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Richard Bolitho #24
Cross of St. George
February 1813: As American privateers pick off British and Canadian ships in the wake of the War of 1812, Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho returns to Halifax to defend Crown property. In the cold waters off Nova Scotia, he fights fruitless skirmishes with men of the frontier, all the while longing for peace.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1996
88 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Alexander Kent
226 books198 followersA pseudonym used by Douglas Reeman.
Series:
* Richard Bolitho
* Adam Bolitho
Series:
* Richard Bolitho
* Adam Bolitho
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 1, 2019
New battle scenarios once again, this time out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, during the war of 1812. All frigate battles. Richard's eye is really getting bad, hard to see. Preventing the American from landing troops in the Bay of Fundy. Last year I spent time in Nova Scotia so I can visualize the scenes as I read. Six books left in the series.
June 2, 2018
Sometimes in life, you encounter books you don't get. It's not your fault. It's not the author's fault. But, for the life of you, you can't figure out what the appeal of all these words might be.
Well, that's where I ended up here. This is #24 in a series, and, unlike in a long running mystery series, maybe you just can't pick up the book and understand what’s going on. The author does try to make it accessible. He spends 60 or so pages getting all his chess pieces in the right places, making sure everyone is on the right ship, and making sure that the dating lives of all (way too many) characters is decently set up. It’s nice of him to try, but this is just boring.
Well, finally we get out to sea, have battles, fret about the women left behind, and have a mutiny, and a after a another 200 pages or so, a thoroughly anti-climatic final battle. And I'm just going -- so what? This is exciting stuff, swords being brandished, grand strategy being posed, vengeance being pursued. I love it when it's Rafael Sabatini. And, yet, I am just bored to death. I don't care about any of these ciphers, and, in fact, am having a hard time remembering who is on what ship (there are a number of ships to keep track of), and who is having a difficult time with who and, for heaven sakes, why? Since I did decide to read #24 first, in the spirit of random that governs my book selections, this may be my fault. But I think I am going to wait before I look at any of the other three Kent books I bought in an ebay lot. The War of 1812 had to be more interesting than this.
Well, that's where I ended up here. This is #24 in a series, and, unlike in a long running mystery series, maybe you just can't pick up the book and understand what’s going on. The author does try to make it accessible. He spends 60 or so pages getting all his chess pieces in the right places, making sure everyone is on the right ship, and making sure that the dating lives of all (way too many) characters is decently set up. It’s nice of him to try, but this is just boring.
Well, finally we get out to sea, have battles, fret about the women left behind, and have a mutiny, and a after a another 200 pages or so, a thoroughly anti-climatic final battle. And I'm just going -- so what? This is exciting stuff, swords being brandished, grand strategy being posed, vengeance being pursued. I love it when it's Rafael Sabatini. And, yet, I am just bored to death. I don't care about any of these ciphers, and, in fact, am having a hard time remembering who is on what ship (there are a number of ships to keep track of), and who is having a difficult time with who and, for heaven sakes, why? Since I did decide to read #24 first, in the spirit of random that governs my book selections, this may be my fault. But I think I am going to wait before I look at any of the other three Kent books I bought in an ebay lot. The War of 1812 had to be more interesting than this.
August 3, 2021
Excellent
This book will captivate you with its plot, character development and action sequences. It is refreshing to see the War of 1812 from the British side. Recommended reading.
This book will captivate you with its plot, character development and action sequences. It is refreshing to see the War of 1812 from the British side. Recommended reading.
April 24, 2020
You can tell we are getting near the end. Not much new to do or talk about. Bolitho taking a smaller and smaller role. Formats and themes seem to repeat. Always seems like we’ve been here before. A lot of repetition, rehashing of past events, etc. I’ll probably finish the series, but not expecting much in the last four books....
February 1, 2023
An old friend
This is likely the third or fourth time I have read this story and I still find it an enjoyable read. I have read most of Alexander Kent's books I find his stories so full of atmosphere and detail, that I honestly feel amazed that any body could endure the life at sea he portrays.
