Live the Adventure!

yankee mission

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


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499 Comments on “Live the Adventure!”

  1. Thank you very much for such a fantastic series of naval adventure.

    I’ve read Patrick O’Brien and C.S. Forester, loved them both, but I find the character arcs and growth in the Kydd series especially gripping. It’s fun to read as both Renzi and Kydd mature and make human mistakes.

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  2. Hello Julian.

    I first picked up two of your books from a second hand store for my elderly father in law to read. He loved the books and I looked for more for him. He lived and worked on ships from age 15, his first job and worked his way up to an officer before leaving for Australia with his family to start a new life.

    I later read the books after Pa died, and I was hooked on the series. My brother and I have now completed the series up to the end of 2021 and now waiting for the next release. I have the local library looking for the next release.

    I hope it is coming soon…

    Love your work.

    Lyn Matthews
    Australia

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  3. Hi, Julian
    I always loved this genre and ive wanted to write a series myself. Do you have any suggestions for me in this regard?
    By the way ive read practically every series in the genre and i think the Kydd series is by far the best including the Aubrey-Maturin series and the Hornblower series

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    • There are a number of useful ‘how to’ books on writing available, no one title provides all the tips so you should see which appeal most. One piece of advice Kathy gave me very early one was ‘write the book +you+ want to read’. Thank you for your kind words about my Kydd tales and good luck with your own literary endeavours.

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  5. I just picked up my first edition from the post office, thank you very much Sir!
    Since it’s also my first real book from the Kydd Series (all others are eBooks), I want to celebrate the read a bit.
    So what goes best with such a treasure? A Port, a Sherry or a Whisky?

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      • Thank you very much for your quick reply. As I’m not so familiar with rum, would you dare recommend me one?
        I did love real book too, until I found it easier to read white letters on black background, especially when the environment is a bit darker.
        And this weather here in Germany is just as rainy as in good old England.
        But this edition hopefully makes me change my mind, to hold a hardcopy in your hand feels like a little treasure, makes me value the content even higher.

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  6. I have almost finished Baltic Prize and have just tossed it away with a roll of my eyes. Having read 3 or 4 other books of yours I found it increasingly difficult to finish them with the inevitability of a complete British victory at every turn just killing any suspense. It’s like reading about a football team that wins 10-0 every time except maybe one time the opposition scores the first goal, then it’s 20-1. Forester started writing Hornblower in the 30’s so the xenophobia is a little easier to take. Buts it’s 2021…

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    • Morgan, you’re certainly entitled to your opinion. However, anyone familiar with British Royal Navy history will know that the Brits did indeed win these battles. Starting with the Seven Years’ War in the mid 1750s to early 1760s, Britannia ruled the seas for a century and more. Julian Stockwin’s stories are based on facts, not hyperbole. Your parting remark about “xenophobia” is tasteless.

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    • Sir
      Should you care to go back through British navel history 400 years you will see Britain’s Wooden walls ruled
      Yes they did have some losses
      One readily comes to mind the navel war of 1812
      Between Britain and a young America Britain did suffer frigate losses ( you can research the stats ) eventually a peace was negotiated ( bare in mind had Britain all her ship of the line and heavy frigates in surplus a totally different out come would have happened ) as Britain wanted a mutual trades agreement

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    • What an extraordinary charge! It is quite likely that the very reason you speak English, or can travel pretty much anywhere in the world and be understood whilst speaking English, is because of the Royal Navy, with it’s Walls of Wood, which basically ruled the seas pretty much from the time of Sir Francis Drake until the rise of the US Navy during WW2 and the Cold War which followed.

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    • It’s the story that’s important, not the final outcome. The Kydd series is up there with C.S Forester, Patrick O’ Brian and Alexander Kent. If you want a surprise ending, Agatha Christie is a great author.

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      • I haven’t read Kent, but I much prefer everything about the Kydd series to either of the other two. 🙂

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    • I think someone needs to reconsider what he is expecting. A series a books about the pre-eminent navy of the time and a sailor who is also pre-eminent in that same navy. Whilst victory should be assured the story is in how they achieve it.

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  7. When ‘Kydd’ was first released I was in withdrawals between Patrick O’Brian’s releases.

