Previous Page

Kingston, W. H. G. 1814-1880 (Son of a merchant in Oporto, where he spent
  much of his youth. After some early books, a book for boys, PETER THE
  WHALER (1851), was immediately successful, and he followed it by more than
  150 similar books, simple in plot, full of adventures and escapes, and with
  a high moral tone. He also made numerous translations, including some of
  Jules Verne (L'ILE MYSTERIEUSE, etc.) which remain standards to the present
  day. Not listed here are several dozen books about adventures on land and
  other matters. Kingston's books went through many editions and revisions,
  and continued to be published well into the 20th century.)
     The Albatross; or, Voices from the Ocean. A Tale of the Sea, 1849
     The Ocean Queen and the Spirit of the Storm. A new Fairy tale of the
       Southern Seas, 1851
     Peter the Whaler; His early life, and adventures in the Arctic Regions
       and other parts of the World, 1851. (Kingston's first big success, it
       established the format for most later books. In the 1830s Peter Lefroy,
       wild son of vicar in Ireland, is sent off to sea in an emigrant ship
       bound for Quebec. After an horrific account of seven-day fire on board
       in which many die, Peter is rescued, gets to Canada, spends a few
       months in the fur trade, travels via Fort Dearborn (site of Chicago) to
       New Orleans, and goes off to sea again. His ship is captured by a
       pirate and Peter is forced to swear an oath of allegiance to the
       pirates, but successfully wrestles with his conscience to find a way of
       bringing the pirates to justice without breaking his oath. The pirates
       are captured by the US Navy and hanged and Peter joins a USN expedition
       to the Polar regions. His ship runs on iceberg drowning all except
       Peter and a few mates who are picked up by whaler and becomes members
       of the crew. Towards the end of the summer Peter's whaleboat is left
       stranded when the whaler is blown away by a storm, and the men spend
       the winter in the Arctic, befriended by Eskimos. Next summer they are
       picked up by a French whaling ship, but wrecked on the Irish coast.
       Peter survives, walks home, and lives happily ever after. Great
       descriptions of Arctic conditions, clearly based on contemporary
       travellers' accounts.)
     The Pirate of the Mediterranean. A Tale of the Sea, etc, 1851
     Mark Seaworth, a Tale of the Indian Ocean, 1852 (Infant Mark and his
       sister  are picked up from a boat adrift in the Atlantic and adopted by
       a rich Anglo-Indian who raises them in India then sends them home for
       schooling. On his return to India Mark finds that his sister was on a
       ship that has vanished in the pirate infested waters of the East
       Indies. He goes in search of her, finds a rascally American pirate
       captain who explains the mystery of his origins and is captured and
       enslaved by Borneo Dyaks, among other adventures along the way.)
     Salt Water; The Sea Life and adventures of Neil D'Arcy, the Midshipman,
       1857
     Old Jack: A Sea Tale, 1858 (An old sailor's account of his own
       adventures, during times of peace and of war, in many parts of the
       world.)
     A Voyage Round the World: A Tale for Boys, 1859 (A young sailor's account
       of his own adventures by sea and land, the scenes being laid chiefly in
       South America, the South Sea Islands and Japan.)
     Will Weatherhelm; or the Yarn of an Old Sailor, about his early life and
       adventures, 1859 (Maritime adventures of a Shetlander before and during
       the Napoleonic wars.)
     The Cruise of the "Frolic"; or, Yachting Experiments of Barnaby Brine,
       1860
     My First Voyage to Southern Seas, 1860. (Ralph Marsden sails to the
       Indian Ocean to seek his brother, who has left the Royal Navy in
       mysterious circumstances. Ralph survives various trials by his pluck
       and Christian steadfastness while others succumb to drink, bad living,
       or bad luck. Extensive descriptions of Ceylon, Aden, and East Africa in
       the 1840's.)
     True Blue; or the life and Adventures of a British Seaman of the Old
       School, 1861 (True Blue, born on a Royal Navy ship, serves all his life
       at sea, participating in various notable events.)
     Jack Buntline; or, Life on the Ocean, 1861
     Ronald Morton; or, The Fire Ships: A story of the Last Naval War, 1862
     The Three Midshipmen, 1862 (The first of a highly popular series, the
       others being the THREE LIEUTENANTS, THE THREE COMMANDERS, and THE THREE
       ADMIRALS. These books are 450 pages long and are full of adventures all
       over the world)
     Marmaduke Merry, the Midshipman, or My Early Days at Sea: A tale of naval
       adventure in bygone days, 1863 (Purports to be the memoirs of a
       midshipman serving in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars and as
       such is written in the first person. The varied life of a young officer
       (fourteen when he joins) is very entertainingly told and was probably
       much appreciated by the young lads it was obviously written for.)
     Paul Luggershall; or, The Lightship. A tale of the coast, 1865
     Washed Ashore; or, the Tower of Stormount Bay, 1866
     Paul Gerrard, the Cabin Boy, 1867
     The Perils and Adventures of Harry Skipwith by sea and land, etc, 1868
     Adrift in a Boat, 1869 (Napoleonic war period: two English lads are
       washed out to sea, picked up by a French privateer, wrecked in a West
       Indian hurricane and survive stranding on a desert key, among other
