Winds of Marque: Blackwood & Virtue - Softcover

Coles, Bennett R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0062820354 ISBN 13: 9780062820358

Publisher: Harper Voyager, 2019

Synopsis

"Bennett R. Coles ranks among my go-to list in SF. Entertaining and intelligent storytelling and terrific characters. In Winds of Marque, Coles may well have invented a whole new subgenre that has me scrambling for a description--Steam Space?  Whatever you call it, a blast to read. Here's hoping that many more adventures are in the offing for Blackwood and company."  —Steven Erikson, New York Times bestselling author

The first novel in an exciting science fiction series—Master and Commander in space—a swashbuckling space adventure in which a crew of misfit individuals in the king’s navy are sent to dismantle a dangerous ring of pirate raiders.

In a dense star cluster, the solar winds blow fiercely. The star sailing ship HMSS Daring is running at full sheet with a letter of marque allowing them to capture enemy vessels involved in illegal trading. Sailing under a false flag to protect the ship and its mission, Daring’s crew must gather intelligence that will lead them to the pirates’ base.

Posing as traders, Daring’s dashing second-in-command Liam Blackwood and brilliant quartermaster Amelia Virtue infiltrate shady civilian merchant networks, believing one will lead them to their quarry.

But their mission is threatened from within their own ranks when Daring’s enigmatic captain makes a series of questionable choices, and rumblings of discontent start bubbling up from below decks, putting the crew on edge and destroying morale. On top of it all, Liam and Amelia must grapple with their growing feelings for each other.

Facing danger from unexpected quarters that could steer the expedition off course, Blackwood and Virtue must identify the real enemy threat and discover the truth about their commander—and their mission—before Daring falls prey to the very pirates she’s meant to be tracking.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

In a dense star cluster, the solar winds blow fiercely. The star-sailing ship HMSS Daring runs at full sheet on a secret mission from the Emperor himself: to hunt down and destroy a festering pirate threat. Armed with a letter of marque allowing them to collect the bounty of enemy vessels, the crew has been told to find the pirates’ base by any means necessary.

Dashing second-in-command Liam Blackwood and plucky quartermaster Amelia Virtue lead the infiltration of shady civilian merchant networks to gather intelligence, all while keeping Daring’s true identity hidden. But trouble begins when Daring’s enigmatic captain makes a series of questionable choices and rumblings of discontent ripple up from the crew. Liam and Amelia must discover the truth about their commander, their mission, and the real enemy threat before they fall prey to the very pirates they’re supposed to be tracking.

About the Author:

Bennett R. Coles has a degree in naval history and served fifteen years as an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy. His first novel, Virtues of War, won the Cygnus Award grand prize for science fiction and spawned two follow-up novels, as well as a short story in the 2017 anthology Infinite Stars. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia, with his wife and two sons.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Voyager
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 0062820354
• ISBN 13: 9780062820358
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 368