Sea Stories
Talking Books
The titles in this booklist are just a selection of the titles available for loan from the
RNIB National Library Talking Book Service.
Don’t forget you are allowed to have up to 6 books on loan. When you return a title,
you will then receive another one.
If you would like to read any of these titles then please contact the Customer Services
Team on 0303 123 9999 or email library@rnib.org.uk
If you would like further information, or help in selecting titles to read, then please
contact the Reader Services Team on 01733 37 53 33 or email
libraryinfo@rnib.org.uk
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PE2 6WS
The Ghost ship: stories of the phantom Flying Dutchman. 1985. Read by
Christopher Scott, 8 hours 15 minutes. TB 6590.
The Flying Dutchman, a ghostly ship doomed to wander the oceans with its accursed
captain and crew, has been seen by generations of seamen and has excited the
imagination of some of the finest writers of both maritime and supernatural stories.
Some of the best are brought together in this fascinating collection. TB 6590.
The Oxford book of sea stories. 1994. Read by various narrators, 19 hours 51
minutes. TB 10722.
Many great writers have given their accounts of life at sea and the adventures to be
had there, and this wide ranging collection of stories is absorbing reading for anyone
with an interest in the sea and its stories. Tony Tanner has sought out less wellknown but highly atmospheric tales from British and American authors, including the
last three chapters of Melville's "Moby Dick", and two stories from the master of sea
fiction, Joseph Conrad. TB 10722.
Archibald, Malcolm
Whales for the wizard. 2005. Read by Robbie MacNab, 9 hours 51 minutes. TB
14645.
Returning to Dundee after years in the army, Robert Douglas finds employment with
George Gilbridge, a whaling-ship owner and business man, but falls foul of the
sinister John Wyllie, Douglas awakes on board the steam-whaler Redgauntlet, bound
for the Arctic, to realise that many of his companions believe the ship is haunted and
do not expect to return. The voyage sees the unravelling of a year-old mystery as
Douglas clashes with, then befriends 'bully' Houston, the ship's mate, and together
they locate a sister ship that was believed lost in the ice. TB 14645.
Bainbridge, Beryl
Every man for himself. 1996. Read by Matthew Sharp, 6 hours 38 minutes. TB
11137.
Four days after the Titanic left Southampton, she struck an iceberg and sank. This
book recaptures those four crucial days. The story is told by Morgan, nephew of the
owner of the shipping line. Was the Titanic travelling too fast? Why was she given a
certificate of seaworthiness when there was a fire blazing in No. 10 bunker? And why
did the mysterious Scurra, long before the tragedy, remark that it was 'every man for
himself'? TB 11137.
2
Bucheim, Lothar-Gunther
The boat: one of the best novels ever written about war. 1999. Read by Gordon
Dulieu, 20 hours 53 minutes. TB 12385.
This is the story of a German U-boat, her commander and crew, as they embark upon
yet another hazardous patrol in the Battle of the Atlantic. Contains passages of a
sexual nature. TB 12385.
Callison, Brian
A ship is dying. 1976. Read by George Hagan, 7 hours 41 minutes. TB 9274.
The second mate on the bridge of MV Lycomedes caught a first glimpse of a foamshrouded shape half a mile ahead. Fourteen minutes later the ship plunged beneath
the icy waters of the North Sea. Callison vividly portrays these minutes of
catastrophe, so that the reader lives through every instant as Lycomedes is torn to
pieces beneath his feet. TB 9274.
Cornwell, Bernard
Sea lord. 1989. Read by Stephen Thorne, 10 hours 43 minutes. TB 7932.
John Rossendale is a sea-gypsy, wandering the oceans in the 38-foot cutter,
"Sunflower". He is also the 28th Earl of Stowey, but titles don't mean much at sea.
Four years ago he turned his back on England, swearing never to go home again.
Now, out of sense of duty, he returns to British waters. At his mother's funeral, he
finds his family hostile, his boat under violent attack and his life in danger. Contains
strong language. TB 7932.
Cornwell, Bernard
Wildtrack. 1988. Read by Arthur Blake, 12 hours 45 minutes. TB 7183.
Falklands veteran, Nick Sandman, VC, dreamed of restoring the ocean yacht
"Sycorax" to its former glory. But he wasn't prepared for the devil's bargain he made
with egomaniac TV star Tony Bannister - or the peril he sailed into on his very first
voyage. Contains strong language. TB 7183.
Forester, C S
The man in the yellow raft. 1969. Read by Marvin Kane, 5 hours 30 minutes. TB
891.
A collection of sea stories about the Pacific war on the eve of, or just after, Pearl
Harbour. TB 891.
Forester, C S
Mr Midshipman Hornblower. 1950. Read by David Broomfield, 8 hours 55
minutes. TB 359.
Hornblower series; book 1.The first story about Hornblower, still only a midshipman,
but with promise of a great future. TB 359.
3
Forester, C S
Lieutenant Hornblower. 1952. Read by Robert Gladwell, 10 hours 15 minutes.
TB 2362.
Hornblower series; book 2. An adventure episode in Horatio Hornblower's early life.
TB 2362.
Forester, C S
Hornblower and the 'Hotspur'. 1962. Read by Richard Baker, 11 hours 15
minutes. TB 169.
Hornblower series; book 3. The adventures of Captain Hornblower and his sailors in
the Hotspur during the Napoleonic Wars. TB 169.
Forester, C S
Captain Hornblower RN, Hornblower and the 'Atropos', Happy return, and, Ship
of the line. 1987. Read by Robert Gladwell, 36 hours 37 minutes. TB 10614.
Hornblower series; books 4-6. "Hornblower and the Atropos": Skippering the flagship
for Nelson's funeral is not Hornblower's idea of action but soon he is ordered to set
sail for the Mediterranean in the Atropos. "The Happy Return": Hornblower sails the
South American waters and comes face to face with a mad, messianic revolutionary.
"A ship of the line": Commando raids, hurricanes at sea, the glowering menace of
Napoleon's gun batteries; all these Hornblower must face as he sails his ship to the
Spanish station. TB 10614.
Forester, C S
Admiral Hornblower. 1990. Read by George Hagan, 41 hours 44 minutes. TB
8346.
