Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for Under Enemy Colors by S. Thomas Russell - Available

Under Enemy Colors

#1 in series

by S. Thomas Russell
Simon Vance
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available

At the time of the French Revolution, one of Britain's most skillful naval officers is young lieutenant Charles Saunders Hayden, the son of an English father and a French mother. His abilities and his loyalty to the king of England are beyond dispute, but his career seems doomed by his "mixed" heritage and lack of political connections. Consequently, Hayden is assigned to an aging frigate, the Themis, under the command of Captain Josiah Hart, a man known throughout the service as "Faint Hart."

As the Themis takes to sea, the disaffection of the crew boils over into violence, and the lieutenant is caught between his superior and a crew pushed toward mutiny. A revolution at sea ensues, and Hayden is wrenchingly torn between honor and duty, as the magnificent Royal Navy engages the French in a centuries-old struggle for power.

  • Creators

  • Series

    Charles Hayden

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 1, 2006

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781481548854
      • File size: 452348 KB
      • Duration: 15:42:23

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Text Difficulty: 7-12

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      September 3, 2007
      Audio fans of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester will rejoice as Vance admirably re-creates Russell's debut novel set in 1793, during those authors' period. There's arguably more Forester than O'Brian here, but few listeners will be disappointed. A promising young Royal Navy officer, Lt. Charles Hayden, is passed over for a command of his own because his father is English and his mother is French. Instead, Hayden boards a smart new frigate called Themis, captained by Josiah Hart, who is reviled as "Faint Hart" by his crew for his cowardice. To make up for his dislike of battle, Hart treats his men like the enemy. Vance gets all the voices right: the proud and ambitious young Hayden and the sniveling Hart, who abuses his power. The other snobs and older officers, who don't have as much to do or say, are also vividly brought to life. Vance transports listeners to a world both exciting and memorable. Simultaneous release with the Putnam hardcover (Reviews, May 14).

    • AudioFile Magazine
      UNDER ENEMY COLORS is a triumph. Set aboard a frigate at sea off the coast of France at the height of British naval power, this gripping novel combines a simple war story with a tale of infuriating office politics, cowardly leadership, and one man's struggle to remain loyal to his king, an inept commander, and a seething crew. Simon Vance could well earn another Audie nomination with this superb reading. He expertly navigates a complicated story with many characters and a great deal of dialogue, set in a formal style of the period. While accents can too often be the downfall of a good audiobook, Vance makes them an asset. He uses an array of voices to allow the listener to follow the fast-paced dialogue effortlessly. This is a terrific story, enjoyably told. J.B.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      May 14, 2007
      R
      ussell's first-rate debut features taut plotting, liberal action and an attractively modest hero: Royal Navy Lt. Charles Hayden. In 1793, Britain is at war with revolutionary France, and Hayden, the son of an English father and a French mother, feels “torn in half.” Denied a promotion, he reluctantly accepts appointment as first lieutenant to the frigate Themis
      : the commander, Capt. Josiah Hart, has powerful connections in the Admiralty, but is widely disparaged among the fleet as a tyrannical coward. Hayden is dismayed to find the ship in “a state of dreadful disarray,” the crew on the verge of mutiny and Hart hostile to Hayden's remedial efforts. With the French in sight, tensions aboard come to a boil. Russell writes knowledgeably about late–18th-century naval warfare and lyrically about the sea. In Hayden, he has created a complex, sympathetic hero.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Text Difficulty:7-12

Loading