Now releasing Captain Blackwell’s Prize by V.E. Ulett
Please welcome V.E. Ulett to the site, presenting the historical fiction Captain Blackwell’s Prize:
A romantic adventure from the days of wooden ships and iron men, CAPTAIN BLACKWELL’S PRIZE is a story of honor, duty, social class and the bond of sexual love.
In 1802 Captain James Blackwell attacks and takes La Trinidad, a Spanish frigate aboard which Blackwell finds 35,000 gold dollars and the American woman Mercedes de Aragon. On putting into Gibraltar with his treasure and his new mistress Blackwell is informed by his irate evangelical admiral of the Treaty of Amiens, denying him prize money earned by the capture and setting Mercedes at liberty. But the self-possessed American has formed a strong attachment to lusty Captain Blackwell. When she journeys with the captain to the North African coast and is taken into the Dey of Oran’s harem, Captain Blackwell must follow his own code of morality and honor to rescue the woman on whom his future happiness depends.
CAPTAIN BLACKWELL’S PRIZE is historical fiction where sword fights and sea battles are depicted alongside the manners, ideas, and prejudices of men and women from the time of Nelson and Napoleon.
July 19th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Very well done. Looking forward to more episodes in the near future. (That means hurry up!
)
July 20th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
I appreciate your remarks, and noted regarding hurry up with new episodes.
July 30th, 2011 at 8:58 am
Great story so far and the characters are developing well.
I look forward to more episodes and to see where you take the story.
Thank you for your efforts so far
July 30th, 2011 at 8:39 pm
Glad you are enjoying the episodes, thanks for taking the time to comment. At some point I hope you will rate the work, this is important to podiobooks.com and to me.
Now back to it. Dr. Johnson (1709 – 1784) said most writers perceive no particular summons to composition except the sound of the clock.
August 3rd, 2011 at 2:43 am
Tic Toc, Tic Toc, feel that summons.
Your story has captured my imagination and as always we can listen faster than you can produce.
What is in the letter???
August 3rd, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Ah, the letter. There must be various in this and every nineteenth century tale. They were great letter writers, back in the day. The Napoleonic day.
It’s striking how isolated the frigate captains were, they had to make decisions without reference to their commanding officers. Always with the injunction over them, ‘nor you nor any of you may fail as you will answer the contrary at your peril.’
October 13th, 2011 at 9:20 am
Patrick O’Brian with a romantic side. Quite engaging writing! The measured pace of the reading was a little odd at first but grew on me. I must say that this is the first podcast I listen to when released so watch out Scott Sigler. BTW, do you think you could teach the dear boy how to write a female character (or ANYTHING romantic at all)? He may be the FDO but the Mrs FDO would probably be ever so grateful.
November 4th, 2011 at 10:52 am
I just finished listening to this and I did enjoy it. I found the speed and delivery of the story suitably accurate for the time period it depicted. I had to look this up: If a stone is 14 lbs, then 14 stone is 200lbs. I suppose during that time, with shorter statures, that would make someone fat, though I had a hard time fitting it with the other descriptions.
Thanks for sharing your story and good luck with the sequel!
November 4th, 2011 at 8:15 pm
Lord Cochrane, a historical figure on whom many fictional naval heroes are based (including the incomparable Patrick O’Brian’s Jack Aubrey. A short aside: Barry b. – your naming me alongside Patrick O’Brian and Scott Sigler is a decided honor) was over six feet tall. He had to put his head out the skylight of the first sloop he commanded in order to shave.
November 19th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
1802 A British naval gunship fires on a Spanish frigate and we are transported back to that day, standing at the right shoulder of Captain James Blackwell, the day he took his prizes, gold and love.
This is a well-written romance that reminds me of the books that I read in my younger days that I never wanted to end.
Researched to the very finest point, detailed enough to make the listener/reader smell the sea salt and feel the roll of the ship, this fine novel was a joy to listen to. Of course, as in the other books I read that were similar, I wanted to smack James on the head a few times, but that is the skill of the writer. I wanted to know what he did to get himself out of the messes he talked himself into.
I am holding the author in great respect, as I do understand the time spent in research to put me in the place of his story. As I did for The Fox (also here as a podcast), this author kept as close to the truth as possible, without time travel available. Huzzahs are in order here. Huzzahs.
October 2nd, 2012 at 12:00 am
I found this book quite engaging. It made me feel the sea, almost hear the creaking of the planks of the ship!
Although I admit I got a bit lost in regards to some the the nautical terminology, it did add that touch of realism that defines “historical fiction”. I liked the part about Jane Austin, found that funny in it’s perversity!
Passes this book along to my father, he couldn’t put it down! I’ve never seen him so fascinated by a story, ever I think!
Keep up the good work we are looking forward to Captain Blackwells continued adventures!
**** 4 stars!
A Peakes
March 13th, 2013 at 5:47 pm
Wow! That was fantastic. The reading fit the vocabulary, pace and setting perfectly too.
I wasn’t at all sure I would enjoy this type of book/podcast as I started listening… But after the first episode, I was hooked. There was plenty of everything here that makes for a great story and the writing seemed historically accurate… I really enjoyed the vocab etc of the time.
I can’t wait to see what you do next