I always look forward to a new instalment in the 'Journals of Matthew Quinton' by historian J. D. Davies as I always learn something new about the navies and history of the period. The latest instalment, The Battle of All the Ages, did not disappoint.
The book gets off to an action filled start with Matthew and his crew in the thick of the fighting during the The Four Days' Battle of 1666, a drawn out and fierce action of the Anglo-Dutch wars and a defeat for the English fleet. The Captain's of the typical 'Napoleonic' novel tend to be a Nelson character from more humble beginnings yet in this earlier era Quinton is a courtier and heir to an Earldom. Even so Davies has created a very believable and likeable character who you can empathise with.
As I have said before the navies of the 1660's were very different so it is not surprising that after his return from the battle at the whim of the King Matthew finds himself with a senior rank in an early incarnation of the Royal marines and on his way to Plymouth to root out the source of the false intelligence that caused the division of the English fleet before the battle and many lives.
After the conclusion of this mission Matthew returns to his ship to find that in an astonishing feat by the standards of the time has taken place and the shattered fleet has been repaired in just seven weeks. This enables the book to finish as it started with a climactic battle, in this case the one known as the St. James's Day fight.
As always Davies uses his historical accuracy to bring to life the events of these two great battles and the political intrigue of the period when allegiances and enmities were not as clear cut as in later periods.
I continue to enjoy this look at life in a different period and the restoration navy through the eyes of Matthew Quinton and the plot as always was well written. The book and the series as a whole are highly recommended reading and I look forward to finding out what happens next.
Description of: The Battle of All the Ages
Author: J. D. Davies
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