Hornblower series; books 7-10. From the Mediterranean to Havana, Hornblower's
finest battles at sea and on land. The anthology contains "Flying Colours", "The
Commodore", "Lord Hornblower" and "Hornblower in the West Indies". TB 8346.
Forester, C S
Hornblower and the crisis. 2007. Read by Christian Rodska, 4 hours 16 minutes.
TB 15421.
Hornblower during the crisis - Hornblower's temptation - The last encounter.
Hornblower series; book 11. On the threshold of securing his first post as captain,
Hornblower finds himself forced by the exigencies of war to fight alongside a man
whom he has unintentionally helped to court-martial. For the first time Hornblower
assents to engaging in espionage in his efforts to bring victory and glory to England
and the Napoleonic Wars. This final Hornblower novel is followed by the author's
notes regarding the novel's conclusion. Also included in this volume are two stories Hornblower's Temptation and The Last Encounter - that depict the great sea dog
Hornblower in his youth and old age, respectively. TB 15421.
4
Golding, William
Rites of passage. 1980. Read by George Hagan, 8 hours 46 minutes. TB 4022.
Edmund Talbot series; book 1. There is a strange assortment of people aboard the
wooden ship making her way early in the last century from the South of England to
Australia. For his godfather's entertainment a young man, Edmund Talbot, keeps a
journal of the voyage. Winner of the 1980 Booker Prize. TB 4022.
Golding, William
Close quarters. 1987. Read by Raymond Sawyer, 8 hours 12 minutes. TB 7799.
Edmund Talbot series; book 2. In this second book of the "Edmund Talbot" trilogy, the
young aristocrat, on his way to Australia to become a governor’s ADC, continues his
journey. He describes the eventful voyage aboard an eighteenth-century fighting ship,
converted to carry passengers and cargo from England to Australia. The forced
proximity of passengers and crew intensifies all emotions to breaking point and
Edmund himself falls in love - a totally new and wholly disorienting experience. TB
7799.
Golding, William
Fire down below. 1989. Read by Raymond Sawyer, 9 hours 22 minutes. TB 7941.
Edmund Talbot series; book 3. Narrated by Edmund Talbot aboard the decrepit old
warship which lurches towards Australia, this novel is a mixed tale of travel and
personal discovery. At sea, the hulk is charged with the care and protection of the
lives of her colourful crew. Edward Talbot's progression towards self realisation is as
turbulent as the voyage of his ship; as he engages with other people, especially
incomprehensible women, so the ship must face the incomprehensible elements. TB
7941.
Hibbert, Christopher
Nelson: a personal history. 1994. Read by Christopher Oxford, 16 hours 26
minutes. TB 14098.
In this tale of Nelson's life on and off the high seas, the author illuminates the
admiral's personality, his personal and political friendships, and his passionate love
affair with Sir William Hamilton's wife, the beautiful Lady Emma, daughter of a
blacksmith and once a London prostitute. TB 14098.
Higgins, Jack
Storm warning. 1976. Read by Andrew Timothy, 9 hours 15 minutes. TB 3144.
In August 1944 Captain Berger decided to risk sailing the Deutschland to Kiel, 5000
miles across oceans dominated by the Allied navies. This is the epic account of his
act of reckless courage. TB 3144.
5
Innes, Hammond
The last voyage: Captain Cook's lost diary. 1981. Read by Patrick Romer, 7
hours 36 minutes. TB 10635.
July 1776: Captain James Cook sails from Plymouth, in the three masted collier
Resolution, to find the North West Passage. It is his third voyage and last voyage of
discovery, one that will take in the icy Arctic wasteland and the tropical Hawaiian
waters and Hammond Innes has created the diary he might have written. TB 10635.
Innes, Hammond
The 'Mary Deare'. 1956. Read by Eric Gillett, 9 hours 21 minutes. TB 808.
The story of a freighter three times torpedoed and twice wrecked, and of desperate
men fighting against death and danger. TB 808.
Innes, Hammond
The wreck of the "Mary Deare". 1956. Read by Ian Stuart, 8 hours 13 minutes.
TB 10101.
The "Sea Witch", fighting its way through the March gales in the Channel, encounters
a steamer which appears to ignore its signals and bears down on the little vessel.
There is no one to be seen on board. The crew board her and find one man. This is
the start of a series of events culminating in a desperate struggle for survival in the
cold seas off France. TB 10101.
Innes, Hammond
'North Star'. 1974. Read by Stephen Jack, 11 hours. TB 2820.
In Shetland waters, the mate of a distant water trawler, seeking strength to build a
new life for himself, encounters quite unexpected dangers, including the awful
hazards met by men at work on an oil-rig. TB 2820.
Innes, Hammond
Medusa. 1988. Read by William Abney, 12 hours 8 minutes. TB 7603.
A nautical adventure in the Mediterranean involves Mike Steele of Menorca and
Captain Jones of the Medusa, an obsolete frigate. Political turmoil and violence erupt,
leading both men into great danger, enacted against a background of turbulent
human emotions. TB 7603.
Johnston, Ronald
The angry ocean. 1968. Read by John Dunn, 7 hours 35 minutes. TB 945.
A supertanker struggles across the Pacific and this is the story of the men behind the
project. TB 945.
6
Kent, Alexander
Richard Bolitho, midshipman: a midshipman Bolitho story. 1975. Read by Derek
Chandler, 4 hours 39 minutes. TB 6553.
Richard Bolitho series; book 1. Although only 16, Midshipman Richard Bolitho is
already a veteran of 4 years on the King's Navy. In October 1772 he joins his second
ship, the 74-gun "Gorgon". Her captain is ordered to take her to Africa's West Coast
to destroy the growing menace of piracy across the trade routes. Soon it becomes
evident that their enemy is as dangerous and skilful as any encountered in the line of
battle. TB 6553.
Kent, Alexander
Band of brothers. 2006. Read by Christopher Oxford, 3 hours 29 minutes. TB
14973.
Richard Bolitho series; book 2. The new year seems to offer Richard Bolitho and his
friend Martyn Dancer the culmination of a dream. Both have been recommended for
promotion, although they have not yet gained the coveted lieutenant's commission.