This is likely the third or fourth time I have read this story and I still find it an enjoyable read. I have read most of Alexander Kent's books I find his stories so full of atmosphere and detail, that I honestly feel amazed that any body could endure the life at sea he portrays.
May 28, 2021
All a bit of a yawn, this. It became clear some volumes ago that these books were little more than a cash cow to keep the author in splendour. But whether I can weather any more such is - moot.
Some points that grate greatly are, but not in order of nuisance-quotient.
Being fixated on Katherine's boobies. Calling them "breasts" as if she possessed only those two items of interest to gentlemen - and doing so when it's absolutely NOT needful. We know what they are and we like them too but this usage is cheap and tawdry.
Telling us about her being "entered". We are adults, we do understand how the needful bodily fluids are transferred. We don't need this schoolboy level pornless reference to plumbing connections....
The repeated, repeated, repeated use of "old friend" to Allday. It's self congratulatory condescension, nothing else.
The repeated, repeated references to "bits of men" in battle scenes. We do know what canonfire does to ships' crewmen. Try using different vocabulary, please. Try being less lazy too, Mr Kent.
This is lazy and is formulaic writing.
And Jayston's readings are getting similarly irritating. The breathy quality given to attractive female characters is the sort of thing that I've yet to hear in the voice of any real woman, attractive or otherwise. Michael, they just don't talk like Ms MMonroe mate. Try listening to some. It's not difficult.
In this book, there's a lot of hand wringing that we really don't need to get served up so much. Early naval actions in the earlier books were interestingly constructed, and if Kent asked me about writing more of these things I think I'd tell him that he really should have quit at least ten books back.
How do authors manage to write books of such even duration? One might think that story A might develop differently from B and therefore need differently timed read files. While there a degree of variation, it's remarkably narrow. It's almost as if the publishing deal is to produce another script of X thousand words at Y intervals of time. and that there's a minimum read-time required.
Then there's the repetitions, IE lousy editing where there are bits that appear twice in different locations. Does nobody proof listen to these things?
Some points that grate greatly are, but not in order of nuisance-quotient.
Being fixated on Katherine's boobies. Calling them "breasts" as if she possessed only those two items of interest to gentlemen - and doing so when it's absolutely NOT needful. We know what they are and we like them too but this usage is cheap and tawdry.
Telling us about her being "entered". We are adults, we do understand how the needful bodily fluids are transferred. We don't need this schoolboy level pornless reference to plumbing connections....
The repeated, repeated, repeated use of "old friend" to Allday. It's self congratulatory condescension, nothing else.
The repeated, repeated references to "bits of men" in battle scenes. We do know what canonfire does to ships' crewmen. Try using different vocabulary, please. Try being less lazy too, Mr Kent.
This is lazy and is formulaic writing.
And Jayston's readings are getting similarly irritating. The breathy quality given to attractive female characters is the sort of thing that I've yet to hear in the voice of any real woman, attractive or otherwise. Michael, they just don't talk like Ms MMonroe mate. Try listening to some. It's not difficult.
In this book, there's a lot of hand wringing that we really don't need to get served up so much. Early naval actions in the earlier books were interestingly constructed, and if Kent asked me about writing more of these things I think I'd tell him that he really should have quit at least ten books back.
How do authors manage to write books of such even duration? One might think that story A might develop differently from B and therefore need differently timed read files. While there a degree of variation, it's remarkably narrow. It's almost as if the publishing deal is to produce another script of X thousand words at Y intervals of time. and that there's a minimum read-time required.
Then there's the repetitions, IE lousy editing where there are bits that appear twice in different locations. Does nobody proof listen to these things?
March 27, 2021
Pretty good Bolitho adventure. This continues with him operating in the American theatre during the War of 1812 rather than against France. He is sent to Halifax to try and keep the upstart Americans in check. He is force to implement and defend his new theory of fast well armed frigates in the Navy rather than large ships of the line to pit against the Americans. As the later books in the series this does have a little bit of relationships between him and Catherine and possibly another love triangle between Adam, Keen and a woman.
