Percival Keene is the “natural-born child” of the noble Captain Delmar, who refuses to acknowledge his illegitimate son. Percival joins the Navy as a young midshipman, determined to make his true father proud of him and gain his approval.

This book has adventure, pirates, duels of honor, shipwreck, and battles against the French. I loved the action and the fast-paced writing style. The plot is woven together really well, and every new situation has a fascinating outcome. The characters are all so interesting and brave, and I loved the close, trusting relationships they formed.

Percival is the perfect main character, taking action, carefully calculating his next move, emotional at times, and craving connection to his true family. He is incredibly brave in the face of danger, and very intelligent. 
I only wish that the women in this story had any kind of character depth or development. They are barely characters; more like dolls propped up in the background for scenery. Still, the main story is just so good, that I can forgive the author for not giving the ladies more ‘screen time’.

I have enjoyed so many of Marryat’s books, and I can’t wait to read more from the Heart of Oak Sea Classics.