Thieves of Mercy, by James L. Nelson

James L. Nelson

Nelson (1962-) is an American historical nautical novelist. He was born in Lewiston, Maine. He attended University of Massachusetts, Amherst and UCLA.

He lives in Harpswell, Maine with his wife, Lisa, and their children Betsy, Nate, Jack and Abbey.

Bibliography, James L. Nelson

1. Revolution at Sea series:

  • By Force of Arms (1997)
  • The Maddest Idea (1997)
  • The Continental Risque (1998)
  • Lords of the Ocean (1999)
  • All the Brave Fellows (2001)
2. Brethren of the Coast series: 3. Other novels:
  • Glory in the Name (2004)
  • Thieves of Mercy (2005)
  • Reign of Iron: The Story of the First Battling Ironclads (2004)
  • The Only Life that Mattered (2004)
4. Non-fiction:
  • Benedict Arnold's Navy: the Ragtag Fleet that Lost the Battle of Lake Champlain But Won the American Revolution (2006)
  • George Washington's Secret Navy: How the American Revolution Went to Sea (2008)
Read more: James L. Nelson's official web site, Interview, Wikipedia,

I am a great lover of naval fiction and a fan of authors like Patrick O’Brian, C.S. Forester, Alexander Kent, Dewey Lambdin and others. They tell great and very Thieves of Mercy, by James L. Nelson entertaining stories about the exploits of fictional heroes in the Royal Navy in the historical fiction tradition. Nelson writes in the same tradition, and is actually a very good writer, but his subject matter in this and some other books is the Navy of the United States. In this book, dealing with the Civil War, he actually writes about the Confederate Navy, including the famous battles of Plum Point and Memphis. I found this very interesting and also feel that I learned a few things!

Also, while most of the naval fiction literature is about sail ships, this book deals with strange new ships built by the navies of the US, called Ironclads. It features two of the most famous of these ships – the CNN Virginia and the USS Monitor. They were ugly beasts fueled by steam power, with lots of firepower and framed with iron to protect them. And some of them even had rams!

In this second nautical adventure set during the Civil War, following Glory in the Name: A Novel of the Confederate Navy, Nelson offers a both a rousing plot based on actual historical events – as far as I can tell, pretty well researched - seafaring detail, naval battles quite different from the ones we are used to reading about in books from the age of sails, and interesting American frontier type characters. The characters are more than just a tad different from the comparatively stiff and disciplined British naval officers we are used to – these guys and gals are spirited, very lively, wild and at times quite unruly. Refreshingly so, actually.

The book starts in the spring of 1862. Confederate Lt. Samuel Bowater has been given command of one of the two new ironclads being built by the Confederate Navy, the CNN Tennessee. While he awaits his new command, he attends to such diverse matters as ghostwriting a dime novel, using the plot of Hamlet, for "Mississippi" Mike Sullivan, captain of the ram General Page, and later taking Sullivan's side when the captain thinks a troupe of Shakespearean actors has plagiarized his work. However, Union troops and ships are advancing, and it's not at all certain Bowater will be able to weigh anchor in time to evade capture.

While waiting, Bowater and his men sail on a side-wheel ram, engage in several naval battles, and generally try to wreck as much havoc as possible on the enemy.

At the same time, Bowater's lover, Wendy Atkins, is trying to escape Norfolk, Va., before the city falls to the Yankees. In this effort, she has the help of her free-spirited Aunt Molly and the hindrance of Union Lt. Roger Newcomb. After making their way out of burning Norfolk, Wendy and Molly have an improbable if diverting meeting with Abraham Lincoln.

Nelson tells a nice tale, very entertaining. Some of his characters, most notably Mississippi Mike, Wendy and Aunt Molly, are perhaps a too broadly drawn – to the extent where they become caricatures of caricatures. Mississippi Mike is described as "the hardest drivin, hardest drinkin, most dangerous son of a whore riverboat man on the Western Waters." Even so, Thieves of Mercy is a very interesting and well written tale of the Confederate navy.

Links to books by James L. Nelson at amazon US, amazon US, and amazon CAN.

Revolution at Sea Trilogy: By Force of Arms

This is the first book in James L. Nelson’ By Force of Arms, by James L. Nelson series of nautical fiction set in the revolutionary war era. The key character is Captain Isaac Biddlecomb, an American smuggler. He not a hero, but rather an ordinary American living in an extraordinary time. Biddlecomb's sidekick is Ezra Rumstick, part-time patriot, part-time smuggler, full-time friend, and his nemesis is Captain James Wallace, the thoroughly professional commander of the HMS Rose.

Pursued by the H.M.S. Rose, he sacrificed the ship he loved to the depths, and the fortune he stood to gain, rather than surrender. As a consequence, he has to run and hide while he is waiting for a new ship.

Then, on a brig bound for Jamaica, serving as a lowly mate, he is captured by the British and pressed into service in the Royal Navy under the mad captain and sadistic crew of the H.M.S. Icarus.

By Force of Arms is a good and entertaining novel of action and adventure. It is not on par with Patrick O’Brian or C.S. Forester, but even so Nelson spins a pretty good tale. This book is exciting at times, but also has some flaws. The characters are somewhat one-dimensional, and their dominant trait is stubbornness. I only recommend this for fans of James L. Nelson and readers with a special interest in naval fiction set in the revolutionary era in America.

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