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Cast to the Sea is an AOS naval series by Vincent S. Gehring.

From Book 1: In 1793, the Mediterranean is aflame with war as Britain battles Revolutionary France for mastery of the seas. For Robert Ashcombe, the son of a struggling country squire, the Royal Navy is not a dream, but an escape from his past closing in on him. Pressed by circumstance into service aboard HMS Fortune, a 36-gun frigate under Captain John Markham, Robert steps into a world as dangerous as it is unfamiliar.

From the cramped gun decks to the admiral's table, he must learn the language of command, the subtle politics among the midshipmen, and the harsh discipline that governs life at sea. Quick with a sword but untested in the ways of seamanship, Robert soon discovers that skill, courage, and ambition are the true currencies of survival and a career in the Royal Navy.

When HMS Fortune joins Admiral Lord Hood’s fleet off Corsica, Robert finds himself in the thick of the campaign: landing operations, desperate chases, and the crash of broadsides against a determined French enemy. The capture of a vital French convoy offers him his first independent command, a chance to prove himself before both his captain and his rivals. But with every success comes the risk of failure, and at sea, failure can be fatal.

From tense wardroom rivalries to the chaos of battle, Robert’s journey is one of growth, hard lessons, and the slow forging of an officer’s character. Friendships will be tested, loyalties questioned, and reputations made or destroyed in a heartbeat.

Blending historical detail with fast-paced storytelling, Cast to the Sea is a gripping naval adventure set in the opening years of the French Revolutionary Wars. It is not just a tale of battles and seamanship, it is the story of a young man thrust into the crucible of war, navigating both the perils of the sea and the complexities of human nature.