James Keffer – författare

Naval war, Pirates , Hornblower stories, sea stories

After gaining valuable experience as an aide to Governor Lord Horatio Hornblower, William Brewer is rewarded with a posting as first lieutenant on the frigate HMS Defiant, bound for American waters. Early in their travels, it seems as though Brewer’s greatest challenge will be evading the wrath of a tyrannical captain who has taken an active dislike to him. But when a hurricane sweeps away the captain, the young lieutenant is forced to assume command of the damaged ship, and a crew suffering from low morale.

Brewer reports their condition to Admiral Hornblower, who orders them into the Caribbean to destroy a nest of pirates hidden among the numerous islands. Luring the pirates out of their coastal lairs will be difficult enough; fighting them at sea could bring disaster to the entire operation. For the Defiant to succeed, Brewer must rely on his wits, his training, and his ability to shape a once-ragged crew into a coherent fighting force.

Commander William Brewer has an opportunity for to settle scores against his pirate adversary once and for all.

Admiral Horatio Hornblower has given Commander Brewer captaincy of the captured pirate sloop El Dorado. Now under sail as the HMS Revenge, its new name suits Brewer’s frame of mind, for he lost many of his best men in a previous engagement. His new orders are to hunt down the pirates who have been ravaging the trade routes of the Caribbean sea.

But Brewer will face more than one challenge before he can confront the pirate known as El Diabolito.

His best friend and ship’s surgeon, Dr. Spinelli, is taking dangerous solace in alcohol as he wrestles with demons of his own; while the new purser, Mr. Allen, may need a lesson in honest accounting.

Worst of all, Hornblower has requested that Brewer take on a young ne’er-do-well, Noah Simmons, to remove him from a recent scandal at home. At twenty-three, Simmons is old to be a junior midshipman, and as a wealthy man’s son he is unaccustomed to working, taking orders, or suffering privations.

William Brewer will need to muster all his resources to ready his crew for their confrontation with the Caribbean’s most notorious pirate. In the process, he’ll discover the true price of command.

Newly promoted to captain, William Brewer is tasked to serve and defend British interests in the waters off Brazil. But who defines what constitutes Britain''s Interests? Portugal''s former colony is declaring independence, and an independent Brazil might better serve Britain''s economic development. King George, however, chooses to support Portugal''s monarch and his efforts to retain the colony. At the very least, Portugal''s king wants to retrieve the royal treasury that was sent to Brazil for safekeeping during the Napoleonic wars. So British ships are sent to support Portugal''s interests, even when many of the captains- and even more of the crewmen-are more than sympathetic towards Brazil. 

The age of sail is nearing its zenith: ships are faster, navies wield more influence, and modernizations are improving shipboard life. But Brewer is inheriting a ship whose previous captain exercised brutal control over his men until crew members mutinied against him. No less a personage than Admiral Hornblower is hoping Brewer can restore morale before it''s too late. But it may already be too late, at least for some. And it certainly doesn''t make Brewer''s job any easier when a renegade British officer takes it upon himself to champion Brazil''s cause. Admiral Cochrane audaciously sets out to recruit disgruntled British sailors for the new Brazilian Navy -at a much higher rate of pay! 

At the risk of starting a war with Brazil, a small fleet of British ships led by Admiral Hardy is tasked with spiriting away a royal fortune in Portuguese gold across the pirate-ridden waters of the Atlantic. It will take the combined ingenuity and skill of Brewer, his officers and crew to even have a chance of accomplishing their mission. 

 A chance meeting in a tavern on Martinique brings a man from Brewer''s past back into his life. Brewer discovers this man - a mentor of his when he was a raw midshipman - has turned to piracy, and Brewer is determined to track him down and end his reign of terror over British shipping in the Caribbean. Captain Brewer soon discovers that still waters run deep when he is kidnapped by his former mentor and warned to stop while he still can. With the help of the US Navy, Brewer finds his quarry in the Bahamas, only to chase him to Washington City and find himself staring down the wrong end of a pirate''s pistol!