NAPOLEONIC WARS - FICTION
"The Flag Captain" by
Alexander Kent 
This is the 11th in the
Richard Bolitho saga. In this chapter, Bolitho is the Flag Captain for a small
squadron of ships in late 1795 - early 1796. Admiral Boughton commands the
squadron aboard Bolitho's ship of the line Euryalus. Their mission is to
establish a base on the north coast of Africa by taking a fortress commanded by
the Spanish, the new allies of the French. One of the squadron's frigates is
lost due to treachery; the recent troubles from the Spithead and Nore mutinies
have left the crew dissatisfied. This captured ship plays a pivotal role later
in the book. There is a British special agent involved with his own agenda, and
Admiral Boughton is indecisive. As usual, Bolitho will take up the slack and
ferret out the bad guys.
There are exciting land and sea
battles with French and Spanish and a few clashes with corsairs. Bolitho's old
friend Captain Herrick and his nephew Adam Pascoe are prominent characters as is
his right hand man, Allday. This book is great fun with lots of excitement in
another of the chapters of one of the finest (if not the finest) series of the
British age of sail.
McBooks will be releasing chapters
14-18 this April and I will be one of the first to get them.
Reviewed by Kenneth S. Smith 21
March 2000
McBooks Press
Ithaca, New York
www.mcbooks.com
