This story is set in ~1890s America, and what a wild ride it is. If you are a fan of historical fiction AND of adventure and action, this book is for you. From piracy on the seas, to countless sword fights, fist fights, duels, bravery, moral dilemmas and ultimately the quest for true love, this book kept me interested from the word go. I've never read any of this series, but apparently, this is a closer look at Mungo St. John, a side character, who is perceived as a villian in another series. However, when the author crafted this book as his back story, he created an entire novel all its own. While Mungo fights for his father's plantation, and for his love of a slave girl, he has to make very, very tough decisions, and ultimately this book is a character study in motivation. I really enjoyed it!