Sails on the Horizon

A Novel of the Napoleonic Wars

By: Jay Worrall

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

Dientes de Diablo, 1797 - With his first historical high-seas adventure chronicling the exploits of Naval Commander Charles Edgemont, Jay Worrall sets sail in the rousing tradition of C.S. Forester and Patrick O’Brian.

The year is 1797. Napoleon Buonaparte is racking up impressive wins in the field against the enemies of revolutionary France. On the seas, England is putting up a staunch resistance. When a modest fleet of British ships off the coast of Portugal encounters a larger force of Spanish vessels on their way to rendezvous with the French, the English are quick to seize the opportunity for a victory - even at the risk of a calamitous defeat.

Twenty-five-year-old Charles Edgemont is second lieutenant aboard the HMS Argonaut, the smallest ship in the British line of battle. When orders come for the Argonaut to engage in an all-but-suicidal maneuver to cut off the escape of the Spanish ships, he leads his gun crews bravely - until the death of the captain and the first lieutenant elevates him to command of the stricken vessel. In the chaos that follows, his defiant refusal to yield under enemy fire earns him a permanent promotion.

Thanks to the purse awarded him by the Admiralty after the fight, Charles is wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. But there are challenges when he returns home after years at sea. His newfound riches will prove no help when it comes to winning the heart of Penelope Brown, the feisty Quaker with whom Charles falls in love. Even more of a hindrance is his profession, for Penelope regards war as sinful and soldiers as little better than murderers.

Changing Penelope’s mind may just be the hardest battle Charles has ever fought - at least until fresh orders send him back to sea, where he faces a more traditional and equally formidable adversary in a series of stirring battles of will and might.

©2005 Jay Worrall (P)2005 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Fans of seafaring military sagas will welcome this latest addition to the genre." (Booklist)

Easy listen

I enjoyed this book. The character development and pace are good and the narrator excellent.

One potential problem for serious listeners in this genre. The main character's rank is Commander and he commands a frigate. I am not an expert, but, apparently, that is historically inaccurate. He is not high enough in rank to command such a ship.

I can easily forgive that historical inaccuracy. Others may not be able to.

Average

The story gets off to an exciting start, turns silly with an unlikely romance between a British naval commander and a tart Quaker woman, then goes for an undramatic, politically correcting ending. It was OK - not great. I wouldn't jump up and down to recommend it or listen to it again.

Couldn't finish it!

I've spent a lifetime reading and now listening to Napoleonic British "sea stories." I really wanted to like this new entry into the genre but ... too many big and little things bothered me ... immediate riches from the "prize court" (rather than waiting years to get paid after a capture),talking back to senior officers, demanding to see the admiral of the fleet even though that admiral was in a meeting and the information being conveyed wasn't "urgent," taking his whole crew on "holiday" while his (I can't even remember the main character's first name) ship was being repaired ...

I listened long enough to not be able to "return" this stinker - don't make the same mistake.

Ps ... John Lee's narration is excellent, as always!

quite simply not very good

i'm not sure whether it is the author's over-sentimentality or the narrator's robotic voice that ruined this book for me. probably it was the combination of both that gave it an air of falsity. this is for ardent fans of age-of-sail only. and for those i would recommend patrick o'brian's wonderful novels narrated by patrick tull as an infinitely better read.