       trials and travails.)
     Our Fresh and Salt Water Tutors, 1869 (Adventures of lads by and on the
       sea. Preface states that it is a rewrite of a book by an American
       author.)
     At the South Pole; or, The Adventures of R. Pengelley, 1870
     In Eastern Seas: or The Regions of the Bird of Paradise; A tale for boys,
       1870 (A tale of voyage and adventure among the islands of the Malay
       Archipelago.)
     Off to Sea; or, The Adventures of Jovial Jack Junker on his road to fame,
       etc, 1870
     The Royal Merchant; or, events in the days of Sir Thomas Gresham, as
       narrated in the diary of E. Verner, whilom his Page and Secretary,
       during the reigns of Queens Mary and Elizabeth, 1870
     Sunshine Bill, 1870 (A boy's book: young Bill Sunnyside of Portsmouth,
       poor but honest and God-fearing, enters as ship's boy aboard the LILLY
       sloop-of-war, Captain Trevelyan. In the West Indies he has many
       adventures, during which his unfailing cheerfulness and resourcefulness
       help his shipmates survive hurricanes, shipwreck, marooning on a
       waterless islet in the Tortugas for many months, and capture by the
       French. They are released when Dominique, where they have been held
       captive, is conquered by British forces (1805).)
     Ben Burton; or born and bred at Sea, 1872
     The Fortunes of the "Ranger" and "Crusader." A tale of two ships. 1872
     The History of Little Peter the ship-boy, 1873
     Hurricane Hurry, the Adventures of a Naval Officer Afloat and on Shore,
       1873 (Claims to be based on the journal of a Royal Naval officer who
       participated in the American war of Independence; eye witness accounts
       of events leading up to Cornwallis' surrender.)
     Mary Liddiard; or the Missionary's Daughter. A tale of the Pacific, 1873
     Michael Penguyne; or, Fisher Life on the Cornish Coast, 1873
     The Young Whaler; or the Adventures of Archibald Hughson, 1873 (A
       Shetlander in the whaling trade.)
     Alone on an Island, 1874
     Charles Laurel: a story of adventure by sea and land, 1874
     Happy Jack, 1874 (Novella. Our hero remains unflaggingly cheerful through
       three shipwrecks and a massacre by Columbia River indians, from each of
       which he is the sole survivor. Entering his father's law practice back
       home begins to look good after all!)
     The San Fiorenzo and her Captain: narrated by Admiral M- , 1874 (Story.
       Kingston states that this is a factual account of one ship's
       experiences during the mutiny at the Nore given him by Admiral Mitford.
       Mitford was at the time of the mutiny (1797) a midshipman under Sir
       Harry Burrard Neale, Kingston's uncle and the captain of the SAN
       FIORENZO.)
     Tales of the Sea, etc, 1874 (Includes: Happy Jack; Uncle Boz; The "San
       Fiorenzo" and her Captain; 7 shorter tales.)
     The Three Lieutenants; or, Naval Life in the Nineteenth Century, 1874
       (Fighting slaving in the Caribbean)
     The Two Shipmates, 1874
     Uncle Boz, 1874 (Story. A Christmas tale of heroism in saving shipwrecked
       mariners.)
     The Child of the Wreck; or, the Loss of the Royal George, 1875
     Saved From the Sea, or, The Loss of the "Viper", and the Adventures of
      her crew in the Great Sahara, 1875 (A young sailor's account of his own
       adventures, along with three shipwrecked comrades.)
     The South Sea Whaler, the story of the loss of the CHAMPION and the
       adventures of her crew, 1875 (A tale of mutiny and the shipwreck of
       the whaler CHAMPION in the South Seas, the Captain having his son and
       daughter on board with him.)
     The Three Commanders; or, Active Service Afloat in Modern Days, 1875
     The "Ouzel" Galley: or, Notes from an old sea log, 1876
     Twice Lost, 1876 (A young sailor's story of shipwreck and perilous
       adventures in the wilds of Australia.)
     Yachting Tales, 1877
     Owen Hartley; or, Ups and Downs. A tale of the land and sea, 1877
     The Voyage of the "Steadfast"; or, the young missionaries in the Pacific,
       1877
     The Two Supercargoes, or adventures in Savage Africa, 1877
     The Three Admirals and the Adventures of Their Young Followers, 1877
     Antony Waymouth; or, the Gentlemen Adventurers, a chronicle of the sea,
       1878
     The Mate of the "Lily"; or, Notes from Harry Musgrave's log book, 1878
     Kidnapping in the Pacific, or The Adventures of Boas Ringdon, 1878
     The Rival Crusoes, etc., 1878
     A Yacht Voyage Round England, 1879
     The Two Whalers; or, Adventures in the Pacific, 1879
     Dick Cheveley: his Adventures and Misadventures, 1880
     The Boy who sailed with Blake; and The Orphans, 1880
     The Cruise of the "Dainty;" or, Rovings in the Pacific, 1880
     The Golden Grasshopper. A story of the days of Sir Thomas Gresham, 1880
     Voyages and Travels of Count Funnibos and Baron Stilkin, 1880
     Peter Trawl; or, The Adventures of a Whaler, 1881
     Roger Willoughby; or, the Times of Benbow. A tale of the sea and land,
       1881
     The Two Voyages; or, Midnight and Daylight, 1881
     James Braithwaite, the Supercargo: the story of his adventures, 1882
     Won from the Waves, or The Story of Maiden May, 1882
     Paddy Finn; or, The Adventures of a Midshipman Afloat and Ashore, 1883
     Happy Jack, and Other Tales of the Sea, 1889
     Uncle Boz and Other Tales of the Sea, 1889
     My First Cruise; or, Notes From Pringle Rushforth'S Sea Log, ?
     The Boatswain's Song: a tale of the sea, ?
     A Cruise on the Mersey, etc, ?
     The Cruise of the "Mary Rose,", ?
     From Powder Monkey to Admiral, ?

