I am sorry, after several books in the Carlisle & Holbrooke series, that their parts in the North American campaign of the Seven Years War seem to have come to an end. The struggle between Britain and France stretched from Cape Breton to Fort Niagara over the course of several books, exploring an unusual offshoot of naval maneuvers on lakes and rivers in an uncharted wilderness.

Chris Durbin's fictional account of this dramatic historical chapter -- known in the U.S. as the French & Indian War -- has been fascinating to read!

But, while France's dreams of colonial expansion may have been crushed, the larger war continues. Captain Edward Carlisle and the crew of the 50-gun HMS Dartmouth have been sent to the Ligurian Sea -- the northern tip of the western Mediterranean, with coastlines bordering the kingdoms of Sardinia, Genoa and Tuscany -- to further the British cause and let France (and neutral Spain) know that the Royal Navy is still a force to be reckoned with. While Vice Admiral Sir Charles Saunders takes a squadron to blockade the French port of Toulon, Carlisle sails with an irascible British envoy to Sardinia, then seeks to interfere with several ships of the line being built for the French in Genoa.

As always, there is plenty of action, with vivid descriptions of sea voyages and ship battles to keep readers turning pages and place them on deck with Carlisle and his men. Ligurian Mission also offers plenty of political intrigue, as the small nations involved strive to maintain their neutrality or position themselves to take advantage of any shift in power.

Durbin has been producing books in this series at a rapid clip, but I'm sad to be nearing the end of his current run. I have only one more book to go before I'm all caught up ... so let's hope he has more volumes ready to go soon!

[ visit Chris Durbin's website ]