Hold Fast by J.H. Gelernter
Review by Cyndi J. (cyndij)
The year is 1803 and Great Britain is fighting Napoleon. Thomas Grey was the head of the British spy network in Malta, until his wife was killed. He blames himself for allowing her on the ship that ended up in a battle with a French warship. Now he can’t bring himself to remain on the job, so he resigns intending to head for distant Boston, where he has relatives.
However, hostilities with the French are not over, and after participating in another sea battle, he ends up in Portugal looking for a ship heading for the Americas. It’s a tricky spot and he is not going to advertise his former career, although identifying himself as former military will have advantages. But he runs into a disaffected Irishman, part of a network working for France. This man thinks Grey might be brought around to give vital military information to the French.
As soon as Grey hears this, the possibility of revenge for his wife’s death blooms huge. He’s all in, and it’s just a matter of convincing the enemy he has what they want.
Thus begins an exciting, tension-filled adventure with Grey against d’Aumont, the captain of the ship which killed his wife. Lots of historical detail, but it doesn’t take over the story. Grey is sort of like a James Bond figure, with exceptional skills in sword-fighting, gambling, and even casual hook-ups. His adversary has a few redeeming qualities. Most of the other characters are thin, although we meet his wife in some flashbacks. There are a number of very convenient events to help the plot along, but there’s enough momentum to let them whip past you. Sea battles, duelling, antique firearms, torture, escape…it’s all there.
As I write this there are three in the series. This first book, is a complete story, no cliffhangers, but the ending makes it obvious that Grey’s adventures are just beginning. The cover blurbs reference Patrick O’Brian, but while it’s set in the same period you won’t find that same richness. That’s fine. It’s a good thriller with a tough competent hero and an evil villain, set in a very turbulent period so plenty of room for major plot action, and has some interesting bits of history both large and small.
