The Darkening Sea

Richard Bolitho #22

by Alexander Kent, Douglas Reeman

Soon after taking part in the dramatic capture of Martinique in the Caribbean, Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho is next despatched to the African coast to gather a flotilla and stop French attacks on British trade routes. But Bolitho must contend with more than Britain's old enemy—he must also face the hatred of his flag captain and betrayal by a man he once counted on as his friend.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, War, Nautical, Historical, Adventure, Military Fiction

346 pages, Paperback

First published October 25, 1993

About the author

A pseudonym used by Douglas Reeman.

Series:
* Richard Bolitho
* Adam Bolitho

Reviews

[Xan · Rating 3 out of 5]

En este libro Alexander Kent recupera la calidad de la mayoría de los libros de la serie Bolitho, pero se queda lejos de la maestría de los primeros de la serie.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 3 out of 5]

" 'You are a man. My man. .. And I am your woman .. dearest of men' The rest was lost in their embrace" p 48

1811-12. Mostly slow romance. Everyone dwells on past years. Yawn.

Richard and wealthy widowed beauty Lady Catherine constantly yearn, ignore his wife; society scorns Kate until Prince raised to Regent. Lord Sillitoe wants Kate, he sneaks against Richard till Kate takes him to East End, requests kindness.

All sorts of undercurrent secret and not-so secret loves and hates. Admiralty has former mid now gives R orders. R's nephew Adam B loves Zenoria wed to Keen, who keeps her love secret. Supposed neutral States ships inform, supply French, block Brits.

These years, men survive wounded. R has reputation of caring for lame ducks, but he is losing his own sight in one eye. Under attack, splinters take R down, leave coward captain. Author Kent surprises us for memorable times. A Yellow Jack fever flag marks ghostly scene.

[Geoff Woodland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed the story but did get a little tired of Bolitho's love life before the story 'heated up' some what when the action began. The author does tell a good story even if I was waiting for the action to begin.
As the main character has 'matured' over the last 20 books the author has still managed to keep me reading and turning the page, which after-all is the sign of a first class author.
Once again, thanks to Covid, I am now on to book 21, so there has been, for me, a silver lining due to Covid because I have been able to spend time reading & re-reading my favourite authors.

[RhC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not enough Action or Adventure to qualify as either; yet, a continuation of a tale consistently well told.

Bolitho's life is becoming more rounded and the supporting cast -- Allday, Catherine, etc. -- and their characters' development are becoming more prominent, particular attention is devoted to Adam and preparations for a literary spin-off.

The biggest surprise is found with Thomas Herrick's change of demeanor; especially, as he attends to the cowardice of one of Bolitho's flag officers.

[Jeff King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took a while to get going. Nothing at all happened in the first 150 pages. As Bolitho gets promoted, the stories seem to focus on his relationships and Admiralty politics rather than action. He's a Vice Admiral in this. Maybe this is a bridge book to further develop the peripheral characters that feature prominently in future books? Certainly, Allday, Herrick and Adam Bolitho start to feature more.

That said, it's still a decent book and there's some action at the end.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another ok Bolitho book that kind of bounces around with multiple adventures. This one also goes back and forth between Richard, Catherine and Adam. Sent down to South Africa to see if Mauritius can be taken from the French he finds himself up against an old French adversary and a possible new threat those pesky Americans. He once again has a confrontation with his old friend Herrick and has to deal with a hostile flag captain.

[David Megginson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The personal relationships in this book are strong, but the whitewashing of British enslavement, not so much. Either Mr Kent didn't know or chose not to acknowledge that while the UK banned the "slave trade" in 1807 (closer to the time of this novel than a reader would think), it didn't ban actual enslavement until 1833. Generations of Black people were still to be born into enslavement places like Antigua. Jamaica, and even Canada.

[Simon Mcleish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Background very well done, as with all Alexander Kent's books. I found the writing more problematic, as there seems to be a mixture of dull chapters, especially in the first half, with exciting and colourful episodes.

[Arlene Richards · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much emphasis on his love life.

[David Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvellous!

[Boulder Boulderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Dull and a bit confusing.

[Mervyn Cartwright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bolitho and son womanisers

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six-word REview: One of the best of the series.

Lots of action and suspense.

Longer review later.

[Alan Debban · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bolitho novels do not disappoint. Sea action and romantic interplay between main characters.

[Declan Waters · Rating 2 out of 5]

Richard Bolitho is now an Admiral in the Royal Navy and waiting for a ship and orders from the Admiralty. This allows him to spend some time on land with his mistress - Lady Catherine Somervell. (That is mistress in the technical sense of the time, not today). Lady Somervell is widowed and so can't marry Bolitho, but they are in love.

Eventually he is given a new mission - in the deep Indian Ocean - and he must travel there with a small fleet. A political appointee as his flag lieutenant. A despot as the Captain of his ship. He has to navigate the difficult political issues that arise from him being in command of the fleet. But not his own flagship.

There is the expected climatic battle, but it is difficult to follow the action, as the author tries to include too many ships. It would have been better if there had been a map of this bit of the action.

Will Bolitho survive to return home to Lady Catherine? Or will be die as so many of his predecessors and contemporaries are?

Unfortunately, the book had a lot of prior knowledge required and expected and was difficult to get into. The first half of the book seemed to be just 'fallout' for the characters on the outcome of Book 21. Which seemed to be a shipwreck and/or a mutiny - I couldn't really work it out. This meant also that the book spent a lot of time on land. I was hoping for more action at sea.

I may try a second entry in the series in the future. But for now I won't be binge-reading the rest of the series.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this excursion with Sir Richard Bolitho. I think primarily because of the intrusion of gritty real-life, which lifted the story off the page somewhat for a modern audience rather than it remaining a costume drama. And there's naval battles of course;-)

And it accidentally appears to be an interesting precursor to my next read: "1812: The Navy's War" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Roger Franks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tale moves on

As always Alexander Kent tells a great story of the sea ,this one though a good read seems to be half romance and half sea story ,a little too much emphasis on love and separation as apposed to high seas adventure although there is plenty of that .
Still a good read and a ripping yarn ,as they say

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Douglas Reeman (under the pen name of Alexander Kent) is an acknowledged expert when it comes to matters involving Her Majesty's Royal Navy. He brings alive the experience of fighting aboard a 18th-19th warship.

I recommend this series to all action and Historical fiction fans.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good as always

[Charlie Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked it as always.

[Rocklin]

All in this series by Alexander Kent are enjoyable historic fiction involving the british navy during the Napoleonic wars.