Dive into the History of the East India Company
For all sailors and boaters in Brittany, the silhouette of the citadel of Port-Louis is a familiar image of the entrance to the roadstead of Lorient. For the more educated, they know that it is a trace of the famous Compagnie des Indes and the commercial exchanges towards Asia which gave its name to Lorient, the city it created in 1666. It is in this page of History that Loïc Videau plunges us for his first novel, Les formidables aventures de Guillaume de Riantec.
Old-fashioned navigation
Alongside the young man from the city on the left bank of the harbor, we embark for India on board the Falcon, accompanied by his friends and companion in forced exile. After a few chapters where the maritime subject seems distant, life aboard the Company's galleon takes us to Cape Verde and the Mascarene Islands before finally reaching Pondicherry. The role of the mousses, the description of the maneuvers, the crew... We accompany the novices in their discovery of the sea.
The 3 years of life in Pondicherry are the occasion of twists and intrigues, between local traffic of the Indian counters, piracy and local maritime trade.
Survey and astronomical navigation
If the subject is in filigree since the beginning of the novel, the plot finally crystallizes on the development of the means of calculation of the longitude. Raised to the rank of a major geopolitical issue, the mastery of astronomical navigation and the precise positioning of ships at sea, gives rise in this novel to crimes and an investigation led by Guillaume de Riantec. For the reader, it is also an opportunity to learn more about this key element for sailors and boaters until recently.
Entertainment that is still enjoyable
Although the style of this first novel could sometimes use a little more lightness, it is still a pleasant read. Everyone will discover some historical elements to perfect their boating culture while adding the entertainment of a thriller.
The amazing adventures of Guillaume de Riantec euros Loïc Videau
- Editions Le livre et la plume
- 334 pages
- 15,5 x 22,5 cm
- 21,50 euros
