The Invasion Year

Alan Lewrie #17

by Dewey Lambdin

The Invasion Year is the seventeenth tale in Dewey Lambdin's smashing naval adventure series. For a fellow like Captain Alan Lewrie, Royal Navy, who despises the French worse than the Devil hates Holy Water, it's hellish-hard to gain a reputation for saving them, not once but twice, when the French refugees from Haiti surrender to England rather than the vengeful ex-slave armies in November of 1803! After that, it could be "all claret and cruising" in the Caribbean, but for a home-bound sugar convoy, one so frustrating as to make even the happy-go-lucky Alan Lewrie tear his hair out, kick furniture, and curse like . . . well, like a sailor! Back in England for the first time in two years, there are honors from the Crown for gallant service . . . a lot more than he expected from King George III, who was having a bad morning, then a chance to move in Society after an introduction to an intriguing daughter of a peer. But then come secret orders to experiment with several types of "infernal engines of war," which might delay or postpone the dreaded cross-Channel invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte, his huge army, and his thousands of invasion craft. For the rest of 1804, Alan Lewrie and his crew of the Reliant frigate will deal with things more dangerous to them than they may prove to be to the French!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Adventure, War, Naval Historical Fiction, Naval History

355 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 2011

About the author

Dewey Lambdin (1945-2021 ) was an American nautical historical novelist. He was best known for his Alan Lewrie naval adventure series, set during the Napoleonic Wars. Besides the Alan Lewrie series, he was also the author of What Lies Buried: a novel of Old Cape Fear.

A self-proclaimed "Navy Brat," Lambdin spent a good deal of his early days on both coasts of the U.S.A., and overseas duty stations, with his father. His father enlisted as a Seaman Recruit in 1930, was "mustanged" from the lower deck (from Yeoman chief Petty Officer) at Notre Dame in '42, and was career Navy until May of 1954, when he was killed at sea aboard the USS Bennington CVA-20 (see below), on which he served as Administrative Officer, 5th in line-of-command (posthumous Lieutenant Commander).

Lambdin himself attended Castle Heights Military Academy, graduated in 1962, and was destined to be the family's first "ring-knocker" from the U.S. Naval Academy, "... until he realised that physics, calculus, and counting higher than ten were bigger than he was."[1] He studied at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, majoring in Liberal arts and Theatre, where he was published in The Theme Vault in 1963, also reprinted in a national textbook, which whetted his appetite for writing. However, he failed his degree. He finally graduated with a degree in Film & TV Production from Montana State University, Bozeman, in 1969. This was considered at the time to be the McHale's Navy of the academic set, so the nautical influence was still at work. He has worked for a network affiliate TV station as a producer/director for twelve years, an independent station as production manager and senior director/writer/ producer for three years, all in Memphis, and as a writer/producer with a Nashville advertising/production facility, or in free-lance camera, lighting and writing.

He has been a sailor since 1976 and spends his free time working and sailing on his beloved sloop Wind Dancer, with a special taste for cruising the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Lambdin has thus far resisted the temptation to trade his beloved typewriter for a computer. He lived in Nashville, Tennessee.

He was a member of the U.S. Naval Institute, a Friend of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England; Cousteau Society; the former American Film Institute; and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
-Wikipedia

Mr Lambdin passed away on July 26, 2021 at the age of 76.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/deweyl...

Reviews

[Sunhawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continues to amuse. The evolution of the character is well managed: our hero continues to grow and thrive. A sympathetic new love interest, showing that deep down, he is a romantic. The handling of the dialogue, seasoned as it is with obsolete and unusual words, is outstanding -- even if the meaning of the word isn't known, the context typically explains. I am controlling myself and not bingeing on these books, because there are only a few more.

[Terry Steinborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in the always interesting Alan Lewrie series. This one is set in 1804 as Napoleon was gearing up to invade Britain, an altogether believable threat at the time. Our Hero starts this adventure helping to rescue French people from Haiti during the anti-whites revolution (to capture as many French ships as possible as prizes). He then returns to Britain where he joins the fleet tasked with preventing a French invasion. He gets tasked by the Admiralty to assist in the testing and development of "torpedoes" to try and destroy the shipping massed in French Channel ports for the invasion. In the process of all this, he is honored with a knighthood (and named Baronet by the often deranged King George III). He of course develops a new love interest, as is usual in a Lewrie book. This book is rather short on sea-battles, but there is enough intrigue and personality clashes to make it another rousing sea adventure.