But a routine passage from Plymouth to Guernsey in an untried schooner becomes,
for Bolitho, a passage from midshipman to King's officer, tempering the promise of the
future with the bitter price of maturity. TB 14973.
Kent, Alexander
Stand into danger. 1980. Read by Christopher Oxford, 9 hours 45 minutes. TB
13796.
Richard Bolitho series; book 3. Plymouth, 1774. Richard Bolitho is now newly
appointed Third Lieutenant, joining the 28-gun frigate 'Destiny'. It is a far step from
midshipman's berth to wardroom - and Bolitho must come to understand that his
loyalty is to his captain, his ship and His Britannic Majesty. Despatched on a secret
mission, 'Destiny' and her company face the hazards of conspiracy, treason and
piracy. It is amidst the broadside battles at sea and the clash of swords that Bolitho
learns to accept his new responsibilities as a King's officer. TB 13796.
Kent, Alexander
In gallant company. 1977. Read by Malcolm Ruthven, 10 hours 52 minutes. TB
3225.
Richard Bolitho series; book 4. In 1777 Richard Bolitho was a young lieutenant
aboard the Trojan, endeavouring to prevent military supplies from reaching
Washington's armies and to destroy the fleets of foreign privateers. TB 3225.
Kent, Alexander
Sloop of war. 1972. Read by Philip Treleaven, 14 hours 31 minutes. TB 2050.
Richard Bolitho series; book 5. It is the year 1778 and the Sparrow, with Richard
Bolitho in command, takes part in a sea battle that might decide the fate of the whole
continent. TB 2050.
7
Kent, Alexander
To glory we steer. 1968. Read by David Broomfield, 12 hours 15 minutes. TB
505.
Richard Bolitho series; book 6. Young Captain Bolitho is ordered to take his frigate to
the Caribbean, and there he proves what he and his tiny craft can achieve. TB 505.
Kent, Alexander
Command a king's ship. 1973. Read by Peter Gray, 13 hours 18 minutes. TB
2444.
Richard Bolitho series; book 7. Newly-appointed captain of the frigate "Undine",
Bolitho sails to the Indies, little suspecting the dangers and furious battles awaiting
him. TB 2444.
Kent, Alexander
Passage to mutiny. 1976. Read by Malcolm Ruthven, 12 hours 22 minutes. TB
3258.
Richard Bolitho series; book 8. In 1789 Capitan Bolitho and his frigate Tempest arrive
at Sydney, hoping to be ordered back to England; but he finds that he has been
despatched to the islands of the Great South Sea, and there he finds danger, and an
involvement both personal and tragic. TB 3258.
Kent, Alexander
With all dispatch. 1988. Read by Arthur Blake, 10 hours 45 minutes. TB 7272.
Richard Bolitho series; book 9. It is spring 1792 and with France still in the grip of the
Terror most of the British fleet is lying idle and the men out of work. Bolitho therefore
is quite glad to take a humble appointment at the Nore and with a small flotilla of three
topsail cutters, sets out "with all despatch" when a King's ransom is in peril to the
sinister brotherhood. TB 7272.
Kent, Alexander
Form line of battle! 1969. Read by Arthur Blake, 11 hours 53 minutes. TB 8022.
Richard Bolitho series; book 10. For Captain Richard Bolitho the final years of the
18th century throw him headlong into conflict at sea with the forces of revolutionary
France bent on war and conquest. A stirring tale of adventure and drama on the high
seas, impeccably and entertainingly written. TB 8022.
Kent, Alexander
Enemy in sight. 1970. Read by George Hagan, 14 hours 13 minutes. TB 8097.
Richard Bolitho series; book 11. As 1794 draws to a close Richard Bolitho,
commanding the old 74 gun ship of the line "Hyperion", leaves Plymouth to join a
squadron to blockade the rising power of revolutionary France. Unfortunately, Bolitho
8
finds himself under a commodore who is no match for the French admiral, Lequiller,
whose powerful squadron uses guile and ruthless determination to elude him and
vanish into the Atlantic. "Hyperion" as part of a small British force gives chase. TB
8097.
Kent, Alexander
The flag captain. 1971. Read by George Hagan, 14 hours 58 minutes. TB 8419.
Richard Bolitho series; book 12. As France continues her bitter struggle for
supremacy on land and sea, the Royal Navy receives a crippling blow at home: the
Great Mutiny. Returning home after 18 months continuous service, Flag Captain
Richard Bolitho finds himself at the centre of the crisis - and his new commander
seems to be a man who will brook no interference. TB 8419.
Kent, Alexander
Signal, close action! 1974. Read by Peter Gray, 13 hours 30 minutes. TB 2695.
Richard Bolitho series; book 13. In 1798 there are rumours of a massive French
Armada armed with the latest type of artillery. Bolitho, commodore of a small
squadron, has orders to seek out the enemy and discover his intentions. TB 2695.
Kent, Alexander
The inshore squadron. 1979. Read by Christopher Oxford, 9 hours 40 minutes.
TB 13345.
Richard Bolitho series; book 14. Copenhagen, 1800. After seven years of cruel war
against France, Britain's longstanding ally, Denmark, suddenly poses a threat. The
scene of battle shifts abruptly from Europe to the Baltic where the British Navy
encounters the bitter hardship of blockade duty. Richard Bolitho, recently appointed
rear admiral, is in charge of his first squadron, and is thrown immediately into a fierce
and bloody struggle with the enemy. The outcome of the crucial Battle of Copenhagen
is in Bolitho's hands. TB 13345.
Kent, Alexander
A tradition of victory. 1981. Read by Malcolm Ruthven, 9 hours 40 minutes. TB
4954.
Richard Bolitho series; book 15. After eight years of war with France, there is a
rumour of peace in the summer of 1801. Bolitho's small squadron is still repairing the
scars earned at the Battle of Copenhagen and Richard himself is due to be married
when he receives his daring sailing orders from the British Admiralty. TB 4954.
Kent, Alexander
Success to the brave. 1984. Read by Christopher Oxford, 9 hours 25 minutes.
TB 13591.
