The year is 1667. Sir Francis Courtney and his son Hal are on patrol in their fighting caravel off the Agulhas Cape of South Africa. They are lying in wait for one of the treasure-laden galleons of the Dutch East India Company returning from the Orient. So begins a quest for adventure and the spoils of war that sweeps them from the settlement of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa to the Great Horn of Ethiopia far to the north.

At a time when international maritime law permitted acts of piracy, rape, and murder otherwise punishable by death, Wilbur Smith introduces a generation of the indomitable Courtneys and thrillingly re-creates their part in the struggle for supremacy and riches on the high seas.

From the very first pages, Wilbur Smith spins a colorful and exciting tale, crackling with tension and drama, that builds and builds to a stunning climax. Packed with vivid descriptive passages of the open seas, breathless pacing, and an extraordinary cast of characters, Birds of Prey is a masterpiece from a storyteller at the height of his powers.

Post Captain is a thrilling adventure set during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1803, as Napoleon shatters the Peace of Amiens, Captain Jack Aubrey, R. N., finds himself in a precarious position. Taking refuge in France to escape his creditors, he becomes interned.

With daring and ingenuity, Aubrey escapes from France, evades debtors' prison, and navigates the turbulent waters of a possible mutiny. His relentless pursuit of his quarry leads him straight into the heart of a French-held harbor. This installment of the Aubrey & Maturin series brilliantly surpasses expectations set by Master and Commander.

Patrick O'Brian's masterful storytelling captures the essence of the era, weaving together themes of friendship, loyalty, and the high-stakes drama of naval warfare. Readers are in for an exhilarating journey on the high seas, filled with epic battles and rich historical detail.