REVIEW: Captain's Surrender, Alex Beecroft

[julian_griffith]

Captain's Surrender by Alex Beecroft

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Now this is what a romance is supposed to BE.

I will admit, Age of Sail is my home ground. And I can't get enough of the forbidden-love trope, so historical m/m is perfect for me, because it's an organic part of the setting, and not achieved by contrivances. But, that said...

Josh and Peter are both engaging, realistically flawed, sympathetic characters. The plot goes along at a crisp pace, with plenty of action, nail-biting tension, and strong emotions, not all of which are related to the developing romance. Okay, I'm also a sucker for crazy-tyrant-captain and floating-hell scenarios, because of reasons, but they're scenarios that come up a lot in Age of Sail fiction, because of probably the same reasons (look, do I have to be delicate about it? Mutiny and Retribution are masterworks of storytelling) and I've seen them done abysmally as often as I've seen them done well. This was done with consummate skill: I could feel every shout, every flinch, every tremble. The historical detail, as far as I could tell, was flawless -- I'm more at home about twenty-five years later, but I couldn't see a single error. Do you have any idea what a relief that is? And a joy? The details of shipboard life, and of battle... if I could do them even half as well, I might feel more confident including them, instead of sticking to drawing rooms and inns and cottage kitchens. My hat's off.

And the romance! The unbalanced nature of it, the way the characters' emotions build and shift, the frustrating misunderstandings that were completely plausible instead of making me want to shake them and say "just TALK to each other, for God's sake" -- no, they talked to each other, but they still managed to talk past each other in ways that were utterly believable and heartbreaking. And the final resolution was glorious.

And not ONCE did this story make me uncomfortable by presenting non-consent as acceptable or romantic. These men CHECKED. Even when they were being passionate and fierce, there was never a time when either of them forced the other or ignored a sign of discomfort. This shouldn't HAVE to be a relief, but it was, and I am most thoroughly grateful.

THIS is a romance. THIS is what I want from my stories. I cannot speak too highly of it. Go forth and read.





View all my reviews

Comments

[alex_beecroft]

Hee! Thank you so much for this review. I'm really glad that you enjoyed it, and even more glad about the reasons you enjoyed it, because all of those things were important to me. (Including the het ship.)

(I've never actually read Mutiny or Retribution - are they from Hornblower? That's a fandom I've never been in. But I'm kind of a secret Captain Bligh sympathizer. So my fascination comes from Mutiny on the Bounty. The man clearly was not cut out for command, despite being one of the world's most brilliant navigators. I can easily see myself being exactly like him - too laid back most of the time, snapping into too vicious on random occasions which no one could predict. A recipe for everyone being both badly disciplined and horribly anxious and on edge all the time.)

Anyway, sorry about that tangent. What I meant was 'thank you so much' :)

[julian_griffith]

Mutiny and Retribution are two episodes, really a two-part single episode, from the TV version of Hornblower, taken from the book "Lieutenant Hornblower". Have to admit I was visualizing David Warner (THAT source's crazy captain) for yours!

And yes, ouch, Captain Bligh. That's one case where I find the historical record more compelling than the fictional version, interestingly enough. Watching the Marlon Brando movie along with people who know enough history to provide running commentary on which bits weren't true... brilliant.

I CAN'T EVEN with how much dreadful romance I've run across lately. Yours was a breath of fresh air and a welcome relief. I have a funny feeling that I'm going to be using your titles as "unicorn chasers" after horrid ones, from now on.

[alex_beecroft]

Ah, I tried to watch Hornblower, but I only managed the first three episodes. I don't know why it just didn't do it for me - it should have! Maybe it was because I'd tried the books first, and Hornblower himself is such a Mary Sue in them that they gave me a prejudice against the TV version.

Yes, the Mutiny on the Bounty film is awful in terms of nuance and accuracy. Poor Bligh's fault was more like indecision than tyranny, and he might even have done better if he could have been harsher but more steady/predictable, so that his crew could learn how to work around him. But all mutinies are probably fascinating, because humans are, in general, very good at regulating power structures so that they don't break down - so something very out of the ordinary has to be happening if they do.

*g* I've often thought that I wasn't really very Romantic, because I know exactly what you mean. Have an emergency unicorn as well.

[julian_griffith]

Book Hornblower is KIND of a Mary Sue who also, in his head, is Eeyore. I may have perpetuated a fandom joke about artichokes for thistles because of that.

Movie Hornblower is less unrelievedly gloomy, and also he is Ioan Gruffudd in (and out) of a snazzy uniform, and the movies are super slashy and full of things that push my hurt/comfort buttons (did I mention bulletproof kink?) so, well, I'm hooked.

[alex_beecroft]

I have to admit that Ioan Gruffudd might be part of the problem for me. I could only start to see the attraction by the time he was Reed Richards in the Fantastic 4 film, and he was a lot older by then. (And I still preferred DOOM ;) )

[julian_griffith]

The trouble I had with Reed Richards was that I could LOOK at him and see the handsome fellow I knew, but his voice was ALL WRONG! I can handle Jamie Bamber having both Archie-voice and Apollo-voice -- actually a lot of others, too, he does really fine shadings of class register, from what I can tell with an American ear -- his default interview voice isn't as posh as Archie but is more so than Matt Devlin, etc. -- BUT ANYWAY I can adapt to him having a Brit voice AND an American voice and still know it's him, but I expect Ioan to sound like Ioan (mmm delicious Welsh accent with the rolled Rs) and that American voice threw me. If I'm only half-watching a movie, how am I supposed to know when to look at the screen if I don't hear the pretty one's voice? :P

And I like him looking all young and doe-eyed and okay I'll stop now.

[alex_beecroft]

I think I must just like them older in general because I think Jamie Bamber is much improved these days too. He didn't do anything for me in Hornblower either. Maybe it was the dreadful haircuts... Maybe I've just got no taste :) I think that's probably it.

My daughter is studying as an actor at the moment and it's amazing how much skill and thought goes into it. Far more than most actors get credited with.

[julian_griffith]

My teenager has been studying acting since age ten and plans to major in theater at college starting next year, so I agree with you!

And... well, Archie's hair was pretty bad. But Ioan's CURLS! <3 Besides, I like the young ones. Though candids this summer (when Jamie's hair was all sun-bleached) made him look like a grown-up Archie, and I MELTED.