Richard Bolitho series; book 16. Richard Bolitho is summoned to the Admiralty to
receive his orders for a difficult and thankless mission... The recent Peace of Amiens
9
is already showing signs of strain as old enemies wrangle over colonies won and lost
during the war. In the little 64-gun Achates, Bolitho sails west for the Caribbean, to
hand over the island of San Felipe to the French. But diplomacy is not enough...
Contains violence. TB 13591.
Kent, Alexander
Colours aloft! 1986. Read by Antony Higginson, 10 hours 44 minutes. TB 6285.
Richard Bolitho series; book 17. Recently-Knighted Richard Bolitho is the youngest
admiral on the Navy list but his new status sits uneasily upon his shoulder. With the
short-lived Peace of Amiens in ruins, the French fleet is destined to put him to the
test... TB 6285.
Kent, Alexander
Honour this day. 1987. Read by Derek Chandler, 12 hours 40 minutes. TB 6918.
Richard Bolitho series; book 18. In September 1804 England stands alone against
France and the Spanish fleets. Invasion is expected daily. Bolitho, troubled both by
his worsening marriage and a recent eye injury, is eager to set sail again in the
veteran four-gunner "Hyperion" for the Caribbean. The raid on the Spanish Main is
more like a death wish than a mission as Sir Richard spares himself nothing in his
darkness of soul. The future is uncertain as he sails east for the "Hyperion's" last
battle. TB 6918.
Kent, Alexander
The only victor. 1990. Read by Arthur Blake, 13 hours 28 minutes. TB 8341.
Richard Bolitho series; book 19. In February 1806, Vice Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho's
frigate drops anchor off the shores of South Africa with news of the Franco-Spanish
defeat at Trafalgar. He reminds his officers that Napoleon's defeat is not assured. A
secret mission almost ends in disaster and Bolitho's men discover – not for the first
time - that death is the only victor. TB 8341.
Kent, Alexander
Beyond the reef. 1992. Read by Vincent Brimble, 12 hours 49 minutes. TB 9632.
Richard Bolitho series; book 20. In March 1808, as war spreads through Europe, Vice
Admiral Richard Bolitho takes passage in the ill-fated Golden Plover bound for the
Cape of Good Hope. Estranged from his wife and child and plagued by the fear of
blindness, he leaves behind the contempt of society and memories of a friendship
betrayed, and takes with him the mistress he will not forsake. When shipwreck
overtakes them little remains beyond raw courage, reckless hope and the certainty
that, for those in peril and those at home, life has changed irrevocably. TB 9632.
10
Kent, Alexander
The darkening sea. 1993. Read by Robert Gladwell, 15 hours 25 minutes. TB
10198.
Richard Bolitho series; book 21. With Martinique captured, Vice-Admiral Sir Richard
Bolitho returns to England and his mistress Lady Catherine Somervell. But almost at
once he is ordered to the Indian Ocean, where an uneasy alliance between France
and America threatens British trade routes. Haunted by the deaths in their country's
service of Nelson and Collingwood and his memories of shipwreck and tragedy,
Bolitho for the first time considers the possibility of life beyond the sea. TB 10198.
Kent, Alexander
For my country's freedom. 1995. Read by Michael Jayston, 10 hours 7 minutes.
TB 11737.
Richard Bolitho series; book 22. It is March 1811 and Bolitho is recalled to duty after
only two and a half months' peace in Cornwall with his beloved Catherine. Promoted
to Admiral, his choice of flagship and flag captain shock the Admiralty, but Bolitho,
aware of his own vulnerability, surrounds himself only with those men he can trust,
and who must confront the sternest test of his loyalty with great personal courage.
When diplomacy fails the cannon must speak, and Bolitho, patrolling the troubled
waters from Antigua to Halifax, knows that when war with America comes he must
fight an enemy not foreign but familiar. TB 11737
Kent, Alexander
Cross of St George. 1997. Read by Michael Jayston, 11 hours 39 minutes. TB
11468.
Richard Bolitho series; book 23. This book is set during the bitter war of 1813 for
naval supremacy over America when men from very different nations and for their
own motives fought a fierce and bloody battle in Canadian waters. TB 11468.
Kent, Alexander
Sword of honour. 1998. Read by Michael Jayston, 10 hours 49 minutes. TB
11904.
Richard Bolitho series; book 24. In March 1814, Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho returns to
England from several months' rigorous patrolling off the North American coast. The
bitter and inconclusive war with the United States has not yet ended, but the news of
Napoleon's defeat and abdication has stunned a navy and a nation bled by years of
European conflict. Victory has been the impossible dream, and now, for Bolitho, a
vision of the future and a more personal peace seems attainable. TB 11904.
11
Kent, Alexander
Second to none. 2000. Read by Michael Jayston, 11 hours 19 minutes. TB
15899.
Adam Bolitho series; book 1. On the eve of Waterloo, a sense of finality and cautious
hope pervade a nation wearied by decades of war. But peace will present its own
challenge to Adam Bolitho, captain of His Majesty's Ship Unrivalled, as many of his
contemporaries face the prospect of discharge. The life of a frigate captain is always
lonely, but for Adam, mourning the death of his uncle Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho, that
solitude acquires a deeper poignancy. He is, more than ever, alone, at the dawning of
a new age for the Royal Navy, where the only constants are the sea and those
enemies, often masked in the guise of friendship, who conspire to destroy him. TB
15899.
Langsford, A E
HMS Marathon. 1990. Read by Arthur Blake, 9 hours 44 minutes. TB 9163.
Book 1. There were times when he felt he was going mad, the black moments when it
would have been better if he had died in the turret ... A Royal Navy convoy is fighting
its way to the besieged island of Malta in 1942, and the cruiser Marathon is
commanded by Captain Robert Thurston. Guilty at the loss of his previous command,
stretched to the limit by battle and violent death, he has yet to face the most deadly
threat of all. TB 9163.
Lord, Walter
A night to remember. 1956. Read by Maurice Turner, 5 hours 33 minutes. TB
1982.
How the Titanic, the world's largest liner, struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage to
America and sank with the loss of 1,500 lives. TB 1982.
