Commissioned to rescue Governor Bligh of Bounty fame, Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend and surgeon, Stephen Maturin, sail the Leopard to Australia with a hold full of convicts. Among them is a beautiful and dangerous spy – and a treacherous disease which decimates the crew.

“Unlike most sea writers, Mr O’Brian has humour and human nature at his command as well as high adventure. There is good history, fascinating erudition, espionage, romance, fever in the hold, wreck in lost latitudes and an action at sea that for sheer descriptive power can match anything in sea fiction.”

CHRISTOPHER WORDSWORTH, 'Guardian'

Reviews

“Hardy’s rough and tumble salty sea-dog tone is perfect”
Evening Standard 22/12/97