Admiral's Daughter (Kydd Sea Adventures) (Volume 8) Paperback – October 1, 2008

The latest installment in the Kydd series, "The Admiral's Daughter" was quite a departure from what we had seen thus far. Just as Julian Stockwin has matured and increased in skill as a writer, Kydd and Renzi have grown and matured. The inclusion of details of their life away from the sea is an aspect often overlooked by other authors in the nautical fiction genre. Station, class and advantageous marriage were such crucial parts of life in Georgian and Regency times that it's inclusion really gives a more complete sense of the life and people of that period. In fact, a career in the navy was one of the best ways for a young man to improve his station in life. Quite a few gentlemen of otherwise humble origins were able to achieve remarkable advances into the gentry and nobility of the day through successful actions at sea, patronage and through the connections brought by an advantageous marriage.Through it all, once again, Julian Stockwin has provided descriptions that are so vivid and clear that in my minds eye I can see it all so clearly. It is indeed almost as though we were there. Having visited coastal villages in southern England and Wales, it was immediately apparent that the author has done his research and has walked in the footsteps of Kydd and Renzi.The treacherous fight against the smugglers is brought to the forefront of this story and its inclusion sheds light on an often ignored aspect of the Royal Navy that is normally glossed over or ignored. What impresses me most about this installment is that even with such a dramatic and somewhat traumatic end to the book, there is also a sense of hope that Kydd and Renzi will be able to rise and overcome the trials and tribulations they will face in the future.Ultimately, I desperately wanted to continue reading on...but alas, there were no more pages to read. Oh well, I eagerly await the release of the next book and further adventures of Kydd and Renzi. In the meantime, I guess I'll just have to read them all again.Ken Erichsen

While reading this work, I was struck by what must have been a Herculean research effort. The myriad details of the English coast, and the look into the vast differences between social classes was excellent. However, the fact that I noted the quality of the underlying research effort while I was reading the story says something about the quality of this reading experience. When I read Kydd, I expect to be transported back into that time. Supporting details are important, but they should not impinge on the overall story line and the quality of the reading experience. The balance between the supporting details and the ability of the story line to dominate your attention seemed to be a bit off in this effort.I got the impression that the author hurried the last twenty percent of the final story. This might explain my dissatisfaction with how the story concludes. The entire book seemed to be setting up a battle royal with the primary protagonist, but instead ended up with a particularly non satisfying, and I must say unrealistic ending to that particular aspect of the story line. For example, its understandable that Kydd's men were not carrying fire arms, but their protagonists?? The highly competent enemy basically falls on Kydd's sword??Kydd's complete lack of social sensibilities ends up causing considerable harm to his and his Admirals social position. This quite rightly earns Kydd his first true enemy, an Admiral no less. Yet when Kydd suffers the grounding of his ship, and then is not present for several days to take care of final repairs, the Admiral responds by removing Kydd's privilege to sleep off his ship?? This before Kydd has any victories... I would think the Admiral would have been well justified to remove Kydd from command at that point, particularly when the Admiral would know that would be the worse punishment for Kydd.I also note that the Kydd novels seem to be developing a familiar pattern where Kydd snatches personal despair from the jaws of victory. I really like the Kydd character. I hope the author does better on the next journey. Perhaps the in-shore squadron for the next go?

This book is better than some here give it credit for. Having read all the preceding Kydd books, I can see why some are disappointed, but the research as usual is impeccable. I found myself looking at Google Earth time and again to locate the fascinating and dangerous places. The true shoals and rocks for Kydd are in his social and love life - and that is what this book is mostly about. He doesn't have the sense to chart a course on land, he only knows his blind ambitions and his loves. Given his youth and inexperience in society the outcome seems believable.This is more about Kydd as a character having some tragic flaws. If you read about some real RN captains, it was not uncommon especially with the loneliness of command. Like some of O'Brian's plots,it is more psychological than action-oriented. That is OK. as long as our character straightens himself out and gets back to action. But really - Kydd is not the ever-cheerful Jack Aubrey - he has to fight the "blue devils" like Fitzroy, a real naval hero. Kydd and Renzi are becoming a bit more like Fitzroy and Darwin than like Aubrey and Maturin. I credit Stockwin for showing this different kind of shipboard relationship.

Read this book in 2007, and its the 8th volume of the wonderful "Thomas Kydd" series.The year is AD 1803, and Thomas Kydd and his crew on board HMS Teazer are patrolling the coasts of Devon and Cornwall in search for smugglers who are lurking in these waters to bring their contraband on land.Its also a time of escalating tensions between England and France, and that are resulting in the Royal navy organising rescue missions for spies on the continent and French privateers attacking British trade.An important key to this story is the Admiral's Daughter, who seems more than just a beautiful woman, and that is something Thomas Kydd will find out when he's betrayed by that same woman of high society, and thus in the end she seems just as treacherous as his first mistress, the sea.What is to follow is a very enjoyable naval adventure, although something less brilliant as its predecessors, but still a story that is brought to us by the author in his own authentic and knowledgeable fashion.Very much recommended, for this is another excellent addition to this great series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Very Satisfying Admiral's Daughter"!

What a shame, worse one he has done. The author should stick to sea fairing storylines without the lovey dovie stuff.

I started at the beginning of the series and I am going through them in order. I do like the descriptions relating to sea and ships. Some of the plots are a little bit suspect but are balanced out by some really good ones and I do find them compulsive reading and will continue to work through them.

Tom is in command and based on the South West coast of England.Privateers, smugglers and falling in Love.With all you would expect from this fine author

if you are reading through the Kidd series, skip this one - very little rum, the lash and the other thing - mainly social commentary, if you can call it that - Kidd clearly needs his head reading