The adventures of Nicholas Fallon, a British privateer based in Bermuda, continue in Barbarians on an Ancient Sea, the third book in William Westbrook's ongoing series.

His exploits this time around begin with the harrowing rescue of a ship in distress, in a powerful gale some 200 miles from Bermuda. The man he saved is Caleb Visser, a New England fisherman on a rescue mission of his own.

Visser's father has been captured and enslaved by corsairs on the Barbary Coast, and Visser and his brother, in a second ship, are on their way to Algiers to ransom his release. Unfortunately, his brother's ship fell victim to the same deadly storm, and the ransom money is deep underwater off the Bermuda coast. So, while Fallon escorts a pair of merchant vessels to Boston in his plucky schooner Rascal, his friends use a rudimentary diving bell to salvage the funds; when Fallon returns, he decides to ferry Visser on his errand of mercy, despite the many dangers of the Barbary Coast.

Fallon is a captain motivated, unlike most captains in the genre, not by loyalty to Britain but by his belief in what is right. Even so, his ambitions generally align with England's, and as always he proves to be a useful ally to his peers in the Royal Navy. That proves fortuitous here, as his friendship with several men in power opens some important doors for Fallon along the way.

If there's a weakness in these books, it's Fallon's habit of instantly befriending everyone he meets and, typically, being immediately willing to put his ship, his life and the lives of his crew on the line to provide service to friends in need. It is perhaps a touch unbelievable just how strong his luck runs; in his lone schooner he easily bests French frigates and Algerian xebecs without breaking much of a sweat. And, if there's any chance the weather will shift conditions in his favor, you can count that it will.

Fortunately for readers, Fallon is an immensely likable protagonist, and it's easy to suspend a bit of incredulity in exchange for his entertaining adventures.

Barbarians on an Ancient Sea is an immensely enjoyable book, and the Fallon series has become a new favorite of mine. I hope Westbrook is hard at work on his next novel!