign languages

I'll certainly be looking out for Book 2 to see how Hazzard gets on in his quest to foil Monsieur Bonaparte

[Stacy Townend · Rating 5 out of 5]





Member Review



Napoleon’s Run

by Jonathan Spencer

Pub Date: 24 Sep 2020

Review by



Stacy T, Reviewer

Last updated on 28 Sep 2020

My Recommendation

Move aside Sharpe & Harper two new Hero's have arrived Captain Hazzard & Marine sergeant Cook. The book starts with action & treachery, this gives background to the main characters and highlights the personal, political subterfuge & rivalries of the Admiralty. The story moves on and you learn more about the character & personal life of Hazzard. He is once more thrown into action at the whim of Admiralty along side the stalwart Cook & a company of marine's on what seems an impossible mission stop the French Fleet & rescue the English Agent ( without spoliing. The agent is known personally to Hazzard) The story moves on with action, & twists, success follows near disaster, The book has been well researched as flows along accurately with true historical events. He book ends on a peak and you are left wondering & waiting for more bring on book 2 . Well done a truly enjoyable read

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[PETER MICHAEL · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping yarn set during the Napoleonic wars, set around the main protagonist, William Hazzard, a Lieutenant of Marines. He believes that he has been betrayed by the Admiralty and the British government, yet has accepted an almost suicidal mission to locate and stop Napoleons massive fleet. He is aided by a group of loyal, unorthodox and tough marines, perhaps the equivalent of a modern-day Special Boat Service unit.
Hazzard reminds me very much of Thomas Cochrane, a real-life naval hero whose amazing exploits CS Forrester's 'Hornblower' and Patrick O'Brians 'Jack Aubrey' were based on. The protagonist can also be favourably compared to a naval Richard Sharpe, one of my favourite fictional military figures!
I loved the way that the author, Jonathan Spencer, skilfully incorporated some fascinating well known characters into the plot, for example Emma Hamilton and Admiral St Vincent.

I loved the book and will recommend it to my friends!

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The author clearly knows his Napoleonic history particularly his Egyptian campaign. This is old school historical fiction—swashbuckling and “boy’s own.” My only problems was that at times there seemed to be almost too much going on at once and it became hard to follow who was who and what was what. Also, I do not like it , when as here, the author throws in sentences or phrases in a foreign language(a French character speaking a sentence in French). I find it interrupts the flow of the story. I will read the next volume of this series.

[Ian Pruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This period of our history has been used or written about by many authors including Kent, O'Brian, Stockwin, Scarrow and Forester. I've read and enjoyed them all. I think Jonathon Spencer has introduced a new angle and I found this novel most promising and will get a copy of the Lord's of the Nile.
Hazzard is a good name, given haphazard would not be, even though at times I felt he was just that. However, it's a novel and one I enjoyed reading, allowing me to relate to other fictional characters of the time, together with the real ones of the time.
Thank you Jonathon.

[Carlton Bookheimer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring in the long run.