See also Nautical Fiction 

Tom Connery, A Shred of Honour.
Lieutenant George Markham, disliked by his fellow officers who think him a cowardly Irishman, takes a motley assortment of Royal Marines ashore at Toulon for training exercises. First in a series.

Bernard Cornwell, Sharpe’s Rifles.
Raised from the ranks, Lieutenant Richard Sharpe of the 95th Rifles must earn the trust of his men as he leads them through the enemy-infested mountains of Spain. First in a series.

C. S. Forester, Mr. Midshipman Hornblower.
Seventeen-year-old Horatio Hornblower is considered quite old for a midshipman, and on top of that he’s seasick, but he soon finds his sea legs as well as confidence in his abilities as a sailor and a leader. First in a series.

Anthony Forrest, A Balance of Dangers.
In 1807, Captain John Valcourt Justice is sent to Copenhagen on a vital mission to prevent the Danish fleet from falling into Napoleon’s hands. Part of a series.

James Hall, Doctor Dogbody’s Leg.
A series of tales told by a salty old seadog with a peg leg vividly bring to life the glory and hardships of the age of fighting sail.

Georgette Heyer, An Infamous Army.
The events in Brussels leading up to Waterloo, the battle itself, and its horrific aftermath are brought to life this compelling romance.

Alexander Kent, Signal, Close Action!
As commodore of a newly formed squadron, Richard Bolitho must seek out a massive and well-armed French armada that is rumored to be in the Mediterranean. Part of a series.

Dewey Lambdin, Jester’s Fortune.
A libertine who was forced into the Royal Navy by his stepfather, Alan Lewrie now commands the H.M.S. Jester on patrol in the Adriatic after Napoleon’s invasion of Italy. Part of a series.

William Mack, Captain Kilburnie.
Rising swiftly through the ranks, Fergus Kilburnie becomes one of the first Scotsmen to captain a King’s Ship despite the prejudices of his fellow officers and the distrust of his crew.

Allan Mallinson, A Close Run Thing.
A young officer of the Light Dragoons witnesses the Battle of Waterloo and its aftermath.

Frederick Marryat, Mr. Midshipman Easy.
Written in 1836 by a captain who served under the legendary Lord Cochrane, this is the humorous tale of ‘Equality Jack’ Easy who enters the Royal Navy with some peculiar notions of the way a ship ought to be run.

Kenneth Maynard, Lieutenant Lamb.
After six years as a midshipman, Matthew Lamb finally gets his lieutenant’s commission and embarks on a series of adventures at sea and in port. First in a series.

Patrick O’Brian, Master & Commander.
It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship when Jack Aubrey invites Stephen Maturin to be the ship’s surgeon on his new command the Sophie on patrol in the Mediterranean. First in a series.

C. Northcote Parkinson, Devil to Pay.
A lieutenant with no connections or hopes for promotion is given the opportunity to command a customs vessel and combat smuggling between England and France.

Leo Perutz, The Marquis of Bolibar.
A mysterious marquis promises to help the Spanish guerillas recapture a town held by a garrison of German troops fighting for Napoleon.

Dudley Pope, Ramage.
On direct orders from Lord Nelson, Lieutenant Nicholas Ramage sails his tiny cutter to the Italian shore to rescue a group of aristocrats from Napoleon’s advancing army. 1st in a series.

Patrick Rambaud, The Battle.
A vivid depiction of the 1809 Battle of Essling, in which Napoleon confronted the forces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire certain of victory but soon found his troops struggling against the terrain and their overwhelming manpower.

Richard Woodman, Decision at Trafalgar.
Nathaniel Drinkwater is on his way to take command of his first ship of the line when he is captured by the Spanish and witnesses the Battle of Trafalgar from a unique perspective. Part of a series.