    I felt I got lucky to pick up the first edition of the paperback (was there ever a hardback release?).

    I once asked about how to tell the difference between a Snow. Ketch, Brig, Brigantine (see Charlestown in Cornwall), Hoy, Billander, Tartane, Lugger, Yawl.

    I then discovered Architectura Navalis by Chapman.

    But all I really wanted to say was that I have re-read Victory, and how much I admire the writing and structural integrity of how you threw in the bits in the Admiralty to highlight the strategic dilemmas.

    Some might call ’em ghosts in the machine, but ’twas an an elegant solution to enlarging the picture.

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  8. I was introduced to Thomas Kidd while on overseas travels during my working years. I went through to The Admirals Daughter only to be distracted by life’s surprises. Now with the bug and retirement, I’ve been clearing out my library and came across these first issues. I quickly recalled the draw they created and have become reacquainted with them. I’m now through Conquest with others on my desk awaiting attention. Beyond the entertainment value, I want to thank you for the colorful and accurate history lessons you bestow upon your readers. The maps you provide are particularly helpful.

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  10. I am fortunate that I happened onto this series. The writing quality and level of interest are consistently good. Does anyone know if any were made into movies? Thank you.

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    • I disagree. I used to watch for the next release and found them enjoyable with plenty of action and a touch of humor. As the series went on the plots morphed away from both humor and action and more toward espionage and politics. While I am still reading them, it isn’t with the same zeal.

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      • Guess you can’t satisfy all readers all of the time, Ron, but many have told me they’ve found the latest titles the best in the series

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    • Not as yet, Robert, but there is some interest in the US and I’m hopeful that at some point there will be either a movie or TV series

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      • With Amazon and Netflix now very much in existence that should be clear possibility. The problem is that producing naval drama set in Napoleonic wars would be pretty expensive. But not that long ago I have read in Variety or Hollywood Reporter that some film company ordered building of two tall sailing ships. Sorry I cannot remember more as I did not bother to remember it. But it was linked to some planned production. So unless it was linked with your Kydd series I wonder what is being planned?

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        • Thanks for writing. I knew asking about movies was a long shot and I’m just glad other people have similar thoughts.

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        • You may have heard from or seen Master and Commander? Russell Crowe was always eager to produce a second movie but it was never done. As you said, to be historically accurate is not cheap and besides that it is also hard to find viewers who are willing to see a British ship fight either an American one or a French. In the movie the opponents flag was also changed due to that. And a movie or series just for British viewers won’t find the payback the financers need/want.

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  11. From Texas. I was a combat medic in Viet Nam and knew someone like Kydd. There are real warrirors like him in every time and place of war.

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  12. You’re a gifted storyteller, Julian – the Kydd series are some of the best books I’ve ever read. I’m about a fifth through the way of Privateer’s Revenge. Cheers from the U.S.

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  13. Just closing the last pages of Command, I stand in the bow of the Suffolk and watch the waves kicked up by the prow surge by looking forward to the adventures, trials, and tribulations of Commander Kydd. Patrick O’Brian was my early seaman’s tutor and Julian Stockwin my new source for a wider reach across the men and ships of the Bonaparte War period, along with a deeper insight into the rigors of seamanship. Reading Stockwin is so enthralling, it requires, putting the book down, from time to time, to give depth to the lines just read.

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  14. Hi Julian

    Are there more books planned after Balkan Glory? I normally pre-order the book for autumn but I haven’t seen the pre-order on Amazon so far this year, and the PDF on this article says “Final” in the title, so you have me worried that I might not get my Thomas Kydd fix this year!

    I guess we’l see Kydd in action in the War of 1812, which must be soon considering the latest adventure sees us in the Adriatic in 1811? And then there are another few years of Napoleonic wars after that, so I’m hoping there are at least a few books yet to come

    All the best
    Jon

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      • I have read all your books so far, and they are superb, I’m currently trying to write, but the publishing prices have frightened me off so far, it’s a gamble the first one, but I don’t have the resources to proceed at present Dave.Howell

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      • Jules.
        Love your work.
        Amazon is already showing Thunderer ready to pre order and has a synopsis and a release date. Why do they always have information about your books before your website?