Kipling, Rudyard 1865-1936
     Captains Courageous, 1896 (filmed in 1937 and 1977. Set on the Grand
       Banks of Newfoundland, this story of the spoiled son of a railroad
       tycoon who must prove his worth aboard an American fishing schooner
       admirably captures the day-to-day workings of a 19th-century fisherman.
       An ageless tale that reads well.)
     The Day's Work, 1899 (Stories: The Ship That Found Herself; The Devil
       and the Deep Sea; Bread Upon the Waters; non-nautical stories.)
     The Day's Work Part II, 1904 (Stories: The Wreck of the Visigoth; The
       Lang Men O' Larut; Brugglesmith; non-nautical tales.)
     Traffics and Discoveries, 1904 (Stories: Their Lawful Occassions - Parts
       I and II; Steam Tactics; non-nautical tales.)
     Simple Simon, 1910 (Short story in the collection REWARDS AND FAIRIES
       featuring Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada.)
     Tramps, Explorers and Other Vessels (Poems: Sestina of the Tramp-Royal;
       The Liner She's A Lady; The "Mary Gloster"; The Ballad of the
       "Bolivar"; The Merchantmen; "Poor Honest Men"; White Horses; Song of
       the Wise Children; The Second Voyage; Mine Sweepers; The Wet Litany;
       My Boy Jack)