MacLean, Alistair
The golden rendezvous. 1962. Read by David Broomfield, 10 hours 59 minutes.
TB 709.
A story of modern piracy on the high seas, in which we hear of dangerous and violent
happenings aboard the luxury cruiser Campari. TB 709.
McCutchan, Philip
Convoy homeward. 1995. Read by Joe Dunlop, 7 hours 59 minutes. TB 10664.
John Mason Kemp series; book 6. Sequel to Convoy of fear. Commodore John
Mason Kemp leaves Colombo with a convoy bound home for the Clyde, his en route
orders being to embark a native battalion at Kilindini in East Africa, together with a
contingent of German prisoners of war and a number of civilians, men and women,
being repatriated to Britain. On passage, the convoy comes under U-boat attack and
later the German POWs show signs of breaking out. The climax is reached off
12
Ascension Island when a German surface raider threatens the convoy's safety and
they become dependent on the problematic arrival of the battleship "Duke of York"
from the Clyde. TB 10664.
Marryat, Frederick W
Peter Simple. 1834. Read by David Broomfield, 18 hours 18 minutes. TB 893.
The journal of a sailor from the day he is entered as a midshipman, to his marriage,
ennoblement, and retirement. TB 893.
Masefield, John
Bird of dawning. 1933. Read by Eric Gillett, 7 hours. TB 1293.
A sea story about the wreck of a China clipper and the rescue of her crew. TB 1293.
Monsarrat, Nicholas
The master mariner: running proud. 1978. Read by Garard Green, 23 hours 55
minutes. TB 3398.
Master mariner series; book 1. Matthew Lawe's act of cowardice in the midst of
Drake's defeat of the Armada has brought upon him a wild witch's curse that he stay
on earth until his guilt is purged. For four centuries he is to live the hazardous life of a
British seaman. The first instalment takes him to with Hudson in search of a northwest passage; as a buccaneer to the Caribbean; and finally to victory at Trafalgar.
Unsuitable for family reading. TB 3398.
Monsarrat, Nicholas
The master mariner; book 2, Darken ship: the unfinished novel Nicholas
Monsarrat. 1980. Read by Richard Burnip, 6 hours 55 minutes. TB 15118.
Master mariner series; book 2. In the bitter days that followed Trafalgar, Matthew
Lawe watched as England mourned her greatest sailor son and then turned sadly
away, a man damned to live forever. If damned he was, then he'd take the trade of
the damned, as master of a slaver bound out of Liverpool for the hellhole ports of
Africa and the Caribbean paradise of rum and tobacco and trader's gold. Contains
strong language. TB 15118.
Monsarrat, Nicholas
The cruel sea. 1955. Read by Franklin Engelmann, 19 hours. TB 949.
A dramatic story of naval warfare in which the men are the heroes; the ships the
heroines; and the villain is the cruel sea. TB 949.
13
O'Brian, Patrick
Master and commander. 1992. Read by Patrick Tull, 16 hours 28 minutes. TB
10829.
Jack Aubrey series; book 1. Jack Aubrey has just been promoted captain, and gets
his first ship, "Sophie". Their task is to guard the English merchantmen against
Napoleon's raiders and Algerian pirates. But "Sophie" is old, and too small to carry the
guns needed. Her surgeon is an Irish physician without sea-legs, and most of the
crew are inexperienced or soft. Despite all this, Jack is determined to make her into a
man o' war and capture the prize which will make him his fortune. TB 10829.
O'Brian, Patrick
Post captain. Read by Patrick Tull, 16 hours 48 minutes. TB 10960.
Jack Aubrey series; book 2. In 1803 Napoleon smashes the Peace of Amiens and
Captain Jack Aubrey, taking refuge in France from his creditors, is captured and sent
to prison. "Post Captain" tells of his exciting adventures escaping prison and France.
TB 10960.
O'Brian, Patrick
H.M.S. Surprise. 2002. Read by Christopher Oxford, 14 hours 7 minutes. TB
14315.
Jack Aubrey series; book 3. Aubrey and Maturin are in the Indian subcontinent and
the distant waters ploughed by the ships of the East India Company. Aubrey is on the
defensive, pitting wits and seamanship against an enemy enjoying overwhelming
local superiority. But somewhere in the Indian ocean lies that could make him rich
beyond his wildest dreams, if only he and Maturin can intercept the ships sent by
Napoleon to attack the China Fleet. Contains strong language. TB 14315.
O'Brian, Patrick
The Mauritius command. 1996. Read by Christopher Oxford, 13 hours 13
minutes. TB 14373.
Jack Aubrey series; book 4. Captain Aubrey is ashore on half pay without a command
until Stephen Maturin arrives with secret orders. Contains strong language. TB 14373.
O'Brian, Patrick
Desolation island. 1998. Read by Christopher Scott, 12 hours 36 minutes. TB
11654.
Jack Aubrey series; book 5. Commissioned to rescue Captain Bligh of Bounty fame,
Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend and surgeon, Stephen Maturin, sail the "Leopard"
to Australia with a hold full of convicts. Among them is a dangerous spy - and a
treacherous disease which decimates the crew. TB 11654.
14
O'Brian, Patrick
The fortune of war. 1979. Read by Garard Green, 12 hours 54 minutes. TB 3721.
Jack Aubrey series; book 6. Jack Aubrey takes passage for England from the Dutch
East Indies, but before his arrival the War of 1812 against the United States breaks
out and he is precipitated into new and unexpected scenes. TB 3721.
O'Brian, Patrick
The surgeon's mate. 1980. Read by Andrew Timothy, 13 hours 24 minutes. TB
3832.
Jack Aubrey series; book 7. Further adventures at sea of Jack Aubrey and his friend
Stephen Maturin during the Napoleonic wars. TB 3832.
O'Brian, Patrick
The Ionian mission. 1981. Read by Hugh Ross, 11 hours 51 minutes. TB 5288.
Jack Aubrey series; book 8. Jack Aubrey and his friend Stephen Martin, veterans of
many battles, return to the sea where they first sailed as ship-mates. TB 5288.
O'Brian, Patrick
Treason's harbour. 1983. Read by Stanley McGeagh, 10 hours 47 minutes. TB
5221.
