Fantastic book for a novice like me in dealing with cytopathology. I am impressed especially with the format of the book which deals with the routine problems we encounter in interpreting the cytology smears.The section dealing with female genital tract is also very nice and well illustrated. Recommended for busy cytopathology practising physicians.

This is a book about people being discriminated against because of the colour of their skin. It is about anybody who has had injustices done to them because of their religion. It is a book about people who have been wrongly done by. And it is about the people who helped them out. My Mate Shofiq tells of a boy who never got a chance to prove himself to the crowd until a kind warm-hearted friend came along and helped him out

Well, I experienced 5 pages of initial confusion,(and disappointment?), because I expected Needle's book was another in a long list of 18th century naval heroics. I had thought I purchased another British historical novel in the style of Patrick O'Brien, Richard Woodman, C. Northcote Parkinson, etc.... By page 6 I was so drawn into his characters and the dramatic tension which he creates, that I couldn't put the book down. Half-way through, I ordered the second book in this new series.

Jan Needle's first two historical novels of the British Navy in the mid-18th century, (pre-French Revolution) are intelligently written psychological drama. Unlike the genre in general, Needle does not continually seek to gratify us with heroic captains, loyal and competent seamen, epic naval battles, and eventual victory for the protagonists. Needle instead wraps each novel within a beguiling,(and dark), psychological tension. Each character is real and indentifiable, with human flaws, doubts, and motivations. Evil is palpable. The settings?--stark, foreboding, realistic, frightening, mysterious, historically accurate, unnerving.... Make no mistake, this isn't just more "shoot-em-up" "stiff upper lip" Horatio Hornblower fluff, this is intrigue, mystery and the dark side of humanity. Not for the faint of heart. The closet style in this genre I believe would be David Donachie's--an intelligent naval history reader will appreciate both. If you want John Wayne on a ship of war, buy another author. If you want an extremely well-crafted historical mystery with a dark unsettling tone, buy Jan Needle's series. Highly recommended with 4 stars (and I don't give "5's!")

In the first installment, "A Fine Boy for Killing," the major protagonist is introduced. William Bentley is a naive young midshipman whose uncle, his Captain, is an emotionally unbalanced tyrant. Bentley learns the awful consequences of impressment, the havoc and misery below decks, the polygot and sometimes incompetent officers who manned the King's ships, the appalling social and economic conditions of 18th century England, and especially of the dark psychological tone of naval service. The setting, characterization, plot and theme are all exceptionally well-crafted. I for one will jump at the next installment in the series. Thank you, Jan Needle, for raising the bar and providing readers with something beyond the usual 8th grade read.

I could not put this book down.

I had been looking, as I usually am, for grim, gritty realism. This book was almost *too* intense for me -- and I mean that as a compliment. It's the story of an unhappy ship, a psychotic captain (I kept seeing Anthony Hopkins as Captain Bligh, reading Swift's scenes), and the inevitable results. Characters die -- *major* characters die. Don't read this if you lack a strong stomach.

Needle's writing is a blunt, brutally wielded instrument, but gets the job done. The choreography of action scenes can sometimes be a little too static; overall setting and description, though, stand out. His dialogue sometimes rings false, but works adequately. Characterization is strong overall, though with some events (Allgood's collapse; Bentley's change of heart) never quite ringing true. The plot never stops moving from the first page to the last; I was never bored, and I bore easily.

Of interest to me is Needle's purpose in writing this book, apparently the first in the series. The title character, Bentley, is not an admirable figure here. But presumably he is going to be the protagonist of books to come. Many authors give their characters dark pasts, but reveal them only in snatches of backstory; Needle here has written that dark past out in all its sordid glory. I am certainly looking forward to seeing what the author does next.

Younq William Bentley, a midshipman on a RN frigate in dock waiting for orders, is gulled by his vicious uncle, Capt.Swift, into a false sense of ideals, command, and justice. Swift's iron-fisted reputation precedes him and the few hands that man the boat are supplemented by the dregs of the gaols and hospitals, plus whatever he can drum up. William has to do some of the drumming-up and he tricks a young farm-hand and his sheep into the service of HM the King. A smuggling cutter provides a few real seamen, gaining Bentley extra kudos and inflating his already swollen ego, simultaneously earning him enemies in the crew. Young, gullible William is so impressed with uncle's regime that he is in danger of becoming a carbon-copy (which is exactly what his uncle wants). His uncle's charisma blinds the young man to the real dangers of the rule of the lash and starter, and also to the Captain's gradual spiral into madness. However, some of the crew are not blind to this and are planning mutiny, fuelled by the daily bloody punishment, the vile food, incessant meaningless sail evolutions and the prospect of a trip round the Horn at the worst possible season.
Around the same time, Will's bubble of confidence and superiority is pricked by a humiliating staged fight, and more leaks out as he realises the mutinous results of Swift's despotic reign could have been prevented by a different form of man-management; young Will suffers a horrendous coming-of -age in the last few pages.
Rich characterisations, attention to detail and a well-paced plot make this a great, if at times stomach-turning, read - this is realism, so don't expect a happy ending.

