The Grip of Honor: A Story of Paul Jones and the American Revolution

This is a ripping yarn about John Paul Jones, the Scottish-born naval hero who became one of America's first great admirals. The novel bursts open with a thrilling maritime chase: Jones commanding his ship Ranger in a desperate pursuit while a British frigate shadows him across the Atlantic. Cyrus Townsend Brady knew his way around a sea fight, and the battles here crackle with authentic period detail, from the crack of sails to the thunder of cannons to the grim mathematics of naval warfare. The book's historical centerpiece remains the legendary duel with the British warship Serapis, when Jones, his vessel shattered and sinking, refused surrender with his famous words. A tender romance threads through the action, giving the hero a human anchor beyond his relentless ambition. The title says it all: this is a story about the grip that honor has on men's souls, and the price paid to keep it.