Jacob Faithful


Read by NoelBadrian

(4.9 stars; 99 reviews)

Rebelling against the career chosen for him by his wealthy family, Frederic Marryat joined the Royal Navy in 1806 at the age of 14. He first served as a midshipman in the 38-gun frigate "HMS Imperieuse" commanded by Lord Cochran, 10th Earl of Dundonald whose real life exploits were used by Marryat in his fiction and which formed the basis for other famous fictional characters like Horatio Hornblower and Jack Aubrey. Having survived more than 50 sea battles and attained the rank of Post Captain, he resigned from the Navy and devoted the rest of his life to writing, drawing a good deal on his distinguished career in the Navy and is now considered the Father of Modern Nautical Fiction. He is also noted as the inventor of an effective lifeboat and a widely used system of communicating at sea by the use of flags.

Jacob Faithful is a tale centred on the lives of the Thames watermen who made their living along the tidal reaches of that river and in the Port of London. Particularly it deals with the story of young Jacob literally born and raised on the river. He is orphaned in bizarre circumstances, gets an education, is apprenticed to a bargeman and then to a wherryman before being "pressed" into the Royal Navy. The book gives an interesting insight into the life of London and it's great river at the beginning of the 19th Century.
(Summary by Noel Badrian) (17 hr 23 min)

Chapters

Chapter 1 25:26 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 2 25:49 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 3 16:50 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 4 23:11 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 5 29:26 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 6 25:34 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 7 20:18 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 8 20:45 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 9 22:38 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 10 26:21 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 11 17:47 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 12 18:21 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 13 18:11 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 14 18:40 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 15 20:04 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 16 18:34 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 17 26:34 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 18 26:36 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 19 24:31 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 20 22:28 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 21 31:54 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 22 19:36 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 23 21:36 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 24 22:44 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 25 38:22 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 26 22:57 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 27 24:07 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 28 33:24 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 29 24:54 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 30 24:23 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 31 18:26 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 32 14:40 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 33 30:24 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 34 14:29 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 35 15:28 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 36 26:38 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 37 20:36 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 38 22:17 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 39 28:14 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 40 18:42 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 41 17:54 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 42 23:28 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 43 14:33 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 44 18:35 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 45 21:47 Read by NoelBadrian
Chapter 46 25:23 Read by NoelBadrian

Reviews

A beautiful story beautifully narrated


(5 stars)

I never thought I would go into nautical theme stories but this one is so full of emotion and richness and historical detail that it really draws you in. It's a lovely story about friendship and love and honesty and so many wonderful characteristics of human kindness. An absolutely perfect narrator

Exceptional


(5 stars)

Thank you to the reader for doing a flawless reading. I was so happy to see another one of Captain Marryat's books on the list. The story brought both tears of joy and sadness to my eyes.

An excellent novel and well narrated


(5 stars)

Bravo from Borneo


(5 stars)

Absolutely delightful and so very well read; perfect voice and cadence for this novel. The author, Captain Federick Marryat, draws upon both his naval experience and powerfully descriptive writing talent to create a sublime and totally immersive experience centered on a young boys life to manhood as a boatman on the River Thames. The book is delightfully punctuated with personal stories...songs and moral direction of the time, which adds to the richness of the story. There is romance...adventure and jeopardy. So sad to have finished this wonderful book.

Wonderful read


(5 stars)

As a woman in her 80s, and one who has never heard of this author or read a nautical themed book, I was pleasantly surprised to find it absorbing. i was afraid it might be all blood and guts, but because I love the reader I thought I would try it. I was immediately drawn in by the characters and descriptions. The central character touched my heart and I happily followed his journey up and down the river and out to sea from his youth to manhood.

What a fabulous book and reader!


(5 stars)

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook. Marryat is a new author for me, and he draws his characters in such detail that you really come to know and care about them. I really enjoyed the goodness and kindness of some of the characters in this book. And I'm really enjoying learning a little about the realities of life at sea at that time. Thanks also to the narrator for his excellent reading!

complicated but wonderful


(5 stars)

Extremely well written, extremely well read…..a complicated story line but written so well its easily followed once you figure out the period dialogue……from the first few pages to the last of the last…you will never know what’s next minute to minute…


(5 stars)

Loved this book. The story is captivating and the reader is 10 out of 10! The story kept awake wanting to listen more and more. Now I finished I really miss Jacob and his many tales.