If I didn't know any better, I could swear that this book and the previous (A Fine Boy for Killing) were written by two different people ... the first one rattles along at a great pace, but alas not this... It has taken me weeks to get through it, whereas I devoured 'Fine Boy for Killing' in a couple of days.
There are several seemingly disconnected threads running in parallel in this story. Ostensibly about Will Bentley joining a press tender, we gather that this is not the crux of the matter; the disappearance of 2 men and his uncle's hints at 'trade' lead one to understand that smuggling is the hidden agenda.
However, the story takes its own good time getting there; I found this lack of progress to be disturbing, and combined with the stilted delivery, was almost persuaded several times to give it up as a bad job. But some quality kept dragging me back; maybe it was the hanging tale of the girl selling her teeth and the judge's wife who was to be the recipient; perhaps the fate of the 'spies'; maybe the underlying good story - for sure it was not the flow of the tale.
The style is not my cup of tea, but then I don't care for Steven King either... ***

Read my review of "A Fine Boy for Killing," as the comments
all apply to this work as well. This is the second novel in the William Bentley naval fiction series, though on an entirely
different tack. As in the first novel of the series, Jan Needle has presented us with a dark, brooding, (sometimes revolting) mystery. The setting is mid-18th century England. The land and sea settings are drafted with excellent visual imagery. The protagonist is still William Bentley, albeit now a somewhat older (but not too worldly) midshipman. His uncle, a sadistic cynical Captain lurks in the wings, occasionally sticking his oar in to terrify and ensnare William in his disreputable schemes. Were (and are) people really like this? Unfortunately, yes, they are our fellow man. "We have met the enemy, and they is us...."

Definitely not in the style of the lightweight fantasy "Hornblower" series. As intellectual as Patrick O'Brien, but without the niceguys and heroics. If you like historical novels which require some gray matter, and which contain a strong element of psychological drama, this is your sea biscuit. Like O'Brien and David Donachie, a great find for those who enjoy a cut above the average, "grapple and board" type of naval novel. Prepare to be horrified at times, like when you read about the sale of Cicely's entire mouthful of teeth! If you like the genre, you will like this book. Full of the socio-cultural backdrop of 18th century England. Not too much dialect, so one can comprehend the characters' language. Highly readable, though one has to pay close attention--not a skim read. Don't bring it to the beach--this is for bedtime after your spouse has fallen asleep.

Of course the first book in every series tends to win the toss-up, but this second book is so unlike the first it does not disappoint. Good writer, interesting subjects. Jan Needle will eventually be as collectable as Woodman, Lambdin, Pope or Donachie, (probably not the tremendously popular god of sea novels Patrick O'Brien though), once he becomes more widely known. I bought the second book in the series when I got half-way through his first. Since Donachie is not as prolific as we would hope, and Pope and O'Brien are now deceased, Needle is all the more welcome. Hope he doesn't return to children's books and screenplays!

This is the continuing story of William Bentley and his ongoing process of personal disillusion and embitterment.

Set in the early 19th century, The Wicked Trade is about smuggling, press gangs, and really nasty amateur dentistry. It's an outstanding book, though not a perfect one, and is not for the weak of stomach.

I characterized Needle's writing in his previous book, A Fine Boy for Killing, as a blunt instrument. Here, he's refined it to a stiletto. Dialogue in particular shines, even evoking Shakespeare in its rhythmic qualities. His action scenes are still a little static and there's too much exposition -- one annoying habit he's picked up is to add an expositional paragraph before an action sequence, wrecking the suspense by telling the reader what's going to happen.

For the most part, characters are strong, vivid and well drawn. I particularly appreciate Needle's ability to create female characters who, while believable for the period, are individuals.

The plot, while exciting, doesn't have the gripping quality of the first book in the series. I think the author tries to do too much. Perhaps focusing on either the press or the smuggling, with the dental horrors as a subplot, would have been stronger. More detail on either of those would have been appreciated. As it is, there are fascinating themes here, but I felt the lack of a dramatic climax, and there are times when the plot bogs down. Readers should be warned that some of the teeth scenes are beyond disgusting.

The finale is ambiguous, leaving the door open for, I hope, a third installment.