Form Line Of Battle - Alexander Kent

For over a decade I`ve been loving these books in the Bolitho series and bringing them `back` from the yearly Canterbury trips, they take place in the era between the American Independance wars through to the Napoleonic wars.

Written by Alexander Kent (a pseudonym for 91 year old writer Douglas Reeman), they have been around for a LOOOOONG time, as they first track the adventures of Richard Bolitho before going ot his nephew Adam.

This particular book is the `second` in the series by date of writing, but the 11th in the actual series chronology itself, and hails from 1969 when it was written.  Bolitho, former frigate captain, gets promoted to command of the old ship of the line Hyperion.  It`s crew hasn`t seen action in a long time, and it comes to him to reform them into a battleworthy unit once again.

Soon after he sails from Gibraltar to aid in the capture of the island of Cozar, an old french fortress, together with the spaniards.  When the spanish captain takes rash action, he manages to get the job done using a rouse, and the captured lieutenant arranges a parley.  the crew from an earlier captured british frigate for the villagers opposing Napoleon in St Clar.

When Admiral Pomfret, who dislikes Bolitho to the bone and his new bride to be arrive, he wants to make St Clar his `footstep to Paris` to gain favour with lord Hood.  However, the orders are to have the village fall and Pomfret wants to risk anything to hold it, including the lives under his command.

It`s a well written story of the `contemporary` of Lord Nelson, as well a young captain when the Bolitho story takes place, and manages to switch between drama and intense action at will.