The Mariner's Mirror Podcast

Dr Sam Willis meets Katie Daysh, author of the acclaimed Nightingale & Courtney series. Her novels—rich with atmosphere, character, and emotional depth—have quickly earned a devoted following, and today we explore the world she’s so vividly created. Katie shares the inspirations behind her central figures, Hiram Nightingale and Arthur Courtney, exploring their powerful bond, the tensions of command, and the inner battles that shape them. We discuss the themes that give her books their distinct voice: trauma and recovery, the complexity of leadership, class and expectation, forbidden love, and the search for identity in an unforgiving world. Her stories shine a light on voices often overlooked in naval fiction, adding layers of humanity and nuance. We also explore the fascinating historical setting of her work—the Royal Navy of the last quarter of the eighteenth century, a period of revolution and shifting social structures. It’s an age of empire and upheaval, where duty and desire collide and where every decision at sea could mean survival or disaster. Katie brings this era to life with meticulous historical detail and a modern sensitivity that makes the past feel immediate and enthralling.

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Hubert Sagnières studies, collects, and publishes works on early explorers and has himself completed numerous explorations: In 2024, he piloted a single-engine plane on a circumnavigation of the globe, honoring the centenary of the first around-the-world flight in 1924 by the Douglas “Chicago” aircraft. He has traveled in the Indonesian archipelago, visiting remote islands and has spent time with the Dayak tribes of Borneo and the Mentawai people of Siberut Island. He has completed over 20 expeditions to the Canadian Arctic, many in very harsh winter conditions and has explored many remote Arctic regions such as the shores of Baffin Island, Ellesmere Island, and Axel Heiberg Island. In this episode we discuss Hubert's latest book 'For Glory, Not Gold: Expeditions Through Arctic Lands 1818-1876', a remarkable volume which chronicles ten major Arctic expeditions undertaken between 1818 and 1875, following the bold journeys of explorers from the United States, England, Scotland, Ireland, and France. These seafaring pioneers ventured into the ice and the unknown in pursuit of the elusive Northwest Passage. Drawing from the original journals and travel narratives of figures such as Sir Edward Parry, Sir John Ross, Sir John Franklin, Joseph René Bellot, John Rae, Sir Francis Leopold McClintock, Elisha Kent Kane, Charles Francis Hall, and Sir George Nares—along with the legendary voyage of the HMS Investigator—the book offers an intimate, firsthand look at their extraordinary quests. It features illustrations, engravings, maps, and rare documents selected from the author’s own collection of historic works. More than a record of exploration, this volume reminds us that beyond the commercial ambitions tied to northern trade routes, the Arctic and the North Pole have long stirred the human imagination—calling forth the daring nineteenth-century expeditions of explorers driven by an unquenchable urge to discover new worlds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we explore the magic behind the Aubrey–Maturin novels—often hailed as the greatest naval fiction series ever written—and uncover what makes Patrick O’Brian’s storytelling so enduring, vivid, and beloved.

Dr Sam Willis speaks with Dean King, O’Brian’s acclaimed biographer and one of the foremost experts on the author’s life and work.

Together, we delve into the rich themes that define the books: the complex friendship between Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin; the interplay of duty, loyalty, and personal conscience; the transformative nature of life at sea; and the fine balance O’Brian strikes between high adventure and intimate human drama. We look at how he blends naval action with music, science, medicine, espionage, natural philosophy, and the deep emotional landscapes of his characters.

Dean also guides us through the thrilling and turbulent world of the Napoleonic Wars—an era of global conflict, revolutionary change, and unprecedented naval innovation. It’s a period bursting with dramatic sea battles, political intrigue, scientific discovery, and the human costs of empire, all rendered with O’Brian’s unmatched historical precision and wit.

Packed with insights into O’Brian’s craft, influences, and the real history behind the novels, this episode is a must-listen for long-time fans and newcomers alike.

We also speak with Peter Leech, who runs the hugely popular Patrick O'Brian Appreciation Society on Facebook, one of those rare online communities that genuinely reflects the spirit of the books it celebrates. It’s warm, knowledgeable, generous, and filled with people who love to share insights, nautical lore, historical tidbits, and favourite passages with genuine enthusiasm. The group balances deep expertise with a hugely welcoming approach, making it a place for newcomers just discovering Aubrey and Maturin while offering a treasure chest of scholarship, humour, and camaraderie for long-time readers...a finer crew of enthusiasts would be hard to find.
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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.

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Dr Sam Willis introduces a new mini-series on naval fiction, featuring interviews with authors talking about their naval creations. In this episode, he meets Julian Stockwin, a renowned author known for his Thomas Kydd novels, which span 27 books and 23 years, culminating most recently in "Admiral". The books cover a huge array of history and themes, from brotherhood, friendship and loyalty to naval duty and professionalism, adventure, exploration and the maritime world of the great Age of Sail.
Stockwin shares his early love for the sea, influenced by his uncle's sailing experiences, and his transition from a career in computer design to writing. He describes the meticulous research process, the creation of characters, and the historical context of his stories. Stockwin also reveals plans for a new series featuring Harry Wilde, set in an earlier period but with similar themes of adventure.
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