WHALEBOAT RAID

by Peter Burchard ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 1977

A well-trimmed historical adventure, less concentrated than Rat Hell (1971), there being a girl here, briefly, and some conflict between Jud, 17, and his stubborn father. But mostly this centers on the fictitious Jud's role in an actual raid of the Revolutionary War, which takes place after the British have confiscated Jud's father's whaleboat and the family has been forced to flee their Sag Harbor, Long Island farm for Connecticut. Later, with father off to sea, the Revolutionary Army plans a raid on British-occupied Sag, and Jud is taken along as a guide when thirteen whaleboats cross the Sound to burn ships and materials and take prisoners. Before the successful party rows back, Jeff has been sickened by an officer's slitting of a British sentry's throat, only to fred himself killing a young British sailor in self-defense a short time later. Though secondary, this sketch of a violent coming-of-age provides sufficient psychological ballast for this latest of Burchard's sharp, suspenseful recreations.

Pub Date: June 1, 1977

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1977

Categories: FICTION