
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Menrva Books earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more
'Captivate, kill or destroy the whole force of the enemy' was the order given to the American soldiers. THE FORT is the blistering new novel from worldwide bestseller Bernard Cornwell. Summer 1779. Seven hundred and fifty British soldiers and three small ships of the Royal Navy. Their orders: to build a fort above a harbour to create a base from which to control the New England seaboard. Forty-one American ships and over nine hundred men. Their orders: to expel the British. The battle that followed was a classic example of how the best-laid plans can be disrupted by personality and politics, and of how warfare can bring out both the best and worst in men. It is a timeless tale of men at war, written by a master storyteller.
In the summer of 1779, a clash of wills and military strategy erupts as American forces attempt to dislodge a British contingent establishing a strategic fort on the New England coast. The narrative follows the escalating tension between the British occupiers and the American attackers, whose conflicting orders and internal political squabbles threaten to derail their respective missions. Through a multi-perspective lens, the story examines the friction between rigid military hierarchy and the chaotic reality of combat. The narrative framework emphasizes the logistical constraints of 18th-century naval and land warfare, highlighting how individual ego often dictates the outcome of large-scale operations.
This work is characterized by the author's signature focus on the granular mechanics of historical warfare and the fallibility of human leadership. The narrative avoids romanticizing the conflict, instead presenting a clinical look at the strategic blunders that defined the Penobscot Expedition. Readers likely find the pacing to be methodical, reflecting the slow, deliberate nature of 18th-century military campaigns. The thematic focus remains firmly on the interplay between individual personality and the broader, often indifferent, machinery of war.
Page Count:
464
Publication Date:
2010-09-02
Publisher:
HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN-10:
0007331738
ISBN-13:
9780007331734
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!