A Ship for the King

October 31, 2011
After more than 30 books, British author Woodman begins a new series of historical novels set during the English civil war in the 17th century. This clever swashbuckler, spanning 27 years, chronicles the adventures of a starving orphan turned prosperous merchant and captain of a king’s ship. In 1618, 12-year-old Kit Faulkner is living by his wits on the docks when he’s taken in by two sea captains. Over the years Kit becomes a competent sailor, then an officer on merchant vessels and warships, fighting pirates and privateers. He marries a good woman, raises a family, and is inexorably drawn into the conflict between King Charles I and Cromwell. Kit tries to avoid taking sides, but an impassioned appeal and his own conscience forces him into a fateful choice and sends him off to war again. Although there’s little suspense, this story is a gripping history lesson of the bitter, bloody conflicts between the Roundheads and Cavaliers. Add an illicit romance with a noblewoman, sea chases, a vicious sea battle, and a narrative filled with period lingo (”it is not beyond his importunity to thrust himself into the royal regard”), and Woodman spins an exciting tale of naval warfare, seaborne commerce, piracy, royal intrigues, and civil war.

November 1, 2011
Woodman, master of both maritime nonfiction and fiction, launches a new series set in the roiling waters of the English Civil War era. In 1618, orphaned wharf-rat Kit Faulkner has an encounter with two seafaring toffs that dramatically alters the course of his life. Apprenticed to Captains Henry Mainwaring and Gideon Strange, he sets sail on one of their merchant ships to learn the business of seamanship from the bottom up. A quick study with a natural affinity for all things nautical, he rises quickly through the ranks. Later, on land, he clerks for the politically connected Mainwaring, acquiring the polish of a gentleman and catching the eye of the comely Katherine Villiers. As war looms large on the horizon, Kit must make a series of decisions that will test his loyalty and affect the futures of his family, his business interests, and his country. This salty adventure is deepened by the introduction of real-life characters and the author's considerable knowledge of British naval and mercantile shipping history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)