Kirk, Michael (Bill Knox, Noah Webster) 1928- (Books below may be shelved
  under any of the three noms de plume! Laird mysteries more likely under
  Kirk and Carrick ones more likely under Knox, but don't count on it.)
     Andrew Laird marine insurance investigator mysteries:
       All Other Perils, 1975
       Dragonship, 1976 (When the freighter VELELLA survives a fire off the
         coast of Denmark Andrew Laird is sent to handle the insurance payoff,
         but a routine assignment turns sinister when a charred body is found
         in the hold, along with two firebombs and the burned remains of a
         replica Viking ship. A terrorist group, the New World Revolution,
         claims responsibility for the fire, but Laird finds out otherwise,
         with the help of a charming Danish policewoman.)
       Salvage Job, 1978
       Cargo Risk, 1980
       Mayday From Malaga, 1983 (Marine insurance inspector Andrew laird dives
         on a half-sunken freighter off coast of Spain, finds more than he
         bargained for: mysterious cargo, a dead body, and nasty owner.)
       A Cut in Diamonds, 1986
       Witchline, 1988
     Scottish Fisheries Protection Officer Webb Carrick mysteries:
       Blacklight, 1967
       The Klondyker, 1968
       Figurehead, 1968
       Blueback, 1969
       Seafire, 1970
       Storm Tide, 1972
       Whitewater, 1974 (The traditional wedding flag is flying as the cruiser
         MARLIN enters Port MacFarlane on the west coast of Mull. But Port
         MacFarlane, a small and prosperous lobster fishing base, is no
         peaceful haven and the wedding flag becomes a signal which marks the
         start of murder and violence. Chief Officer Carrick discovers a maze
         of blackmail and threats in which death is the payment waiting those
         who seek too many answers.)
       Hellspout, 1976
       Witchrock, 1977
       Bombship, 1980 (When a sunken WW II ammunition ship starts
         disintegrating and releasing its deadly cargo near a fishing village
         on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, the fisheries protection
         cruiser MARLIN is sent to the scene to help deal with the problem --
         and so 1st officer Carrick and Captain Shannon can secretly
         investigate reports of modern-day piracy.)
       Bloodtide, 1982 (MARLIN is sent to Port Ard to investigate a warning
         sent by an old drunk who then turns up dead, apparently by accident.
         Investigating the death, Shannon is injured, leaving Carrick in
         charge of MARLIN, and a web of murder involving a Soviet fish factory
         ship that may be spying on the British.)
       Wavecrest, 1985 (Given command of the patrol launch TERN, off the
         Western Isles, Carrick encounters an oil slick, and the bodies of a
         couple that owned a lighthouse on one of the islands. As he
         investigates, the boat repair yard at Dumbrach burns to the ground,
         and yet another body is found in it. Carrick sets out to discover
         whether the bodies are related to an oil magnate in the area or a
         long buried monastic treasure.)
       Dead Man's Mooring, 1988 (Carrick, and TERN are sent to quell trouble
         at a fishing village on Skye where a Canadian developer who is
         establishing a fish farm has turned the natives against him because
         of the roughshod methods of his employees. Then a dead man turns up on
         a warning buoy in the area, and divers discover a dynamited yatch just
         offshore.)
     The Grey Sentinels, 1962 (SANCTUARY ISLE in UK. Glaswegian police
       detectives Colin Thane and Phil Moss investigate the murder of the
       caretaker of an island bird sanctuary off the West Highland Coast.)

Knight, Frank Edgar 1905- (has published more than 20 books of sea adventures)
     Acting Third Mate, 1954 (A fairly routine story of a young apprentice
       promoted to Third Mate, having some adventures along the way.)
     The Sea Chest, 1964 (Collection of stories and short essays with the
       fiction featuring adolescent male protagonists and no s-e-x. Includes
       four post-WW II stories set aboard the British tramp HOPEWELL,
       centering about the ship's cadets, five set between 1700 and 1900, and
       one Viking raid. For young readers, but good fun for all.)

Knox, Bill 1928- (see Kirk, Michael)

Kobryn, A. P.
     Poseidon's Shadow, 1979 (Renegade US ballistic missile sub ADRESTEIA goes
       up against the Pentagon, the Soviets and an American killersub. Skipper
       intends to expose nasty military scandal, but must stay alive in the
       meantime.)

Koepf, Michael (A former commercial fisherman)
     The Fisherman's Son, 1998 (As Neil Kruger clings to a liferaft during a
       fierce storm recalls his life of commercial fishing off the northern
       California coast.)

Koller, Jackie French.
     The Last Voyage of the Misty Day, 1992 (Having reluctantly moved to Maine
       after her father's death in Manhattan, fourteen-year-old Denise forges
       a healing friendship with a boat owner surrounded by considerable
       mystery. For young readers.)

Krauss, Bruno
     Seawolf series: (Fictional exploits of U-boat commander Baldur Wolz in
     WW II)
       Steel Shark, 1978 [1] (Story of U-Boat U42 in action in the North and
         South Atlantic during 1940.)
       Shark North, 1978 [2] (Story of U-Boat U45 in action in the North Sea
         and Norway during the winter of 1940.)

Kytle, Ray
     Last Voyage, 1979 (Two couples, off the Mexican coast in a sailing yacht,
       are suddenly attacked by modern-day pirates, who board for a day of
       rape, torture and murder. Sad to say, this kind of stuff happens in the
       Caribbean on a regular basis.)

LaBarge, William M.
     Sweetwater Sullivan series: (Modern USN aviators. Demonstrates that
     carrier jocks had not changed much since Dan Gallery's STAND BY TO START
     ENGINES, covered the same ground for the late '50s -- early 60s. A
     general increase in the level of raunchiness exists, however.)
       Road to Gold, 1993 (Sweetwater Sullivan tells a first-person tale of
         joining the navy, going through flight school, and hunting drug
         smugglers. Suffers from a high improbability factor.)
       Sweetwater Gunslinger 201, 1983 (With Robert Lawrence Holt. Adventures
         of fighter pilots aboard the USS KITTYHAWK during the late '70s --
         early '80s told third person. Definitely pre-Tailhook, but hilarious
         reading, while sending a moral message that Dr. Laura would approve.)
       Hornet's Nest (Sweetwater Sullivan in F/A-18s in the Persian Gulf. Set
         before the Gulf War was a gleam in George Bush's eye. There are
         several chapters dealing with the Tanker War (US intervention in the
         Iran-Iraqi war) and a lot of other stuff, too.)

