Under False Colours

Richard Woodman

Sheridan House, Inc., 1999 - Fiction - 247 pages

Acting for the Admiralty's Secret Department, Captain Nathaniel Drinkwater advertises his cargo of Russian military stores, thus embarking on a scheme to flout Napoleon's Continental System and antagonize the French Emperor's new ally, Czar Alexander. Packed with exciting incident worthy of wide appeal to those who love thrilling nautical encounters and the sea. (Nautical Magazine) Much of the enjoyment of Under False Colours is the fact that Woodman writes with such authority. His mariner s lingo is flawless, and at times, the reader is befuddled with his sheer virtuosity in the area. But the action fills in the terms that the reader may be unaware of, and there is no doubt that Nathaniel Drinkwater rates up there with the best of the nautical world. (Midwest Book Review)

Contents

• THE BAITING OF THE EAGLE: 1
• Upon a Secret Service: 3
• Baiting the Eagle: 12
• The Jew: 32
• The Gunbrig: 44
• The Storm 51: 51
• Coals to Newcastle: 64
• Helgoland: 77
• THE LURING OF THE EAGLE: 91
• The Lure: 93
• Santa Claus: 107
• Hamburg: 126
• Sugar: 136
• The Iron Marshal: 146
• The Firing Party: 154
• Altona: 164
• THE SNARING OF THE EAGLE: 179
• Beauté du Diable: 181
• The Burial Party: 188
• Ice: 198
• The Scharhorn: 207
• Refuge Rescue and Retribution: 220
• Outrageous Fortune: 237
• Authors Note: 245

About the author

Captain Richard Martin Woodman retired in 1997 from a 37-year nautical caree. Woodman's Nathaniel Drinkwater e series is often compared to the work of the late Patrick O'Brian. Unlike many other modern naval historical novelists, such as C.S. Forester or O'Brian, he has served afloat. He went to sea at the age of sixteen as an indentured midshipman and has spent eleven years in command. His experience ranges from cargo-liners to ocean weather ships and specialist support vessels as well as yachts, square-riggers, and trawlers. Said Lloyd's List of his work: "As always, Richard Woodman's story is closely based on actual historical events All this we have come to expect --and he adds that special ambience of colourful credibility which makes his nautical novels such rattling good reads."

Bibliographic information

• Title: Under False Colours; Book 10 of Mariner's library fiction classics
• Author: Richard Woodman
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Sheridan House, Inc., 1999
• ISBN: 1574090798, 9781574090796
• Length: 247 pages
• Subjects: Fiction / Action & Adventure; Fiction / General; Fiction / Historical / General; Fiction / Sea Stories; Fiction / War & Military