The Fort

A Novel of the Revolutionary War

By: Bernard Cornwell

Narrated by: Robin Bowerman

While the major fighting of the war moves to the south in the summer of 1779, a British force of fewer than a thousand Scottish infantry, backed by three sloops-of-war, sails to the desolate and fog-bound coast of New England. Establishing a garrison and naval base at Penobscot Bay, in the eastern province of Massachusetts that would become Maine, the Scots - the only British troops between Canada and New York - harry rebel privateers and give shelter to American loyalists.

In response, Massachusetts sends a fleet of more than 40 vessels and some 1,000 infantrymen to "captivate, kill or destroy" the foreign invaders. Second in command is Peleg Wadsworth, a veteran of the battles at Lexington and Long Island, once aide to General Washington, and a man who sees clearly what must be done to expel the invaders.

But ineptitude and irresolution lead to a mortifying defeat - and have stunning repercussions for two men on opposite sides: an untested 18-year-old Scottish lieutenant named John Moore, who will begin an illustrious military career; and a Boston silversmith and patriot named Paul Revere, who will face court-martial for disobedience and cowardice.

Grounded firmly in history, inimitably told in Cornwell's thrilling narrative style, The Fort is the extraordinary novel of this fascinating clash between a superpower and a nation in the making.

©2010 Bernard Cornwell (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Grounded firmly in history, inimitably told in Cornwell's thrilling narrative style, The Fort is the extraordinary novel of this fascinating clash between a superpower and a nation in the making." (Amazon.com review)

Review

I live in Castine, Maine at Maine Maritime Academy, across the street from Fort George. I’ve enjoyed being able to see the different places mentioned in the book.

It’s crazy to think that this little piece of land was the greatest loss for the Navy till Pearl Harbor. Definitely should be taught in school.

The ending fizzled out.

I know this is a fiction set within a historical event. I also know Cornwell is probably the genre’s best ever; that’s my personal feeling, anyway. But this story deserves a better ending. When I heard the customary Audible final words, I was surprised. “Wait, that’s it?”

Outstanding Piece of Historical Fiction

Would you listen to The Fort again? Why?

Yes, the book is chock full of amazing and interesting detail in both military and period life that the reader/listener can't help but learn and develop a deeper interest and appreciation of the foundations of the U.S.

What other book might you compare The Fort to and why?

David McCullough's 1776

What about Robin Bowerman’s performance did you like?

Mr Bowerman delivered an impressive and creative performance. He added depth to each character and created a very vivid picture of the environment, people, and culture of the era.

If you could take any character from The Fort out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Peleg Wadsworth, he seemed a competent and undervalued voice to the expedition and added stability in a chaotic environment. Or Francis McLean who seemed beyond competent, stable, and common sensed while exhibiting grace and mercy in the execution of his duties.

Great Read

A great work of historical fiction by Bernard Conwell. This book details the Penobscot Expedition of 1779 launched by Massachusetts to "captivate, kill, or destroy" the force of British soldiers who had landed and built a fort in Majabigwaduce (now called Castine, Maine).

This book does a great job of capturing that attitudes of soldiers fighting on both sides of the revolutionary war, and tells the story of a military expedition taken on by Massachusetts.

As a native of Boston I am shocked that I had never heard of this tale before now, I am profoundly happy to have read this book, and plan to read many more of Mr. Cornwell's splendidly written books.

Good but not Great

I've listened to several Cornwell books on Audible. Usually they're compelling, tense and with superb narration. While this one held my interest, the tension was a little forced, the narrator simply "acceptable" and the audio quality suspect in places (at least places other than a school gymnasium).

I'm not clear on why the characters are a little more shallow than the typical Cornwell - perhaps he's trying to stick closer to the written record of the Penobscot expidition. I'd have to add that I really appreciate the "Author's Notes" Cornwell includes at the end of his novels, wherein he expands somewhat on the historical context and his departures for the purposes of narrative. That was sadly absent in this edition.

Good account of a bad time

Would you listen to The Fort again? Why?

No. I have gotten all I intended to get from it.

What did you like best about this story?

It helped me learn about a little known event in American history through the medium of an entertaining story.

Which scene was your favorite?

The discussion between Generals MacLean and Wadsworth. MacLean was my favorite character. Saltonstall and Revere were wonderful villains.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Whooops! or Uh-oh!

Any additional comments?

As a southerner, I am used to stories in which my side looses. Here, the author did a good job of gaining sympathy for both sides. The Wikipedia account of the engagement shows Cornwell did not overemphasize the superiority of the British leadership. This was a very different Cornwell book, but well worth the listen.

Excellent story

The story of the Fort has many twists and turns but clearly shows that a lack of real leadership, no matter the odds, can doom a project. Interesting that in modern times we are able to sometimes overcome poor leadership but the journey becomes much harder

Not for the faint of heart

I don't know of any other author that could have done justice to this bit of American history. It has a lot of charaters... and ships... to keep track of and the narrator does a great job helping to keep them sorted out. The story itself is just plain frustrating and leaves the reader wondering how America ever made it past the Revolutionary War. All that said, it was well worth the credit and time. What an interesting and little known part of our history!

Low and slow

This title isn’t Cornwell’s best. It may have been a better read as a book rather than an audible title. If I could I’d return it merely for the slow pace and the repetitiveness of certain aspects of the book.

Interesting Historical Narrative

The Fort is a straightforward fictionalized narrative of the Penobscot Expedition during the Revolutionary War. It's well written and will appeal to people with an interest in military history or who want an easy way to learn about an important event in the Revolutionary War.

The recording is not the entire book. It's missing the author 's lengthy Historical Note explaining the historical basis for the novel.