Golden Admiral

by F. Van Wyck Mason

The time was 1585 and in the warm waters of the Mediterranean and the Bay of Biscay, Spain was gathering ships to crush the growing sea power of England. Under a clever plan of Philip II, Spain had been treacherously impounding English merchant ships in Spanish harbors, seizing their cargoes, imprisoning their crews, and hoisting the red and yellow ensign of Castile and Aragon on their masts. One ship - the Primrose - escaped and returned to England to tell the shocking story. Henry Wyatt, Master's Mate of the Primrose, had joined his fellows in fighting off and finally outwitting the treacherous Spaniards in Bilbao Harbor. The ship returned to London with its cargo spoiled, but bearing a document proving the Spanish king's duplicity.

How Henry Wyatt was back in England - to claim his sweetheart, Kate, and to stand on the threshold of one of the most thrilling adventures in all the history of the sea: the crusade of the Golden Admiral - Sir Francis Drake - against Spain.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Nautical

340 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

aka Geoffrey Coffin, Frank W. Mason, Ward Weaver

Francis Van Wyck Mason (November 11, 1901 – August 28, 1978, Bermuda) was an American historian and novelist. He had a long and prolific career as a writer spanning 50 years and including 65 published novels.

Reviews

[Mike Orta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read. It moves right along with action, conflict and, of course, romance! Author started out as a magazine writer and you can see the style in this novel. He has a lot of action and cliff hangers. The story takes place during the conflict of England and Spain. Sir Francis Drake harries the Spanish by being a privateer and confiscating their gold. Eventually war breaks out and the Spanish armada attacks England. Even though we know how it all turns out still the author instills a lot of excitement.

[Charles Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this when I was a kid and really loved it.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as a teenager many years ago. Decent historical fiction

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent older historical fiction

[James Valentine]

3 (Y)(Y)(Y) a childhood favorite!!