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Britannia's Wolf
- The Dawlish Chronicles: September 1877-February 1878
- Narrated by: David Doersch
- Length: 13 hrs and 10 mins
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Britannia's Wolf
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Summary
In 1877, the Russo-Turkish War is reaching its climax. A Russian victory will pose a threat for Britain's strategic interests.
To protect those interests, an ambitious British naval officer, Nicholas Dawlish, is assigned to the Ottoman Navy to ravage Russian supply lines in the Black Sea. In the depths of a savage winter, as Turkish forces face defeat on all fronts, Dawlish confronts enemy ironclads, Cossack lances, and merciless Kurdish irregulars and finds himself a pawn in the rivalry of the Sultan's half brothers for control of the collapsing empire.
And in the midst of this chaos, unwillingly and unexpectedly, Dawlish finds himself drawn to a woman whom he believes he should not love. Not for his own sake, and not for hers....
Britannia's Wolf introduces a naval hero who is more familiar with steam, breechloaders, and torpedoes than with sails, carronades, and broadsides. As a boy Dawlish joined a Royal Navy still commanded by veterans of Trafalgar, but he will help forge the Dreadnought navy of Jutland and the Great War. Further books will accompany Dawlish on that voyage into the future....
The Dawlish Chronicles series, which commences with Britannia's Wolf, is in the great tradition of the Napoleonic-era naval fiction of Forester, Kent, O'Brian, and Pope but is set in the late 19th century, as Britain's empire approached its apogee. In this period old enemies were still threats, new players were joining the ranks of the Great Powers, and the potential for local conflict to escalate into general war - even world war - was never absent. Britain's ability to project force rapidly and decisively on a global scale was assured by a Royal Navy that was in transition as new technologies emerged at an unprecedented rate. But force alone was often inappropriate, and conflicts often had to be resolved by guile and by proxy. It is in this world of change and uncertainty that Nicholas Dawlish, always resourceful, sometimes ruthless, occasionally self-doubting, must contend for the advancement and happiness he hungers for.
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What listeners say about Britannia's Wolf
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- angela
- 02-11-16
Exciting adventure with odd choice of narrator
What made the experience of listening to Britannia's Wolf the most enjoyable?
The choice of setting - unusual for a naval adventure but fascinating because it deals with a time of massive technological change. I was intrigued by so many historical details - the early torpedoes and the Popovkas especially. The central character is believable and sympathetic though the narrator's unconvincing 'British accent' tended to make Dawlish's speech sound forced, strange and artificial at times which jarred and affected the characterisation
What other book might you compare Britannia's Wolf to, and why?
I'd compare it to Jules Verne - historical setting and the fascination with technology of the time - also the timings and suspense in the narrative. The author's enthusiasm and research of 19th century technology really shines through. However it is also about warfare and Dawlish - with his humble beginnings and intelligence, his passion for the sea and ships, not to mention a strong moral sensibility - has a pleasing family resemblance to other great naval action heroes like Hornblower, Bolitho and Aubrey.
What do you think the narrator could have done better?
The narrator has a lovely voice which I could listen to for hours ... he reads expressively and with feeling. He's a great reader/actor - he really is - and I like him and would like to hear more read by him and I'm sorry to criticise but... He is an American. In itself that wouldn't be a problem except that - like nearly all Americans - he can't quite manage convincing British accents. Why choose an American narrator to read a story about a British sea captain with characters who are all British, Turkish or Russian? It's a puzzle. As odd as if a British narrator was selected to read the Jack Reacher novels or Raymond Chandler. But I suppose the book is being aimed at the US market? In which case they will expect to have a US narrator and wont notice the glaring aural flaws and impossibilities which set teeth on edge this side of the pond.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Some parts were sad and others wonderfully life-affirming. There was great hardship and heroism in it which does affect the reader's emotions.
Any additional comments?
Great book - looking forward to reading or listening to more by Antoine Vanner.
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