Passage to Mutiny

Richard Bolitho #9

by Alexander Kent

Pirates and savage South Sea Islanders are nothing compared to the greatest of all threats.

October 1789, New South Wales : Into Sydney, capital of Britain's infant colony, sails the frigate Tempest . She is one of His Majesty's ships employed in policing the new southern trade routes. Her captain is Richard Bolitho, who hopes to be ordered home to England. Instead he is despatched on a mission to the islands of the Great South Sea, where he must face hazards of fickle winds, pirates and savage islanders. But he is menaced by deeper fears; the men of the Bounty have mutinied in these same waters; and from distant Europe comes news of a revolution in France…


From the Paperback edition.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Nautical, Adventure, War, Military Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

A pseudonym used by Douglas Reeman.

Series:
* Richard Bolitho
* Adam Bolitho

Reviews

[Carlos Magdaleno Herrero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esta vez la acción se traslada a las islas del pacífico donde a parte de la típica acción marinera esta vez contra piratas, franceses e isleños, a nuestro capitán se le romperá el corazón.

[Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌊 I’ve been reading books and stories about the sea since I was very young. I suppose my first were Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Swiss Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe. I remember reading The Dove and watching the film just before I and a friend set out to travel the world at 20. I began reading sea fiction and nonfiction, especially what I’ll call naval fiction (primarily set in the years when the tall ships ruled the waves) when I learned to sail at 21. I continue to enjoy naval fiction to this day to relax with just as some others go to romance, Amish fiction or murder mysteries.

🌊 This is a well-written work of 360 pages. After a hiatus where I had to spend a good amount of time reading westerns when I helped judge a literary comp, I was grateful that in this volume the author too seemed to be returning from his own hiatus, and took pains to reintroduce the characters and the time period. The story is set in the South Pacific but meanwhile in Europe the French Revolution has erupted. There is romance, treachery, sword play at sea and on land, there is courage and heartbreak. A brave tale at the time of Nelson’s Navy. Recommended for romancers of the sea 🐚 Of which I am one. Which is what Murray/Mhoireach means in the olde tongue 🌊 ⚓️

[Viva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead:

Bolitho is in the Java Sea area (as best as I can make it) and he transports his old nemesis Raymond to the Levu Islands where he's supposed to set up a base and settlement. A pirate Tuke is trying to destroy the settlement. A French frigate Narval is also around, in part to capture a French fugitive who is on the pirate ship.

The basic summary of the plot is that the pirate is smart and active, capturing several of the smaller transports and schooners while Bolitho is trying to stop him and Tuke is trying to capture Bolitho's ship so he can control the area. The French Revolution happens around this time and the French ship's crew overthrow and kill the officers and Tuke gains control of it so in the end Bolitho has to destroy the Narval.

The main reason why I gave this book such a low rating is because I dislike the Bolitho romance plot line. First of all, I think Kent is bad at writing romance. The whole narrative of Bolitho meeting Viola and them falling for each other felt unrealistic and wooden. It honestly felt just like an arranged marriage, except in this case it was an arranged affair arranged by the author to create drama.

Furthermore, this stilted plot line that ran through the book felt gratuitous and unnecessary. If I were one of the crew or officers I would have felt totally pissed that the captain was causing danger to everyone because of his own selfish needs. And this is a captain who is supposed to be good to his crew. Instead he endangers everyone in the plot line to satisfy his own sexual urges. He put his benis before duty, his crew and his principles.

But mainly I'm annoyed because the author didn't do a good job of making the romance realistic or natural or even the woman real enough for the crew to be charmed or attached to to her. So basically everything about this plot line was badly written and cringy. It's not just a bad plot line but a badly written one.

Enough said.

[Bob Cantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to give this one 5 stars just for the action in it. Bolitho is still in the Great South Sea. He and his ship have to face pirates, a sadist Frenchman, and a man, who hates Bolitho for personal reasons and is supposed to be on Bolitho's side. But with the bad comes the good in the form of Viola Raymond the woman loved by Bolitho. I wish I could say that there is a totally happy end, but I can't. To find out what happens I suggest you read this book and judge for yourself if it is more than enough adventure for anyone.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Bolitho and The Tempest are in the South Seas and Botany Bay, facing pirates, the French, and James Raymond, as well as the spectre of mutiny in the aftermath of The Bounty, but as his coxswain John Allday says, there are squals ahead with his affair with Viola Raymond.

Definitely one of the better of the Bolitho books, and Michael Jayston's narration is excellent.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another rousing adventure but mixed with some sadness this time.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the latest book in my re-reading of this series. Always a good adventure read about life at sea in the Royal Navy in the late 1700's. This book took place in the South Pacific shortly after the mutiny on the Bounty and just as the French Revolution began.

