"a largely well-crafted tale of high-seas adventure. The characters are vivid and the action is not only relentless but also believable . . . a promising debut in the footsteps of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester . . ."
-- Kirkus Reviews
Captain Bowman West of the Royal Navy loves the ocean, but he is weary of warfare; he wants to be an explorer, sailing to the edge of the map and discovering new lands. Thanks to an old friend in the Admiralty he is given command of a frigate, the HMS Promise, and sent on a mission of exploration to the South China Sea. There he hopes to find treasure which will allow him to buy the ship, giving him the freedom to chart his own course for future voyages. But the mission is full of peril: the challenges of navigating these waters-- including treacherous coral reefs and a fierce typhoon-- all confront West and his men. Furthermore, this is the domain of pirates. Captain West finds that all his courage and resourcefulness will be needed on this voyage of discovery.