Stories of the Napoleonic Wars at Sea

These exciting tales of the sea take place in 1793 to 1846, with special focus on the years of the Napoleonic Wars. The first nine books tell the story of Benjamin Rundel, who begins as an orphan. He is nobody from nowhere who gets all of the dirty jobs the Admiralty does not want to wish on others. Through his intelligence and courage, Ben works his way up through the ranks and becomes a Port Admiral in the British navy.

The tenth book tells the story of “Nasty Jack,” a British naval officer who takes the opposite path from Ben, and ends up becoming an opium addict.

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  • Humble Launching - 1787

    This is the story of a young boy growing up at sea and facing many challenges from the four terrible ship’s boys to a vindictive leftenant. We experience the Napoleonic Wars through his eyes and those of his friend, Thomas Murphy. It is pumped with action and still shows the challenges that make Benji a fine captain under often near impossible odds.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords

  • Midshipman Rundel - 1795

    Rundel, now 15, is faced with slavers, pirates, court martial, tropical diseases and other challenges, but his determination to succeed brings him home safely.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords

  • Mediterranean Madness - 1797

    After fighting in several battles, including Tenerife, Ben is assigned to the ship Helena, whose crew really did mutiny. Ben is assigned to this hell ship because he gave testimony against an incompetent captain who turned and ran at the battle of Camperdown and whose family has an M.P. and influence. Ben survives to fight at Aboukir Bay.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords

  • The Adventures of Leftenant Rundel - 1797-1799

    Ben Rundel learns to handle a bomb boat, serves at Quiberon Bay and Kilalla Bay, struggles through the tropical jungle, dives for treasure and learns about pagan drums in the Caribbean.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords

  • Forever Leftenant Rundel - 1800-1803

    Ben serves under an incompetent captain and must cover for him, while building invaluable experience as a captain. He and his disciplined crew managed to capture a number of French ships. He is captured off The Goodwin Sands while serving as Lord Nelson’s scribe and is forced to serve as an oarsman on a ‘centipede’ (smuggler), but survives to fight at Copenhagen. When the truce comes, he is beached and finds himself working as a boat wright.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords

  • Captain Rundel I - 1803-1806

    Ben serves aboard Lord Nelson’s ship at Trafalgar, attends his funeral, survives the storm afterwards and finally meets his lady love. After a short courtship, he is engaged to her and sets off for the Pacific with orders to evaluate the west coast of America to see if there are resources that England can use when the war ends. He gets the upper hand when his men mutiny, but he returns to England to find not a trace of the woman he loves.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords

  • Captain Rundel II - 1806-1809

    Ben struggles with ship wreckers and the capture of the wrong ship after a peace treaty has been signed. He is sent off to the Caribbean with a crew of ‘goalies’ who want no part of sailing or war. By accident he meets the woman who was his nurse when he was a child only to learn his real name, which distresses him deeply. He and his friend, Tom, end up chasing gold in Australia (New Holland) with endless adventures and mighty ice bergs in the Antarctic.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords

  • Captain Rundel III - 1810-1813

    Ben is sent to the White Sea to meet an informant with news on the progress of Napoleon’s army in Russia. When the informant fails to show and brigands waylay him in the night, he has to struggle hundreds of miles overland to his ship which is fast freezing into the White Sea.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords

  • Admiral Rundel - 1814-1846

    Now a port admiral, Ben struggles to maintain his sanity amongst piles of papers and petitioners. He finds a short release by getting command of the ship that takes Napoleon to St. Helena. Ben asks the little emperor some pointed questions at supper and gets some unexpected answers. When he retires, he builds a new life with friends and continues to find adventure on land and at sea.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords

  • Nasty Jack - 1793-1820

    Jack is one of those sailors who can smile while plotting evil. He manages to fool most of the officers with his politeness, but when no one is looking, he abuses his crew ruthlessly. Eventually he leaves the navy and gets involved with opium in China. His end comes when it all catches up with him at Barbados. Jack is the opposite of Ben Rundel.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords

  • Condor

    Condor is a young man who is in love with the sea, but his twin brother, Hugh, does not share his passion. Thirst for adventure puts the two young men on a ship with Francis Drake. When his brother mysteriously disappears, Condor risks the wrath of Drake on several occasions while he seeks his brother both in Panama and Europe. This is a story of brotherly devotion, greed, cruelty and revenge.   Buy on Amazon   Buy on Smashwords