Colours Aloft!

Richard Bolitho #18

by Alexander Kent, Douglas Reeman

Falmouth, September 1803: As Bolitho faces the grim reality of war at close quarters, he will be called upon to anticipate the strategies of the French fleet. But the conflict has also taken on a personal note, reviving his vendetta with the French Admiral, Jobert, who once commanded the Argonaute.

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

300 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 1986

About the author

A pseudonym used by Douglas Reeman.

Series:
* Richard Bolitho
* Adam Bolitho

Reviews

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bolitho novels not only have cameo appearances of Britain’s great naval hero, Admiral Horatio Nelson, in the background, but the events of Bolitho’s life tend to parallel the life of the grand hero more and more as the series continued. At first, Alexander Kent (I will use his nom de plume for convenience and clarity) was content to compare the fictional hero to the historical one. Then, he was putting them into the same historical actions, but from different perspective. Personally, I found this fascinating and creative, if not the essence of what a historical novel should do (provide different perspectives, that is).

But for all that I enjoyed Colors Aloft, I felt the hand might have been a bit overplayed. The problem with Bolitho’s eyesight rings far too close to Nelson, as does Bolitho’s risk of his reputation on behalf of a young woman to whom he is not married (although, this event isn’t even close to identical to Nelson’s situation with Lady Emma Hamilton). Admiral Bolitho is now referred to as “Our Dick” in the same way that Nelson was “Our Nel.” For me, it was a bit much.

However, what WAS excellent was Bolitho’s journey into darkness with regard to revenge and remorseless. For those of us who knew the compassion under the character through so many novels, this was strange…but credible given the circumstances that pushed him. It was so easy for me to see this happening to a person like Bolitho and it made the naval action so much more intense and important. With this personality crisis of sorts, Kent transformed this novel which could have been “more of the same” into something just a little bit different. In fact, it was different enough to keep me rapidly turning pages such as I did in my first discovery of this series.

Even better was the feeling that, with Bolitho’s flag rank putting him more and more distant from the action (as well as his possible new vulnerabilities in terms of sight and politics), it seemed like Kent was readying his books to follow the younger men like Valentine Keen and Adam Bolitho on their distinctive paths to greatness. Indeed, this also “upped the ante” in terms of the cost when supporting characters died in the battles (and die they did!). It seems like the glory to be dispensed in the Naval Gazette (The Naval & Military Record and Royal Dockyards Gazette) was directly proportional to the sum of the “butcher’s bill” in terms of casualties. This high cost of war was vividly portrayed in this installment of the Bolitho legend. Even more vivid was the internecine pettiness which cost some of these lives. In earlier novels, the danger was not nearly evoked so eloquently.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story. Relentless action, vivid period detail, and rich character insights.

[Ron Wroblewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another exciting novel in the Bolitho series. Again it is during the British-French war in the early 1800s. Kent manages to put new plots in his novels and this involves rescuing a girl from a British prison ship heading for Australia. And of course one of the ship captains falls in love with her.

On to the next in the series.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six-word Review: Bolitho is blindsided but eventually triumphs.

A typical, very entertaining saga with Admiral Sir Richerd Bolitho commanding a squadron in the Mediterranean as war with France renews and his nemesis Admiral Jobert is also in the same area.

The main plot, Bolitho vs. Jobert is actually given fewer pages than the sub-plots. One has Bolitho and Flag Captain Valentine Keen rescuing a young girl from a convict ship on its way to Australia as she is about to be flogged. This action complicates everyone's life and results in an inquiry at Malta, which pulls Bolitho from his squadron at a crucial time.

Another subplot is Bolitho's recovery from blindness when he and others are ambushed while getting water on the island of Sardinia.

Underlying the entire book are Bolitho's relations with those who served under him through the years. These relationships are often the difference between success and failure.

While the author sometimes gets a little syrupy with the admiration Bolitho earns, the suspense and battle scenes more than make up for it. In this and other books in the series, good and evil are easily identified and rarely subtle.