[D.w. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tales of Ram Cat Lewrie continue and with the recent preceding novels I have gotten used to the format of learning more of the era of the early 1800s than watching Lewrie have his career at sea explored. The mainstay of this type of fiction is to generally have few reports of what happens ashore and more at what happens at sea, but now in the career of Lewrie, who for a few pages has a ship seconded to his command, we learn of what affects his career with court intrigue and affects his life ashore. We then see quickly again how he is not yet destined for hanging his broad pendant. But as so few of those he meets senior to him have the fighting spirit, or sea skill, if not the maths, for command, it surely will come.

If you like your Age of Sail series, this is one worth a read. It seems to have tamed a bit as the years have gone by, but then Lambdin and Lewrie both are now examples of middle age.

[joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

real tedious. very slow, and disappointing.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewrie is shocked when he and his squadron commander are notified by the crown that they are to be knighted. However, this won’t be official until they return to England which, as his happens, will be awhile as they must escort a flotilla of one hundred merchantmen up the coast of America and then across the Atlantic. These books, though serious and violent and profane are often quite comic. Lambdin has a very tongue in cheek style and he has created a character that one must assume is his fantasy alter ego. Lewrie’s favorite expression is “my ass on a bandbox,” a phrase used at least 50 times so far. Lewrie is self-aware. He has a good assessment of himself. In fact, he is often quite self-denigrating. The meeting with Napoleon in the previous book has an amusing aspect and Lewrie’s investiture by King George is very funny. King George is quite addled and gets mixed up while knighting Lewrie and having made the previous knight into a baronet goofs up and makes Lewrie one as well, a great surprise to the assembly. Lewrie, of course, expects that it will be set right at the end of the ceremony. But it turns out like the story of the king’s clothes. The courtiers are loathe to admit the King had made a mistake and Lewrie is now officially Captain Sir Alan Lewrie Baronet. As a result of his knighthood Lewrie garners the attention of one Lady Lydia Stanhope and begins a romance with her that might last several books. I know already from reading ahead that the next book begins with them ensconced in an inn at Portsmouth. However, the rest of the book involves a not very exciting testing of early torpedos, an experiment that is less than successful though accurate historically. I should make note that Mr. Lambdin makes it all look pretty easy. He is/was a very fine writer who is particularly adept at dialogue. And, he skillfully manages Lewrie’s maturation from 17 year old ramcat to 40 year old post captain. Lewrie is known as the “ramcat” in the fleet because of his well-earned reputation with the ladies, not for his penchant to keep cats for company. Lambdin is obviously a cat fancier. Lewrie’s first cat was one William Pitt, a feisty gent who was responsible for Lewrie keeping his first command when he clawed the new captain of Lewrie’s first temporary command causing that worthy to fall from the man ropes while trying to board the ship. When on half pay Lewrie took William Pitt home where the old cat lived out his life. For many books now, since the Siege of Toulon, Lewrie has had a black and white cat as at pet which he named Toulon. Subsequent to adopting Toulon Lewrie’s bastard half Indian American Navy midshipman son gave him a white kitten as a pet. Chalky and Toulon became friends and have been characters in every book since. Their care and feeding falls to Lewrie’s servant, first Aspinal and now Pettis who must change the sand in the metal lined cat boxes and see to their feeding. During fleet actions or gun drills the cats are carried to the orlop where they cower until the shooting stops. One must note that Men O War had many animals aboard, a virtual menagerie at the beginning of a voyage: pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and even bullocks. When all these were eaten it was salt beef and ships biscuits until they could get to a port where the purser could restock the manger.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1804, the year after the British again went to war with Napoleon, after the failure of the Treaty of Amiens, Capt. Alan Lewrie finds himself helping to assist French Refugees leaving Haiti after the victory of the rebellious slaves. They had been loaded onto French ships which were blockaded in the harbor at Port au Prince and Lewrie was in command of a frigate dong the blockading. The French are finally convinced to surrender to the British and are allowed to sail out. While off loading prisoners and the women and children, Lewrie and the Captain in command of the group of ships, both receive official word that they are to be knighted on their return to England. However, their orders to return to England include that they are tasked with being in a four ship escort of 100 commercial ships from the West Indies to ports in America and the British Isles. The second half of the book, beginning with their arrival in England includes being presented at court, honored, and being given a new assignment, aiding in the development of new, secret weapons.
Not quite as exciting as some of the others, but new developments in his career in what was a fairly boring, from a naval perspective, year of the war.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another superb entry in the Alan Lewrie British naval series. I was sad to learn the author passed away in 2021. Alas, there are not many great age of sail Naval series being written currently with the passing of Dudley Pope and Alexander Kent (pen name). This installment finds our intrepid hero getting Knighted by none other that King George the third. Suffering from a bit of the Biden dementia the King not only makes Lewrie a Knight but a Baronet and because the crown "does not make mistakes" they have to honor his new found titles. This is a perilous time for England as Napoleon is preparing to invade England with a variety of small craft. Lewrie gets sent on a secret mission to test new fangled weapons; torpedoes and Congreve rockets. Unfortunately both the torpedoes and rockets are a bust, but Lewrie does manage to capture two unique invasion craft in heavy fog off the French coast. Lewrie also manages to put paid to several French bastards in revenge for the killing of his wife by French provocateurs in the previous book. All in all another rousing "me hearty" yarn in a great series.

