Fire on the Waters (Civil War at Sea Series #1)
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The year is 1861, and America shudders on the brink of disunion. Elisha Eaker, scion of a wealthy Manhattan banking family, joins the Navy against his father's wishes. He does it as much to avoid an arranged marriage to his cousin, Araminta Van Velsor, as to defend the flag. Eli meets Lieutenant Ker Claiborne aboard the sloop of war U.S.S. Owanee. An Annapolis graduate who's seen action in the West Indies and the Africa Station, Claiborne is cool and competent in storm and battle, but he now faces an agonizing choice between the Navy he loves and his native Virginia. Whichever road he takes, he'll be called a traitor. With authentic nautical and historical detail, master sea-yarner David Poyer follows Eli, Araminta, Ker, and their loved ones and shipmates into a maelstrom of divided loyalties, bitter partings, stormy seas, governmental panic, political blundering, and, finally, the test of battle as the bloodiest and most divisive war in American history begins.Library JournalThe months prior to the attack on Fort Sumter found many Americans, both Northerners and Southerners, questioning their loyalties. Eli Eaker, son of the wealthy and influential New York financier Micah Eaker, has more than one loyalty to consider. There is an obligation to his father, a forceful man staunchly opposed to his son's involvement in the impending war. There is also the prospective marriage between Eli and his heiress cousin, Araminta, a union greatly desired by Micah. And finally, there is Eli's loyalty to his own Republican and Unionist beliefs. Eli enlists in the navy, joining the crew of the Owanee, recently returned from two years in West Africa and led by Capt. Parker Trezevant, a U.S. Naval officer and Southern gentleman. As the ship heads south to defend Fort Sumter, the crew must deal with their own divided obligations. This first book in Poyer's new Civil War trilogy is an interesting character study of a young man's coming of age as well as an accurate historical novel. The author of numerous nautical tales (e.g., Bahamas Blue), Poyer once again displays his expert knowledge of seamanship. For all libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/01.] Loretta Davis, Broward Cty. Libs., Pembroke Pines, FL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
