RELEASE DATE: LATE 2026
2025 HFC BOOK AWARDS
FINALIST
5 STARS
Ships of War—1782—False Colours
1782 — The American Revolutionary War rages in the Caribbean. With designs upon the island of Jamaica, the French plan their invasion. England’s lucrative trade is at risk, her lifeblood, the entire war hanging in the balance…
Admiral de Grasse readies the French fleet upon Martinique, soon to depart with over sixty ships and forty thousand troops. To the south the British fleet hovers, Admiral Rodney eagerly waiting upon news from his lookout squadrons.
His Britannic Majesty’s Ship Hinchinbrook, twenty-eight gun, is hurriedly recalled from the repair docks to join the scouting efforts. Their duty to spy the French fleet is clear, to be prosecuted at all costs. Headed about Martinique, the seas of the Windward Islands swarm with enemy shipping, shipping which is hunting day and night. Tensions are high.
A young up-and-coming officer, Midshipman Hayden Reginald Cooper, eagerly awaits news of his examination for lieutenant. The spoils of promotion, prizes and glory await, all amidst the threat of hurricane, destruction and worst of all, abject failure. Should the French slip away unnoticed, Jamaica would be lost, the sugar trade would be lost, the Leeward Islands would be lost and the war would be lost. Hinchinbrook may only be one ship and yet upon her decks the fate of the entire West Indies is poised. Much is at stake and never have so many relied upon those so few…
“False Colours” marks the beginning of Hayden Reginald Cooper’s journey and his adventures in the Royal Navy…
Historium Press
Publisher of "Ships of War"
Ships of War—1782—False Colours
Reviews
YARDE BOOK REVIEWS
"Ships of War—1782—False Colours by Bradley John is a powerful and compelling tale, beautifully anchored in its period and unafraid to explore the darker currents of command and conscience—this is a story that deserves to be read, remembered, and recommended..." Mary Anne Yarde (5 Stars)
2025 HFC BOOK AWARDS
"Bradley John has fashioned more than a tale of war at sea; he has given us a meditation on duty, courage, and the fragile rebellion of the soul when pressed too far. The book lingers long after its final page, like the aftertaste of salt on the lips or the memory of a lantern’s glow in the dark belly of a ship. A story to be read. A story to be felt. A story that returns, again and again, like the sea itself—unyielding, haunting, and magnificently alive..." (5 Stars and Semi-Finalist)
2025 HFC BOOK AWARDS
"So persuasive is Bradley John’s conjuring that the ordinary world, with its quiet comforts and landlocked certainties, falls away; one steps instead into that floating realm where men are tested against wind, against cannon, against the shadowed chambers of their own hearts..." (5 Stars and Semi-Finalist)
Book Synopsis
| Title |
Ships of War—1782—False Colours |
|---|---|
| Author | Bradley John |
| # in Series | 1782 |
| Chapters | 27 + Prologue + Epilogue |
| Words | 96,000 (approximately) |
| Pages | 240 |
| Genre | Historical naval adventure fiction |
| Setting |
1782 — Caribbean (American Revolutionary War) |
| Language | English |
| Release date | Late 2026 |
| Available | e-book (Kindle), Paperback, Hardback |
| Publisher | Historical Fiction Company - Historium Press |
| Cover Design | White Rabbit Arts |
| Awards |
2025 HFC Book Awards Finalist |
