Wager
By Richard Woodman
272 pp. 1999. Paperback. $14.95
ISBN 1 57409 080 1
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Among the captains of the great tea clippers sailing from China to England in the late nineteenth century, there was tremendous competition to be the first one home. In 1869, Captain Kemball of the ERL KING races Captain Richards of the SEAWITCH from Shanghai to London. At stake: the honor of marrying Kemball's daughter.
The race is on, and as the sails unfurl so too does the danger. The fastest seafaring vessels ever built storm across the world's oceans, and young Hannah Kemball — in tow aboard her father's ship — learns that murder, mayhem, and deceit are all part of the game.
This page-turner from the author of the highly acclaimed Nathaniel Drinkwater series is nautical fiction at its very best.
“The sea scenes rate high marks; and the historical background is inlaid with an abundance of well-chosen detail. Altogether, this is a feast for maritime fiction buffs.” —ALA Booklist
“This author has quietly stolen the weather gauge from most of his rivals in the Hornblower stakes.” –Observer, London
“Brilliantly told, the story catches every nuance… A convincing and compulsive seafaring story.” –Oxford Times
About the Author:
As a professional sailor, Richard Woodman has progressed from apprentice to captain in a variety of ships. Along with the Drinkwater series, he has written nautical fiction about tea-clippers and cargo liners and is a member of the Society for Nautical Research. Woodman lives in England, and is considered one of the strongest voices in nautical fiction today.