Live the Adventure!
“One man’s journey from pressed man to Admiral in the Great Age of Fighting Sail…”
…more

377 Comments on “Live the Adventure!”

  1. I noticed there was a character named Nick Renzi in an old Perry Mason TV episode, “The Case of the Pint Sized Client”. I love your books, esp the gritty details, and the less than perfect characters. If I were on one of these vessels, I would like to be carpenter’s crew.

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  2. As a former Merchant Mariner and current Sailor I have greatly enjoyed the accuracy of the technical, historical, and geographical material – as well as the stories. I use GoogleEarth to view the locations which adds greatly to my enjoyment of your novels. Please keep up the good work! Thanks.

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  3. As an Old Guildfordian, born 80 years ago within about 50 yards of where Kydd’s parents’ school is presumed to have been, I am intrigued to know what your connection with Guildford is. Why did you set Kydd in Guildford? I still attend Holy Trinity church where I was Tower Captain for 50 years.
    Also I note that Cornish choughs appear on the Onslow memorial in the church.
    Congratulations on your enjoyable books.
    ,

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  4. Hello,
    I am a great fan of Kydd and read to Book Nr. 8 in German. But now i have to stop because of the end of translation. Its a pitty that my english is not so good. Is there a chance that the other Books written in english will be translated in german?

    regardfull

    B.Zimmer

    Reply

  5. Dear Julian,
    I just love your books and they really fill the void left by Patrick O’Brian! There are two things about To The Eastern Seas that puzzle me. I too love fossil words and you really got me with jowlah-jowlah! Admiral Smyth and Hobson-Jobson could not answer although I did find traces of “goring” and “roaches” therein. What is jowlah? Finally what is the “implement” on the cover – a sword?
    Unfortunately I go through your books so quickly that I am always eager for the next. I am also an Indophile and am hoping you will continue in the far east for a while.
    Best wishes,
    Chris Bryant

    Reply

    • Delighted you’re enjoying my Kydd tales, Chris. Jowlah-jowlah is a native expression from the early days of the Raj – ‘hurry up’! And the cover weapon is a kris.

      Reply

  6. I’ve just discovered your books recently and I’m enjoying them. My question though, is was it really possible for a pressed man to become an officer or captain?

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  7. Julian,
    I don’t know about you, but I spent 20 years on active duty (USN): four ships, five cruises, and at the end, we had 10 kids! (+ two more later…). By now (Sea of Gold), I’d have expected both Tom and Nicholas to have fathered at least one or two each; when do the girls (Seph and Cec) get pregnant?
    Joe

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  9. Iv just finished to the eastern seas and yet again what a book. it was so worth the wait and the way in which you do your reserch honers our navy and its history (in my opinion). (again this is only in my humble opinion but) you sir are a littery great that can spin a right royaling yarn.

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  10. Hi Jules, I discovered Kydd just a few months ago and have now ‘consumed’ the series to date, having finished ‘To The Eastern Seas’ this morning.
    Now I feel as if I’ve lost a friend and companion. What a fantastic series and spell binding stories, thank you,
    How long do we have to wait for Kydd to be at sea again and when oh when does he get to fly his Commodore’s pennant

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  11. I am a retired Submarine Engineer. I have just had major heart surgery but ok. Was recommended the Thomas Kydd series by a friend as a good read while recovering.
    I AM HOOKED . Just downloaded To The Eastern Seas . I read on kindle. Am a little pissed off that the price has increased to a level that I have never paid for a kindle book . I may not progress with Sir T’s story

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  12. Julian, I’ve bought all of your books and have all your newsletters, the collectors sets and have subscribed to them since you started subscriptions. However it seems you brought out To The Eastern Skies in October and I wasn’t informed of the subscription or somehow it went to my spam (which empties itself.) and I’ve now missed it. Does that also mean I’m removed from the subscription list?

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  14. Hi Julian
    I have very much enjoyed your Thomas KIdd series you are right up there with O’Brian, Forester et al and every bit as worthy of re-reading. They have been all the more enjoyable as I have read them as we have cruised the Med. Thank goodness for Kindles on night watch!

    Kind regards

    Roger Allen-Muncey

    Reply

  15. julian. I have just finished your 22nd Kydd. How do you keep this up? No 22 is as fresh as #1 that hooked me – but – the latest is perhaps the best I have read The reason is that it took us to a new area in time, geography, historically least well known. What joy and pleasure to read and a terrible moment when I got to the end. I pre-ordered and counted down the days for its release. Dare I ask when #23 will come out.
    I am 82 so please make it sooner rather than later!

