Sword of Honour (The Bolitho Novels Book 23)

I finished Sword of Honour, book #23 in The Bolitho series by Alexander Kent. I read the first Bolitho novel when I was in high school after completing the Horatio Hornblower series by CS Forester. Since then I have read both series a number of times, with the exception of the last twelve books in the Bolitho series, which I am reading for the first time. As there are five books remaining in the series, I was quite surprised when Admiral Bolitho was killed by an enemy marksmen during a sea battle in Sword of Honour. Yes, it’s only a book, a fictional story, but it is sad and bittersweet because as I’ve noted, these books and their characters have become old friends.

I love the Bolitho novels and this one is as good as all the others. At risk of spoiling the end, I am in a state of shock.

Another good novel in the sequence, but one that seemed rushed at the end. With as much detail as the author usually puts in the story, the demise of Bolitho and the abrupt switch to his nephew seemed unfulfilling. Still, a good tale!

Ok, the frost dozen books filled my need after reading the Hornblower series and the Aubrey Maturin series, and while the Bolitho series was not up to those standards, they were still pretty good, but by now I get the feeling that even the author feels like he is flogging a dead horse. The writing has become trite (when I read a phrase like "she was nothing to him, yet she was everything" I usually put a book down straightaway. To me this nothing/everything mechanism is both meaningless and trite, while attempting to appear deep. Lately I've been finding this at least twice in each novel. There's a lot of unnecessarily repeated devices in these novels that are explained over and over ad nauseum, for example the unruly lock of hair covering the scar, or the phrase "dearest of men," which made me cringe every time I read it. By the end of Sword of Honor I was actually rooting for the Algerine pirates to bring this part to the end of its suffering. The series actually started off really well, and I looked forward to the next, but by now Kent has clearly lost his writing mojo. You might expect an author to become more adept in his writing, and mature in his vision of the story, but the opposite seems to be the case here. The cliches increase and the repetition becomes, well...repetitious. I feel like the writing devolves rather evolve. I'm going to power through to the end of the series because I feel like I have so much invested at this point. I know this is not a rational decision, but is based on my own compulsion to not leave a job unfinished. It has gone from naval adventure to soap opera. Captain Aubrey, where are you?

Superb stories of sailing warships. Learned much about sail configuration in all kinds of weather, gunnery, and the brutal discipline of that era. Truly enjoyed all of the books. Wished he was still writing. Would love to hear more of the trans-generational Bolitho family of naval officers.

What a great story, but I can't believe that our Bolitho is dead. A fine conclusion of his life. I still have a few of his books yet to read but knowing he is dead is a crushing blow. This was the best story since he found Kate

This was an excellent read, and it was time that the Admiral met his fate, as Admirals do not usually take part in these small sea battles.I hope as his nephew carries on in the series he never becomes an Admiral.

Trying my best not to let out spoilers while giving my honest opinion of this book.Let's face it we do not read these books for the incredible Prose or in depth of use of the English language. We read them because we know the friend and Confidant will say "and that's no error!"We read these books to experience a time, a place and a hero. A hero we sympathize with one that we believe in the end will get to have his day in Cornwall with his beloved.This is why I read them this is why I empathize with the admiral of the red.I am very disappointed in this book and debating whether or not I wish to continue.The manner in which the cliffhanger is aired on a total of 1 page is very disappointing. Such an event deserves more and deserves to be in Cornwall with Katherine at his side.

So after reading the majority of the Bolitho books, I've come to the end. This review refers in general terms to all Richard's career and personal life. Each book is of course a stand alone, but there is a chronological progression in his life to which Kent skilfully refers for those readers who have not read every book.Generally speaking, the strength of the books lie in the description of life aboard ship, the naval battles and the relationships between the men, the "Happy Few" and the "little crew". Kent is at his weakest dealing with romantic relationships and I would agree with many other reviewers that Richard and Catherine's love can be somewhat nauseating.Because the Publishers provide us with a time line of Bolitho's life with the names of the relevant book, I knew this was the book which featured his death and as I read it, the impending event became harder and harder to bear, yet when it happened in the last few pages, it was something of an anti climax. Very low key.There seems to be a general consensus that the last 4 books in the series which focus on Adam Bolitho, Richard's nephew, are less interesting, so I think I won't read them, yet I'd like to know what happens to Catherine. Does she marry Sillitoe, I wonder? What about George Avery? Does he find love?I did enjoy this series of books though and certainly, if you like naval adventures, Patrick O'Brian or CS Forrester, you'll enjoy these too.

Sorry to disagree with most of the reviews but I’ve had enough now. With each volume, we have to spend an increasing amount of time reading about all the established characters and who they are and what they’re about. We know! This one also spends far too much time on peoples feelings and thoughts which for me we’re poorly written and are not what I’m here for. The maudlin feeling of the entire book left the ending in little doubt. I’ll read no more of these now but did enjoy almost all of them up until the last 2.

At long last we Havel a continuing novel without an abundance of Lady Somerville Hoping that the next volume doesn’t mention her.

Another entry in a fine series. The research is good, the writing uncomplicated and a page turner. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series. If you like historical tales involving sailors, warfare, ships and the wide open,unforgiving sea, then this series will definitely float your boat.

Extremely good reading