About this book
Cutlass and Cudgel by George Manville Fenn sweeps listeners into the perilous world of early-19th-century smuggling off the Wessex coast. Aboard the cutter HMS White Hawk, a curious midshipman finds himself taken hostage by a gang of smugglers, and his uneasy bond with a farm-boy—the son of one of the ring—sets the story turning through danger, humor, and moral tension.
Fenn blends brisk adventure and vivid sea stories with a keen eye for social detail: the uneasy clash of class, the lure of the sea, and the tight-knit lives of coastal communities under the watch of Excise patrols. Episodes range from comic—an escaped cow being milked on deck—to tense encounters that test loyalty and courage without ever giving away the outcome. The narrative reads like a travelogue of a bygone Britain, full of human interest, coming-of-age transformation, and episodic thrills.
Ideal for fans of classic nautical adventure, teen/young-adult coming-of-age tales, and historical travel fiction, Cutlass and Cudgel offers fast-moving plotting, memorable characters, and atmospheric storytelling—perfect for listeners who enjoy seaside drama, moral nuance, and old-fashioned swashbuckling.