Jack Aubrey series; book 9. Adventures during the Napoleonic War with Jack Aubrey
and Stephen Maturin who serve with the fleet of ships based off the coast of Malta.
TB 5221.
O'Brian, Patrick
The far side of the world. 1997. Read by Alexander John, 13 hours 24 minutes.
TB 11725.
Jack Aubrey series; book 10. It is the war of 1812 and Jack Aubrey and his tetchy,
sardonic friend Stephen Maturin set sail across the South Atlantic to intercept a
powerful American frigate outward bound from Boston to play havoc with the British
whaling trade. It is a commission after Jack's own heart, and best of all he's given his
much-loved ship "Surprise" - reprieved from the breaker's yard because of her
exceptional sailing qualities. TB 11725.
O'Brian, Patrick
The reverse of the medal. 1986. Read by Derek Chandler, 11 hours 1 minute. TB
6383.
Jack Aubrey series; book 11. Jack Aubrey returns from his duties protecting whalers
off the South American coast and is persuaded by a friend to make investments in the
City. From there he is led into London's underworld - a world his friend knows well. An
unconventional naval tale. TB 6383.
15
O'Brian, Patrick
The letter of Marque. 1997. Read by Graham Padden, 11 hours 35 minutes. TB
11630.
Jack Aubrey series; book 12. Jack Aubrey has been struck off the list of post-captains
for a crime he has not committed. His friend, Stephen Maturin, has bought for him his
old ship the "Surprise". Palliated by the command of a "private man-of-war" - a letter
of marque, Aubrey sets out on a voyage with Maturin which, if successful, might
restore him to the rank whose loss he so much regrets. TB 11630.
O'Brian, Patrick
The thirteen-gun salute. 1997. Read by Alexander John, 12 hours 20 minutes.
TB 11751.
Jack Aubrey series; book 13. Jack Aubrey has been reinstated in his command and is
sailing on a secret mission with a hand-picked crew, most of them shipmates from the
voyages of earlier years. Distant waters, exotic scenes and flora and fauna enrich the
account of the cloak and dagger work in which they are involved. TB 11751.
O'Brian, Patrick.
The nutmeg of consolation. 1997. Read by Graham Padden, 13 hours 25
minutes. TB 11890.
Jack Aubrey series; book 14. Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, stranded on an
uninhabited island of the Dutch East Indies, are attacked by ferocious Malay pirates.
Having contrived their escape they are subsequently embroiled in the conflicts of the
penal settlements of New South Wales. TB 11890.
O'Brian, Patrick
Clarissa Oakes. 1997. Read by Alexander John, 10 hours 13 minutes. TB 11918.
Jack Aubrey series; book 15. As he sails away from the Australian prison colonies,
Jack Aubrey, unlike his crew, is unaware that they have a stranger aboard. But none
of them is aware of the fact that the stranger is potentially as dangerous as a light in
the powder magazine. TB 11918.
O'Brian, Patrick
The wine-dark sea. 1997. Read by Graham Padden, 12 hours 10 minutes. TB
11951.
Jack Aubrey series; book 16. At the beginning of the voyage Jack Aubrey finds
himself pursuing an American privateer through the Great South Sea. However his
real objective is to ignite the revolutionary atmosphere in South America, in order to
relieve the pressure on the British government, which heavily involved in the struggle
with Napoleon in Europe, has also blundered into war with the fledgling but
uncompromising United States. TB 11951.
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O'Brian, Patrick
The commodore. 1994. Read by George Hagan, 13 hours 7 minutes. TB 10349.
Jack Aubrey series; book 17. Jack Aubrey is a commodore in the Royal Navy during
the Napoleonic wars, and can choose his own flag captain, securing post rank for an
officer whose career he has fostered. He also has his own coxswain, Barrett Bonden
and his steward, Preserved Killick, both shipmates from his first command. Command
of squadron calls for different skills from command of ship: it is the character of the
captains and the fighting and sailing qualities they can deliver that the commodore
must reckon with. Jack's squadron is sent on a secret mission, but might the nature of
this mission present him with a conflict of loyalties? TB 10349.
O'Brian, Patrick
The yellow admiral. 1997. Read by Christopher Scott, 10 hours 3 minutes. TB
11018.
Jack Aubrey series; book 18. The author continues his stories of life aboard a British
man-of-war during the early nineteenth century. "Retirement" by the Admiralty is
appointment to a non-existent squadron, contemptuously known as the Yellow
Squadron. His activities ashore as an MP and a generous landlord undo his success
at sea, and the war continues to exact its demands. With Jack involved in the
blockade of Brest, and with Stephen Maturin still deep in secret intelligence, close
action is guaranteed. TB 11018.
O'Brian, Patrick
The hundred days. 1998. Read by Gordon Reid, 10 hours 59 minutes. TB 12084.
Jack Aubrey series; book 19. Napoleon's last colossal effort to realise his ambition,
known in naval circles as 'the hundred days', brought to Jack Aubrey an eleventh hour
rescue of a lifetime's service in the Royal Navy, which seemed to be ending in
inconspicuous respectability. He is tasked to operate within and without the
Mediterranean on a number of difficult and dangerous missions. TB 12084.
O'Brian, Patrick
Blue at the Mizzen. 1999. Read by Graham Padden, 10 hours 12 minutes. TB
12481.
Jack Aubrey series; book 20. In this novel, Napoleon's 100 days of freedom have
ended and Aubrey has finally become a true Blue Rear Admiral. He and Maturin set
sail on their much postponed mission to Chile. Contains strong language. TB 12481.
O'Brian, Patrick
The unknown shore. 1997. Read by Robert Gladwell, 15 hours 52 minutes. TB
11079.
A novel about the sea, telling the tale of the Wager, an ill-fated ship on Anson's
expedition round the world. She is driven onto rocks off the coast of Chile, and sinks.
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The survivors fall into trouble of every kind, including mutiny and bloodshed, before
being led northwards to safety by a band of stony and depraved Indians. TB 11079.
Parkinson, C Northcote
The life and times of Horatio Hornblower. 1996. Read by Peter Wickham, 10
hours 7 minutes. TB 10963.
