The year is 1793 and Europe is ablaze with war. Thomas Paine Kydd, a young wig-maker from Guildford, England, is seized by the press-gang to be part of the crew of the 98-gun line-of-battle ship Duke William. The ship sails immediately and Kydd quickly has to learn the harsh realities of shipboard life. Yet despite all he goes through in danger of tempest and battle, gradually he learns to admire the skills and courage of the seamen. He comes to love the companionship he finds amongst his fellows and wants nothing more than to be like them. But will mere promise be enough to turn a raw youth into a true sailor?

The book is published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton and in the US by McBooks Press