Welcome to the David Donachie discussion

I read the first Ludlow novels a few years ago although I haven't read the recent ones. Classified them more as detective novels set in the HFN era. Have only recently found the Pearce novels and haven't managed to get a copy of the first book in the series yet. Quite a good read with someone who is pressed and quite a rebel soon reaching high rank despite not really being interested in the navy

Good evening Admiral and crew mates.

I am half way through the first of the Ludlow novels and, although I am an avid reader of naval history novels, I must admit I find David's approach - mixing the who-dunnit with a naval adventure - quite refreshing. Not your classic historic sea stories but, non-the-less, very entertaining. I applaud David for the sea-going detail he includes as well as the intrigue.

I am a student of New Zealand immigrant shipping with an ancestral background of merchant shipping and an author of New Zealand shipping disasters in short story form. I guess the salt water is therefore in my blood.

Wishing you all calm sailing throughout your journey and a safe harbour to come home to.

Wellsy

Welcome to the forum.

In both his Ludlow and Pearce novels Donachie has good characters who provide a different look at life in the sailing navies with original plots rather than the almost standard formats we see in much HNF.