Hold Fast

Wow! Wow!Wow! Every once in a while I read a book that I know will take the book world by storm and , like here, will be the first of a great series. Hold Fast is historical fiction at its finest-well written, complex( but not too complex) , great characters and a real sense of history without being heavy handed. Obviously, an homage to O’Brian and Fleming ( the author says so in his afterword), it just great. If you like historical fiction that will thrill you , this is the book for you. Can’t wait to read the next one.!

For any novel involved the Age of Sail, the Royal Navy, and/or the Napoleonic Wars, comparisons to Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series are both inevitable and, often, unflattering to the newer book. J.H. Gelernter's historical spy adventure, Hold Fast, is one of the few that can come out of such a comparison with its head held high.

Hold Fast's hero is one Captain Thomas Grey, formerly of naval intelligence, and recently a widower. The loss of his brilliant and beloved wife provides the emotional drive for the story, as Grey is consistently motivated by his desire for revenge against the French captain whose ship was responsible for her death. In search of that revenge, as well as the possibility of a major intelligence coup against Bonaparte's France, Grey abandons his plan to retire to Boston, goes undercover in enemy territory, survives torture as well as plenty of duels and battles, and generally James Bonds around France. It's an exciting, swashbuckling tale from start to finish, and well worth the attention of fans of C.S. Forester, Bernard Cornwell, and of course Patrick O'Brian (with the note that it spends far more time on land than at sea, and bears more of a resemblance to Maturin's espionage escapades than Aubrey's naval battles). I can only hope it's the start of a new series, and that I'll be able to read more of Captain Grey's adventures in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for the advance review copy!


Content warnings: Violence, death, war, torture, sexual assault.

Espionage and the high seas is what Hold Fast holds for its readers. Deep in the Napoleonic Wars, Thomas Gray, former Marine and current agent in His Majesty's Secret Service, has decided to chuck it all in. The tragic loss of his beloved wife has changed his perspective and he feels that it's time for a new start.

As he begins his journey to a new life in Boston, he's made an interesting offer to spy for the French government when he's mistaken for a disgruntled English officer. Gray sees an opportunity to not only gain intelligence for the British, but a bonus comes about when he's put in the path of the Frenchman who is responsible for his wife's death.

Definitely action-packed, this had the feel of a Georgian-era James Bond, which is an excellent thing in my book. I believe that this is the first in a new series but I'm uncertain on that. If it is though, I'm more than eager to ship out with Thomas Gray again if a second book is forthcoming. Out in May.