NAPOLEONIC WARS
"Percival Keene" By
Capt. Frederick Marryat 
This book was a lot of fun. There are a few great characters besides Percival. Captain Delmar, heir to a title and a large estate, if the father of illegitimate Percival and never acknowledges him as his son. He does take Percival on as a midshipman and guides his career. My favorite character is the young coxswain, Bob Cross. He takes care of our hero, protecting and advising him, and teaching him the ways of the navy.
Our hero voyages on and goes through some adventures, fights some good battles, is captured by pirates, and saves the life of his future love. The book ends with a violent storm off the French coast and a shipwreck that is described in great detail.
The first part of the book is devoted to Percival's Mother and his early childhood. Young Percival is a scamp, a rogue, and a prankster. He is not a particularly pleasant young man. His antics are funny and I felt sorry for his first schoolmaster.
All of Marryat's books have a similar theme. A young man of noble birth (usually unknown to him) goes to sea, does good, wins promotion, meets his love, then return home to title, wealth, and fame. But Marryat's books are all a lot of fun and worth reading. They were written by a Royal Navy Captain that served in the Napoleonic War.
Reviewed by Kenneth S. Smith 30 September 1999
Heart of Oak Sea Classics
Henry Holt & Company
115 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