I enjoyed this volume very much.

[Nathaniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seemed rushed or like the editor insisted the author cut 100 pages out. There were random characters introduced, pointless intrigue, and a somewhat sloppy tying up of loose ends. Not the author's best. The battle scenes were well-done, though.

[Marshall T]

A great story! This is a wonderful read and a good inside into command and how the politics of the day can affect leaders in combat and create disaster on the front lines.

[Viva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading this series in chronological order and so far they've been pretty good. I'm a big fan of Hornblower but I've only been reading the clones this year and so far I've gone through Lewrie, Kydd, Drinkwater, Ramage and now Bolitho. All of them seem to start strong but lose its way and it's also somewhat true of this series.

What I like about this series is that it's quite well written and easy to read and follow. I think Kent does a great job of the action scenes and spends a lot of time on the characters. The relationships between the characters are quite well done. The action scenes are very vivid and Kent doesn't pull any punches when it comes to realism and carnage.

I'm not going to summarize this book as I've been reading them in order and they all seem to run on like a TV series and there isn't really a gap between them. Bolitho is just sent on one mission after another. What I am going to say is what or where the series starts to lose its luster.

1) The hero worship. Lately it's gotten as bad as Ramage where basically everyone he comes in contact with either professes his admiration for him aloud for anyone in proximity to hear or sotto voce to himself. And as another reviewer said: their goal in life seems to be to line up to lay down their lives for him. Frankly this is cringy and just bad writing. They're all basically aping Hornblower but CS Forester does a much better job. If you have to convince readers by having the characters say they admire Bolitho every few pages then you're not doing a good job - write it so that we feel it, not read it through dialog.

2) The romance: I don't know why Kent has put it into his head that readers read this series for romance. Again, I feel it's because of Hornblower's affairs and an effort to better him. But in this case Kent is a horrible romance writer. Characters just meet for 2 seconds and pledge their undying love for each other, totally without any chemistry. Spoilers here: Same thing with Captain Keen falling head over heals over the girl at one glance. The subplot of this book might as well be called Captain Keen thinks with his benis. This subplot is totally superfluous, gratuitous and unnecessary.

If Kent had removed the romance and dialed down the hero worship, this would have been a much better book. Not as good as Hornblower, but still better than the other clones. OK, on to the next book.

[Caroline Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book I have read in the Richard Bolitho series. As I have read in a previous review it is like putting on a pair of comfortable slippers. You get to know more about the other characters, the battle scenes are very graphic and you also get to know more about the boats that were used in that period. The only minor complaint I have is about Zenoria and how she is called brave - I think it was the men serving the Navy at that time who were brave rather than her. I think there should have been less time spent on her and more about the characters especially Allday who had his son with him on ship. However this book makes me want to read the rest of the series!

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK Bolitho book as the French and the English are back at war. Sent to the French coast to stop French ships from going out to sea he gets embroiled in a controversy where some of his political foes go after him. Ok but not as good as some of the other books in the series.

[Geoff Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished # 18 as I work through the complete series thanks to the lockdown. Colors Aloft has some great battle scenes and overall I found it to be a 'galloping ' read even though I'd read this book some years ago.

[RhC · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing seemed a bit disjointed -- as if there was some heavy editing.

[David Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply marvelous!

[Steve Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bolitho has hius own squadron as the Napoleonic Wars break out again. He faces again his nemesis French Admiral Jobert. Much ore naval fighting in this book. Bloody. Very good read

[Boulder Boulderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Bolitho, nothing special to say about it.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slightly less comprehensible than the previous books and doesn’t advance the story much but I’m still enthralled.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent entry! very enjoyable.

[Alan Debban · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, exciting action scenes. The romantic twist - and there always is one in Bolitho books - is a bit of a stretch involving a prison ship. There is a satisfying personal end the story.