Laing, Alexander Kinnan 1903-
     The Sea Witch: A Narrative of the Experiences of Capt. Roger Murray and
       Others in an American Clipper Ship During the Years 1846 to 1856, 1933
       (The adventures of three brothers and their relationship with a
       particular clipper ship during the short heyday of the American clipper
       ships in the China tea trade.)
     Jonathan Eagle, 1955 (In 1785 a runaway lad is washed up on shore,
       adopted by  a town, and named Jonathan Eagle. He returns to the sea
       again and again, experiencing slavery in Algiers, the French
       Revolution, RN press gangs and finally the command of his own vessel.)
     Matthew Early, 1957 (Yankee skipper's ambivalent feelings towards slavery
       and love lead him to drift ineffectually through life -- failing to
       liberate a childhood friend sold illegally into slavery, drifting into
       the US Navy and out again, drifting into carrying slaves, drifting into
       smuggling, drifting in and out of love, and eventually drifting onto a
       lee shore. Set in the period from 1798-1803.)

Lake, James
     No Ordinary Seaman, 1957 (We follow the fortunes, in many cases the lack
       of fortunes, of the officers and men of the Royal Navy cruiser AIGRETTE
       as she contends with the attentions of the Italian Air Force and then
       the Nazi dive bombers in the Eastern Mediterranean in the desperate
       days of 1941, following the campaigns in Greece and Crete. This novel's
       intention seems to be to emphasise the role of the Boy Seamen, there
       were thirty in a cruiser the size of the "A-GRETTE", not yet eighteen
       and in training establishments and ships for nearly two years, they
       served alongside the men but were not allowed any adult privileges
       except to die. A gritty story of the unremitting hardship of the war at
       sea.)

Lambdin, Dewey
     Alan Lewrie naval adventure series: (Late eighteenth century RN,
     including American revolution.)
       The King's Coat, 1989 [1] (In 1780, 17-year-old Alan Lewrie's father
         ships him off to the Royal Navy hoping never to hear from him again.
         But Midshipman Lewrie takes to Navy life in spite of himself.)
       The French Admiral, 1989 [2] (Lewrie is ashore at Chesapeake Bay
         fighting American Colonists in 1781.)
       The King's Commission, 1991 [3] (Commissioned a lieutenant in 1782,
         Lewrie confronts the Spanish and French in the Caribbean.)
       The King's Privateer, 1992 [4] (Lieutenant Lewrie sails for the China
         Seas on a secret mission to counter French and Spanish troublemakers
         in the region.)
       The Gun Ketch, 1993 [5] (Lewrie commands his own ship in a search for a
         notorious pirate in the Bahamas in 1786.)
       HMS Cockerel, 1995 [6] (For Squire Lewrie, domestic life as a husband,
         father, and farmer is dull and boring. But renewed war with the
         French in 1793 sends Alan and the Royal Navy to the aid of French
         Royalists at the port of Toulon. Alan, as it seems to be his way,
         get's put aboard a Frigate, HMS COCKEREL, as first lieutenant under a
         mad captain out of the East India Company who has loaded the officers
         and midshipmen's berths with family members, and is paranoid about
         mutinies. In France he takes the first opportunity to get rid of the
         "mutineers"... including Alan of course. What follows is mostly land
         action. At the end it's Admiral Hood to the rescue... and a brief
         visit with CAPTAIN Nelson - long before he gets the VICTORY, and Alan
         gets acquainted with Lady Hamilton.)
       A King's Commander, 1997 (Lewrie, in command of JESTER, 18, sails from
         England to Gibraltar with dispatches, only to get tangled up in the
         "Glorious First of June" battle. Following his arrival at Gibraltar
         he takes an old flame to Corsica, gets assigned to Horatio Nelson's
         team, and generally makes life miserable for the French, until two
         old enemies from A KING'S PRIVATEER -- one French and on British,
         reappear to make Lewrie's own life miserable.)
       Jester's Fortune, 1999
       For King and Country (THE KING'S COMMISSION, THE KING'S PRIVATEER, and
         THE GUN KETCH in one paperback volume.)