Horatio Hornblower was the central character in C.S. Forester's series of novels set in
the age of fighting sail. In this fictional biography of Hornblower, the author chronicles
his rise to eminence of the Navy officer and evokes life at sea in a British man o'war
during the Napoleonic period. TB 10963.
Perrault, Ernest G
The twelfth mile. 1973. Read by Robert Gladwell, 10 hours 21 minutes. TB 2203.
A Russian spy ship founders in a hurricane but dare not return to safety with the tug
that is attempting to rescue it. TB 2203.
Pope, Dudley
Ramage and the freebooters. 1996. Read by Raymond Sawyer, 13 hours 9
minutes. TB 10993.
Ramage series; book 3. Sequel to: Ramage and the drum beat. Lieutenant Lord
Ramage is summoned to the Admiralty, where the First Lord gives him command of
the brig Triton and three sealed despatches addressed to the admirals off Brest and
Cadiz and in the Caribbean. TB 10993.
Pope, Dudley
Ramage's diamond. 1996. Read by Raymond Sawyer, 12 hours 7 minutes. TB
11087.
Ramage series; book 7. Sequel to: Ramage and the guillotine. Lord Ramage, the
navy's youngest and most junior captain, is ordered to set sail for Diamond Rock, off
the West Indian island of Martinique. It is a routine mission - to blockade the French in
Fort Royal - but the Juno, his new command, is not a routine naval vessel. TB 11087.
Pope, Dudley
Ramage and the rebels. 1996. Read by Alexander John, 11 hours 11 minutes.
TB 11115.
Ramage series; book 9. Sequel to: Ramage's mutiny. Two days out from Jamaica on
a routine patrol against privateers, Captain Ramage and his ship Calypso come upon
a sight that horrifies even his battle-hardened crew. TB 11115.
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Pope, Dudley
Ramage's devil. 1996. Read by Raymond Sawyer, 11 hours 9 minutes. TB 10940.
Ramage series; book 13. Sequel to: Ramage and the regenades. With the Treaty of
Amiens signed, and the Calypso about to be paid off, Ramage and his new bride can
at last honeymoon in France as guests of the Count of Rennes. But Napoleon - his
armies restocked - has all foreigners and French royalists arrested and sent to Devil's
Island, the French prison colony. Ramage escapes capture, but the danger is
enormous as Ramage collects useful information for the Admiralty and plans a daring
rescue... TB 10940.
Pope, Dudley
Ramage's challenge: a novel. 1985. Read by George Hagan, 11 hours 23
minutes. TB 6730.
Ramage series; book 15. Sequel to: Ramage's trial. The future looks bleak and
loveless for Captain Nicholas Ramage R.N., with his new and beautiful wife missing
at sea and possibly dead. This does not concern the Admiralty, as they give him
sealed orders "To be opened off Gibraltar". The war against the French must go on
and his assignment is to affect the rescue of a number of British admirals, generals
and aristocrats who are being held by Bonaparte as hostages. TB 6730.
Pope, Dudley
Ramage and the Dido. 1990. Read by Arthur Blake, 8 hours 24 minutes. TB
8446.
Ramage series; book 18. Sequel to: Ramage and the Saracens. Their Lordships of
the Admiralty have seen fit to make Lord Nicholas Ramage the youngest captain of a
ship of the line since Nelson himself. His new vessel is the most formidable war
machine in the British Navy, carrying enough weight of metal to sink a frigate.
Accompanied by his faithful old crew, Captain Ramage sets out for the West Indies.
But before he reaches the Caribbean he runs into a storm of trouble. TB 8446.
Pope, Dudley
Admiral: a novel. 1982. Read by Christopher Scott, 12 hours 16 minutes. TB
4659.
Ned Yorke series; book 2. Sequel to Buccaneer. The Restoration of a Stuart king in
1660 does not mean peace 'Beyond the line': there are still rich profits to be made in
the New World at Spain's expense. Ned Yorke, a Royalist planter who turned to
buccaneering during the Commonwealth, decides to stick to seafaring and now leads
his comrades for Charles II against the Spaniards - a suspense yarn as fast moving
as a frigate under full sail. TB 4659.
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Reeman, Douglas
Battlecruiser. 1997. Read by Patrick Romer, 11 hours 47 minutes. TB 11308.
The battlecruiser was hailed as a triumph, able to outrun and outshoot its heavier
opponents. But it had a fatal flaw - the weakness of its armour. In 1943, when Captain
Guy Sherbrooke joins H.M.S. Reliant, he knows he may be her last captain. The other
battlecruisers have already been destroyed. But H.M.S. Reliant is a legend and a
survivor, and as Britain prepares to invade occupied Europe, Sherbrooke knows that
only death or glory awaits her. TB 11308.
Reeman, Douglas
The iron pirate. 1987. Read by Robert Gladwell, 13 hours 29 minutes. TB 8361.
It is the summer of 1944. The war is going badly for Germany and in the Baltic her
navy is on the defensive. The crack cruiser, Prinz Luitpold, helps to keep the pride of
the German navy alive but, when the order comes to head for the Atlantic, her
captain, Deiter Hechler, has no alternative but to obey. TB 8361.
Reeman, Douglas
The destroyers. 1976. Read by Hugh Tremayne, 13 hours 34 minutes. TB 10333.
They called them the Scrapyard Flotilla. In a quarter century of continuous service the
eight destroyers had seen every kind of action at sea and now they were to be used
on hard hitting raids opening the way for an invasion of occupied Europe. Were they
chosen for battle worthiness, or because they were expendable? As the operations
got under way Keith Drummond, captain of the destroyer Warlock, realised that his
men would be tested to the limit and beyond. TB 10333.
Reeman, Douglas
In danger's hour. 1988. Read by Robert Gladwell, 13 hours 22 minutes. TB 7884.
Set in the desperate and dangerous period of the 2nd World War from April 1943 until
June 1944, the mine-sweeper Rob Roy is thrust into her toughest challenge when the
Allies mount their invasion of Italy. A master story-teller of the sea, Douglas Reeman
graphically and grippingly relates the heroism and human drama of the "little ships"
role in the blazing conflict. Contains strong language. TB 7884.