[Mati · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have finished it long time ago. It was not bad, but I have read better from that author. The plot is easy and very readable as always. It is simply I have a ship, he has a ship. He is enemy and my cannons like to shoot at the enemy. Bolitho had as always obnoxious superiors and his ship was in love with him. I have strange feeling from that book, that author was trying to set the plot on the personal vendetta theme. French admiral is cartoon villain with cunning mind of perfect naval strategist who had simply bad luck and he had his aft kicked more then once by our Richard Bolitho. It is indeed little boring. French admiral is artificially evil and hanging several British sailors was his most favourite past time after brooding about cold revenge on Bolitho. That frog really needed some vacation.Bolitho's personal life was mess too. He remarried and it was mistake on the both sides. Author was trying to point out that sir Richard was poor hubby with bitch on his back, but frankly said when he got married, he should use brains not glands.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the plot line of this book slightly harder to follow than normal ; although to be fair this may have been down to a particularly busy and stressful period at work.
Yet against chosen few are together again by a mysterious stroke of fate.... although they keep getting killed off so how much longer can it continue?
Bolitho becomes blinded but slowly manages to make a startling recovery, even if incomplete. Somehow it was this aspect which detracted from the storyline for me. Much of it was very good writing about how he manages to cope with the disability, and how leadership is about an individuals attitude not necessarily what they can do. But at the same time it was as if the author kept forgetting this limitation to Bolitho's sight when describing other aspects. Somewhat unconvincing in my opinion!

[Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

As something to read this will do. But, oh my goodness, how sketchily written, how skimpy. Compared to the fantastic Patrick O'Brian this is weak beer. Unlike the twilight books which could have done with 300 less pages each, this one could have done with more flesh, more meat to chew over. The characters are cardboard, and the dialogue does not have the same O'Brian sparkle of wit, humour and insubordination. The plot is simple: there's this ship, it is commanded by a baddie, so it needs to get sunk. On the way, people Richard Bolitho makes new friends and loses old ones to grape shot. Really that's it.
Ho hum

[Megargee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the 16th in Alexander Kent's Richard Bolito novels but the first I have read.. Having thoroughly enjoyed all 20 of the late Patrick O'Brian's "Master and Commander" novels, I was initially excited at the thought of another series on the Royal navy during the Napoleonic Wars. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in this book. Kent is no Patrick O’Brian. One gory battle after another with little character development in between.
(Spoiler alert.The final hand to hand swordfight between the rival admirals on the burning deck of the flagship was just too much.) I no longer plan to try to follow this series.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

#16 in the Richard Bolitho, British naval officer series. Now knighted, Vice-Admiral Bolitho is in command of a squadron sent to the Mediterranean to to support another blockading fleet. The story develops through a series of naval engagements as Bolitho seeks to track down a French admiral who he had defeated in the previous novel. While doing this, he encounters another attack by people behind the scenes to end his career and bring dishonor upon him. The time period for the novel is September, 1803 to June, 1804.

[Romana Toson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being a Patrick O'Brien fan, I was interested to see how another author would deal with a similar subject matter. I enjoyed it for the comparisons I couldn't help making between the two writers. Would I read more of this series? Probably, maybe I just need to get more acquainted with the characters..

[Megargee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since completing the 20-volume Patrick O'Brian Master and Commender series, I have been looking for another to take its place. This series featuring Richard Bolitho seems the best of the lot, but this volume at least seems to lack the detail and authenticity of O'Brian's novels.

[Stephen Coleman]

It seemed to assume that you had read the series and, to some extent, was just tying up loose ends. Still enjoyed it but could easily see what was coming.

[Melody Laxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was good, but I had a hard time getting through it, as I'm not into nautical books.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Bolitho book

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a great deal. The order of his books are a little confusing

[Juli Monroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bogged down in the middle with an uninteresting subplot. However, the final battle was excellent.

[Topher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been enjoying the adventures of Richard Bolitho for a while - at some point, I'm sure I'll try to get myself interested in some of the other wooden ship series.