Ransome’s Crossing: Crewing the Ships
Yes, I’m once again blogging about casting characters. Why? Because I’m doing it as I write this post.
Because Ransome’s Crossing will introduce us to a whole new set of secondary characters—a few we’ve seen briefly on William’s ship in Ransome’s Honor and many more we’ll meet aboard HMS Audacious—after not just meeting but exceeding my word-count quota for Monday and Tuesday (quota = 1,500 words/day, total for Monday & Tuesday = 3,685, thank you very much), I’d already introduced one key Audacious crew member, the first lieutenant. And I needed to know who he is. I already have a scene written that fits in later in the story that deals with the crew of Audacious as well, so I figured it would behoove me that while I’m ahead of the game on wordcount, I’d go ahead and spend the time signing on the crew of HMS Audacious.
Because in the initial draft of Ransome’s Honor there were several more scenes that took place aboard Alexandra which I ended up cutting, I already had quite a few of the key crew members cast—drawing mostly from the Hornblower movies, and some from Master & Commander, and others from…well, you’ll figure out where! So in this first partial crew listing, if you’ve read (or are reading) Ransome’s Honor, you should recognize most of these names.
Crew of HMS Alexandra
Captain William Ransome (Paul McGann)
First Lieutenant Ned Cochrane (Ewan McGregor)
Second Lieutenant Patrick O’Rourke (James d’Arcy)
Third Lieutenant Angus Campbell (Jamie Bamber)
Fourth Lieutenant Horatio Eastwick (Ioan Gruffudd)
Fifth Lieutenant Eamon “Jack” Jackson (Orlando Bloom)
Sixth Lieutenant Robert Blakeley (Heath Ledger)
Steward Archibald Dawling (Sean Gilder)
Midshipman Walter Kennedy (Max Benitz)
Midshipman Josiah Gibson (Josh Groban)
Boatswain Allerdyce Matthews (Paul Copley)
Marine Sergeant Ryken (Samuel West)
Bringing up the rear of the supply ships William is leading to Jamaica is HMS Audacious, a smaller ship, at 64 guns, which means one less officer and a slightly smaller crew. In writing Ned Cochrane’s opening scene in the first chapter of Ransome’s Crossing, I learned that he and the first lieutenant of Audacious came up as midshipmen together, so are about the same age. And because the newly assigned captain of this ship needs to be someone who won’t resent coming under William’s command, I decided he needed to be a little younger than William’s thirty-four.
Crew of HMS Audacious
Captain Alban Parker
1st Lt. Montgomery Howe
2nd Lt. Griffith Crump
3rd Lt. Lewis Gardner
4th Lt. Millington Wallis
5th Lt. Richard Duncan
Midshipman Thomas Hamilton
Midshipman Cornelius Martin
Midshipman Francis Hacker
Midshipman Marmaduke Clerke
Midshipman Charles Lott
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KayeDacus.com 
That’s one good looking crew! 🙂 Congratulations on exceeding your word count!
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Well, unlike the real Royal Navy, I get to pick the cream of the crop when it comes to looks!
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Aww, is the Arthur-inspired 5th Lt. a new addition to your casting book since Merlin began airing a few weeks ago? I like it! And I’ve gotta say, the expression on James Murray’s face in that pic cracks me up!
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Yes, Bradley James, a.k.a. Young Arthur, is a new addition to the casting book in the last couple of weeks. The funny thing is that I usually go for the sweet, give-way-to-the-Alpha-Male dark-haired guys, yet in Merlin, as well as in the Narnia films, it’s the blond Alphas I like the best (Arthur and Peter). Can’t figure that out for the life of me.
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You watch Merlin!! DH and I just discovered this show (and we are very grateful for internet streams as we do not have cable). I have read almost all of Ransome’s Honor today. Can I be your biggest fan?
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***RANSOME’S HONOR SPOILERS***
I can’t wait to read this book. It looks very interesting and exciting! I’m still waiting on Ransom’s Honor and Menu for Romance. I was looking at the “boat buffet” of a crew you have there and don’t see how Charlotte will be able to consider the secret fiance in Jamaica!:)
You had me going for a little bit when I saw young Mr. Charles’ picture at the bottom of that list. I thought it’s a boy. No, it’s a girl. No, it’s a boy. Then I remembered (duh!) that Charlotte dresses up like a boy. I don’t know where my mind was. You did a good job with Photoshop or whatever program you used.:)
Speaking of Regency things the BBC has their new press pack with an Emma 2009 trailer! It looks good, though I hope they don’t dumb down the dialogue. That’s one problem people had with Jane Eyre 2006. These writers don’t realise that Janeites know when long passages of Jane’s writing have been altered. Anyway, their costumes look nice.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/07_july/09/bbcone.shtml
In order to view the trailer one has to flip through the carousel at the top of the page until the Emma one shows up. It takes a little while to find it.
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Thanks for posting the link, Sylvia.
Hmmm . . . I didn’t recognize a single line of dialogue in the trailer. Of course, I don’t know Emma as well as the other books because it’s my least favorite. The scene where she goes into the study and tells Knightley she loves him but could never marry him has me a little concerned because I definitely don’t remember that from the book.
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Oh, and I forgot to add . . . I cast Henry last night, too. But I think I’m going to hang onto that one until I’m working on the third book.
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I’m sorry if I posted spoilers in my previous post. I didn’t think they were spoilers because you have all that information in your post at the top of the page under Books: Ransome Trilogy.
I didn’t recognise the diologue either from the trailer. The part about Emma saying she loves him, but can’t marry him isn’t exactly in the book, but the idea is there. I think it’s supposed to be after the engagment when she knows that Mr. Woodhouse would never allow her to leave him and marry like Isabella did. Here’s the passage in the book that I think they are taking this from.
The subject followed; it was in plain, unaffected, gentleman-like English such as Mr. Knightley used even to the woman he was in love with, how to be able to ask her to marry him, without attacking the happiness of her father. Emma’s answer was ready at the first word. “While her dear father lived, any change of condition must be impossible for her. She could never quit him.” Part only of this answer, however, was admitted. The impossibility of her quitting her father, Mr. Knightley felt as strongly as herself; but the inadmissibility of any other change, he could not agree to.
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Don’t worry about it. I just didn’t want anyone who hasn’t read the blurbs for the second and third books to lose the surprise of finding out what Charlotte’s secret is in the first book before it’s revealed.
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I just received my rare, autographed copy of Ransome’s Honor today! Thanks so much “Kaye Dascus!!!!” LOL…hope that get’s fixed! Can’t wait to start it this weekend! I just won Menu for Romance too so I hope to be reading that soon as well. Best wishes on Ransome’s Crossing.
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What’s not to like about Peter Pevensie? The actor has been cast by me too, as a character named Peter no less!
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Kaye:
Ransome’s Honor is such a satisfying read. It will definitely go in my collection of books that are perfect to read again and again.
I became so involved in the story and with the characters of this book that it will be hard to wait for the next two in the series!
Well done. 🙂
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