How Dark the Night has far less action than the preceding four books in William C. Hammond's ongoing Cutler Family Chronicles. It feels in many ways like a bridge, paving the way for Richard Cutler, the primary protagonist of the earlier books, to take a back seat so the next generation of Cutlers -- including his sons Will and Jamie, among others -- can take center stage.

The book is set in 1805-1808, during a period when the U.S. Navy was not at war, but merchant and navy vessels alike could fall prey to the Royal Navy's policy of search and seizure, pressing American sailors into British naval service to strengthen their war with France. Meanwhile, the U.S. government, led by President Thomas Jefferson, is putting a stranglehold on American commerce in an effort to put economic pressure on England and other European nations. The question is, which nation does the policy hurt most?

Although there's very little action, there's plenty of emotion at play, particularly surrounding the serious illness of a major character.

The book does give readers a close look at the lopsided battle between USS Chesapeake and HMS Leopard, which ended badly for the Americans and lit a fuse that would eventually trigger the War of 1812. Fittingly, a Cutler is aboard one of the ships, although in this case it's an English cousin serving as a midshipman on the Leopard.

There's also a devastating South Seas storm that will certainly have a major impact on the Cutler family in future books.

Action junkies won't love this one, but readers who have come to care about the characters in Hammond's series will be moved by what happens in these pages ... and will be eager to pick up the next volume to learn what happens next.