Occasionally you come across a series of books that stand alone, not needing their fellows to reinforce the mystique of their imagined characters and plot. The Tide of War by Seth Hunter achieves this, and I can say this with confidence as I have never read the first of the trilogy, The Time of Terror. As such this book was approached on its own merits, and I was unable to rely on Hunter’s previous work for support.

Set during the late 18th Century, The Tide of War concerns the adventures of one Nathan Peake, a British Navy captain who has witnessed the Terror of revolutionary France (the previous book) as well as the brutality of active service on the high seas. In this novel Peake is dispatched to the Caribbean during the wrangling and battles between colonial powers and the newly formed United States of America.

Hunter succeeds in giving the reader a fair understanding of this confused period of history, sufficient to appreciate the shifting balances of power between Britain, France, Spain and the USA. While a full awareness of the alliances, conflicts and politics would doubtless be interesting, Hunter to his credit does not bog down what is a fast moving narrative by over-complicating it. In historical fiction there should be a level of accuracy sufficient to allow the author to weave a tale, and this balance is well struck.

That said, the aspects of the book that are almost tiresome to read are the nautical details. Hunter, whether through background or research, evidently has an extensive knowledge of 18th Century naval warfare and the handling of these vessels. But at times it feels like this knowledge is over-used, that nautical terms that are doubtless fitting can leave the reader little-the-wiser after a period of description. Whilst the adjusting of sails, the maneuvering of the ships, and the finer points of navigation are fundamental parts of the conflict, it sometimes feels that Hunter is writing for a fellow expert rather than the wider public.

Fortunately these minor irritations do not detract from a well constructed plot, believable characters, and a generally enjoyable piece of prose. The brutality of ship-to-ship fighting is described in all its horrendous detail, and the twists and turns of the plot ensure this does not follow the almost prescriptive nature of less well written historical fiction.

The first of the trilogy is now also added to this reviewer’s reading list, and the last of the three will be eagerly anticipated. The Tide of War should be a considered by any fan of historical fiction, and even those who rarely wade into the genre should in this case consider getting their feet wet.

Win Seth Hunter books in our competition

Bookmark to