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  17. Julian, I have just started reading your books and am now addicted. As an avid reader of historical fiction and a naval officer, your writing is intriguing and thoroughly compelling. Thank you and keep up the great work. Ken

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  18. Love all your books! Found Iberian Flame on a cruise ship and was immediately hooked! Having read all the Hornblower, Bolitho and Aubrey books and looking for more, this was just what I was looking for! From then I started properly at the beginning with Kydd, and although a actually a motor boat sailor, I have loved this period of sailing since a teenager. Comment – Judd bones up the ranks quickly and I don’t know where it will end. Could you possibly slip another book in between earlier ones with another adventure in?

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  19. Hi,

    Reading all the Kidd book and really enjoying them. Just read Pasha and left book with L’Auror sailing into the sunset. Next book Persephone they are sailing in Tyger! What happened to L’Auror? At the end of book Kidd marries Persephone, next book Inferno I am 7% of the way in and he doesn’t appear to be married. I am reading books in order that Amazon suggests so what has happened. Is the order suggested not correct? Thanks in advance series us really good.

    Reply

    • Delighted you’re enjoying the series, Bernie. The order from PASHA is TYGER, INFERNO, PERSEPHONE, THE BALTIC PRIZE, THE IBERIAN FLAME and A SEA OF GOLD (TO THE EASTERN SEAS comes out in Oct.)

      Reply

      • One day when you send an email or something… could you give us the full list, in order, from the start.

        I sorta wish they had numbers on them! Ha. Who would know you’d write so many in the series, right??

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        • here you go…
          1. KYDD
          2. ARTEMIS
          3. SEAFLOWER
          4. MUTINY
          5. QUARTERDECK
          6. TENACIOUS
          7. COMMAND
          8. THE ADMIRAL’S DAUGHTER
          9. TREACHERY (US TITLE: THE PRIVATEER’S REVENGE0
          10. INVASION
          11. VICTORY
          12. CONQUEST
          13. BETRAYAL
          14. CARIBBEE
          15. PASHA
          16. TYGER
          17. INFERNO
          18. PERSEPHONE
          19. THE BALTIC PRIZE
          20. THE IBERIAN FLAME
          21. A SEA OF GOLD
          22. TO THE EASTERN SEAS (Oct. 2019)
          https://julianstockwin.com/welcome-front-page/books-published/ – you can download the list

          Reply

  20. Love the books but miss the covers by the great Geoff Hunt. Is there a chance that he could do the covers for future novels in the series? They cannot be beaten for accuracy and atmosphere.

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  21. Mr. Stockwin,
    Just discovered your book in the local library. The title is The Iberian Flame. I really liked it! I’ll track down the entire series and read them. I’m a retired U. S. Naval officer and I have made numerous deployments to the Mediterranean.
    I really appreciate the glossary in the back of the book as it allowed me to understand the terminology of the times on which the book is based.
    Just one critique – the illustration of the Med preceding the start of the novel is mis-labeled! The Mediterranean Sea is located east of the straits of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean is located west of the straits of Gibraltar. Mayhap your illustrator and the proofreader should give serious consideration to attending a geography refresher course.
    Personally, I don’t the French have changed much from those described in your book. I never enjoyed liberty of the French ports-of-call. It seemed to be “Give us your money and leave my country. We don’t like you.”
    My standing toast to the French, if ever I need one – “Here’s to the French. We know you will always be there when you need us!”

    Reply

    • Welcome, Sully!

      Just wait until you read Kydd #1! Just drinking at a tavern, and, whoosh! I was mesmerized as Julian S. took us into the Royal Navy at the bottom of the bottom. I gave my dad a copy and Dad said he could taste the salt…Kydd’s hurricane reminded him of Typhoon Cobra in 1944, only worse.

      Reply

    • Unfortunately that map error was not spotted until after publication but it will be corrected on subsequent printings. A literary gremlin…

      Reply

  22. Hello. Our library in Austin, Texas, is quite proactive. When I told them that the Kydd books are every bit as good as Patrick O’Brian’s, they agreed to fill out the series. They’ve gotten every one now with two exceptions—Kydd (#1) and Victory (#11). Do you know of a source for these that I can pass on to the library? Thanks. A big fan.

    Reply

    • That’s great to hear, Craig! I’m in the process of changing my American publisher so there may be a slight delay in availability of those titles but I will try to find a source for them. Please pass on my regards to your library and should they ever want to do a small display I’m always happy to send some promotional material. They should email me julian@julianstockwin.com for details.

      Reply

  23. Rereading your
    Kydd series
    Dont know how you
    know so much
    about polite conversation and topics which were on
    peoples lips in that era
    I’m 73 and LOVE
    letting myself be
    taken aboard the
    fabulous adventures
    with Kydd and his
    loyal friend Renzi
    and shipmates
    Thank you so much

    Reply

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