June 2, 2021
Getting to be like an favourite pair of shoes
Have to agree with a few of the other long term readers , we are fiercely loyal , but can see the end is looming.I get the feeling a number of the passages have been cut and paste , the phrases are so familiar. Having said that to a new reader a great read and I must admit to my addiction to the series, nothing better than sitting back with a jamiesons , some nice Chello music and continuing the the story of Sir Richard and "The happy few"
Have to agree with a few of the other long term readers , we are fiercely loyal , but can see the end is looming.I get the feeling a number of the passages have been cut and paste , the phrases are so familiar. Having said that to a new reader a great read and I must admit to my addiction to the series, nothing better than sitting back with a jamiesons , some nice Chello music and continuing the the story of Sir Richard and "The happy few"
December 29, 2021
Something different as Bolitho is now fighting the Americans and not the French, which is an interesting twist in the overall story of Richard Bolitho. As much as I have enjoyed reading all of the Bolitho books in sequential order I have a feeling that the author is getting tired, or perhaps it is me that is getting tired and ready for a change. I still have at least one more book to read so as to complete the series.
April 25, 2020
Muy interesante el libro, yo los leí por separado y con gran distancia uno del otro, pero aún así me acordaba de algunos personajes. Pero soy un desastre con los nombres se me olvidan fácil y está saga tiene demasiados me gustaría conseguir los demás por ahora solo tengo los 2 últimos pero entendí la historia casi a la perfección
July 30, 2024
Just boring. No sense that Kent has any understanding of the history, politics, or even fleet and army movements in this period, and his grip on the characters is flailing. The first dozen of the series is good but grown increasingly dissatisfied and this is a new low.
February 11, 2023
not his best
I have been an advocate of his previous books and have praised him which was due, unfortunately I felt that book was not of the same quality or standard
I have been an advocate of his previous books and have praised him which was due, unfortunately I felt that book was not of the same quality or standard
March 21, 2008
This is book 22 of the series about Richard Bolitho. The series runs from his being a midshipman to Admiral. The plots convey shipboard life, the hardships of the sea, the horrors of battle and the complexities of romance in an age of social status and conventions.
This book provided a rich story line set in the background of the war of 1812 from the British perspective. The author does not make a super hero out of the main character, but one of vunerabilty. The character is slow going blind in one eye due to a battle injury in any earlier book.
It is a good quick read.
This book provided a rich story line set in the background of the war of 1812 from the British perspective. The author does not make a super hero out of the main character, but one of vunerabilty. The character is slow going blind in one eye due to a battle injury in any earlier book.
It is a good quick read.
September 1, 2014
This is the first of the Bolitho series I have read. Yes, I know it is #24 in the series, but it is the one I found at a local thrift store. Anyway, setting aside the difficulty of picking up in the middle of the saga, I found the book very entertaining and well written, a worthy complement to the Hornblower and Aubrey-Maturin series written upon the same theme.
June 29, 2016
Well, this is my 3rd Alexander Kent book. Therefore, I don't really know how the series is flowing, but I got fed up with the romance element of this book. Monotonous. Why is he trying this hard to make it a love story?
December 6, 2014
Quite good, but I preferred the earlier midshipman/captain adventures.
April 16, 2017
I am ashamed of myself for failing to finish this book twice. I first quit at page 70, which I later came back to, determined to finish the book but it proved such a monumental task for which I can't possibly see myself having achieved it.
The book was unreadable, as simple as it sound. I dare venture to say more than 70% of the book were narratives. Long, arduous narratives which brought me to places far away from the contents of the book. When, sparsely, and where narratives end, short dialogues will ensue, to be followed by more narratives. The same might not be said for the rest of the book but I suspected as much.
Shame really, story could have been real good for all I know and I know instead is how bad of the writing style.
The book was unreadable, as simple as it sound. I dare venture to say more than 70% of the book were narratives. Long, arduous narratives which brought me to places far away from the contents of the book. When, sparsely, and where narratives end, short dialogues will ensue, to be followed by more narratives. The same might not be said for the rest of the book but I suspected as much.
Shame really, story could have been real good for all I know and I know instead is how bad of the writing style.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews