G S Beard Discussion

Only recently read these for the first time. A good read and fit in well with the genre but I think that's all I can say

Hi all and I am glad to be aboard.

I have just read the two John Fury books by GS Beard and whilst I did think initialy that this could be a Hornblower rip off.... I am very gald to say that this is not the case.

John Fury is a splendid hero and I really look forward to more books in the series, if you have not read them, do please give them a try - a great read on a summer's afternoon.

Andy

Moved to discussion thread (Link thread should have been locked. oops!)

I've just read the two (so far?) books in thsi series. I had them on my list to read and then found them in "The Works" a discount book store for £1.99 each. My thoughts about the books are as follows (lifted from another forum).


Mr Midshipman Fury.
This is the first book in a new series featuring John Fury. Set in 1792 aboard HMS Amazon a 28 gun frigate. It is always interesting to try out a new series of naval adventures and this is a cracking book.

There are quite a few battles which are explained in nicely gruesomeness. Unusually for this type of novel the way the ship is worked is explained in some detail, but without being boring or too technical. This was such a good book that I have already started the next book in the series.


Lieutenant Fury.
The second novel featuring John Fury follows immediately on from Mr Midshipman Fury and is as good as its predecessor.

In this story Fury is transferred to a 78gun ship of the line which is part of Lord Hood's fleet when the British briefly occupy Toulon. Set both on land and see Fury has the usually excessive number of adventures that are appropriate for this type of novel. There is plenty of action, very little intrigue or politics and a bit of romance. Nothing high brow then, just good fun.

This looks like it could be a great series of naval adventures and I hope that there are more to come. This book was first published in 2007 and I hope we don't have to wait too long for another.


Not the world's greatest reviews I accept but then I am a reader not a writer.

Hi, tagesmann, and welcome!

This looks like a good series, and starting at a suitable time. Yet another writer who has chosen a 28 gun sixth rate "Jackass" - not surprising as they were handy little ships, (although soon to become obsolete).

i recently read these and liked them and posted reviews here http://hubpages.com/hub/Midshipman-Fury before I was even aware this site existed. Only found it when I ws searching for more Fury/G S Beard info.

Does anyone have any idea/heard rumours when the third will be published.?

Welcome. Those are good reviews.

valbond wrote:Does anyone have any idea/heard rumours when the third will be published.?

I've been checking for news of book 3 for over a year now with no sign of any information about it. I'm beginning to wonder if there will be a book 3 as there was only 1 year between the first 2 coming out, but it's been 3 years now.

Astrodene wrote:

I've been checking for news of book 3 for over a year now with no sign of any information about it. I'm beginning to wonder if there will be a book 3 as there was only 1 year between the first 2 coming out, but it's been 3 years now.

I wonder if a letter to the publisher to be forwarded to the author would yield any dividends?

Here is a little interview he gave to the North Lincolnshire Council:

http://www.northlincs.gov.uk/NorthLincs/Leisure/libraries/NYR/CelebrityReaders/G.S.Beard.htm

pipester wrote:Here is a little interview he gave to the North Lincolnshire Council:

http://www.northlincs.gov.uk/NorthLincs/Leisure/libraries/NYR/CelebrityReaders/G.S.Beard.htm

Thanks pipester. Show's he like historical naval fiction, but doesn't really get us closer to when his next book will be available - unless I missed something.

valbond wrote:I wonder if a letter to the publisher to be forwarded to the author would yield any dividends?

According to Random House site

If you wish to contact an author please do so BY LETTER ONLY and send it the author c/o Publicity Department, Random House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA. Your letter will be forwarded to them immediately if we have their details on record.

Seems if you wish to write you might get somewhere.

I'm about three quarters of the way through Mr Midshipman Fury, and I'm very glad I bought Lieutenant Fury to follow it with. Early on it does sometimes feel as if Mr Beard is including some technical terms just for the sake of it - 'see, I know these things too' soundbytes - but as you read it becomes apparent that he does, indeed, know his stuff. Good action, and he avoids too much modern language. Recommended.

I received this from rick via PM a few weeks ago. It was probably intended to appear here so I will post it for him:

I have just read "Lieutenant Fury", my first encounter with G. S. Beard's work, I have to say that I found the book both entertaining and technically very accurate. Only one serious navigational error - the Eddystone Light should be moved from the Needles to it's proper location Some miles south of Rame Head in Cornwall in any future re-print.

Just ordered Mr Midshipman Fury as an intro to Beard. Looking forward to it.

Just finished Midshipman Fury. I enjoyed it: it's well written and gets us into the thick of things though I thought there were a few too many overly detailed technicalities.

My main beef is with the characterisation of Fury, who suddenly goes from a skylarking day-dreamer to an heroic leader in the space of a couple of pages. He is soon doing things and making decisions that you expect of a much more experienced officer than a 17 year old midshipman.

However, as I said, I liked it.

I just found "Mr Midshipman Fury" in a discount bookshop, haven't read it yet but it looks promising. Given the comments here I've ordered the second book," Lieutenant Fury" from Ebay for the princely sum of £3.00 delivered!

Well, I read both books over the past few days whilst holidaying in St Malo, and I really enjoyed them both. As has been said, they are technically good and the second, Mr Midshipman Fury ends in a way which definitely leads me to believe that a third book was intended.

I think I'll try and get in touch with Mr Beard or his publisher to see if anything further is forthcoming, it would be a shame to just stop with an unfinished story.

Paul-B wrote:I think I'll try and get in touch with Mr Beard or his publisher to see if anything further is forthcoming

Please keep us updated if you do

No luck with finding anything on the Internet. I've sent an email to the This Is Lincolnshire site, but I think I'll write to the publisher as in the previous post and hope to get an answer.
Will keep you all updated.

Greetings everyone, just found the group and I am sure I will find it most helpful as I am an enthusiastic amateur on the subject and I am now enjoying my retirement by reading as much 1793-1815 Naval Fiction as I can.

I enjoyed Midshipman Fury but find Lieutenant Fury, my current read, spoiled by a couple of points 1) It starts with him on his way home from the East Indies and having experienced Cutting out expeditions, Boat Actions and fights with Privateers. This is 1793 and they don't know if they are at war with France yet so who were they fighting for 2 years? and 2) He appears to go very quickly from New Entry to Lieutenant, I don't think that even Lord Cochrane did it that quickly and he had 'book time', was older and an uncle who was a very senior Captain, and alive.

Despite those points, they are good yarns and won't stop me reading them.

I bought these books together soon after the 2nd book Lieutenant Fury was released in 2007. Has all the "markings" of a new series: beginning in 1792 just as things are heating up on the continent, comes to join as a midshipman, comes from a "naval family" (but with a "checkered" past). While I've seen variations of this story before (lighthearted middy cast into the furnace of combat and comes out the acting Lieutenant made of steel) its worked before and probably always will, at least for me. Both books were "good reads" to me, so I'm ready for book #3.

But herein lies the problem...."where is book #3", it's been 5 years since the release of Lieutenant Fury. The author is only 37 years of age. However, he's a "full time" accountant and that appears to be his primary vocation. He hasn't (to my knowledge) published any other books. His bio from just a few years back states that he's totally into HNF in the AOS.

Has anyone written the publisher? (Century/Random House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 2SA) If not, I will give it a go and report back.

On the 3rd Dec 2013 I wrote to the publishers with a letter to be forwarded to G S Beard, asking for an update, or even replying here on the site. So far no replies.

hi all this is my first post on hnf having been a big reader of lots of naval books. having read all the obrian and smalley books I thought I would give g s beard a read. and found I enjoyed both books. can anyone tell me if the author is writing any more.!

No new book has surfaced as yet, and I have still had no replies from the publisher!

does anyone know if g s beard still writes books or has he given up for good. as its been a long time since his last book ?

If memory serves he was quite young when he wrote them. I suspect he had a job which he decided was the best way forward career wise