[Douglas Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another look into seldom-charted waters

This installment in the Alan Lewrie series is a highly readable story that provides insight into the formal events of the British court and the Cold War phase of the Napoleonic Wars. Unlike most of the Lewrie books which careen breathlessly from one gun-battle to another with interludes of steamy liaisons, this one is more of an informative stroll in which several of the outcomes are uncertain until the events actually occur. Even the sex scenes are relatively restrained! An excellent read.

[John Boyda · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Lambdin makes one smell the sea and the tar of the sailing ships. This was a rather non-bellicose tale where Lewrie's ship is tasked with guarding proof-of-concept trials for new weapons of war - "torpedos" which are nothing more than barrels full of powder with primitive timing devices. These are set loose on the tides with hopes that they will drift in among the French fleet.

Also in this narrative, Lewrie is knighted but unexpectedly made a baron by a befuddled King George III. Since "the king can do no wrong", the barony sticks. Lewrie also has a dalliance with an aristocratic lady (which may prove to be a more permanent relationship in future installments).

All in all, a well told tale - even if it was a bit humdrum.

[john temple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable

This episode of Lewrie's life has him testing secret weapons the description of which sound unbelievable but we are assured were actually used. The tale is very entertaining with equal time spent on personal and professional adventures. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable book

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Experimental 19th century sea warfare based on actual weapons tested during the Napoleonic war for attacks on the French Invasion forces assembling in Boulougne. And further adventures in the personal life of Captain Lewrie.

[Charlie Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much time wasted on fruitless plans to thwart Bony's preposterous preparations for the over Channel invasion of England. A new romance rears her head from an unexpected source. It promises a new side to Lewrie's amorous adventures.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a more typical Lewrie outing: the first half of the book spent chasing around the world on something of a wild goose chase and the second half dealing with prototype torpedoes (technically mines).
It was alright with nothing to complain about but wasn't particularly fantastic.

[Jack Rieger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written loving the main character more and more as the series goes on

[Oismiffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Met my requirements for a good tall ship, Alan Lewrie historical fiction novel.

[Mr.Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sir Lewrie, when he was knighted, both the king and the U.S. President can't remember what to say.

[David Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Frank Mihlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

Though there is not much in the way of battle the attempts by Fulton and others make this an informative read. Very enjoyable.

[John Hammer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly not one of Lambdin's best. Too much rehash. Too much detail about sailing terms.It's almost as if Lambdin is trying to tell us how much he knows. For those who have read him before, he has shown that he knows a lot about the times and sailing. It's OK to slip some in, but to have lists of shipboard items or past history really gets boring. Alan Lewrie is a great character mired in detail in this book. I am still looking forward to the sequel.

[Chris Shockey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Triumph!

Yet another cracking good yarn in the Adventures of Alan Lewrie! Mr. Landing and his rake-hell captain carry on their amazing adventures in the tradition of Hornblower and Aubrey/Maturin. I can hardly wait for the next installment. These need to be motion pictures!

[Aspen Junge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the entire series largely back-to-back (my local public library is well-stocked). One of the great things about this series is that we get to watch Alan Lewrie, the main character, grow up from a callow, self-indulgent teenager to a mature, thoughtful, and responsible adult.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite installment, but it moves the story forward. Looking forward to Sir Alan's next adventure.

[John Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The lastest, but not last, in the Alan Lewrie series. Having read the earlier stories, it's like sitting down with an old friend.

[Harry Moncelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book and as an avid Lambdin reader I was not disapointed. I can't wait for the next one!

[Edward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with many other reviews...this particular installment doesn't really have the depth and breadth I have come to expect from Lambdin over the years.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has a rich host of characters to expand upon in future books. There is a fair amount of rehash in this book and many loose ends.

[David Rubin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give us more Alan Lewrie, Mr. Lambdin. We need to know how his love live and naval career are progressing. All great stuff!

[Stephen]

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[Emily&Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Great exciting book that gives you everything you want from a fun read. Alan is a great character to root for