In 1817 every harbor and estuary in Antigua is filled with ghostly ships, superfluous in the aftermath of war. In this uneasy peace, Adam Bolitho is offered the 74-gun Athena, a notoriously "unlucky" ship, and as flag-captain to Vice-Admiral Sir Graham Bethune he once more follows his destiny to the Caribbean. "All the briny echoes of fictional marine heroes can be heard again in these rip-rousing tales of naval warfare . . . as the stalwart Bolitho gains the trust of his crew and admiration of his superiors." -- The Saturday Evening Post "Kent's descriptions of ships under sail . . . crackle with realism." -- Library Journal "The Horatio Hornblower novels of C.S. Forester were among the most genuinely satisfying novels of the last forty years, and now that Alexander Kent is patrolling the same sea lanes, the stories are as good as ever." -- The New York Times Alexander Kent, pen name of Douglas Edward Reeman, joined the British Navy at 16, serving on destroyers and small craft during World War II, and eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant. He has taught navigation to yachtsmen and has served as a script adviser for television and films. His books have been translated into nearly two dozen languages.