The Stranger from the Sea: A Novel of Cornwall 1810-1811 (Poldark, Book 8)

"Save a stranger from the sea and he will turn your enemee."The Stranger from the Sea (book 8 of the Poldark saga) begins ten years after book 7, The Angry Tide, ended. Life has continued for our familiar inhabitants of Cornwall. Children have grown and more children have been born and the author cleverly catches us up on all the occurrences by a chance reunion and conversation in Portugal on the eve of a battle between French and British forces. My knowledge of historic events during this time period is embarrassingly lacking, but I remember references to Napoleon and the "Battle of Waterloo." My memory of this event and some of the historic figures was enough that I felt a little prescient as the characters of the book attempted to navigate the politics and business climate of the time. History tells us that the war will go on for a while longer and have some impact on both the Poldarks, their friends, and the Warleggans. I would have been content to read the entire book series without inner knowledge of George Warleggan's love life, but the author takes us through that journey nonetheless. By being inside George's head, we truly come to appreciate how little he understands people and their motivations. Fortunately, his story is a small deviance from the more enjoyable story of Ross, Demelza, and their growing children. I think this book was meant to introduce us to the new personalities of this next generation, the coming age of invention, and the curse of war. Despite the ominous passage quoted above, the reader is spared major drama. Despite containing less excitement in this book than some of the previous, it held my attention through some long reading sessions!

The Stranger from the Sea is the eighth book in the twelve volume series on the life of Captain Ross Poldark. The series is set in late eighteenth and early nineteenth Cornwall during the Napoleonic era. In this book we learn that Ross has been in Portugal fighting with the Duke of Wellington's army against the forces of Revolutionary France. Back home in Cornwall we see George Warleggan the widower courting a young aristocrat. The younger Polkdark children Clowance and Jeremy are courting. Ross and Demelza are in middle age but they are still very much in love as they see their family grow. The new character Stephen Carrington provides adventures on the sea with his smuggling endeavors. He is a young romantic Byronic figure. The Poldark volumes are fascinating glimpses into life in Great Britain during the Napoleonic era and provide a wide cast of characters who are complex human beiungs. Winston Graham is a fine writer. Once you read the first book in this excellent series you will be hooked!

The 8th book of the 12 book Poldark series, The Stranger from the Sea takes a 10 year jump from the dramatic end of book 7, The Angry Tide. The series just keeps getting better and better as this book finds the older children of the main characters of the first 7 books all grown up and starting their own lives. Although Ross and Demelza, Dwight and Caroline, George and all of the other ancillary characters are still prominent in the book, the focus is more on the escapades and interactions of the younger generation. The character and story line development are as good as in the first 7 books, and the characters are just as "real" and complex.

I became acquainted with the POLDARK book series after PBS breathed visual life into the literary achievements of the British author, Winston Graham. THE STRANGER FROM THE SEA is the eighth book of the series, which did not disappoint me and increased my desire to read through the end of the series. The books incorporate historical and geographical detail with Graham's imaginative style, creating a wonderful saga, delighting male and female, young and old.

I really didn't think Winston Graham could top the ups and downs of Ross and Demelza's relationship. But I'm finding the development of Jeremy and Clowance very addictive. I also like that although Ross and Demelza have settled down, their relationship is more playful. They are like the cool parents on the block. Can't wait to see what happens with that Carrington fella..he looks like trouble!

Rarely have I enjoyed a series as much as this. The characters are richly drawn and always evolving. Winston Graham has a lovely and novel way of describing the physical beauty of Cornwall and its sea. He has created a fascinating world of 18th century England and describes it as if from firsthand knowledge. The Poldark series stands out as one of my favorites in a long lifetime of avid reading. Aarf!

I received this e-book as a Christmas gift, and I came to purchase the whisper-sync version because listening is much easier on sore eyes. These last books of the Poldark aren't available in audio book format in the libraries in the USA.I'm so glad to have been able to continue this series. The Poldarks have grown, and the children are now young adults.

Smitten I am.! ...I realize I will....I must, read the series in its entirety. ...They have become like an extended family. .must admit I think about them during my daily routines. ..Have a feeling I may be taking a vacation soon...guess where!

I had read these books many years ago and as the Poldark series was on TV decided to re-read. There is a big change in the style of writing and the time lapse in the writing of these remaining books and the first shows.Up until the death of Elizabeth the main emphasises is on Ross, Demelza, Elizabeth and George. The rest of the books the children take centre stage. There is nothing wrong in that except the writing is completely different and the characters don't draw you in in the same way.In the past I have read all twelve books and apart from "The twisted sword" I will not be reading again. There is something to be said about when you have a winning formula as in the first seven books, which in my opinion make a complete story things should be left there and not revisited years later.

Poldark book 8. It took a while to make the jump from Elizabeth’s death 10 years earlier to a totally different era. It was a huge gap - after following closely for 7 novels, each character, there’s an enormous interval to a middle aged Ross /Demelza plus a grown up Jeremy, Clowance, Valentine Geoffrey Charles. Takes a while to get into the book this time. But..... a joy to read nevertheless!!

Masterful! Among modern writers of historical fiction and fact based fiction, Winston Graham has no equal. His attention to detail is more than remarkable, whether it explains the construction and engineering complexities of developing a high-pressure steam engine or the foibles and graces of the social practices of the high-born - with their preoccupation with status and where they, and others, stand in the gradations of gentility pertinent to these pre-industrial revolution times, or the geological structures of copper and tin lodes and how they might be worked in deep mines, his knowledge is faultless.The period covers the early years of the 19th century, immediately after the lull in the Napoleonic Wars and their resumption in the Spanish peninsula. It came a as moment of personal gratification to me to read the author's account of the performance of the 43rd Monmouthshires in a battle of the Peninsular War with an accuracy that he might have obtained from the unit's regimental history. I was proud to serve in the Regiment after it had evolved into the 1st Battalion of The Royal Green Jackets 160 years later.Ross Poldark is much away from Cornwall about his parliamentary business that sees him engaged in dangerous and secret missions for PM Canning.Seeking and being sought for matrimony figures prominently in the tale for Sir George Warleggan and the two eldest Poldark children. Demelza is also not lacking in admirers.I finished this book and experienced an intense sense of disappointment, like I had lost a friend. Immediately remedied by ordering the next book in this considerable series.

The story continues in this 8th book with the focus now on the children of Poldark. George Warleggan has been knighted and has a minor role in this book together with his son who is as wild as his father. It's an entertaining read imo without the frisson of the earlier books. It will be interesting to see what tv makes it it.

I liked Poldark first time round and have loved the new BBC series. I thought I would read some of the books and enjoyed some of the earlier ones. This one was very disappointing though and I have skipped through a lot of it. I think perhaps this was taking a good story too far and the books would have been better ending with the previous book.