The Continental Risque

by James L. Nelson

Overview

From Simon & Schuster, The Continental Risque is James L. Nelson's powerful saga of the American Revolution and a stirring dramatic maritime adventure.

Nelson's exciting seafaring trilogy concludes. As cries for independence ring through the chambers of the Second Continental Congress, Captain Isaac Biddlecomb and his crew are called upon to engage The Royal Navy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780671013813
Publisher:	Gallery Books
Publication date:	08/01/1998
Series:	Revolution at Sea Saga Series , #3
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

James L. Nelson is a native of Maine and a former professional square-rig sailor. He is the author of over fifteen books, including By Force of Arms, The Maddest Idea, The Continental Risque, and All the Brave Fellows. He lives in Maine with his wife and children, where he continues to write and maintain his involvement with traditional sail. Find out more at JamesLNelson.com.

What People are Saying About This

Nathan Miller

Sailing in the wake of C. S. Forester, Nelson has done an excellent job of combining historical authenticity with firm characterization and lively action -- Author of Sea of Glory: A Naval History of the American Revolution

Patrick O'Brian

Nelson writes with the eagerness of a youngman sailing his first command. -- Author of the Aubrey/Maturin series.

Roland Greene

His pacing is brisk and the salt air blows through every chapter. -- Booklist

Editorial Reviews

At the outset, the final installment in Nelson's Revolution at Sea trilogy (after The Maddest Idea) seems to chart a steady course through the standard formulaic historical romance, with dashing swashbucklers, satin-skinned ingenues, crusty old sea dogs and a heinous villain belowdecks. Once on the open seas, however, Nelson proves again to be an able novelist who handles deftly the conventions of the O'Brien-dominated maritime genre and writes characters who burst out of their stereotypes. Isaac Biddlecomb, now captain of the converted merchantman Charlemagne, a newly commissioned brig-of-war in the Continental Navy of 1776, is being pursued by his archenemy, HMS Glasgow. Through a series of clever yachting maneuvers, Biddlecomb eludes the larger enemy ship, impresses the love of his life, Virginia Stanton, daughter of his old mentor, and makes himself a hero. After a brief and somewhat tedious stay on shore, though, during which the reader is treated to cameos of Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin and other founding fathers, the captain and his ship join the fledgling Continental fleet and the salt breeze invigorates Nelson's tale as his hero sails through various adventures in the Bahamas. Nelson's capacious knowledge of sailing and period maritime practices informs the book on every page and very nearly clutters the story with too much seamanship. But his rounded characters, tense action and battle sequences will certainly please fans of historical fiction. Editor, Tris Coburn; agent, Nat Sobel. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly