Turn a Blind Eye

Alaric's new book, which will be outside the Fighting Sail series has been announced. Turn a Blind Eye.

It will be out in the Autumn

I had a sneak peak at Turn a Blind Eye and I think it's a winner.

The paperback and ebook versions are now available

I very much enjoyed this latest novel of Alaric Bond's, which takes place aboard a revenue cutter in His Majesty's customs service -- and ashore in a town where nearly everyone is involved in the illegal import of goods, mostly from France, the enemy, of course. Interesting to read about smuggling and preventive men -- and of course there is a woman involved... Plenty of tension and great chase scenes.

I have just finished Turn a Blind Eye. Another example of this author's grasp of the Napoleonic Period and, although I usually steer clear of "Books for young readers", I thoroughly enjoyed this smugglers yarn. So often the business of smuggling has been treated with a kind of "Hollywood" approach. This book sets the record straight. The Revenue Service was a difficult job and  smuggling  impacted on the Exchequer, significantly, and on  the lives of many innocents. I trust the Admiralty will sort out a new ship for Commander Griffin in 2014!

Glad to hear you enjoyed TaBE, Tony, and sincerely delighted to learn that you considered it "young adult". It is not the genre I intended but, now that you mention it, I see no reason why younger readers should be excluded. I started with Hornblower when I was about eleven, and that certainly stuck.

Incidentally my first writing work was for children's comics. It is a market that many writers deride, but believe me, there are few harder. When you are writing for adults the age range is vast, with many levels of maturity and understanding. Children are far more "compact" - a five year old will have a different ability to comprehend and project to that of someone twice their age, and yet there is only five years in actual difference. My brief was to write for pre adolescent boys, and it was not always an easy one to follow (and the fact that the publishers added "and members of the armed forces" didn't make it any easier).

I am in the middle of the book now, and it is a great read! I heartily recommend it!

While I've only 'dipped a toe' into Alaric's latest yarn (first 2 chapters), I've found 'the set up' to be very well crafted and my interest has been drawn in.

My memory tells me that some of the best 'sleepers' of the AOS genre were set in the Revenue Service and I look forward to adding TaBE to that list.

I've been waiting (patiently) for Alaric's new offering as I found his earlier series increased my knowledge of the AOS  while holding my attention with a good yarn. I've got the feeling that 'he's at it again'.

But, of course, I'm just a post-adolescent boy from the armed forces so writing for me is a skill that he's long since mastered.

80 Winters wrote:But, of course, I'm just a post-adolescent boy from the armed forces so writing for me is a skill that he's long since mastered.

Hey, 80, that was my brief, not my opinion! (Those particular publishers were weird lot.)

Well, TaBE is 'in my wake' and as I look aft, she's a fine piece of work Mr. Bond.

The action was 'nonstop' and seriously left me looking for brief interludes to 'catch my breath'. The 'sea actions' were plentiful, well thought out, and accurately described. The characters were brought to life with clarity and joined into the story with purpose.

Should this now (or later) become the author's 2nd series set in the AOS.......the stage has been well set.

It's in my library in both paper (thank you) and Kindle, and I enjoyed and recommend it.

Thank you, 80; I am glad to hear it well received. To be frank I was concerned that a predominantly land based plot might not appeal to the HNF brigade. Working with cutters was good indeed; getting away from the RN less so - I had to learn quite about about the revenue service, and missed the structure so essential in a larger force.

Currently I am heads down in Fighting Sail 6, working title "The Torrid Zone". Good to be back in Scylla, and working with some familiar faces, although there are a few from TaBE that I would like to meet again.

I've added my review to the site. historicnavalfiction.com/general-hnf-info/book-reviews/list/3335-review-turn-a-blind-eye-by-alaric-bond

Turn a Blind Eye cements Alaric Bond's position in the first rank of authors for this genre.  It's not an easy thing to step out of something that's running well (fighting sail series) and take a different tack, but Bond does it with style and ease.  Highly recommended.