Book Title: Ships of War — Murky Waters
Series: Ships of War
Author: Bradley John
Publication Date: 3rd September 2024
Publisher: Historium Press
Page Length: 460
Genre: Naval Adventure Fiction
Ships of War — Murky Waters
by Bradley John
Blurb:
1791 — England's cannon remain ever silent as her shipping is ruthlessly preyed upon, a detestable state of affairs, though soon to be remedied...
England is ill prepared, Europe is in turmoil and the French Revolution is readying to sweep across the continent. A tedious uneasy peace poises on a knife's edge. Brittana rules the waves, yet as more and more ships mysteriously vanish, it is rightly thought an act of war. However, England needs more time, or all could be lost.
With war looming, Lieutenant Hayden Reginald Cooper, Royal Navy, awaits in Portsmouth braving a bitter cold winter with half pay, beached in a constant state of penury. With little prospects, little "interest" and no chance of promotion or advancement, he is the perfect choice for the Admiralty: unknown, unimportant and wholly dispensable.
As so it begins, a turbulent action-packed naval adventure within the murky waters preceding war, the French piracy soon to discover the grit of a lowly Lieutenant, one who has very little to lose…
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Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/br2gDZ
Author Bio:
Bradley John Tatnell (aka "Bradley John") is an Australian novelist whose ancestry can be traced back to the Norman Conquest in England. His forbears lived mostly in Kent, Hertfordshire and the Isle of Thanet. Some were mariners and some were even of the aristocracy. His direct ancestors arrived in Australia soon after its colonisation in the late 1700's, most of which were proud country folk. James Squire, a notable character in history, who arrived on the first fleet in 1788, was his (sixth) great grandfather.
Bradley John graduated from the Church of England Grammar School at age 16 and the Queensland University of Technology at age 19. His early life was spent mainly in the arena of law.
Bradley John has a love of all things ancient and historical, including golf, to which he plays with ye old hickory shafted clubs including the original heads from pre-1935. He also studies the ancient art of Korean sword, having attained master level. His love of language, in all its forms, now extends to the pursuit of conquering Hangul, the language of the Korean people.
Bradley John has been privately writing novels since 2003. "Ships of War — Murky Waters", his first publication, births a series of naval adventure fiction intended to span the length of the French Revolutionary Wars. This of course is the much loved genre which includes the thundering Hornblower series by C.S. Forester, the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian and the popular "Master and Commander" blockbuster by Peter Weir. Owing to Bradley John's English heritage, no guesses are needed to determine which side the book's heroes will sail upon…
Author Links:
Website: https://www.bradleyjohnauthor.com
Book Excerpt:
Ships of War — Murky Waters (excerpt)
Bradley John ©
Chapter 10
Agamemnon snuck around the shoreline like an African cat slinking about a waterhole, waiting hungrily on its prey. They were in the shadow of Sheppey now, the sun rapidly descending almost directly behind them. The ship started to make way considerably, the bow nodding heavily in descent and ascent, determined to scythe deep the murk of the Channel. The jacks were not ignorant either of their captain's cunning. He had been as slippery as an old hand nicking the rum. It would take a lookout of some quality to now spot Agamemnon running fine in the afternoon shadow with the sun squarely disappearing. It was a point of honour to serve with a captain who was no fool and how they buzzed as they weathered the speed of the ship making way. The far horizon deepened, finally falling dim. Underneath the flash of battle flickered haphazardly, Thor's hammer sparking within a darkened cloud. They could hear the cannon fire now, much the same as a faint thunder breaking the distance on a stormy night. The jacks popped up their good ears, waiting and listening, some older hands counting the intervals to attest the cannon crews' skill, others immediately insisting they were six pounders on one brig and eight pounders on the other.
Cooper took the time to settle his thoughts, play through the relevant and most likely scenarios. A British ship was under fire, running for their very lives. He was required to render immediate assistance, there was no other course, lest he enjoyed hanging. But he had not a full complement and there was an uncertainty in the crew, something to which he couldn’t shake. They were new and were yet to fight together as such. Some had not been aboard a ship for years. This wasn’t the prudence for which he and Nelson had painstakingly planned. Should he come up on the action and suddenly find a seventy-four, or a squadron of pirates, all could be lost. It was a good guess no pirate would wait around to take charge of a third rate with some four hundred men. No, indeed, they would be of a mind to just sink her and be done with it. And with that, Cooper would also be sunk, his career and livelihood abruptly at an end, that is should he somehow manage to even survive.
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Thanks so much for hosting Bradley John with an excerpt from Ships of War – Murky Waters today. Take care,
Cathie xo The Coffee Pot Book Club