A Country of Our Own

The First thing Ker Claiborne realized that morning was not that this day he was to fight a duel, but that his monkey was no longer in bed beside him. The sheets still smelled of ape, but the animal wasn't there.

Rubbing his eyes, peering across the room in the vibrating light that preceded dawn, it took him some seconds to make out the furry shape of C. August Dupin, holding one of his master's pistols. And even then sighting down the barrel at him.

Fully and suddenly awake, he threw the coverlet back. Then froze, hearing the ratcheting click of the hammer being pulled to cock. Remembering how intently the beast had observed him as he cleaned, oiled, and loaded the finely crafted Bertrand & Javalet. How hed watched his master extend the weapon, aim, and squeeze...

In Fire on the Waters we met Lt. Ker Claiborne, who, torn between loyalty to the United States and to his home state of Virginia, has decided to fight for the Confederate side. He goes south, where he runs into another character from the last book, Captain Parker Trezevant, and they on their converted side-wheeler attempt to help their side's cause in any way possible, mostly by running blockades and burning any ship that gets in their way. A cleverly laid trap takes their ship away from them, and Ker must go to the only place where he can get a new one...England. The ships there dont thrill him overmuch, until he claps eyes on a beautiful clipper, the U.S.S. Maryland, and he wonders...if he can capture Union ships back home, why cant he capture one on the open seas? So he waits patiently for the soon to be ex-opium trade ship to leave England's territorial waters, in order make her his richest prize...and a weapon he can wield with great efficiency against the Union he once sought to preserve.

A Country of Our Own continues the high adventure tradition forged in the previous book. There is an amazing amount of detail, especially in the sea going parts. Its interesting to know precisely why Trezevant and Claiborne are not real thrilled with their top heavy converted packet ship, and how they have to work with the ship's deficiencies in battle as well as during the calm parts between. The Maryland handles much better, a sharp little ship that provides a lot of interest to the story, in both the adventure of her capture and in how Ker adjusts to handling her. Poyer has a reputation for writing sea adventures that hearken back to the works of Patrick O'Brien (His works have been turned into the recent movie Master and Commander) and C.S. Forester (best known for his Hornblower books) His vividly real scenes make you feel the swell of the waves and the smell of the salt.

The focus for this novel switches entirely away from the main character of the last one, Eli Eaker, though we do hear a rumor that he might have gotten his own back against his father. Some of the story lines felt slightly unresolved, so I can only hope that they will come back to us in a future novel. There has to be a sequel...I can not, of course, tell you why, but, trust me, there has to be one. Though I considered Eli to be my favorite character in the last book, I found myself rather liking Ker a lot. Hes a different person...more sure of himself, perhaps even a bit more daring, the satisfaction of honor sometimes being one of this most important traits. Of course, his monkey adores him, which means something, I think. The monkey, C. Auguste Dupin is one of the most charming aspects of the books. Hes an evil little thing sometimes, as detailed in the quote above, but when Ker is forced to leave him behind, I was rather disappointed. Hopefully Dupin, as well, will catch up to his master later.

Exciting and interesting, Poyer's second book about the Civil war at sea is sure to please would be swashbucklers and historical adventure fans.