Reeman, Douglas
The white guns. 1989. Read by Robert Gladwell, 14 hours 18 minutes. TB 8254.
VE-Day, 1945 - a time of rejoicing and disbelief for Britain and her allies, but for many
of the victors a time of tension and suspicion. Nowhere is this more apparent than in
the great harbour and naval base at Kiel. Face to face with their old adversary,
Marriott and his crew discover that there is more to victory than survival, and out of
the devastation and mistrust there begins to emerge a fresh understanding and
compassion where once there had been only hatred. TB 8254.
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Sillitoe, Alan
The lost flying boat. 1983. Read by Christopher Scott, 9 hours 49 minutes. TB
5152.
Two rival teams set out to retrieve German gold in true Boy's Own Biggles' style and
on one level this is an exiting adventure story. But this is not just a Saga trap - it was
the most beautiful thing ever built. TB 5152.
Stockwin, Julian
Kydd. 2008. Read by Christian Rodska, 9 hours 54 minutes. TB 16308.
Thomas Payne Kydd, a wig-maker from Guildford, is seized by the press gang to be
part of a crew of the 98-gun line-of-battle ship Duke William. The ship sails
immediately and Kydd has to learn the harsh realities of shipboard life fast. Contains
strong language. TB 16308.
Thompson, Harry
This thing of darkness. 2006. Read by Merv Smith, 27 hours 9 minutes. TB
16098.
This seafaring adventure set in the nineteenth century, charts the life of Robert
Fitzroy, the captain of 'The Beagle' and his passenger Charles Darwin. Their deep
friendship and twin obsessions lead one to triumph and the other to disaster. TB
16098.
Wingate, John
Frigate. 1980. Read by Andrew Timothy, 7 hours 43 minutes. TB 3670.
Frigate trilogy; book 1. The problems of human relationships set against the stark
reality of modern warfare as HMS Icarus becomes involved in a skirmish with a
Russian submarine that was to lead to graver things. TB 3670.
Wingate, John
Carrier. 1981. Read by Robert Gladwell, 8 hours 10 minutes. TB 7622.
Frigate trilogy; book 2. This novel, which focuses on the role of the Sea King
helicopter in modern naval warfare, graphically relates a dramatic sea battle to save a
vital Canadian convoy. During a week of gruelling conflict, the roles of helicopters,
Sea Harriers and an aircraft carrier are cleverly woven together in a grippingly realistic
story of war at sea. TB 7622.
Wingate, John
Submarine. 1982. Read by Arthur Blake, 7 hours 53 minutes. TB 8286.
Frigate trilogy; book 3. Gripping and authentic, this story tells of a hazardous mission
by two British submarines to lure a Soviet battleship to its death. The terror and
claustrophobia of war beneath the sea is dramatically drawn as the hunters chase
their quarry beneath the polar ice. TB 8286.
21
Woodman, Richard
The bomb vessel. 1984. Read by Jeremy Sinden, 7 hours 22 minutes. TB 9726.
Nathaniel Drinkwater series; book 4. Sequel to: A brig of war. Nathaniel Drinkwater is
given command of the old 'Virago', a stores tender in the Baltic expedition of 1801.
Drinkwater is determined to turn the 'Virago' back into a fighting ship and, despite
falling foul of Lord Nelson and nearly losing his ship, succeeds in playing a crucial role
in the Battle of Copenhagan. TB 9726.
Woodman, Richard
The corvette. 1985. Read by Jeremy Sinden, 8 hours 43 minutes. TB 9730.
Nathaniel Drinkwater series; book 5. Commander Drinkwater is dispatched in haste to
replace the captain of HMS "Melusine", who has been shot in a duel. "Melusine" sails
as escort to the whaling fleet from Hull on its annual expedition to the Greenland Sea.
During the whale hunt the loss of one of the vessels sets off a train of misfortune,
disaster, death and treachery in this remote sea. TB 9730.
Woodman, Richard
1805. 1985. Read by John Atterbury, 9 hours 15 minutes. TB 6421.
Nathaniel Drinkwater series; book 6. Nathaniel Drinkwater's new command is the
former French frigate "Antigone", in which he patrols the Channel coast of France in
the summer of 1804. All along the coast Napoleon is massing his vast army to invade
England. For months the Royal Navy maintains a tight blockade on the French and
Spanish ports, but a major battle looms. TB 6421.
Woodman, Richard
Beneath the Aurora. 1995. Read by Cameron Stewart, 7 hours 35 minutes. TB
10891.
Nathaniel Drinkwater series; book 12. Sequel to: Under false colours. Captain
Drinkwater, as head of the Royal Navy's Secret Department, is caught up in a vast
intrigue which leads him into the most desperate mission of his career among the
forbidding fiords of Norway during the Napoleonic wars. TB 10891.
Woodman, Richard
The shadow of the eagle. 1997. Read by Ian Redford, 9 hours 7 minutes. TB
11226.
Nathaniel Drinkwater series; book 13. It is 1814 and Napoleon has abdicated. The
'Great War' is at an end, or so it seems. Captain Nathaniel Drinkwater is alarmed to
receive secret intelligence of a new threat to peace. To prevent disaster befalling his
country he must risk both life and reputation. Contains strong language. TB 11226.
22
Woodman, Richard
The Antigone. 1997. Read by Robert Gladwell, 12 hours 46 minutes. TB 11153.
Junior officer Laddie signs on the cargo liner 'Antigone'. On a voyage to the Far East
he joins an array of characters among the crew. The voyage marks a turning point for
Antigone and all those who sailed in her. In this first-person narrative, the author
draws upon his own experience on similar ships, capturing evocatively the sights,
smells, and day-to-day life aboard a cargo liner during the last great days of the
Merchant Navy. Contains passages of a sexual nature. TB 11153.
Wouk, Herman
The 'Caine' mutiny. 1951. Read by Marvin Kane, 21 hours 30 minutes. TB 2747.
The story of a curious episode of near mutiny in a destroyer-minesweeper engaged
on escort duty in the Pacific in 1944. TB 2747.
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www.rnib.org.uk/readersforum and post your review on the Forum".
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