The Eighteenth Captain

by Nicholas Nicastro

This literate and witty novel profiles the complex character of John Paul Jones as he navigates the military, political and romantic battlefields of Revolutionary America and France. Rousing sea... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0935526544
• ISBN13: 9780935526547
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: McBooks Press
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

highly recommended

In all, enjoyable, readable, and sometimes surprising. There is an afterword acknowledging the embroidery of the truth. A raised eyebrow about the details prevents me from applauding the historical veracity of this novel. Nevertheless, the story told more than adequately compensates for this. As it is not meant to be a history, but historical fiction, the book succeeds admirably and is highly recommended.

A blind date with a boat

John Paul Jones, I've learned, is passionate, sympathetic, kind, and merciful. John Paul Jones also possesses the horrifying qualities of a dictatorial and cruel son of a bitch. Jones's autocratic, over-the-top actions fit with the history we know. Mr. Nicastro does an amazing job of placing the distressingly human characteristics of this captain into the structure of facts that often resist personality. Reading about his two main characters felt like being on two enduring first dates. There were times when John Paul Jones charmed me. I wanted to fall in love with his tales of battle and conquest. My other rendezvous, however, was with the narrator, Severence. Gentler and possibly more worldly, he edged out the competition with observations that rewrote John Paul Jones into an authority figure who was less than authoritative although sympathetic. The novel's sexiness, while truly sexy, often sassy, and on occasion very naughty, serves to do more than satisfy adult appetites. Sex creates a physical tension between key characters that mirrors the political tensions Jones was trying to overcome. It also more clearly draws Jones as a man seduced by all kinds of success. A brazen reviewer might suggest that Nick Nicastro considers that possibility a quiet truth for every character he's created.

A captivating and amusing story about John Paul Jones

This is a good example of the old adage, "You can't tell a book by it's cover". At first glance the reader might expect a lusty romantic novel, but instead Mr. Nicastro's novel of John Paul Jones is a pleasant and memorable read, the kind of prose one likes to savor in large doses. He sets his tale up in France at the turn of the 18th Century, using the characters and the vernacular language to put the reader in the tone of the times. As the events of the American Revolution and the early exploits of our hero unfold, using now the present day vernacular, this reader was captivated by the stories. They were at once easy to follow and very often quite witty and clever. Without giving the entire novel away, let me say that fictitious characters blend so well with the real people and the real events blend so well with the humorous interpretations that one would like to believe that every detail was, in fact, true. The story, and the writing of it, is so good that I hope we shall have a sequel to enjoy for next summer's favorite book of the season!

This sexy adventure teems with rich historical detail.

Gripped by the flawed bravado of John Paul Jones, I was further pulled in by the book's clever framing device--a bet that revolves around a potential menage a trois. Nicholas Nicastro delivers an amusing historical tale that takes the reader in directions one would never expect from a book about America's first naval hero. Though the author presents the virtues of his character he seems to take greater relish presenting the character's flaws--a tactic that only adds to the reader's enjoyment while giving flesh and blood to an, up-until-now, dusty figure in American Revolutionary lore. Forget about high school history books that describes Jones in one paragraph with the inevitable quote "I have not yet begun to fight." Did he actually say this? Who cares seems to be Nicastro's answer as he departs from this tired question, and doesn't even bother with that particular battle, when it was supposedly stated. Nicastro instead takes us into lesser known, choppier waters--more day to day battles that Jones fought as an imperious gnat leading an almost non-existent American navy against the powerful seafaring British. Jones's incursions against the Brits, as amusingly described in this book, amount to strange, even funny, misadventures. The book also gets into Jones's post-war hobnobbing in France with such dignitaries as a very randy Benjamin Franklin.As a lover of history and very human adventures I was only disappointed that the book wasn't longer. This fan waits with excitement for Nicastro's second book. If the author actually reads these, he should know that he's building a fan base.

A fantastic voyage for the reader

Having a keen interest of both historical figures and great plots...this book was truly a treat. Nicholas Nicastro mananged to mix fact and fiction in a way that captivated me from cover to cover. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the great pasttime called reading.