Pasha? (Book 15)

This bit of 'advanced intelligence' from today's Big Jules Blog:

What are you working on now?
" I have just signed a new three-book contract for the Kydd series and am busy working on the next book, which will come out October next year. Its working title is ‘Pasha’ but I won’t give the game away just yet. I have to deliver it to my publisher by January 1 – so there’s no pressure..."

I just received a Kydd Club message from Julian with a brief "blurb" about the upcoming release of Episode 15 in the ongoing Kydd series:

Meanwhile, PASHA is on track for publication in October this year.

This book sees Kydd involved in a critical sphere of interest: the Dardenelles, strategic gateway to the Levant.

Here's a brief synopsis:-

An Admiralty summons to England cuts short Thomas Kydd's service in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. While the crew of L'Aurore can look forward to liberty and prize money, a shadow hangs over their captain: the impending court martial of his one-time commander, Commodore Popham, who led a doomed attack on South America.

Following Nelson's death two years earlier, England is in desperate need of heroes and Kydd's Caribbean exploits are the talk of London. Feted by the king and a grateful country, Kydd is soon on detachment in a new and dangerous sphere of interest: the Dardanelles, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea and astride a land route to India. The French have long coveted the Turkey of the Ottomans, knowing that it could be the key to toppling the British Empire in India. When they successfully whip up such strong anti-English sentiment that the British ambassador to Constantinople has to flee to L'Aurore, a deadly stand-off ensues.

Meanwhile Kydd's closest friend, Nicholas Renzi, has assumed a new role that he can never make public. Sent under alias on a mission to Constantinople, Renzi must engineer a coup that will turn the tables on the French. But when he's taken prisoner, only Kydd's superb seamanship and sheer bravado can save the day.

Synopsis has been on the site for a few days, just waiting for cover Pasha

Good News.

Just received a note from Julian, that my 'collector's copy' of Pasha is 'in the mail'. If you're a subscriber to his 'collector editions', I suspect that you've gotten this notice as well. The official release date of this, the 15th novel in the Tom Kydd series is scheduled sometime in October.

Been reading Sean Thomas Russell's Under Enemy Colours on audio (3rd reading of this work) while waiting, but will finish in good time.

I have just read Pasha. While it is not the most action packed episode from the pen of Mr Stockwin, it is one of his best. The main observation I made was that there has been a major development in the area of dialog. His conversation pieces are outstanding! (A lesson in 19th century English one or two Maritime "authors"  are sorely in need of.) Bravo Julian!
I have previously mentioned the use writers of Naval Fiction might make of "The Naval Chronicles". I wonder if the Duckworth Debacle came from Volume IV? Whatever. The blending of Fact and Fiction is very clever.

I'm approaching the mid-point of Pasha and it does seem to be leaning heavily toward 'a history lesson' of an ill fated campaign much ignored by a British gov't (possibly still 'smarting' from Popham's debacle on the river Plate).
Shipmate de Villiers, hasn't missed the mark, at least to the mid-point, when he speaks of the 'low intensity' of sea action.
A final note; My initial reading of Pasha is being done on audiobook and though I'm a fan of audiobook, I'm not sure, in this case, if that was a good idea. (I'm not a great fan of Christian Rodska's vocal inflection given to many of the characters....but, that's personal taste).

Well, Pasha is 'in my wake' and my earlier feelings held true for the remainder of Julian's latest Thomas Kydd adventure as 'intrigue' took precedence over 'sea action'. However, the continuing story of Kydd and Renzi moved ever forward, initially with 'giant leaps', but later at an expected pace for 'political intrigue'.
It's in my library, though not my favorite Kydd.