L'Amour, Louis (Yes, the oatburner author)
     Fair Blows the Wind, 1978 (The master western writer tells the tale of
       Captain Chantry, abandoned on coast of North Carolina in the 1580s, and
       his battles against pirates, Spaniards, British and Indians.)
     Just as with other authors that achieve fame late, L'Amour's growing
     reputation as a literary writer led his publishers to reprint stories
     written by L'Amour early in his career. Among the earliest were a series
     of pulp fiction short stories set in the South Pacific and Far East,
     based on L'Amour's experiences as a merchant seaman. L'Amour's
     literary reputation would have been better served by allowing them to
     languish in obscurity:
       Night Over the Solomons, 1986 (Collection of stories set in the Pacific
         or South America in WW II or just after. Only one, Mission to
         Siberut, is primarily nautical. It deals with an attempt by the
         Germans to smuggle a set of Me 110s to the Japanese in December
         1941.)
       West From Singapore, 1987 ("Ponga Jim Mayo" and his tramp steamer
         SEMIRAMIS range the South Seas in search of a fast buck and adventure
         in the period between 1939 and 1941. Along the way they help British
         Intelligence put down German and Italian efforts to smuggle in subs,
         arm the natives, or other nasty Germanic activities.)

Lancaster, Bruce 1896-
     Blind Journey, 1953 (Soldier takes to sea to get messages to Franklin in
       France, and then back to the Colonies during the American Revolution.
       Lots of soldier learning about the sea scenes. Only nautical book in an
       otherwise land-centered series.)
     Venture in the East, 1961 (A Dutch pilot gets involved with the Shimabara
       Revolution that results in Japanese ports being closed to all
       Westerners but the Dutch for 200 years. And *you* thought SHOGUN was
       the first treatment of this war.)

Lane, Carl Daniel 1899-
     The Fleet in the Forest, 1943 (Fiction about the Battle of Lake Erie in
       1813.)
     Fire Raft, 1951 (Novel about the NEW ORLEANS, first steamboat on Ohio and
       Mississippi rivers. Mixes fiction with true adventure. On the first
       trip from Pittsburgh to New Orleans they encounter a comet, an
       earthquake, a flood, river pirates and a fight with Chickasaws.)

Langley, Bob
     Avenge the Belgrano, 1988 (The British sub CONQUEROR sinks the Argentine
       cruiser GENERAL BELGRANO during the Falkland Islands War. A group of
       Anglo-Argentine terrorists vow revenge, set out to blow up the sub at
       its base in Scotland.)

Langsford, A. E. 1959-
     HMS Marathon, 1990 (WW II, RN cruiser captain, Med/Malta convoy ops,
       details pretty good, but not the best read.)

Larrouy, Maurice 1882-
     The Odyssey of a Torpedoed Transport, 1918

Larsson, Bjorn 1953-
     The Celtic Ring, 1992 (Improbable novel about strange doings involving a
       Celtic-Scandinavian connection, Druids, smuggling, more.)
     Long John Silver, 1999 (Published in Swedish in 1985. The entertaining
       "autobiography" of literature’s best known pirate.)

Laskier, Frank 1912- (Born in New Brighton; his father was a merchant seaman
  and all six of his sons went to sea apparently.)
     Log Book, 1943 (A fictionalized account of merchant service,  WW II
       German attack, and harrowing survival by a British mechant seaman who
       in real life survived the sinking of a tanker in 1940, came back for
       training as a Merchant Seaman Gunner, and was one of a handful of
       survivors when his next ship was sunk by the ADMIRAL SCHEER early in
       1941; he lost part of a leg as a result, and while in England waiting
       for a prosthesis told his story on the BBC. He shipped out once more,
       and apparently wrote the book in Halifax in 1942. The protagonist is
       named simply Jack, and his full seagoing career is set down briefly:
       he runs away to sea at twelve, learns his trade on a variety of vessels
       on various oceans (meeting several of his seagoing brothers along the
       way), suffers various adventures and misadventures and finally survives
       the sinking of the COURAGEOUS by a nameless surface raider - the only
       truly convincing part of the narrative - and the book ends with Jack
       in his mother's parlor, new wife Betty at his side along with four
       brothers, about to tell his story into a radio microphone... "[Laskier]
       seems to have favored the short-sentence approach; I imagine this went
       over better in 1943 than it would now." [MF])

Latham, Jean Lee
     Carry on, Mr. Bowditch, 1955 (Fictionalized biography of Nathaniel
       Bowditch. A young boy joins the privateer HENRY, works his way up to
       captain. For young readers. Newberry Award winner. A classic.)
     Man of the Monitor, 1962 (Novel about John Ericsson, creator of the Civil
       War ironclad MONITOR. For young readers.)

