True Colours

Good news for followers of this series. Book 3 will be titled 'True Colours' and is currently with the publisher so should be available sometime before the end of the summer.

Great news!

Hooray! Great news indeed.

Fireship Press have announced on their site that it will be available worldwide during the week of 26 April. I'll let you know when I spot it can be ordered.

April? 2011?
Surely you meant August!

reb01501 wrote:April? 2011?
Surely you meant August!

To quote their site "Available worldwide the Week of April 26th". Wondered if they meant May but it says 'April' and the 26th would not be a Monday if it was May. It will cetainly be within a couple of weeks I think

Astrodene wrote:

reb01501 wrote:April? 2011?
Surely you meant August!

To quote their site "Available worldwide the Week of April 26th". Wondered if they meant May but it says 'April' and the 26th would not be a Monday if it was May. It will cetainly be within a couple of weeks I think

Ah, this means they've beaten the deadline quoted in your first post in this thread: "sometime before the end of the summer". Beaten it by quite a sizable margin indeed

The listing of True Colours is now filtering down to the various retailers and is widely available. Listed on the site here

A trailer video by Rick Spilman of the Old Salt Blog

Well done Rick!
Now let's get cracking on your own novel, you!

Yes, a book that is eagerly awaited by all!

I've just posted a review on the site www.historicnavalfiction.com/index.php/general-hnf-info/book-reviews/1561-astrodene-review-true-colors-by-alaric-bond

Ah, you beat me to it
I'm about a third of the way through, and it is definitely a page-turner :applause:

Midshipman Barrows reporting, sirs, about my engagement with True Colours. It is with great trepitude that I have to report that I have been defeated.

I've seldom been sorrier to turn the last page of a book. In fact, I was looking forward to the next chapter when I reached the glossary!

This series is getting better with each installment. Mr. Bond is settling comfortably into this mode of storytelling (i.e., every character is a main character) - this one left me with no desire for a dramatis personae. These people were all very real to me: there was not a one that did not catch my interest. as well as make me beg for them to survive each encounter with the enemy ... and exult when they did!

Highlights for me included:
Camperdown: This had to be the best description of a major sea battle I have ever read! Most authors excel at ship-to-ship engagements (and Bond is no exception), but few have left me other than adrift when it cpmes to major multi-ship encounters (I am a landlubber after all). This was one of the few exceptions: I had no need to consult a map or a Wikipedia description of a battle to understand what was taking place. Very well done!

Frasier: Very interesting character - I look forward to what the author has in mind for him in future installments. I would love reading more about how he came to his convictions, so strong that they allowed him to defy a captain!

Manning: wonderful character who definitely captured my interest.

Katherine: again, I cannot wait to see what the author has in store for her. She had my favorite line: "Robert, do you honestly expect me me to wait that long?" Yes, I guess I'm a romantic at the core...

Banks: After some initial misgivings, I find myself falling under his spell, just as his crew does. A character that grows, matures, and changes: what more could one wish?

Flint: Damn, what a character! A whole novel could be devoted to him! Unfortunately, he is given somewhat short shrift here. Of course, the novel could have been twice the length, now couldn't it...

... and ... oh ... enough gushing! There had to be some quibbles, now, didn't there? Minor, but:

I wish there had been a few pages devoted to the

Spoiler:

denouemont of

relationship between Banks and Katherine ...
I was somewhat surprised at Powell's reaction to Jameson's infirmity: of all the crewmen, he is the last I would have expected to be scornful.
... and ... well ... that's it! That's all I could come up with to criticize!

Again, well done Mr. Bond! When is the next one coming out?