Drake - Tudor Corsair by Tony Riches Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication date: 5th August 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Preseli Press Ltd.
Print Length: 344 pages
Series: The Elizabethan Series Book 1

Synopsis

1564

Devon sailor Francis Drake sets out on a journey of adventure.

Drake learns of routes used to transport Spanish silver and gold, and risks his life in an audacious plan to steal a fortune.

Queen Elizabeth is intrigued by Drake and secretly encourages his piracy. Her unlikely champion becomes a national hero, sailing around the world in the Golden Hind and attacking the Spanish fleet. The King of Spain has enough of Drake’s plunder and orders an armada to threaten the future of England.

My Thoughts

Drake – Tudor Corsair recounts the rise of Francis Drake from penniless sailor to celebrated seafaring hero, wealthy and knighted.

The story begins when Drake is 23 years old and sets sail under Captain John Hawkins to the coast of Guinea and then onto the West Indies to sell slaves. This trip is a disaster. Engagement with the Spanish and the Portuguese results in crewmen and ships lost. Drake vows to return to the West Indies to avenge those crewmen. So begins his harassment of the Spanish, for which he is branded a pirate by King Philip of Spain and a bounty offered for his capture or death.

Drake's early career is helped along by his relatives, the Hawkins brothers. He, in turn, takes his own brothers, John and Joseph, on subsequent voyages, and when they are old enough, his nephew John, and Jonas, his wife's relation, also accompany him. It seems an adventurous spirit runs in the family.

While always on the look out for a likely victim on the horizon, some of the action takes place on land. Drake avails himself of any opportunity to strike at the Spanish and makes allies wherever he can. Ambushing mule trains carrying gold and silver, raiding and pillaging towns, and skirmishes with natives are all part of the great treasure hunt. However, not all the voyages he commands are a success. Drake has his fair share of setbacks: loss of lives, ships, mutiny and betrayal.

With long absences from home, he never knew what awaited him on his return and tried to forestall unfavourable reports reaching England ahead of him which could damage his reputation. To lose the goodwill of capricious Queen Elizabeth or her ministers, Cecil and Walsingham, was not an option on his road to fame and fortune.

Sir Francis Drake was one of the historical figures I learnt about in school. His circumnavigation of the world, his involvement in the defeat of the Spanish Armada and his reputedly playing bowls when the armada was sighted in the English Channel are the three pieces of information I remember from those lessons. After finishing this novel, I'm amazed at the life he led and his other achievements. I am disappointed that there is no corroboration of his playing bowls. True or not, it will always be a part of his legend.

Tony Riches presents a complex man, rising to prominence but not quite gaining the acceptance he desired due to his lowly birth. Some of Drake's exploits are controversial by today's standards; however, his portrayal here is of a likeable man, deserving of the many honours accorded him.

Once again Riches has used his unique writing style to entertain and inform. I was totally immersed in this world of barques, caravels and galleons as they sailed the Spanish Main and other faraway places. This is my favourite of his books so far. Fans of nautical and biographical fiction will certainly be captivated by this tale of courage and adventure. It is a great start to a new series.

Available from: Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU

Meet the Author

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of best-selling historical fiction. He lives in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the history of the Wars of the Roses and the lives of the early Tudors. Tony’s other published historical fiction novels include: Owen – Book One Of The Tudor Trilogy, Jasper – Book Two Of The Tudor Trilogy, Henry – Book Three Of The Tudor Trilogy, Mary – Tudor Princess, Brandon – Tudor Knight and The Secret Diary Of Eleanor Cobham. For more information about Tony’s books please visit his website tonyriches.com and his blog, The Writing Desk and find him on  Facebook and Twitter @tonyriches. You can also find him on Goodreads and listen to his podcasts here.  

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