Excellent … the Royal Navy has provided Great Britain with many of its heroes, including Drake and Nelson. In addition to them, hundreds of thousands of men served with the fleet over the centuries. This is the story of the effect they had on the world.

Nautical Magazine

The history of the Royal Navy is a long and illustrious one … Brian Lavery, an acknowledged expert in his subject, has done a great job in distilling so much information into [one] book – and in a very approachable and readable way.

Ancestors Magazine

This wonderful book tells the story of how the Royal Navy became the most powerful navy in the world and justifiably inspired the unofficial national anthem, “Rule Britannia” … the author brings to life the heroics of Drake, Hawkins, Nelson and Rodney.

The Good Book Guide

If a Whitehall mandarin, with his hand on the tiller of defence spending, is planning to while away a few hours this weekend with a good book, then this is the one he should choose to read. For he will be reminded that in this age of never-ending conflict and strife the “Great” which was attached to our nation's name largely came about because of our Royal Navy … [a] compelling tome

Western Morning News

The text provides an overview of the Royal Navy from the defeat of the Spanish Armada to the First World War. However, some of the more interesting material looks at what it was like to be a naval seaman. What did the crew of a 15th-century ship actually do? What rations would a sailor on an 18th-century tall ship receive? It is details like this that help us to understand and appreciate our naval ancestors' lives … a splendid volume.

Family History Monthly