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Reviews (89)
02 Aug, 2011
First class thriller
CRACKDOWN Bernard Cornwell 1990
I have for a long time, personally believed, that Cornwell’s sailing adventures are some of his best writing. Historical novels are my main interest in fiction and I am not normally that keen on modern period thrillers, I am happy to make an exception to the rule for Cornwell’s five sailing tales, (and those of Sam Llewellyn), particularly as they are set in the decades of my own serious yachting days and therefore have a very familiar nostalgia. I must admit that I was genuinely disappointed when no further novels of the same ilk were forthcoming after the five were published.
The central character of Crackdown is an ex-marine officer, Nick Breakspear, who runs a charter company in the Bahamas. Against his better judgement he accepts a charter from a US senator to take his cocaine addicted off-spring on a curative cruise which ultimately brings him into conflict with Caribbean drug smugglers.
The story is full of action, the characters are well rounded and believable, and Cornwell uses his first hand knowledge of boats, sailing and the local waters to the best effect.
Every couple of years I take down my spare, battered, paperback copies of these five novels and they accompany me on holiday. I am not sure how many times I have re-read them in the past twenty years but despite knowing the stories intimately I never tire of them.
16 May, 2011
WOLFSHEAD Tales of the Norman Conquest and Saxon Rebel
WOLFSHEAD Tales of the Norman Conquest and Saxon Rebels
1: OATH OF BLOOD
2: THE KING’S DEATH
3: A LIGHT IN THE WEST
4: VIKING SLAUGHTER
5: A FLAME IN THE FENS
6 AN AXE IN MIKLAGARD
Arthur Frazier was one of the many pen names of the British author Kenneth Bulmer (1921-2005) one of the most prolific authors of the second half of the 20th Century, the total number of his novels and short stories being uncertain but certainly running into several hundred, with subject matter ranging through science-fiction, fantasy, western, and many eras of history.
The Wolfshead series, six short novels published by Sphere Books Ltd for the pulp paperback market in 1973-1975 was typical of Bulmer’s style of ‘action novels for men’ a popular genre at that time and were a companion to the four volume ‘THE VIKINGS’ series published concurrently under the pseudonym Neil Langholm.
The novels chronicle the adventures of a young Saxon noble, Edric of Furnaceden, who by accident makes an enemy of his brother-in-law best friend, and lead the reader from the uneasy peace before the Norman invasion of England, via the Battle of Stamford Bridge, and the Battle of Hastings, to the hero being outlawed and subsequently becoming involved with Welsh freedom fighters, the Saxon resistance in the Fens and exile to the distant Miklagard.
If you disregard the more obvious historical inaccuracies, the storylines are quite good and the writer’s style is easy to read…..the sort of light reading that suits a warm summer afternoon in a deck chair. They are certainly good fun and worth reading.
As with many of Bulmer’s other writings these stories have almost certainly been the inspiration for the framework of several later, more substantial writings by other authors.
17 May, 2011
A fantasy romp through Scottish history
What can be written about this film which has not already been said many times....it IS great fun to watch, but you must suspend your belief in any form of historical accuracy what-so-ever. The script appears to rely heavily upon 'The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie', a poem by the 15th Century bard Blind Harry thought to have been written around 1470, and long considered an almost total fiction. The storyline, dialogue, costumes, arms and make-up are all total fantasy, but 'That's Hollywood', and the film was a commercial success despite the flak storm from historians before and after cinematic release. The fact that a proportion of the movie was filmed in Scotland and Ireland and brought a small much needed boost to some local economies perhaps in a small way mitigates the world wide damage to the Scottish historic image.
Never-the-less it is well worth watching purely as a costume, action epic with some stirring battle scenes but please do not believe that this has anything but the vaguest connection to historical fact.
If you do wish to learn something of Wallace and the Scottish War of Independance read Nigel Tranter's novel THE WALLACE, published in 1975, still readily available in softcover edition and probably the most historically accurate and readable account.