Kydd (book 1 in the Kydd series)

I hav'nt read this one in a while so please forgive until I do a refresh on it.

This first book got my interest right away as Kydd was a pressed man from the get go. And that was something I have never read about, until now.
Thomas Paine Kydd was a wig maker (of all things I thought, LOL) when he was "picked up" and sent into the line ship Duke Williams.

So we seem to have a more down to earth sea adventure here, something I quite liked, as well as the different perspectives from other series I have read. Ship life, making friends and enemies as well as a battle or two made me interested in buying the second book in the series.

Cheers, so along with the spoiler alert to be used if key plot points are posted, what are your thoughts on Stockwin's first Kydd novel?

Link to the site review

http://www.historicnavalfiction.com/index.php/book-title-index/k/598

Tom

I love it. Was the first Kydd book I read, and the reading of it has encouraged me to obtain the complete set of Kydd audio books (I love audio books, and the Kydd ones, read by Christian Rodska are just superb, he's probably one of the best narrators I've listened to). I'm currently up to "Tenacious", which has possibly the best ever description of a Naval battle (The Battle of The Nile) I've ever read, totally gripping.

Thanks for the thoughts Paul, still thinking myself if I will start checking into audio books myself and see how it goes.

The writing for this book was again fifferent than the series I have already read, and it got my interest up, as it did yours!!

Cheers, more when I re-read this one!!

Tom

The first got my attention and now I am on the Second. So far it is a good read and it really does give a different light on the hardships in a man of war. I did not know that "pressed men" had less pay and did not share in the prize monies.

I found "Mutiny" to be flawed, in relation to Kydd's relationship with the mutineers, and "Quarterdeck" didn't live up to the promise of "Kydd", "Artemis" and "Seaflower", but I persevered and am really glad I did - Stockwin's graphic description of the Battle of The Nile in "Tenacious" as seen from the gundeck and the quarterdeck is probably one of the best of such descriptions in any book anywhere. Totally gripping.

I'm not aware that pressed men didn't share in prize monies, I haven't found any reference to this anywhere, but I admit I could be wrong. I believe that pressed men were paid the same rates as volunteers but didn't get the initial bonus which volunteers were given, which amounted to Conduct money and two months wages, out of which they had to pay for slops (clothes and a hammock).