The King's Privateer

By: Dewey Lambdin

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

1783: His Majesty's secret agent

Fresh from war in the Americas, young navy veteran Alan Lewrie finds London pure pleasure. Then, at Plymouth he boards the trading ship Telesto, to find out why merchantmen are disappearing in the East Indies. Between the pungent shores of Calcutta and teaming Canton, Lewrie--reunited with his scoundrel father--discovers a young French captain, backed by an armada of Mindanaon pirates, on a plundering rampage. While treaties tie the navy's hands, a King's privateer is free to plunge into the fire and blood of a dirty little war on the high South China Sea.

Ladies' man, officer, and rogue, Alan Lewrie is the ultimate man of adventure. In the worthy tradition of Hornblower, Aubrey, and Maturin, his exploits echo with the sounds of crowded ports and the crash of naval warfare.

©1996 Dewey Lambdin (P)2010 Random House

Engaging

In the book three of the series I left Alan Lewrie having successfully foiled his father’s plot to disinherit him of his mother’s fortune and has returned to England from his last sailing adventure.

In this book, number four, in the series, the time frame is still the late 1780s. The French have now interfered with the British opium trade in the Far East. Lt. Lewrie is now assigned to a secret, if unofficial mission, sailing with the crew of the Telesto, an armed merchantman bound for India, where the East India Company has fallen victim to French privateers.
Unexpectedly, Lewrie encounters his father, Sir Hugo, in India. He has stopped drinking, and supposedly given up on paternal treachery and has returned to soldiering. In the story Lewrie sails to Canton, Macao, the South China Sea and fights in a series of sea and land battles.

There is lots of exciting action in this story. The author provides the reader with exciting land and sea battles in exotic places. In this book Lambdin provides a lot more information about operating sailing vessels in the 1780s including explanations of terminology. Lambdin provides well researched and accurate descriptions of the period including tactics and weaponry. The plot is well developed as are the characters. One of my favorite narrators John Lee narrates the story.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Love these stories

If you enjoy this genre of British naval fiction, you will love this book. Sometimes bawdy, sometimes grizzly, but always entertaining. I started with the first book, and I am now on the 4th. Besides the story and narration you always learn some history. While listening, I looked up geography of book on line.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Another Excellent Novel

As I listen to these novels I find it difficult,many times, to stop the story in the middle of the action. As I look over the many novels in this series it is difficult to comprehend that not all of them are on on Audible. Hopefully in future this will be rectified.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great Series

What did you like best about this story?

I have just finished The Gun Ketch as well as books 1 thur 4 in the Alan Lewrie Series.
Dewey Lambdin is great! The best sailing writer I’ve found to date.
I’ve listen to the complete Alexander Kent Bolitho series as well as the complete Master and Commander, Hornblower, Two years before the mast and many many others.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Good story

Where does The King's Privateer rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my favorite series.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The central character, Allan.

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

He make the characters seem alive.

Who was the most memorable character of The King's Privateer and why?

Allan, it is his story.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Another wonderful tale of historical fiction

excellent story of daring do, sexual escapades and full on battles during the age of sail. the narration was so good he brought each character fully to life distinctly with such illumination i forgot it was done by a single narrator. can't wait to listen to the next chapter of the rapscallion Lewry.

Terrific

A very well told and exciting story of the mutiny and mutineers. It is a real pleasure to listen to the well crafted prose and the excellent delivery of this fascinating piece of English history.

great

awesome book. the reader did a much better job voicing a southern accent. great story, ready to start the next one

Sea Tale Well Told

Fun mixture of roughish behavior and naval adventure. Excellent vocal performance featuring a wide variety of characters.

A "Navel" Adventure?

Would you listen to The King's Privateer again? Why?

Dewey Lambdin's descriptions of naval procedures are fascinating. His formula of mixing action, historical details, and gratuitous lust is predictable but engaging. I still laugh each time I see the misspelling of "Naval" on the cover.

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

John Lee has a seemingly unbounded range of accents and tones which make following the various characters both easy and delightful.