Victory is the story of the Royal Navy's battle against the Napoleonic Fleet in the Battle of Trafalgar. Essentially the end of the fear the French invading England. I was hoping of an all encompassing story of not only Admiral Nelson's search for the fleet, but of the battle itself.
I broke the book into 4 parts:
The first part of the book concerned Thomas Kydd becoming a Captain and securing a ship of his own, which was a good beginning story line. In true Kydd fashion, he has unbelievable luck and land smack in the middle of an adventure. In this case a a star frigate in Lord Admiral Nelson's armada.
The next two pars flounder and I honestly simply skimmed. There is a new character who is the point person for the story of what was occurring on Victory (Nelson's flag ship). Not truly engaging in what I have come to expect from Stockwin.
The chase Nelson undertook throughout the Atlantic for Napoleon's fleet was underwhelming It was written as though only a few weeks went by when in actuality it was several months.
Julian Stockwin describes naval warfare very well. His description of what occurred on Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar was on point. But little to nothing was written beyond that one part of the battle.
I felt this story, a very important part of English Naval history, was simply phoned in. I hope this is not how future books go. ( )

Now captain of a fine frigate albeit with a very unhappy crew caused by their virtual but legal ship napping, Kydd is off to find Nelson. He does and they all chase the French hither and yon until they bring them to bay at tTafalgar. Nelson's unorthodox tactics and British disciplined gunfire defeat the French and their Spanish allies at great cost. Kydd's ship escorts the fallen admirals body home and England prepares to mourn their tragic victory. ( )

Stockwin doesn't disappoint, but things are getting long winded for some of his characters.

We certainly have exhausted our heroes side kick, Nicholas at this stage. Before he was a guide, but bow he seems as useless as a jellyfish. His classical learning helps at one point, but his angst ridden presence just takes up too much space. Certainly time to either make use of him, or get rid of him.

We spend so much time with the secondary sidekick, and Nelson, that we have little development of our hero, despite his getting made Post Captain and a frigate. This should be a great focus on him, as well as his POV of watching Trafalgar unfold.

Instead Stockwin is proud of his plot device, putting a former midshipman of Kydd's into Victory and watching some of the main action from there. I am not sure that this works. Kydd is part of the squadron of the great Admiral. That is more than enough, though their are moments portrayed with this plot device that are unique.

Still, since we do not see the battle through the eyes of our series hero, the entirety feels as if this is a transition book. A book that Stockwin needed to tackle because Trafalgar is essential to the saving of England. I am not of the belief that everything was as dire as Stockwin builds on, in his private meetings with a dying Pitt, and other vignettes we see.

But as a whole, the sense of urgency in which Trafalgar was needed to be fought is conveyed. Just wish we had seen it through more of Kydd's POV. ( )