From the back cover: it is the dawn of the 19th Century; Britain is at war with Napoleon's France. Jack Aubrey, a young lieutenant in Nelson's navy, is promoted to command of H.M.S. Sophie, an old, slow brig unlikely to make his fortune. But Captain Aubrey is a brave and gifted seasman, his thirst for adventure and victory immense. With the aid of his friend Stephen … [Read more...] about Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian: A-
Historical Fiction
Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies by C. S. Forester: A-
From the back cover: In the chaotic aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, the legendary Rear Admiral Lord Hornblower struggles to impose order. Serving as commander-in-chief of His Majesty's ships and vessels in the West Indies, Hornblower confronts a formidable array of hostile forces, among them pirates, revolutionaries, and a blistering hurricane. The war is over, but peaceful … [Read more...] about Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies by C. S. Forester: A-
Hornblower and the Atropos by C. S. Forester: A
From the back cover: In the wake of a humbling incident abord a canal boat in the Cotswolds, young Captain Horatio Hornblower arrives in London to take command of the Atropos, a 22-gun sloop barely large enough to require a captain. Her first assignment under Hornblower's command is as flagship for the funeral procession of Lord Nelson. Soon Atropos is part of the … [Read more...] about Hornblower and the Atropos by C. S. Forester: A
The King’s Arrow by Michael Cadnum: C
From the inside flap: The year is 1100, less than fifty years after the violent Norman conquest of England. Simon, the eighteen-year-old son of a Norman nobleman and an English aristocrat, is eager to find a place for himself in a divided kingdom. Offered the chance to accompany the king on a royal hunt, Simon jumps at the opportunity, hoping this adventure will be the key to … [Read more...] about The King’s Arrow by Michael Cadnum: C
The Tiger in the Well by Philip Pullman: B
From the back cover: It's 1881, and life has been good to Sally Lockhart. Unlike most Victorian women, Sally is completely independent, with her own successful business and a comfortable home for her young daughter, Harriet. But Sally's whole world is about to collapse. A stranger emerges, claiming to be both her husband and Harriet's father and threatening all that she … [Read more...] about The Tiger in the Well by Philip Pullman: B