The Fort

A Novel of the Revolutionary War

By: Bernard Cornwell

Narrated by: Robin Bowerman

Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

While the major fighting of the war moves to the south in the summer of 1779, a British force of fewer than a thousand Scottish infantry, backed by three sloops-of-war, sails to the desolate and fog-bound coast of New England. Establishing a garrison and naval base at Penobscot Bay, in the eastern province of Massachusetts that would become Maine, the Scots - the only British troops between Canada and New York - harry rebel privateers and give shelter to American loyalists.

In response, Massachusetts sends a fleet of more than 40 vessels and some 1,000 infantrymen to "captivate, kill or destroy" the foreign invaders. Second in command is Peleg Wadsworth, a veteran of the battles at Lexington and Long Island, once aide to General Washington, and a man who sees clearly what must be done to expel the invaders.

But ineptitude and irresolution lead to a mortifying defeat - and have stunning repercussions for two men on opposite sides: an untested 18-year-old Scottish lieutenant named John Moore, who will begin an illustrious military career; and a Boston silversmith and patriot named Paul Revere, who will face court-martial for disobedience and cowardice.

Grounded firmly in history, inimitably told in Cornwell's thrilling narrative style, The Fort is the extraordinary novel of this fascinating clash between a superpower and a nation in the making.

©2010 Bernard Cornwell (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Grounded firmly in history, inimitably told in Cornwell's thrilling narrative style, The Fort is the extraordinary novel of this fascinating clash between a superpower and a nation in the making." (Amazon.com review)

I just couldn’t do it.

Bernard Cornwell is one of my favorite authors. I usually love his books. This book however was so hard to listen to I just couldn’t do it. I tried 3 times to listen to it, twice listening for at least 30 minutes. It just was drudgery. I finally looked at reviews of the book on here and I saw that many people had the same opinion that I had. I definitely have and will purchase more Cornwell books. My advice is to just pass on this book. Even great authors aren’t perfect.

Disappointing

Not Cornwell's usual. One of my favorite authors and I can't following the story line if there is one.
Think twice before listening to this one.

I've loved 35 books by Cornwell: this one -- no

It's hard when your favorite author puts out a book which is just simply so tedious you can't finish. I believe Cornwell is nothing short of a genius so I cannot imagine why he chose to use as a story line a particularly unimportant piece of history and then have no character driven drama aound it.

I'm mystified,

Can't get through it

simply put, it has been two months of trying and I can not get through this book. Dull, tedious and in need of better narration.
sad because I have listened to every book Bernard Cornwell has available an purchased without thought, or reading review and this time I must say, don't spend the credit.

Disapointing story... boring

Struggled to get through this book. I enjoy BC’s books a lot, so I might have expected too much. Boring most of the time....

Could not even finish it.

Bernard Cornwell has always been one of my go to authors. This time he failed me, the story is weak and the narration will put you to sleep. Sorry, Mr. Cornwell but I could not even finish listening to it.

Hail Britania

I'm not sure if Bernard Cornwell continues to write books, but if he wrote or just produced this one it is a mystery to me what he accomplished. The same militias that fought at Bunker Hill and expelled the Red Coats from Boston turned tail and ran and the same navy that was the scourge of the Royal Navy burned itself up. And, the man who reportedly warned that "The British are comming!" is exposed for a turncoat. Perhaps in his next book King George masterminds the defeat of the Americans and the French and takes up residence at Versailles.

kind of boring

just did not have a great story and character development like those books of the Last Kingdom series. I was expecting something about the Revolutionary war that was going to be gripping, educational and compelling, but this was not it.

Tedious

An experienced professional army successfully defends a half built fort against a volunteer army. Now you don't have to waste your time or money here.

The reader has 3 voices; heroic, naive, and Scottish.

Americans beware

What disappointed you about The Fort?

This is written for those who favor Britain's part of the American Revolutionary War. He subtly denigrates Americans (and the founding fathers!) and casts them in an incompetent and corrupt light. It feels like he's sour that the Brits lost to the Americans and the French and takes it out in this story.

Have you listened to any of Robin Bowerman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Excellent! Great Narration!

What character would you cut from The Fort?

NONE

Any additional comments?

Great story! Fascinating historical account. Battles were so compelling in detail and technical knowledge (I'm not a sailor so I don't know how accurate it is but I could follow and felt like I knew what a navel battle was like). The story is about military incompetence when corrupted my self interest. I lost interest when he bashed my countrymen. If your a Brit I highly recommend this book, if your an American just pretend your friend handed you a book covered in dog shit.