Blown Off Course

John Pearce, Book 7

By: David Donachie

Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble

Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Lieutenant John Pearce is in London seeking protection for his friends, the Pelicans, from a reluctant Admiralty. Sitting in the tavern where they were first press ganged, Pearce considers his future.

Lacking the evidence of perjury he once had to bring Captain Ralph Barclay to justice, his prospects are not promising. Ralph Barclay’s young wife, Emily, is refusing to live under the same roof as him and she has the means to get her own way: the evidence Pearce believes was lost at sea.

Pearce’s companions finally arrive in London just in time to join Pearce in fetching a ship laden with contraband back from France - an illegal act but very profitable. Are Pearce and his Pelicans sailing into prosperity or danger?

©2010 David Donachie (P)2011 Soundings

A cross channel escapade

This is the seventh book in the John Pearce Series. This series must be read in order otherwise one is lost.

The first half of the book deals with Pearce and the Pelicans trying to have the Admiralty agree to try Captain Barclay for perjury. All of the evidence Pearce had went down with the sinking of his last ship. The monies Pearce has coming from prize money is still tied up by the prize board. The three pelicans were forced off the ship they were supposed to wait on for John Pearce to come and get them. They have to make it on their own to London avoiding Press Gangs all the way.

Pearce is sitting in the Pelican Pub when a stranger offers him and his friends’ employment. The task is illegal but should be profitable. They are to fetch a ship laden with contraband back from France.

The book does not have a much of the sea action as prior books. As usual the book is well written, the history and setting is well drawn. Jonathan Keeble narrated the book.

story stopped abruptly

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

you are left in the air and there is no other audio book to carry on with the story

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

yes it didn't finish

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

a/a

Could you see Blown Off Course being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

john pierce/ matt damon. emily/rachel weizz, barkley/ tim robbins, michael/ liam neeson,

Rip Off

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

This is not a full novel, it is a half of a story. Published immediately after this novel Is David Donachie's "Enenies and Every Turn", Obviously a scheme by the author to achieve getting paid twice for one novel.

Disappointing

What disappointed you about Blown Off Course?

The story is boring. Mr. Donachie is locked in a world where he loves his own sense of humor. Problem is, it falls flat.

a repetitive, uninspired soap opera

I didn't finish it. The books of the John Piece series get worse and worse. I kept thinking that they would eventually get better (the first book in the series was interesting.) I persisted as long as I could, but I have given up hope. I will return all of them for credits.

Off course

Least favorite of series thus far.
Warning that this particular book has a change in the Narator, which definitely blows this off course, and although the narration is well done, this change plus the plot slowing significantly lends to the doldrums.
I have enjoyed the series thus far, but a growing critique is that each book spends a considerable amount of time reiterating what happen in the past, so the reader gets fatigued by this, and wants the story and characters to move onward to new adventures and plots.
I am hopeful for the next book and will continue on.