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        • The cover and synopsis have only just been approved by the publisher and I regret work pressures have made me a bit behind with updating the website. Delighted to hear you’re enjoying my books.

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  15. Mr. Stockwyn, I have read all in the Kydd series up to Victory and was SO pleased to finally see a map provided in Victory to help us visual learners picture the events in your story more easily. Thanks so much for doing that. I hope with future editions you continue with that tradition. Great stories and history with this series. It has made the pandemic much more tolerable.

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    • Steve – yes, we plan to include maps, a glossary and a Dramatis Personae list. Great to hear my Kydd tales are making the pandemic a little more bearable

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    • Thanks for your reply and the good news that maps and glossary will accompany future books. I, myself, am a landlubber, from mid-Wisconsin. Maybe that is why sea adventures are so appealing and exciting to me. But alas, I have only limited knowledge about ships in general. I wish in addition to the maps that a cutaway picture of the ship in the story was drawn so I and others could visualize the environment and actual configuration of the ship Kydd and Renzi were on. And the ingenuity of ship builders to accommodate so many sailors. A lot to ask, but I think many would find it educational. My two cents worth.

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  16. Good day Julian. I waited a month for Quarterdeck to be sent to my library. I had to wade into Post Captain, P.O’B for the third time, waiting. It arrived from the Halton Hills ON Library. I’ll be dam’ d, it was autographed. When did you do your last book signing in Toronto? Cheers and stay safe. G. Ottawa

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  17. Started with Kydd in December 2020, have just finished invasion so far, great books and keeping me up late reading them

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  18. I have just read your latest novel (no 192)It was joy for me not just for the adventure but to reacquaint myself with quintessential good English that you use,thank you.Merry Xmas Southsea

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  19. Hey Julian,
    after book 8 I had to swoop to english language to read your book. Never I done that before. Now I stay at book 16 and enjoy the time together.

    Thank you,
    Karsten from Hamburg

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    • I’m hoping that further titles will be translated into German in the future but for the moment delighted you’re enjoying the English versions.

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      • Hi Julian

        First of all merry christmas. Hoppe you’re donig well.

        I also read the first 8 books in german and hoped more books will be translated. I now realised that last translation has been done quite a while ago and also your comment doesn’t sound promising that translation will go oon soon. Do no plans exist to go on with german translation? If so I would need to switch to english version, but am a bit terrified about reading ‘nautic’ english – that’s probably to hard for my skills.

        Best

        Alex

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  20. I have read all your Kydd books right up to the Iberian Flame, by now I would have purchased your more recent issues, but have’nt been able to get out to the shops, but I hope to sooner or later. Hope you have managed to evade the virus, keep well.

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  21. Excuse my impudence !!. Whilst I have followed Kydd with great relish, I once wrote to you reference the Two wonderful Standalones.
    On opening page 34 of The Times November tenth, I immediately thought of you and a third Standalone, when I read the piece “Western Wall work yields 1,000-year-old………..
    It turned out that during excavations for a lift shaft in Jerusalem a tiny clay jug, containing four 1000 year old gold coins was found.
    That must set your creative juices racing to your laptop!
    I know you you can do it !!

    John Plumer

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  22. I’ve read the O’Brian series twice, Pope series, Hornblower series and now your series underway. I read in bed with my I pad beside me to look up some island, port, fortress to better understand the settings. Love your novels.
    What series do you recommend next?
    George McCabe
    Ottawa

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  23. What a great escape that you have afforded me sir! While I toil and think of the sea at work a little bug of a earphone speaks fantastic stories from you’re imagination that I thank you kindly for and while an avid reader I think a handshake to Christian Rodska wouldn’t be out of the question either. Good writing to you from a fan in Florida!

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  24. Julien,
    I have just ordered “Balkan Glory” and very much look forward to reading it..
    DId you make use of the essay on Portsmouth Dockyard which I sent you?
    Colin

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  25. After finishing the Bolitho series, the Hornblower series, the Aubrey-Maturin series, the Ramage series, the William Turner series and the Hayden series, I finally found a new series that I can hold on to for a bit longer than only three or four books. Started to read in German, then since Book 9 in English, it is really enjoyable to read in both languages. Thanks a lot Mr. Stockwin!

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