Men of Promise

Book excerpt: Captain Bowman West of the Royal Navy loves the ocean, but he is weary of warfare. Now, he wants to be an explorer, sailing to the edge of the map and discovering new lands. Thanks to an old friend at the Admiralty, West is given command of a frigate known as the HMS Promise, and sent on a mission of exploration to the South China Sea. There, he hopes to find treasure which will allow him to buy the ship, giving him the freedom to chart his own course for future voyages. But the mission is full of peril. The fabled challenges of navigating these exotic waters-- including treacherous coral reefs and a blistering typhoon-- all confront West and his ship. Furthermore, this is the domain of pirates. Captain West finds that all his courage and resourcefulness will be needed upon this voyage of discovery.