Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Fletcher and the Great Raid (Fletcher Adventures Book 4)

Jacob Fletcher, the hero of this series, launches into another wild adventure, protesting the whole time that he really wants to be a merchant and not a naval officer. He finds a sponsor who is a spymaster and gets him promoted for a daring attack on French soil in the time when Napoleon is just getting ready to roll through Italy. The action is superbly integrated with actual history with a few characters, like Lord Howe, who really commanded a British fleet that won a stunning victory over the French and it really was on June 1. But many ships’ names are clearly made up, such as the 3 frigates named after the banks of oars on a trireme. While it’s true that early steam engineers tried to develop a steam carriage this was somewhat later and it wasn’t successful compared to an engine on rails, so I am skeptical that the Scottish traitors who tried to introduce steam power into revolutionary France could have a basis in fact.
I was a little disappointed that Lady Coignwood, a superb villain in the previous books of the series, does not appear at all. Can it be that mr Drake is going to let her usurp Fletcher’s inheritance? While characterization of the hero motivates him to not want the fortune, still I hoped he would deprive Lady Sarah of it somehow.
But despite these problems the book is shockingly addictive with plots within plots. The background is right for Napoleonic times and the action is nonstop on land and sea. The way the author tells the story is first person as an old man nearing his 100th birthday, dictating it to a scholarly assistant whose initials we get to know well as, writing shortly after Fletchers death, he inserts both snide and helpful comments in square brackets. This gives the tale a certain Victorian feel which is appropriate somehow. But when reading the first book it’s possible to imagine the story was fact based, it’s clear from subsequent books that Jacob Fletcher is a fictional character and somewhat less believable than Horatio Hornblower. It doesn’t matter. The story is a delight for anyone at all interested in the period.

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glimmer twin1

fascinating read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 8, 2022

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A grand adventure grounded in actual events of our hero Fletcher. Its a non stop page turner which never slows down nor gets old. The author maximizes the notes to their fullest extent. Hope the ride never ends

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hlhzimm

Thoroughly enjoyable book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 1, 2022

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This book was a little bit different from your average swashbuckler. It involved a naval officer who is very well thought of but wanted more than anything else take it out of the Navy. The story is exciting and very interesting. It was one of those books that I was sorry when it was over

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Anonymous

Interesting story

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 15, 2021

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I found this volume to be the better one so far. The story is less confusing and focused on the Jacob Fletcher character. We also get a better idea of the future path to fame/fortune for our hero.

On to the next chapter.

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Kaz

Best book so far in the series.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 21, 2022

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I have enjoyed the series so far and this one the most. I’m not sure how historically correct the series is, so it’s a little disappointing not to get a little historical summary at the end of each book.

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Mike Brett

On Fletcher

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 12, 2022

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Excellent work; I only wish there were more of them! Drake is one of the best! Look forward to his other works!

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Michael D. Haberman

Quite enjoyable

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 2, 2022

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This book was a pleasure to read. It took us away from a previous story line that we needed a break from. This one shows the talent of Jacob Fletcher and his inherit goodness, a necessary quality of a hero.

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Book Lover

Now this was naval action

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 26, 2017

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The first three books in this series were good stories, but they just seemed to lack the naval action found in other books about the Age of Sail. This one makes up for that in a big way, Fletcher has made it to the position of Post Captain in the British Navy at an accelerated rate, which was unusual however not unheard of. This time Fletcher is involved in an operation to stop the French from developing steam power to aid their invasion of England. Big spoiler here they stop the French plan of invasion in its tracks. How they do this can only be told by reading the book. If you like stories set during the Napoleonic wars then pick up a copy and read a great action story in this book.

2 people found this helpful

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Sam B. Wagner

France steals Watts plans for Steam Engines and threatens an invasion of England

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 7, 2017

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A group of renegade Scotsmen join forces with the French revolutionaries to build steam engines for the French Republic to use in barges to tow troops, horses, cannon and war across the English Channel when there is no wind for English ships. The only option for the English is to destroy the factories, inventors and huge canal and its locks before French defenses can be completed and troops garrisoned. A daunting task left to Fletcher, a mysterious yet powerful ally and British forces landed on the beaches. A page-turning slice of reality, great fun, and well worth the time.

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