The Hawk

Carey Family #4

by Ronald Welch, Gareth Floyd (Illustrator)

Involved in sea battles and political intrigues, Harry Carey becomes associated with a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth which in reality is a plan to save her life.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Ronald Welch is the pen name of Ronald Felton, author of twelve historical novels for children. After reading history at Cambridge, he taught at Bedford Modern School and then became headmaster of Okehampton Grammar School in Devon. He was awarded the Carnegie Medal forKnight Crusader in 1954 which is to be serialized in Story Time on BBC on 4th July, 1972. His interest in military history stems from his family background and his service in The Welch Regiment during the 1939–45 war.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

The younger son (and seeming heir apparent) of the Earl of Aubigny, Harry Carey is serving as a lieutenant aboard one of his father's merchant ships, plying the waters between England and Spain, at the beginning of this gripping adventure story set in Elizabethan times. Evading capture in the Spanish port of Santander, he and his shipmates head home, where Harry is delighted to learn that his father and Uncle James, wanting to capture richer prizes upon the sea, have commissioned a great galleon to be built. Chosen by Captain Gideon Powell as his second, aboard the newly commissioned Hawk, Harry serves on a mission to Brazil, where the intent is to capture Portuguese ships laden with valuable cargo. Before he departs however, he is presented to Queen Elizabeth, and he finds, upon his return to England, that his help is needed to foil an assassination plot against her...

First published in 1967, The Hawk is the forth of Ronald Welch's Carey Family Chronicles,, a collection of loosely connected historical adventure stories, each of which includes a character from the noble Carey family, and which together cover some of the major episodes of British history, from the time of the Third Crusade to World War I. Although positioned fourth in the series, as it is today conceived of and presented, this was actually the eighth to be published, following upon other books that come after it in the historical chronology by which the books are now organized. It occurs at roughly the same time as the third in the series, The Galleon , in which Harry and his father have cameo appearances.

However that may be, this was an immensely engaging tale, one that I found every bit as engrossing as the previous three— Knight Crusader , Bowman of Crécy and The Galleon . Harry is an appealing hero, capable and yet not over-confident, noble of birth, and yet no snob. His desire to win his father's respect is depicted with sensitivity by Welch, who captures the poignancy of this quite natural wish, without ever descending into any kind of sentimentality. My only critique to the book, would be that the section involving the assassination plot was far too short, and felt rather rushed, like an epilogue to the rest of the story. I would have enjoyed seeing it fleshed out more, particularly as I liked the way in which Welch depicted Harry's growing regard for his ostensible co-conspirator, despite secretly working against him. Still, despite this flaw, I nevertheless found this one worthy of its predecessors, and look forward to reading the next in the series, set during the English Civil Wars.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't find this one as good as the others in the series that I've read. I think this might be because it's set at the same time as The Galleon and the historical events don't kick in until about three-quarters of the way through. It feels somewhat the same. Had I not just read the other book, maybe I would have like it better. There's nothing wrong with it on its own.

[Rob Markley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow seems to be a lesser appreciated Carey novel but it is just as good! One of the few with a sea going scenario and Welch still seems to know his stuff

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully old fashioned and a good adventure story. Very educational too, if you want to learn about ships and armature of the period! Most of the adventures are actually ship-related, and only the last quarter of the book about the plot mentioned in the blurb.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Carey family in the reign of Elizabeth I - another beautifully written story, aimed at young readers but still a great read 50 years on.