<p><a href="https://sam-willis.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dr Sam Willis</a> continues our mini series on naval fiction, interviewing authors and finding out all about their naval creations. In this episode, we welcome David Davies, author of the acclaimed <a href="https://jddavies.com/2020/08/04/the-return-of-matthew-quinton/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Matthew Quinton Journals</em>,</a> for an in-depth conversation about his Restoration-era naval hero and the richly layered world he sails through, one of the most fascinating and volatile eras in maritime history.</p><br><p>Davies explores the major themes at the heart of Matthew Quinton’s adventures: a young gentleman thrust into command before he’s ready; the fragile, treacherous world of Restoration politics; the tension between new scientific thinking and old superstitions; and the clash of class, privilege, and professional seamanship aboard a 17th-century man-of-war. From sea monsters and omens that sailors once believed in, to the early sparks of the Enlightenment reshaping navigation and natural philosophy, the series captures a navy and a nation on the brink of modernity.</p><br><p>We also dive into the challenges of writing naval fiction set in this extraordinary period: reconstructing a navy still reeling from civil war, capturing the chaos of early naval tactics, balancing historical accuracy with narrative pace, and bringing to life a world where honour and loyalty is never what it seems.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>