Live the Adventure!

sea of treason

Out Now!
cover for thomas kydd novels
The Thomas Kydd Novels – Click to download a complete listing


…more

508 Comments on “Live the Adventure!”

  1. I grew up on Hornblower and then O’Brian, and then hit the jackpot!
    Brilliantly crafted. Mr. Kydd is a real gift to me. …and they keep getting better and better. Thank you.
    And, in service, the Kindle version of Invasion or Conquest was rife with typos – the kind that look like someone did a replace statement – wrongly. It was distracting – and I persevered… don’t know how it was in the printed version(s).
    Huge respect for what you’ve created. again, thank you.

    Reply

  2. Just discovered Thomas Kydd, and just at the right time as I was going through withdrawal after having read Aubrey, Hornblower, and Bolitho series–all books.

    Having just finished “Privateer’s Revenge,” I see a lot of parallels between Aubrey/Kydd and Maturin/Renzi — perhaps coincidental, or perhaps simply a sign of the times…

    Thank you and keep them coming!

    Reply

  3. I’ve followed the exploits of Hornblower, Lewrie, Bolitho, Aubry, Sir Thomas Kydd, a most interesting time in British Naval history. Recently finished THE IBERIAN FLAME and enjoyed how you connected Kydd to Wellesley in the invasion of Spain and the subsequent withdrawl. After reviewing the maps regarding the areas of involvement, I wish to bring to your attention the error in labeling the waters off the Iberian coast. I do believe the Med’ Sea and Atlantic Ocean are incorrectly labeled.
    Will continue to read the adventures of Kydd, Renzi, Dillon, Stirk.

    Continuing From The Colonies,
    James R Dalfino, Jr.

    Reply

    • Yes, was aware of that unfortunate error, James. A publishing gremlin… It was corrected on the next printing. Hope you continue to enjoy my Kydd tales.

      Reply

  4. As a 33 year veteran of the United States Coast Guard, and as Thomas Kydd had done, come up through the hawse pipe from lower enlisted, to Chief Petty Office, Commissioned Warrant Officer then to Lieutenant Commander, I understand Kydd’s hopes and dreams.

    Thank you Commander Stockwin for giving us readers the chance to live history through both Kydd and Renzi’s eyes. Reading your work has led to many reflective moments on my own time aboard Cutters and the wonders of life at sea.

    LCDR Reed Kohberger, USCG (Ret)

    Reply

  5. Quand aurons nous une traduction française des autres romans, à partir du tome 5…. Merci pour la qualité de vos écrits.

    Reply

  6. Hi Julian,

    I have recently been introduced to your ‘Thomas Kydd’ novels & am really enjoying them immensely. I genuinely feel like I have been transported back to the very periods in history in which they are set & that, they encompass the very sights, sounds, smells & language of the times in question. I love your attention to detail & the copious amounts of research you have put into each & every novel. I genuinely am excited to start the next in the series. I was interested to read that you said there were at least 3 real Admirals that reached their lofty heights having come up the ladder so to speak like Kydd himself & that he was a composite of each of these. Can I ask who these were, as I am interested to read about these real~life heros too?

    Please keep the books coming. They have genuinely been a real saviour to me & kept me sane, since having been diagnosed with a degenerative neurological condition. Can I be cheeky & ask if you’d be kind enough to sign & send me a bookplate (or bookplates) to put inside one (or some) of your novel’s please. Thanking you in anticipation of my question & request.

    Best wishes

    Andrew (Stevens)

    Reply

  7. Love these books, can’t put them down when I start one. I read somewhere that 25 was the planned number of books you wanted to write. Is that correct or do you plan to keep writing them. Really hoping there will be more, currently reading thunderer.

    Reply

  8. Just finished “The Yankee Mission”. You have skillfully woven several known battles into your narrative, and I simply shrugged when you had to adjust the chronology to fit Kydd’s story. A tricky war for the Royal Navy, one that CS Forester had Hornblower avoid by the Baltic campaign against the French. You — and Kydd — managed it though. With Kydd’s assignment to the Navy Board, you took the reader into some of the story behind the stories, the technology that would be introduced later in the century. I can’t wait for the next volume…

    Reply

  9. Yankee Mission satisfies the itch for more Kydd. I can only hope there are many more installments to come.

    Reply

  10. Hi Julian, I read Patrick O’Brians series twice & missed Jack, Steven & the rest of the cast terribly. But now, thanks to you I am back at sea again & loving it. Thank you so much for your books. I’m reading Inferno at the moment so can look forward to many more hours of reading. Regards Rob

    Reply

  11. My copy of Yankee Mission arrived last Friday and I tore the mailing package open like it was Christmas. I loved the book and finally figured out why Kydd is so appealing to Americans. It’s obvious, I guess. He’s a self-made man—a character who invents his course in life. Well done, Mr. Stockwin. Please give my thanks to Mrs. Stockwin for her part. Such a pleasant read.

    Reply

  12. I have to admit that I have enjoyed reading both Julian’s Kidd adventures as well as the late and much lamented Dewey Lambdin’s Lewrie series for several decades (and Alexander Kent 4 decades ago!)

    Julian’s ability to take the reader back 220 years or so and experience the world as our forebears did is just outstanding. A time when the Royal Navy was the envy of the world and protected the kingdom and enriched it.

    How ignoble is our kingdom now. How pitiful and scorned now is our Royal Navy.

    Reply

  13. i last commented here in 2014 … 10 years after picking up a copy of Kydd at a book sale. Now it’s 8 years and many books later, and I just finished Thunderer. Kydd’s first ship-of-the-line command! A necessary step to achieve the rank of Admiral, but will be happy to see him back in his beloved Tyger for the next installment. At this point, I have to laugh whenever Kydd worries that his adventures are over. Don’t fret good sir, you have someone watching over you to be sure that doesn’t happen until you’re ready to retire with all the laurels!

    Reply

      • I have just finished Yankee Mission and have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the books in the series! I sincerely hope that “retirement is still a few years away” yet (?) , as I already miss Thomas Kydd and hope to read yet another new book in the series?

        Reply

          • I can’t wait! I just finished Yankee Mission. You are a magician at how you weave actual events and personalities so skillfully into your series. I miss Sir Thomas and cast already. Please, bring him back soon, I know there has to be more! Thank you and the Mrs. for all you do, and the wonderful reads.

            Reply

          • Hi Julian, I’m anonymous: (post on 17th April 2023), didn’t mean to be, l didn’t fill in the details because l had already done so earlier. … Rebecca

            Reply

          • Your books have been a treasure. Toby is one of my favorite characters, I would love for him to somehow get his own command of little schooner or some such cutting out craft. Keep up the good work.

            Reply

      • Mr. Stockwin,
        Bravo. I find your novels dovetail very well with my history interests.
        Oh that Thomas Kydd’s walked amongst us!
        I think many of my social milieu would consider Royal Navy sea captains as romantic fantasies.
        Having been a fire captain for a good long time, I find the particular independence of captains in myriad situations as unique and compelling.
        As to the loyalty of One’s crew…
        It is the greatest honour that a person could ever possess.
        Again. Bravo.

        Reply

Leave a reply to Perry Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Categories for search
Latest BigJules Blog posts