Douglas Reeman
Douglas Edward Reeman, born at Thames Ditton 15 October 1924, is a British author who has written many historical fiction books on the Royal Navy, mainly set during either World War II or the Napoleonic Wars.
Reeman joined the Royal Navy in 1940, at the age of 16, and served during World War II and the Korean War. He eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant. In addition to being an author, Reeman has also taught the art of navigation for yachting and served as a technical advisor for films. Douglas married Canadian Kimberley Jordan in 1985.
Reeman's debut novel, A Prayer for the Ship was published in 1958. His pseudonym Alexander Kent was the name of a friend and naval officer who died during the Second World War.[1] Reeman is most famous for his series of Napoleonic naval stories, whose central character is Richard Bolitho, and, later, his nephew, Adam. He also wrote a series of novels about several generations of the Blackwood family who served in the Royal Marines from the 1850s to the 1970s, and a non-fiction account of his World War II experiences, D-Day: A Personal Reminiscence (1984).
Bibliography (with publication dates)
World War II novels
| Title | Original publication | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| A Prayer for the Ship | 1958 | ISBN 0-515-05783-5 |
| Dive in the Sun | 1961 | ISBN 0-09-111300-8 |
| The Hostile Shore | 1962 | ISBN 0-09-907880-5 |
| With Blood and Iron | 1964 | ISBN 0-09-105660-8 |
| HMS Saracen | 1965 | ISBN 0-09-906260-7 |
| The Pride and the Anguish | 1968 | ISBN 0-09-087440-4 |
| To Risks Unknown | 1969 | ISBN 0-09-097520-0 |
| Rendezvous – South Atlantic | 1972 | ISBN 0-09-109270-1 |
| His Majesty's U-Boat (also named Go in and Sink!) | 1973 | ISBN 0-399-11195-6 ISBN 0-09-114620-8 |
| The Destroyers | 1974 | ISBN 0-09-119940-9 |
| Winged Escort | 1975 | ISBN 0-09-124740-3 |
| Surface with Daring | 1976 | ISBN 0-09-127630-6 |
| Strike from the Sea | 1978 | ISBN 0-09-918780-9 |
| A Ship Must Die | 1979 | ISBN 0-09-138150-9 |
| Torpedo Run | 1981 | ISBN 0-688-00133-5 |
| The Volunteers | 1985 | ISBN 0-09-160070-7 |
| The Iron Pirate | 1986 | ISBN 0-7737-2105-3 |
| In Danger's Hour | 1988 | ISBN 0-434-62632-5 |
| The White Guns | 1989 | ISBN 0-434-62634-1 |
| Killing Ground | 1991 | ISBN 0-434-62638-4 |
| Sunset | 1994 | ISBN 0-434-62635-X |
| A Dawn Like Thunder | 1996 | ISBN 0-434-00215-1 |
| Battlecruiser | 1997 | ISBN 0-434-00291-7 |
| For Valour | 2000 | ISBN 0-434-00719-6 |
| Twelve Seconds to Live | 2002 | ISBN 0-434-00874-5 |
| The Glory Boys | 2008 | ISBN 978-0-434-01352-4 |
The Blackwood Saga
aka The Royal Marines Saga
- Badge of Glory (1982) (1st in plot sequence)
- The First to Land (1984) (2nd)
- The Horizon (1993) (3rd)
- Dust on the Sea (1999) (4th)
- Knife Edge (2004) (5th)
Other settings
- High Water (1959)
- Send a Gunboat (1960)
- The Hostile Shore (1962)
- The Last Raider (1963)
- Path of the Storm (1966)
- The Deep Silence (1967)
- The Greatest Enemy (1970)
Richard Bolitho novels
(written under the name Alexander Kent)
- Richard Bolitho, Midshipman (1975)
- Midshipman Bolitho and the 'Avenger' (1978)
- Band of Brothers (2005)
- Stand into Danger (1980)
- In Gallant Company (1977)
- Sloop of War (1972)
- To Glory We Steer (1968)
- Command a King's Ship (1973)
- Passage To Mutiny (1976)
- With All Despatch (1988)
- Form Line of Battle! (1969)
- Enemy in Sight! (1970)
- Flag Captain (1971)
- Signal – Close Action! (1974)
- The Inshore Squadron (1977)
- A Tradition of Victory (1981)
- Success to the Brave (1983)
- Colours Aloft (1986)
- Honour This Day (1987)
- The Only Victor (1990)
- Beyond The Reef (1992)
- The Darkening Sea (1993)
- For My Country's Freedom (1995)
- Cross of St. George (1996)
- Sword of Honour (1998)
- Second to None (1999)
- Relentless Pursuit (2001)
- Man of War (2003)
- Heart of Oak (2007)
- In the King's Name (2011)
References
- ↑ Reeman, Kimberley Jordan (2015). "About the Author". douglasreeman.com. Retrieved 16 September 2015.