Lambdin provides with the 18th adventure of his hero Alan Lewrie, a series that certainly has legs. Here, unlike the previous few books, we spend 80% of our time in naval action, and 20% of our time back in Port in England, a reverse of what we had seen in the last three novels. And that is well worth it.

It is the time after the Peace of Amiens has ended and before Trafalgar, though we end knowing that the enemy fleet is out in the Atlantic. Fortunately for Sir Alan, Baronet, he has been given a squadron, though his is the only ship of Rate, to cleanse privateers from the coast of Florida. (A Spanish Colony at the time)

Following his adventures one can grasp a true feel for life on ship and the trials of a Sea Captain, perhaps more so than Forester or O'Brien left us with, even more than Kent and Pope as well. Stockwell's Kydd comes close but as time has taken this series to so many books, Lambdin has done better and better research and one gets a feeling wit h his citing of facts, detail and use of idiom that the author has become a master over his period.

The Alan Lewrie series, and this addition to it, is well worth the time. ( )

Not much action as Lewrie is in American waters while Nelson pursues the French fleet, but a pleasant read. ( )

A low key adventure in and around the Straits of Florida. Lewrie's first visit to the Bahamas enables him to explore and describe as he seeks our the resident privateers. ( )