Hoare and the Portsmouth Atrocities

Rating:
Summary: Hoare and the Portsmouth Atrocities
Review: According to the useful 3 pages of Glossary at the back end of this book, 'ahoo' or--in utter disarray--is very nearly an appropriate description of the book. It's an entertaining near mish-mosh that couldn't really quite make up its mind as to what it wanted to be when it grew up. It's part adventure, part mystery, part history, very much nautical, and even has a tad of romance to it. The cover calls it A Maritime Mystery. What it did turn out to be, however, is--a very enjoyable read.

When Bartholomew Hoare (and don't make cracks about that--it's a fine old British surname) loses his voice, due to a spent musket ball striking him in the larynx, he is pushed out of the Navy--his only true love. After all, a Captain who can't be heard shouting above any storm or battle, isn't of much use to HM's Navy, regardless of his seaworthiness in all other matters.

Having exhibited some skill at solving puzzles, Hoare is assigned to shore duty at Portsmouth, to find out why ships of the line have been exploding, causing not only loss of ship, but horrendous loss of lives, as well. Patiently gathering up bits and pieces of information, and meeting various personages of the time, Jane Austen among them, Hoare spends all too much time on land, especially on those blasted four-legged creatures he's always despised--horses!

There are several stories here, almost as though the author had first written a batch of shorter stories, then wove them together to make one book-length volume. Nevertheless, it is enjoyable, and prompts one to search out the next book in the series, if only to find out what happens to Hoare and his little gray partridge...

Rating:
Summary: Patrick O'Brian, Hornblower fans take note
Review: As a British naval officer in the Napoleonic War, an assignment on shore is like exile. Mr. Bartholomew Hoare is permanently in that state at the beginning of "Hoare and the Portsmouth Atrocities," when a spent musket ball took away his voice, and an officer incapable of shouting orders is of no use to the Royal Navy. So the naval lieutenant is given work as an assistant to the port admiral of Portsmouth. Hoare has few compensations for his lonely life. His reduced responsibilities may introduce a discordant note to the reader. We have here a maritime mystery that never sails beyond sight of England. "Hoare" wends its way through the story like a ship sailing amid contrary winds, as the lieutenant encounters a woman being set upon by two ruffians on a beach, a mysterious clockwork device found in a small barrel on shore, and at one point investigates the murder of a captain on board his own ship. There's quite a lot happening, and author Wilder Perkins crams into little more than 200 pages no less that three possible life-changing events for Mr. Hoare. The story adheres close to the conventions of the mystery genre, especially at the climax, and it seems that the operations of the conspiracy at the heart of the matter is too complex for its own good. But Perkins has a fine grasp of the Napoleonic era, with its jolly tars, its devotion to a just cause and its officers at home more on board their quarterdeck than on land. One only wishes that Perkins gave us more time to enjoy the experience.

Rating:
Summary: A change of pace in this genre
Review: For fans of authors writing about the Royal Navy during the early 1800's, this novel (set in 1805) provides a double mystery. First, Lieutenant Hoare is called upon to aid in the defense of a young lieutenant accused of murdering his captain. The Royal Navy is quite willing to hang the defendent, guilty or innocent, in order to close the case and get on with the war. Hoare's inquiries raise questions about the case, including a missing marine. Meanwhile, some mysterious unexplained events are occurring in Portsmouth and nearby areas.

The resolution of the murder case plunges Hoare into the intrigue surrounding the destruction of Royal Navy ships. French agents are exposed, but people have a tendency to die before they can reveal what they know. Hoare makes some enemies, but also finds some new friends (who carry over into the sequel). There is also the young orphan Jenny, and a love interest starts to develop. The novel lacks a map of the area, which would have been useful to readers. There is a short glossery of terms.

Hoare is handicapped from an injury that prevents him from speaking loudly. His whispery voice cannot be raised to the shouts needed to command at sea. The Royal Navy, however, has other uses for Hoare, and his career continues in the sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Promising, but needs to be fleshed out
Review: I was REALLY looking forward to this book, but found it a slight disappointment. I did enjoy the book, but found it somewhat unsatisfying. On several occasions I felt confused about what had happened. In one particular case, Hoare is attacked and somehow subdued, and I have no clue how it happened! A passing remark by one of the villains later alluded to how the hero was subdued, but his comment didn't make sense. The period stuff is decent, though not as in-depth as I expected it to be. If you want sailing adventure, I'd go for "The Revolution at Sea" trilogy which is becoming a foursome instead. In fairness to the author, I think the character and author have promise, but will probably wait for the paperback on the next in the series.

Rating:
Summary: Hoare and the Portsmouth Atrocities
Review: Perkins had some interesting ideas here. Hoare is a potentially intriguing character: nearly muted by a spent musket ball and constantly having to fight over insults to his surname, he could be something different. And the setting, early 19th century British aquatic, while hardly untrodden, is a good one. The female lead character is refreshingly robust in several senses.

However, this book reads like a rough draft. The plot is that of a mystery, and rather than letting the reader discover the characters and events for him/herself, Perkins lets everything out fast in a rush of exposition. Nothing here unfolds slowly. Scenes which should be dramatic, such as the explosion of a frigate, are so rushed that the reader feels deprived of the opportunity to participate. The author badly needs to learn to "show" rather than "tell". The book has a slight, inconsequential feel, so despite occasional nice touches like Hoare's ship, which the hero gives a different name in every chapter, I cannot recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent; takes one to the period of the book.
Review: Sad news: Robert Wilder Perkins passed away on May 12, 1999, succumbing to a respiratory ailment. While his family, friends and fans will miss his extraordinary creativity and finely honed wit, his books will continue to provide pleasure to many readers. Perkins' next Hoare maritime mystery, "Hoare and the Headless Captains," was recently acquired by Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's Press. Perkins recently completed the third book of the series, tentatively titled, "Hoare and the Matter of Treason."

Rating:
Summary: A fine start to a promising series
Review: There is something about the expanse of the Napoleonic Wars that invites a series; whether it is Bernard Cornwell's wonderful Richard Sharpe or Patrick O'Brian's finely crafted tales of adventures on the high seas.The canvas is too vast to limit to one book, unless it is War and Peace!

HOARE AND THE PORTSMOUTH ATROCITIES marks the beginning of a promising new series by Wilder Perkins. Naval Lieutenant Bartholomew Hoare, reluctantly sentenced to shore duty due to an incapacitating injury, finds himself emeshed first in the murder of a Naval Captain, which leads to even darker deeds of sabotage and espionage which cost the British Navy hundreds of lives. Hoare is drawn deeper into danger -- more danger than he had faced in battle, but he perseveres, and wins the day despite his handicap.

The mystery facing Hoare is intriguing enough, but I found the characters even more involving. Hoare is a wonderful hero; not perfect, but so human,and so vulnerable, that he is utterly charming. He loses his heart early in the novel to the equally charming Eleanor Graves, who is not beautiful,but intelligent and resourceful. I can see a fruitful partnership of hearts and minds in the future.

HOARE AND THE PORTSMOUTH ATROCITIES moves along briskly, wrapping up several mysteries in just over two hundred pages, but the flavor and charm linger in the readers' mind much longer. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Rating:
Summary: First of this short series, and the best
Review: This is not a bad read. It's not up to the Hornblower, Aubrey/Maturin, or Bolitho standards, but it's worth reading.