The eighth volume of the Honor series, which follows the career of an American naval intelligence officer, Commander Peter Wake, is set in 1886. The story begins in New York City, where a meeting with naval historian and rising politico Theodore Roosevelt sets in motion a chain of events that take Wake to Cuba, where he risks his life trying to put a lid on revolutionaries operating between Cuba and Florida. Faithful readers might recall that, with the seventh entry in the series (The Honored Dead, 2009), the author switched literary gears, shifting from third-person to first-person narrative. He continues that approach here, presenting the story as though it were written by Wake himself, years after the events. This device removes the element of immediacy (we know the story took place nearly a decade ago, so reducing suspense) but adds depth to Wake’s character, allowing us to see more of what goes on beneath his surface. A solid entry in this popular series.
Description
Commander Peter Wake, of the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Intelligence, is in New York City in 1886, where he meets two intense young men who will dramatically influence his life: Theodore Roosevelt and José Martí. Presented with a secret coded message, he deciphers it for Roosevelt, and soon wishes he hadn't.
Returning to Washington, he is assigned to follow up on the secret message and uncover the extent of Cuban revolutionary activities between Florida and Cuba, along with investigating rumors of Spanish government agents operating in Key West.
The investigation takes Wake to places he thought he knew so well: Havana, Key West, Tampa, and the islands of Florida's southwest coast. But the further he delves, the more he realizes how much he doesn't know, and is drawn inexorably into the center of the most catastrophic event in Key West history, when over half the city was destroyed. And at the end, Peter Wake makes a decision that may well shock his readers—one involving the very darkest shade of honor.
Reviews
My advice is to sign on early and set sail with Peter Wake for both solid historical context and exciting sea stories!
At last we have an American character the equivalent of Hornblower or Aubrey.
Macomber is the O'Brian of the Caribbean.
