A Heart of Oak

An Age of Sail Novel (Catherine Cook Sea Adventure Series Book 1

By: Scott Cook

Narrated by: Philip Battley

When destiny gives one young woman everything she’s ever wanted…will she pay the price and take the ultimate risk?

Catherine Cook, unclaimed granddaughter of the great explorer James, Cook is on her way to America to re-connect with her mother’s family when fate intervenes and thrusts her into ultimate peril. All of her life, Kate has yearned to go to sea and to command a sailing ship in the Royal navy…an impossible dream for a young woman in 1797.

Now, however, when the vessel she’s traveling aboard is attacked by a French privateer, Kate and her lifetime of training and study is put to the ultimate test. Not only must she take command and defeat the French captain, she must be bold enough and strong enough to command men in battle and lead her crew to safety. From gripping ship-to-ship battle to the utter chaos of bloody hand to hand combat to fending off the advances of a French corsair, Kate Cook faces challenges at every turn. Will she be able to rise to the occasion or be swept away in the raging storm!

Cannons thunder, steel clashes, and blood flows in this epic high-seas Napoleonic War era adventure!

©2021 Scott W Cook (P)2021 Scott W Cook

The premise is a big problem for me

This Napoleonic era naval story is full of authentic and interesting detail that adds to the story. It would be a very good naval novel except for one thing--the principal character is a super hero type who is excellent at everything and never falters. Adding to that annoyances, she is a 17 year old young woman who astonishingly becomes captain of a brig. I would like to have finished this story but these two elements were just too unbelievable.

Another exciting high seas adventure!

At last! Another brilliant saga of the Napoleonic era Royal Navy. I'm a huge fan of this genre and I'm happy to see yet another series emerge here on Audible. I truly enjoyed this tale, especially the unique hero and her introduction. The book is loaded with riveting action sequences in rich detail as well as some great humor and emotional content. Philip Battley does an amazing job as narrator as well...

Which I'm with child to clap eyes on #2 upon my word!

Such a sea story

Damn someone’s been malingering and gun decking their duties hanging out to much on the fantail spreading scuttlebutt. Better watch out as your Leading Petty Officer is on the prowl looking for you Seaman Cook..: Bahaha so says this retired salty sea dog

It’s fiction!

It’s an entertaining listen. To those who complain, it’s fiction! It was a free listen .

Exciting and Believable

This was a very enjoyable listen. I have read many novels about naval warfare of this era, and I had my doubts about reading about the exploits of a female captain. However, under the skilled pen of this author (Scott W. Cook), the circumstances surrounding the rise of a female captain are quite believable. Furthermore, the author's extensive knowledge of sailing ships of this era lend credibility to this story. The narrator is also superb. I loved this audio novel!