Book Four of the Sir Sidney Smith Series. Nelson has defeated the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile, and Bonaparte is trapped in Egypt. Unfortunately, Bonaparte doesn't see it that way, and that fact brings into conflict three of the most significant figures of the day. Napoleon's army might not be able to go anywhere by sea, but they can still march. He leads them from Egypt through Syria toward Constantinople. From there he can go west and enter Europe through the backdoor, or go east, and conquer India. Either way, it would be a disaster for Britain. The only thing standing in his way is a small coastal city called Acre. Sir Sidney Smith is given command of every British warship in the eastern Mediterranean-all of two third-rate ships of the line. He moves his minuscule forces to Acre to head off Bonaparte. What he finds is a nearly indefensible city, ruled by a bloodthirsty tyrant named Jezzar Pasha. With those two ships and a half-crazy ruler, he must defeat Napoleon on land-something that no European general has ever done. After the Battle of the Nile, Nelson retires to Naples where he finds rest, adulation, and Emma Hamilton, the woman who would become his lover. However, French forces have captured the city causing the King and Queen of Naples to flee to Sicily. When the French are finally driven out, Nelson must secure the peace; but he does so by canceling a surrender agreement, tricking the Jacobin supporters into coming out of hiding, and then standing by while they are slaughtered. Acre sets a dizzying pace, sweeping the reader from Smith, to Napoleon, to Nelson-over and over-until you are almost intoxicated. It is perhaps the best book ever done about this little known, but extremely important, chapter in world history.
Acre (Sir Sidney Smith Nautical Adventure Series)
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A. J. Bond
Format:Kindle Edition
Grundner's fourth book in his Sir Sydney Smith's series starts after Nelson's victory at the Nile and describes the siege of Acre, using both historical fact and the fictional threads that have run throughout his series. It is not light reading: a story told about such a grisly event is hardly likely to be, and several of the key historical characters come out covered in anything other than glory. The pace is fast and captivating however, and some well placed humour and adroit focusing on the fictional element of the narrative make it an enjoyable and stimulating read. An unusually large proportion of the book is taken up by the author's notes, in which Grundner gives more detail about the events (and explains why a few had been placed out of context in the narrative).
The consequences to the Nile have not been covered in HNF as fully as the battle itself; Acre does much to address this, and certainly it is a story worth telling. Grunder's affection for Sir Sydney is obvious and, bearing in mind Smith's treatment before, during and after the siege, also understandable. Certainly fans of Nelson and the established naval command of the time will find some of the events related hard to accept.
Although one of a series, Acre does not depend heavily on previous books, and stands alone very comfortably. It is a book that gives an invaluable insight into a neglected, but crucial incident of the Revolutionary War: I recommend it.
The consequences to the Nile have not been covered in HNF as fully as the battle itself; Acre does much to address this, and certainly it is a story worth telling. Grunder's affection for Sir Sydney is obvious and, bearing in mind Smith's treatment before, during and after the siege, also understandable. Certainly fans of Nelson and the established naval command of the time will find some of the events related hard to accept.
Although one of a series, Acre does not depend heavily on previous books, and stands alone very comfortably. It is a book that gives an invaluable insight into a neglected, but crucial incident of the Revolutionary War: I recommend it.
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Too much about the male and female fictitious characters and not enough about Sir Sidney Smith for my liking! Hopefully, the next book in the series will get back to the higher standards of the previous books.
By Jameslr44
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Didn't even know the place existed ,had to get the map out to find out wear it was. A true mixture of how adapt the Navy realy is
By Mrs S. Wilby
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am always glad to see new authors of 18th and 19th century sailing stories, Tom Grundner enters the arena with style and panache, mixing fact and fiction in the best traditions of Alexander Kent, Dudley Pope, etc. An excellent read, I look forward to more of the same.
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
The novel has pace, but it is let down by the American syntax. It is a novel about the late 18th Century early 19th Century about a quintessentially English character but is written in modern American vernacular that I found really irritating. The writer needs to capture the manner of speech better. Perhaps he should read Jane Austen.
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