Happy June everyone!! In my neck of the woods it is staying somewhat light out until after 10 PM 😮 What that means is I'm up a bit later and I can read a bit more  

I'd like to introduce you all to our latest member of the Review Team! @Gary L !! Gary approached me a few months ago and said he can help out with a review or 2 a year. Which is great, and really appreciated!! Looking at his first review, you all are in for a treat.

What the Ship Remembers
by Andy Cannon 

Reviewer: Gary L
Status: Complete
Word Count: 134,040

When one sees a painting of a naval warship from the Napoleonic Era, it is hard to imagine how these seemingly flimsy, wooden constructions could possibly stay afloat in calm seas let alone in stormy waters. With impressive knowledge, Andy Cannon takes us aboard these warships and tells a tale of the stormy seas within two sailors' hearts as their boat battles with wind, rain, storms, and, of course, the French.

We begin at the end of the tale in a Prologue that introduces us to the now Captain William Pitt, retired by the sea and living in a kind of despairing hope. What follows is the story of the relationship that forms and reforms between a younger Lieutenant Pitt and young Midshipman Blake set in the context of the English West Indies fleet in 1808. 

There is much to commend, and frankly to admire in Andy's story. First, as a work of naval fiction it is impeccably-written. We are led below decks to the cramped conditions in which hundreds of men might have to live; to the officers' Wardroom, claustrophobic in more than one way. Secondly, the love story is developed in painstakingly small steps, both backwards as well as forwards. At times one almost wants to bang their heads together. Finally, this brings us to what a number of readers have mentioned in their comments or reviews: the absolutely marvelous writing; the English prose is exquisite to read. 

This is a beautifully-told story of the struggle to love, and be loved by, a fellow man. It is set in a time where being caught having sex was a hanging offence. Sadly, there are parts of the world in which this is still the case. Whilst brilliantly set in the late eighteenth century, this is a tale of love relevant even today.

Category: Fiction  Genres: Historical  Sub-genres:  Historical Drama Tags: mature adult, gay, north america, military, industrial age  Rating: Mature