In Hostile Waters principally follows the voyage of the USS Argus during the War of 1812 when it penetrated the Irish sea to bring the war to English waters. It also follows Argus's eventual nemesis HMS Pelican. The narrative closely follows true events experienced by both vessels, so it is not neccessary to sumarise the plot, and the author achieves this by inserting his characters from previous series, Oliver Baldwin and Edward Ballantyne, into the roles played by the First Officer of Argus (William Watson) and the Captain of Pelican (Sir John Maples).
The focus switches between the two brigs to give the reader a clear view of their voyages, their experiences and the final battle in which Argus is captured. The single ship actions of the War of 1812 were well known on both sides of the Atlantic at the time and continue to interest modern readers. This work is an excellent addition to fiction covering this subject.
This was a well written detailed account of true events with a good pace which I recommend.
Description of: In Hostile Waters
Author: William H. White
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