A Pirate of the Caribbees
1898
The Caribbean in wartime is a killing ground, and young Lieutenant Courtenay is about to learn exactly how dangerous these waters can be. Assigned to His Majesty's frigate Althea, he's thrust into a world of fog-shrouded encounters, French frigates on the horizon, and a mission to hunt down the fearsome pirate Morillo, a man whose name alone makes seasoned sailors go quiet. But this is no simple chase. Between the battles that test every inch of his courage and the storms that threaten to swallow the ship whole, Courtenay must find his footing as an officer, earn the trust of a crew who watch his every weakness, and face an enemy whose ruthlessness has become legend. Collingwood writes with the authority of a man who knew these ships intimately, capturing the terrible beauty of a square-rigger in battle, the claustrophobic terror of a hull groaning against monstrous seas, and the strange fellowship that forms between men who face death together. What emerges is a ripping adventure that never lets the reader forget they're standing on a pitching deck with cannon smoke about to roll across the rail.
