Conquest - by Julian Stockwin (Paperback)

About the Book

Volume #12 in the popular high-seas nautical adventure series featuring naval hero Thomas Kydd. Victorious at the Battle of Trafalgar, England now rules the seas and is free to colonize the furthest reaches of the world. Kydd joins an expedition to take the strategic harbour a...

Book Synopsis

The 12th volume in the popular high-seas nautical adventure series featuring naval hero Thomas Kydd. Newly victorious at the Battle of Trafalgar, England now rules the seas and is free to colonize the furthest reaches of the world. Captain Thomas Kydd joins an expedition to take Dutch-held Cape Town, a strategic harbor that will give England a rich trade route to India. With enemies lurking on all sides, Kydd and his men must defend the fragile colony while braving Africa's vast and hostile hinterland. When Renzi learns too much about the enemy's plans, even Kydd may not be able to save him.

Review Quotes

A rousingly exciting and delicious full-immersion in the perils of seafaring and society during the great Age of Sail!

An exciting and suspenseful historical loaded with action, intrigue, treachery, and the bloody gore of 1805 warfare. . . . [Offers] vivid and lush descriptions of colonial South Africa, professional seamanship, bold leadership, and . . . the perils of life at sea in the Royal Navy.

Comparable to C.C. Humphreys's Jack Absolute series and the naval tales of the great Patrick O'Brian.

Elegantly plotted . . . the writing has the power of a broadside at close range.

Likable Tom and his shipmates make a snug fit in that page-turning Forester and O'Brian tradition--thanks to retired Royal Navy author Stockwin.

Stockwin continues to display his talents in transporting his audience from the 21st century to the chaotic worlds of Kydd, Renzi, and their imperiled homeland. . . . [He] goes into action with swords drawn and cannons and carronades blasting.

Stockwin's descriptions of the bloody reality of naval combat 200 years ago are memorably vivid, and reveal a profound respect for the seamen who were willing to sacrifice their lives to help save their country.

Stockwin's writing is enriched by his own experiences in the Royal Navy, which gives scenes of fighting and tempest an authenticity to delight anyone who shares his passion for the sea.

The vantage point of the common sailor gives the nautical novel a fresh twist. In Stockwin's hands the sea story will continue to entrance readers across the world.

This twelfth installment in the Thomas Kydd series provides an exotic locale that is vividly recreated by Stockwin. The perils and beauty are keenly experienced, and the adventures, both at sea and on land, are riveting. . . . Conquest is thrilling adventure with high stakes.

Well-written mixture of high-seas adventure and character-based drama . . . impossible not to enjoy.

Written with authoritative detail by a gifted storyteller who is passionate about the Great Age of Sail.

About the Author

At the age of fourteen, Julian Stockwin went to TS Indefatigable, a tough sea-training school. He joined the British Royal Navy at fifteen before transferring to the Royal Australian Navy, where he served for eight years in the Far East, the Antarctic, and the South Seas. Retired as a lieutenant commander, he lives in Devon, England, with his wife and literary partner, Kathy.