Lavallee, David (Submarine officer, diver and underwater technician)
     Event 1000, 1971 (A submarine sunk by a collision is trapped 1,300 ft
       down while everyone tries to help. Made into the movie GREY LADY DOWN.)

Lawrence, Iain 1955-
     The Wreckers, 1998 (An adventure yarn set on the Cornish coast in the
       18th century when ships were lured onto the rocks. Shipwrecked after a
       vicious storm, fourteen-year-old John Spencer attempts to save his
       father and himself while also dealing with an evil secret about the
       coastal town where they are stranded. Often compared to TREASURE
       ISLAND. For young readers.)
     The Smugglers, 1999 (A sequel to THE WRECKERS. In eighteenth-century
       England, after his father buys a schooner called the DRAGON, sixteen
       year old John sets out to sail it from Kent to London and becomes
       involved in a dangerous smuggling scheme.)

Lawrence, Steven C. (Lawrence A. Murphy?)
     A Northern Saga, 1976 (Story of the Liberty Ship JOHN MASON and its crew
       as the ship accompanies a Murmansk convoy in May 1942, and returns to
       Iceland during the sailing of PQ17. Convoy tale with the focus on the
       merchant marine.)

Lawson, Robert 1892-1957
     Captain Kidd's Cat; being the true and dolorous chronicle of Wm. Kidd,
       gent. & merchant of New York, late captain of the Adventure Galley; of
       the vicissitudes attending his unfortunate cruise in eastern waters, of
       his incarceration in Newgate Prison, of his unjust trial and execution,
       as narrated by his faithful cat, McDermot, who ought to know. Set down
       and illuminated by Robert Lawson, 1956 (For young readers, the compiler
       enjoyed this book when he was a lad.)

Lear, Edward 1812-1888
     The Owl and the Pussy Cat (Fatuous poem from the NONSENSE man.)

Leasor, James
     Mandarin Gold, 1973 (English trader finds fun and fortune running opium
       into China during the 1830s. James Leasor, who writes stranger-than-
       fiction history, tries his hand at historical fiction.)

Lederer, William J. 1912- (co-author of FAILSAFE and THE UGLY AMERICAN)
     Ensign O'Toole and Me, 1957 (Basically a series of didactic tall-tales,
       the book purports to be about a brilliant, spunky, eccentric yet
       strangely normal friend of Lederer's from the Naval Academy who serves
       on the China Station before WW II, in Washington after the war and
       fighting commies later. Starts out light, but unfortunately the later
       chapters degenerate into a thinly disguised, strident, anti-communist
       diatribes. Basically, the same message as in THE UGLY AMERICAN:
       ordinary Americans are oblivious to the desperate struggle of the
       unsung heroes who battle communism. Includes a semi-autobiographical
       account of the author's own time serving as XO of a gunboat in China.)

Lehman, Ernest 1915-
     The French Atlantic Affair, 1977 (Two rocket scientists, unemployed after
       the Apollo downsizing decide to recoup their fortunes. They plan and
       carry out a hijacking of a luxury liner in the Atlantic.)

Lennep, David van (Ex-naval officer and a voluntary lecturer on behalf of the
  Warrior Preservation Trust.)
    *Ironclad, 1994 (This novel in an attempt to bring to life the raison
       d'etre for the ironclad HMS WARRIOR. The time is 1862, a year after she
       was first commissioned, and British relations with the French have
       deteriorated to such an extent that a French squadron is steaming
       towards the Thames to emulate Admiral de Ruyter's feat of two centuries
       previously. The Royal Navy is alerted, gives chase and the French are
       brought to action amongst the shoals and shifting sands of the Thames
       estuary. The technical aspects of WARRIOR's innovativeness are woven in
       as the drama unfolds.)

Lenz, Siegfried 1926-
    The Lightship, 1962 (The captain of a lightship on its last shift before
    it is taken out of service, must confront three killers who board the ship
    when their boat breaks down. Originally published in German as DAS
    FEURESCHIFFE in 1960.)

Leroux, Gaston 1868-
     The Floating Prison, 1923 (Originally in French. Entered for the sake of
       completeness. A nautical novel only because it is set aboard a French
       Naval Transport taking convicts to Devils Island. They take over the
       ship. The latter part is incomprehensible, apparently it lost
       something in the translation.)

Leslie, Peter
     Silent Squadron, 1972 (The Nazis are operating a secret submarine base in
       Ireland, so British commandos set forth on a mission to secretly
       destroy it.)

Lesterman, John
     A Sailor of Napoleon, 1927 (This is the story of a young man who carries
       out several important missions for Napoleon. In the process he goes
       from Midshipman to Captain. There are several interesting battle
       scenes. This is what might be called a boy's book. Not much attempt is
       made to capture the language of the period. The author was probably
       influenced by G. A. Henty who is far superior. The illustrations are
       very nice.)

