Dr Sam Willis 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 Matthew Quinton Journals, 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.
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.
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.