[Michael Koch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This interesting book is the sixth in this series and covers an adventure of Richard Bolitho commanding a ship in the Royal Navy. The war with the American colonies is over, a mutiny on the Bounty has recently occurred and France is tearing herself apart in revolution. War with revolutionary France has not yet started however, France and Spain are both vying to take over trade in the Great South Sea. Bolitho and HMS Tempest have arrived in Sydney and are expecting to go home. However, the Commodore is expecting a ship carrying the wife of the Governor of a remote collection of small islands and orders Bolitho to try to find her.

Five years ago, Bolitho and the then bureaucrat’s wife, Viola formed an intimate bond. Bolitho and the Tempest find and rescue the missing ship, the Eurotas and some of its crew and passengers including Viola. The rest of the crew and passengers have been killed by the very nasty pirate, Tute. He only kills slowly but he and many of his crew escape in other ships. The bureaucrat is now a Governor and carries a grudge. Bolitho and his ship are ordered to kill or capture the pirate but given restrictions that make the orders almost impossible, Viola is always withheld from his presence.

Bolitho and the Tempest are lured into a trap. They escape the trap but take casualties and damages. The relationship between the British and the natives is interesting, but Bolitho needs to form a more positive relationship. He is also ordered to not challenge the French but to work with them against Tute.

The Governor refuses to build proper defenses. He thinks that neither the French nor the pirate will attempt to take his islands even when evidence shows that the French ship has been captured and its Captain killed. Bolitho tries to lure Tute into single ship battle with no other ships present but he does not have near enough men.

Kent tells a good story, and this book is no different. The love story between the Governor’s wife and Bolitho would be very rare during this time and in the British Navy. While it is unheard of, a divorce would destroy the reputations of all three players and possibly the careers of both men. Despite that, their story is carefully handled, and the result is acceptable.

This is a good story, with lots of action and well told. Four stars.

[Jim Munden · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I go through the Bolitho series, more and more it seems to me that Kent lacks imagination. Brought up on Hornblower and other Forester novels, Kent offers (for me) a poor imitation of the quality of writing and storytelling of the author who is clearly his writing template. Again and again I see similar stories and events to those described much better in Forester. Ho hum...
Despite the above, I've generally been enjoying working through the Bolitho series in chronological order. But Passage to Mutiny was a downward lurch in my enjoyment. Slow to get going, turgid and uninspiring writing, too much introspection and self-deprecation by Bolitho, too many shallow observations by other characters. The writing in short and often unconnected paragraphs, too little development of the thoughts being expressed in each, lack of clarity in meaning and content, frequent repetitions of phrases and descriptions in previous books....
I feel Kent is trying to emulate the characterisation and psychology of leadership so masterfully expressed by Forester in Hornblower, The Good Shepherd, The Gun etc, but he's nowhere near that benchmark. However, I'm hoping that as I get to the earlier-written Bolitho books later in the chronology, the quality will return. We'll wait and see!

[Earl Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of a long series I intend to read end to end. There seems to be no end of my interest and enjoyment of the genre .... 18th Century British Navy seen through the eyes of a single hero and his cast of followers from ship to ship. I have read all of Obrian and some others and am finding that I am not bored here or muttering to myself over past ground covered again. Kent writes in a vivid style and the action is quite a bit bloodier than in the others. Cannon balls here do nasty work as do the naked savages so infrequently seen in other novels. To that extent these are a bit more scary and suspenseful. The unpredictability of alien people has its own power over the reader. That's me. The reader.

[Ernest Godfrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit confusing

I have read a lot of these books and enjoy them but this one for me was a bit too confusing. I found the characters and particularly the places vague. At times I wondered where they were in relation to where they had been or were going. The positions of the ships guns land or sea confused me. Sorry to labour the point . I still enjoyed the book was left wishing it had Been more "joined up".

[Boulder Boulderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not one of my favourites of the series, but extremely readable for all that. Bolitho is in the South Seas, engaging in colonial relations with the natives. Kent focuses on Bolitho's relationship with other British officials more than anything else, so misses some interesting opportunities to examine the colonial dynamic in the South Seas and with the emerging Revolutionary forces, but it's still an engaging read.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

To me the weakest of the Bolitho books with the exception of the earlier ones, I’m reading chronologically. Bolitho is still in the South Pacific we are in between the wars, American Revolution and Napoleonic. He finds himself fighting against Bureaucrats and pirates in an effort to save his crew and his career.

[Dave Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the weaker books in this series. You may find boring the very long chapter of Bolitho, Viola, and crew as they row two small boats 500 miles in the South Pacific. I thought so. But, by the end of that chapter, you'll have tears in your eyes, and you'll forever more want a glass of water near you.

