The Letter of Marque

Captain Jack Aubrey, a brilliant and experienced officer, has been struck off the list of post captains for a crime he did not commit. Old friend Stephen Maturin, of British intelligence, gets Aubrey to help him in a desperate mission against the French which, if successful, may redeem Aubrey from the private hell of his disgrace. "A splendid saga".--Los Angeles Times Book Review.

When Jack Aubrey is unfairly deprived of his commission in the Royal Navy, Stephen Maturin comes to the rescue, purchasing the captain's former ship and outfitting it as a privateer, to be commanded by...Jack Aubrey. Soon the Surprise is off to sea, on a mission that Aubrey hopes will redeem his good name. The author's grasp of period detail is astonishing as ever--and so is his gift for pure entertainment.