The Nelson and Emma Trilogy

Just added another series by this author to the site. I haven't read them but as the first book also covers the early life of Emma Hamilton presumably a large proportion of the series is land based. However as it's written by Donachie I would assume it also covers Nelsons sea career.

Donachie discusses this series a bit in his introduction to Hearts of Oak and his contribution to the anthology is an excerpt from the first Nelson book, On a Making Tide.

I've just spent ages trying to sort out the first edition dates for this series and eventually found an obscure reference.

It seems that the first editions were in the UK, Hardcover by Orion, and the text was split over two volumes 'On a Making Tide' & 'Breaking the Line'.

McBooks then published in the US in paperback but split the text over 3 volumes 'On a Making Tide', 'Tested by Fate' & 'Breaking the Line'.

As titles are the same in both series if anyone is thinking of purchasing you should take care not to mix them.

I have 2 of these books, found them in a hobby store a few years ago, and thought what the hell, I'll buy them!!

Tested by Fate and Breaking the Line, as I remember they are not to bad, kinda wished there was more to it by the time Nelson died at Trafalgar.

Cheers

Tom

I'm reading 'On a Making Tide' now. Interesting how he switches perspectives between Nelson and Emma.

I purchased the PB set from McBooks Press in 2004 as they finished publishing the last of their trilogy. They clearly state that the original publisher was Orion Publishing Group, LTD (2000).

If you're going to read the 3 book set I recommend that you gather up the entire set before starting as this is, to me, a biographical trilogy of two of the most famous and well known (you decide which is which) individuals of the time. To read them individually over an extended period, would be like leaving a movie at the mid-point and seeing the conclusion some other time.
(even though you're pretty sure how it ends).

While both Nelson and Emma are often woven into the fabric of our HNF, as I read these early in my exposure to same, I found a multitude of "I didn't know that" facts which have only added to my understanding of who they were, how they arrived at their conjuncture and the impact of their relationship on both themselves and "the supporting players".

I had read Donachie's Privateersman Mysteries previously and enjoyed his style and characters. While a different approach to the genre of AOS, I was both educated and entertained. They're in my library.