The Continental Risque: An Isaac Biddlecomb Novel

by James L. Nelson

Overview

Nelson's exciting seafaring series continues. 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.

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—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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493057627
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	11/01/2021
Series:	Isaac Biddlecomb Novels , #3
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	764,878
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

James L. Nelson is the award-winning author of more than twenty works of maritime fiction and history. His books cover the gamut from Vikings to piracy in Colonial America to naval action during the American Revolution and the Civil War. His novel Glory in the Name was the winner of the American Library Association/William Young Boyd Award for Best Military Fiction and his nonfiction George Washington’s Secret Navy won the Naval Order’s Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature. He has lectured all over the country and has appeared on the Discovery Channel, History Channel, and BookTV. He currently lives in Harpswell, Maine, with his former Golden Hinde shipmate and wife, Lisa.

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

James Nelson is a master of his period and the English language.. .. Authenticity runs throughout the book, carrying total conviction.. .. Nelson writes with the eagerness of a young man sailing his first command.

Patrick O'Brian

Set sail with Jim Nelson into a world where he will lead you with the same command presence that he led his shipmates as Third Officer aboard the very real twentieth-century sail training ship HMS Rose. Plant your feet firmly on Nelson’s decks and you will smile as Patrick O’Brian has at Jim Nelson’s grace, wit, and humor.

Captain Richard Bailey

Jim Nelson’s By Force of Arms strikes a blow toward establishing an American counterpart to Patrick O’Brian’s brilliance. With square-rigger experience in his wake and far horizons before Nelson, we can expect him to achieve one victory after another in the spirit of his British namesake.

David Brink

Splice the main brace and drink a toast to James L. Nelson and By Force of Arms. Sailing in the wake of C. S. Forester, Nelson has done an excellent job of combining historical authenticity with firm characterization and lively action.. .. This is a fine yarn, deftly told.

Nathan Miller

A lively and highly readable account. Exploring the lives of seamen, merchant captains, and Royal naval officers, By Force of Arms offers a realistic and minutely detailed account of shipboard life during the period.

John G. Kolp

Nelson now sails honorably with the squadron of naval-fiction scribes currently led by Patrick O’Brian.. .. His pacing is brisk and the salt air blows through every chapter.

Booklist

Rousing plots, historical authenticity, and seafaring as vivid as a slap of salt spray.. .. Delivers plenty of action. .. Nelson’s page-turner brings the Revolution to life on the high seas. .. will please old fans and win new ones.

Portsmouth

A rollicking good sea story.

Naval History Magazine

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