Point of Honor
Peter Wake’s saga continues in this second novel of the American Civil War set primarily off the west coast of Florida and the Caribbean. The story opens in early 1864. Wake is given a well-deserved promotion and the command of a schooner. With the promotion comes more demanding and dangerous assignments, which take him and his crew from the Dry Tortugas to Cuba and Mexico, then the British Bahamas, and, finally, to the inlands of Florida to fight the Confederate Army. As he moves from one adventure to another, Wake increasingly earns the loyalty of his steadfast crew, including his crusty but worldly-wise bosun Sean Rork. While he impresses his superiors, he continues to inadvertently cultivate enemies. After a drunken brawl in Key West, he sails on another assignment that redeems him. Finally, Peter creates distention when he decides to follow his heart with Linda.
As the story, begun in At the Edge of Honor, widens in this novel, it becomes richer. The characters are more complex and the action moves well. It is clear the author is significantly knowledgeable about the Florida coast, Caribbean waters, sailing, and local Civil War history. If you’re a fan of 19th century naval history and/or the Civil War, this is a book for you. If not, this book could make you one.