[Joseph M Einertson]

Against All Odds

I love reading this series, even though it's my second time. The stories are so detailed you feel like you are there with the roar of the cannons and the falling rigging. The fear of a tiny ship being tossed and turned in a raging storms, and the courage of the sailor that manned them.

[Pieter D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr Reeman(Alexander Kent) should stick with his sea going tales and leave out all the attempts at romance. It seriously detracts from the overall story line. Novel definitely fills in some of the gaps in the story line. That being said it is worth the read,,,

[Jack Evancheck · Rating 5 out of 5]

So close . . .

The best so far, really got your attention. I felt for Richard BOLITHO, to come "So Close" to suffer - yet triump over all these obstacles . I had a great read.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much internal and yearning.

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine read. Always an adventure.

[David Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

More action-packed and tense than all of the prior ‘Richard Bolitho’ novels to date - marvellous!

[Mr Roy Davidson · Rating 1 out of 5]

360 pages

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much action, so much vivid description, so much heartbreak

[Dave Lavers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like a good nautical story and this one filled the spot - enjoyed this on Bolinda!

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six-word Review: South Pacific adventure, a little syrupy.

Longer Review later:

[Mik Kjølsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exiting book to read

[Devin Milliron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first 18th century naval book and man, was it awesome. I recently watched Master and Commander and as much as people said it was slow or boring I found it exhilirating. This book did the same for me. I didn't understand most of the old naval jargon, but I followed along alright. When the action gets going, it really gets going. Suffice it to say, there were more blood and guts than I expected, which is great fun. That's the reality of these people's lives, though. It really is shocking, as were many of the events in the novel. I'm sure the other Bolitho novels are great as well and probably would help to understand the characters, but this book alone did that well enough by explaining people's pasts sufficiently and swiftly with enough development to satisfy anyone. Really, the level of emotion he gives the characters is beyond what I am used to reading. They felt so real to me, all their thoughts, responses, and struggles to survive were touching. This man really is a good author. I honestly have no idea how he could create a world so realistic that hasn't existed in hundreds of years. He must have studied for years to understand all the mariners work, attitudes, language, and social connections. I'm not an expert, but I wouldn't doubt all of it is accurate. Anyway, this is a top notch adventure. I read more fantasy than anything else, and I wish Kent wrote fantasy because his stories would be amazing. So, pick up this book or any of his others, I suppose. Even if you're not used to seafaring stories, you'll love it.

[Studebhawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mutiny & Treachery at Sea
This series continues with this, the 9th installment of this well-done series now set in the South Pacific.
Set in the period of time right after the mutiny of the Bounty. At this time the action takes place in the South Pacific. The British Navy has continued its practice of staffing it’s vessels by the use of press gangs, forced labor. The mutiny of the Bounty sailors was a shockwave that resonated throughout the British Navy.
This was but one indicator of trouble for the British Navy. The other troublesome practice was the use of transport. Convicted prisoners were sent by British courts to populate the new colony of Australia. Both issues surface in this story. This story highlights and revolves around the difficulty of dealing with the divided loyalties of these crews, and sometimes prisoners. At times these conditions bordered on a mutinous tyranny. The officers and crews had to deal with all of these issues as well as accomplish their mission.
As always, this series is well written, populated with characters that you have grown to care about, and, action at sea that that keeps you coming back for more. What more can an armchair reader of adventure fiction ask for?

[Hermann Gucinski]

I can recommend this to people who love adventure tales set in the days of iron men and wooden ships. I think the Patrick O'Brian tales (Master and Commander etc.) were the best of the breed, but the Alexander Kent novels are page turners, and the nautical settings and descriptions seem accurate enough, with occasional lapses. In these tales, the hero may have set-backs but wins, so the outcome is rarely in doubt. I like books about the sea, but this will not be everyone's cup of tea. I note that there is good character development, and the elements of leadership that make the hero so successful are well described.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good naval adventure/action novel in the Richard Bolitho series. Covering October, 1789 to summer, 1791, the novel continues Bolitho's adventures in the South Seas. Now commanding the frigate TEMPEST instead of the UNDINE, Bolitho is now protecting British interest in the Botany Bay and South Seas area. Again, it is Bolitho's leadership, personal courage, and command skills that enables him to over come various obstacles and win the day for British interests.

[Topher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still surprised that I enjoy wooden ship stories - totally outside my normal reading space. I enjoy the characters in this series though, and find it easier to immerse myself in this series than in the Aubrey / Maturin series; I don't have to look up from the story every few pages to look up some obscure (now) term, and hence don't lose the flow of the story.