Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Midshipman Bolitho  By  cover art

Midshipman Bolitho

By: Alexander Kent
Narrated by: Michael Jayston
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $16.36

Buy for $16.36

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Richard Bolitho - Midshipman

October 1772, Portsmouth. Sixteen-year-old Richard Bolitho waits to join the Gorgon, ordered to sail to the west coast of Africa and to destroy those who challenge the King's Navy. For Bolitho, and for many of the crew, it is a severe and testing initiation into the game of seamanship.

Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger

December 1773, Falmouth. The young Bolitho looks forward to a family Christmas in Cornwall while the Gorgon is refitted. But Cornwall is the treacherous stamping ground of smugglers and wreckers. After the murder of a revenue officer, Bolitho is swept aboard his brother's cutter, Avenger, on a dangerous mission of hide-and-seek.

©1975 Alexander Kent (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"One of our foremost writers of naval fiction...authentic, inspiring, well-characterised and, finally, moving." ( Sunday Times)

What listeners say about Midshipman Bolitho

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    179
  • 4 Stars
    90
  • 3 Stars
    23
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    179
  • 4 Stars
    61
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    155
  • 4 Stars
    70
  • 3 Stars
    20
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

This is *not* the book advertised.

They publishers information says all three of the novellas of Bolitho's early career as a Midshipman are included. They are *not*. Band of Brothers is not in this audiobook. And two chapters of Bolitho and the Avenger repeat so. Otherwise the narration is excellent and what is there is quite enjoyable. But we will never get to hear the details of the events leading up to Bolitho's appointment to Lieutenant.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

30 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Midshipman Bolitho

This is a good story. There was only one problem, somewhere around chapter 12 the narration began to repeat and reread about 4 chapters. The writer did his research. He was very specific about the workings of a ship of the times. However, I found the names of the characters made it difficult to follow the story and thus interfered with the flow. There were new characters introduced later but there was not enough time spent on them and who they were for me to get invested in there purpose. All in all it was a nice short story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Missing Chpaters...

The story and narration were as good as expected, but as others mentioned the book was not editing correctly and begins repeating chapters about 3/4 through.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good start

Missing band of brothers and does repeat two chapters. But good story.

The narration I think is good but a bit monotone. Doesn’t build up and carry excitement through action scenes as well as I’ve seen done with others.

But still good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Unexpected Pleasure

I found this to be my surprise favorite of this series. I found the narrator told the story in such a way that his presence was forgotten. I hit rewind and went through the last two chapters for a second pass. Please powers above, this story begs to be used for a movie.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Adventure!!!

The English navy in the late 18th century - this is the beginning of tge Bolitho adventures. Starting as a midshipman this audio book describes two of first adventures (there should have been three in book 1, but oddly the third tale is not here, nor in audio book 2). The tales are full of salt sea, tar and gunpowder, as they should be.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

Loved it. Great narrative. Keeps you wanting to listen to the whole thing at once

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

I look forward to hearing the entire saga. The author and the narrator have done an excellent job of entertaining this reader.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I'm a sailor at heart. loved the adventure.

I can sit back and just let the adventure consume my attention. a great tale.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

very enjoyable

I enjoyed the locales that the story takes place in, Cornwall and Africas west coast. I feel that the proper amount of attention was paid to rope&rigging or sailing lingo. sometimes I get tied up by all the different terms. I thought the narrator could have used a bit more variation between the characters but it was a very strong performance overall.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful