Alaric Bond Books In Order

Publication Order of Fighting Sail Books

Publication Order of The Coastal Forces Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Author Alaric Bond was born in the year 1957. He has worked as a writer for many years, covering periodicals, children’s stories, the stage, television, and broadcast comedy (which was commissioned to BBC Light Entertainment for three years).

“The Jackass Frigate” was released in the year 2008, and is the first book in Bond’s “Fighting Sail” series. The series is set during the Napoleonic and Revolutionary wars and have no central hero but have characters from each station and rank. It is also his debut novel. Bond also writes stand alone work.

Besides writing, he spent some time in the music industry, and with his wife, he ran a successful restaurant. They live in Sussex with their two kids.

Alaric Bond began writing when he was in his early twenties. Writing had been an interest to him, but dyslexia hampered both his handwriting and his ability to spell. Only when his problems were identified did things begin to improve for him. He was one of the first people to go to Clayhill Centre, which is a specialist school that did some pioneering work to treat the condition.

While doing research for his work, he likes to use old fashioned books, rather than the internet, even though he does think of the net as a useful tool.

The reason his “Fighting Sail” series has no main character throughout is because usually the character will obviously make it to the end. Not only that, they will end up promoted, and the series will continue this way until the author runs out of ranks or energy.

Each of the books focuses on guys that will prosper, and others will fall. Some are inevitably going to die.

“The Jackass Frigate” is the first novel in the “Fighting Sail” series, which was released in the year 2008. A crew that is questionable, a high powered ship, and mission that has to succeed. Spring 1795 the HMS Vigilant (which is a 64 gun ship of the line) is close to leaving Spithead as the senior escort for to a tiny and what appears to be an innocent convoy.

The crew on the ship is a mix of volunteers, trained seamen, and members of the press. Somehow the officers are going to have to mold this motley bunch into an effective unit of fighters before the French are able to figure out the convoy’s real significance.

This is a fun book that focused on some of the regular sailors, rather than the officers, like most books about the Royal Navy tend to do. Fans of the novel enjoyed all of the details in the book, especially those about life on a British Navy ship. Only Bond is able to set the stage like this. This is a book that was well written, and was simply a page turner.

“His Majesty’s Ship” is the second novel in the “Fighting Sail” series, which was released in the year 2009. December of 1796, and it is a time of unrest and some discontent in Britain, which is made even worse by the war they wage with Revolutionary France. Not to mention the potential imminent invasion. A 28 gun frigate called the HMS Pandora is fresh from the dockyard and is about to set sail to go and join the Mediterranean Fleet.

Harsh winter weather and the possible French invasion are not the only problems that Captain Banks has to worry about. There is the tyrant for a First Lieutenant, a ship that is untried, a crew that has one killer at minimum, and he is right about to sail into one of the largest naval battles in the history of the British. It is the Battle of Cape St. Vincent.

Even though the first one was a good read, this one is even better. Fans of the novel found this to be a good read and has better development than the first book did. This is an author that is with the best as far as naval fiction goes.

“True Colours” is the third novel in the “Fighting Sail” series, which was released in the year 2010. A mutiny has immobilized the Royal Navy, and the only thing holding an invasion back is a commander that communicates with a non-existent fleet.

Great Britain’s biggest home fleets are out of commission due to a vicious mutiny. At the same time, Adam Duncan (who is the commander of the North Sea Squadron) has to keep a constant watch over the Dutch coast. It is here that a powerful invasion force that is about to take advantage of Britannia’s weakest moment.

Fans of the novel found this story to take the reader skillfully through the traumatic events of two great mutinies, the Nore and Spithead. This is another fun romp through the French Revolution’s wars. The series continues to be as wonderful as when it started, and combines exciting storytelling, characters you care about, and authentic history.

“Cut and Run” is the fourth novel in the “Fighting Sail” series, which was released in the year 2011. Lieutenant King gets disillusioned with the low amount of opportunity within the Royal Navy, so he opts for some time in the Honourable East India Company. A trip with the India Company proves to be anything but easy when King’s captain turns out to be one of his old enemies.

With the new perils of storms, privateers, and the French Navy’s might, he sees that there is an equal amount of adventure with the merchant service. It makes him wonder why he decided to cut and run.

Fans find this to be much different from other novels that focus on the Royal Navy, making it feel fresh. These are characters you care about and are well drawn. The stories always reflect viewpoints of many sailors, of different rank and positions, rather than just one heroic sailor. Some enjoyed the change of pace this installment offers from the rest of the books, especially as it offers a glimpse of life on board a merchant ship.

2 Responses to “Alaric Bond”

1. les leonard: 2 years ago

   i’ve six books in the series and i am looking foward to reading the rest of the sreies when time permits

   Reply
2. TOM IBSEN: 3 years ago

   GREAT READ,READ ALL 14 CANNOT WAIT FOR NEXT IN SERIES

   Reply