A weighty novel, read in steady tones., but I learned some history.

As much as I prefer a narration with some personalisation and dramatic variety to it, this steady reading has introduced me ably to Henty's work, and kept me company in bits and pieces over the last few weeks. My congratulations to Fred Williams on his maintenance of tone, and the smooth sound quality as he passes from one section to another, which is also credit to Blackstone Audio.

Henty (writing between 1866 and 1906) is a truly Victorian storyteller, unlike Pansy (Isabella Alden MacDonald, writing from 1865-1929) who is of quite a different and more easily digested style. However I enjoyed the detailed descriptions, and I've certainly learnt far more about Drake, his voyages, and the world politics of his era than I ever have from any other source. However some of his descriptions and opinions are standard for the time, some are offensive to modern minds, and as with any author, the reader decides the matter. It was very refreshing, though, to read a book with no swearing, not even blasphemous that im aware of, and no sex. Whether you think the insults hurled by different characters are worse than the foul language and loose morals of today's novels says just as much about you, as about me, as about Henty.

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1 person found this helpful

soooo boring. great subject matter awful delivery

what should have been exciting was boring in its delivery. Don't bother, monotone delivery. factually inaccurate.

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