Lewis, C. S. 1898-1963
     The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 1952 (In the third book of Lewis'
       CHRONICLES OF NARNIA Prince Caspian sails through magical waters to
       the End of the World. Fantasy for young readers.)

Lincoln, Joseph Crosby 1870-1944
     Cap'n Eri: A Story of the Coast, 1904 (Fishing off the New England coast
       at the turn of the century.)
     Rugged Water, 1924 (Classic novel about the US Lifesaving Service.)
     Out of the Fog, 1940 (Captain Mark comes across a dead body in the fog
       off Cape Cod in this mystery by the noted sea author.)

Littell, Robert
     Sweet Reason, 1974 (Vietnam era dark comedy. Describes the first three
       days that the EUGENE EBERSOLE, a superannuated WWII-era destroyer,
       spends off Yankee Station during the Vietnam conflict. Naturally, the
       ship has an incompetent, glory-seeking captain, misfit officers and
       crew, and orders incompatible with its capabilities. Would be funnier
       if it did not try so hard.)

Llywelyn, Morgan
     Grania: She-King of the Irish Seas, 1986 (Fictionalized story of Grace of
       Umhall, notorious pirate of Connaught, as she rules the Irish Sea,
       fights English ships, and preserves Irish independence.)

Llewellyn, Sam 1948-
      Sea Devil, 1977 (George LeFanu Gurney is disgraced by the machinations
       of an enemy, Ottway. He is forced to resign his commission as a
       lieutenant in the Royal Navy. Seeking to rehabilitate his reputation
       and destroy his accuser he embarks on nautical adventures from the
       Mediterranean to the South China Sea, and back to England. Takes place
       1820-22. Llewellyn's first novel.)
     Devil's Reward, 1978 (Gurney, reputation restored, now married and
       running a shipyard is forced by the Admiralty to take to the seas once
       more to rescue a Dervish that aided him in SEA DEVIL. Numerous nautical
       adventures in Greece during the War of Greek Independence.)
     Blood Orange, 1986 (Blackmail, corruption and lethal accidents beset a
       high-tech catamaran crew in the Round Britain race.)
     Sea Story, 1987 (GREAT CIRCLE in UK. A cast of thousands sort of book
       about an around the world sailing race. Exciting, fast reading.)
     Dead Reckoning, 1987 (A boat of his own design takes down Charlie
       Agutter's own brother.  Now he sets sail on a personal mission: to
       track down a murderous saboteur.)
     Deathroll, 1990 (A pretty convoluted plot. English sailor fights
       kidnappers, saboteurs, and real estate speculators on and off the
       water. Features exciting storm while delivering a yacht and match races
       between the hero and his nemesis. Great.)
     Blood Knot, 1991 (A former reporter plans a quiet retirement fixing up
       his wooden cutter and living on it with a crew of troubled kids, but a
       murder followed by attempts on his life lead him to the Baltic on a
       race against death in an open boat.)
     Deadeye, 1991 (British yachtsman on his way to compete in the "Three
       Bens" sailing/climbing race on the west coast of Scotland bumps into
       an old fishing boat and finds love, murder and a deadly secret.)
     Clawhammer, 1993 ("..thriller set in a world where everyone professes the
       best of intentions and no one is quite what they seem. Where a warlord
       is a democratic leader and food stolen from the starving is legitimate
       currency. Where a poet has to turn a lost cause into a violent crusade
       -if he wants to stay alive." (from the jacket blurb) Oh, and it seems
       to involve sailing a boat across the Atlantic.)
     Maelstrom, 1994 (A former anti-whaling activist gets involved with
       ex-Nazis, ex-KGB agents, Mideast terrorists in a deal to get art
       objects out of Russia. The plot takes he and his yacht to the Norwegian
       coast on a whaling expedition.)
     Riptide, 1994 (Mike Savage builds a boat for his French sailing star
       friend. The boat is wrecked, his daughter threatened, friend disappears
       and he tries to solve all these problems.)
     Iron Hotel, 1996 (Dire circumstances force a ship's captain to take a
       cargo of illegal Chinese immigrants across the ocean in an ancient
       rustbucket named GLORY OF SAIPAN.)
     Hell Bay, 1980 (Irish doctor, fleeing a murder charge, gets wrecked on
       the Scilly islands. He falls in with the wreckers and smugglers on
       Tresco, is forced to flee to America, where he becomes rich through
       mining gold. Returning to the Scillys he confronts his past and learns
       the secret of his ancestry. Purportedly based on actual events.
       Marginally nautical.)