Nueva York, 1777. Mientras la revolución americana hace estragos en el territorio de la Colonia, la armada británica se apresta a entrar en combate desde el mar. La marina inglesa debe enfrentarse a una pujante flota de barcos enemigos, corsarios americanos y franceses, para intentar mantener el bloqueo de suministros militares vitales para Washington. Atrapado en la contienda, el joven oficial Richard Bolitho se ve obligado a tomar decisiones trascendentales mientras participa en duras batallas. Decisiones de las que depende la vida de muchos hombres, y quizas, tambien, el devenir de la historia de America.
En 1772, a la edad de dieciséis años, Richard Bolitho embarca en el Gordon, un navío de línea de setenta y cuatro cañones, con órdenes de navegar hacia África oriental para reprimir a quienes osaban
In the spring of 1797 Richard Bolitho brings the 100-gun Euryalus home to Falmouth to be flagship of the hastily formed squadron which has been chosen to make the first British re-entry to the Mediterranean for nearly a year. As flag captain, Bolitho is made to contend with the unyielding attitudes of his new admiral, as well as the devious requirements of the squadron's civilian advisor. England is still stunned by the naval mutiny at Spithead, in which Bolitho's admiral was personally involved, and as the squadron sets sail the air is already alive with rumour of an even greater uprising in the ships at the Nore. Only when the squadron is drawn to a bloody embrace with the enemy does the admiral see the strength in Bolitho's trust and care for his men - but by then it is almost too late for any of them.
Two novels in one volume: the first, "Richard Bolitho - Midshipman" begins in Portsmouth in October 1772, where young Richard Bolitho is waiting to join the "Gorgon"; the second, "Midshipman Bolitho and the 'Avenger'", finds Bolitho aboard his brother's cutter at Falmouth in the winter of 1773.
