Review of Seth Hunter's The Force of Fate

The Force of Fate by Seth Hunter

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Anthony Merry is something of a diplomatic Jonah and he’s not pleased to be the British envoy to Washington City. When an imaginary slight from the president occurs, Merry is determined to get his vengeance. That seems entirely likely after his wife introduces him to Aaron Burr, who has a plan to secede the western territories from the infant United States and create a new country. This sounds like a plan that his superiors back in London can get behind, and so Merry immediately outlines how backing Burr is the way to go.

Captain Nathan Peake has his own problems. His fiancée – his word, not hers since she refuses to marry – is with child and he may or may not be the father. Plus, he must appear before a court of inquiry that is determined to discover why he was aboard the French ship responsible for killing Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar and whether Peake colluded with the enemy. Not to mention the fact that he does have ties to the Bonaparte family, as does his fiancée, which may or may not be known to the court. Then, there’s the fact that both his mother and his fiancée are in imminent danger of arrest on charges of espionage.

Fate intervenes when the death of William Pitt brings about a change of government and those in power believe Peake will be more useful elsewhere. As a result, he is promoted to commodore of a squadron, which reunites him with old friends. He is also charged with a diplomatic mission to Washington City where the current envoy will be led to believe one thing while President Jefferson is reassured of the opposite. Fate, of course, is always accompanied by consequences. This time around Peake reunites with his nemesis, Gilbert Imlay, and must abet an escape from the Tower of London. Everyone has their own agendas, even President Jefferson, and a French fleet lurks off the coast of the Carolinas. Its representatives collude with Americans opposed to the current negotiations between the United States and Great Britain to bring about an end to the slave trade.

The Force of Fate takes place during the middle of the first decade of the 19th century and culminates with the 1806 Battle of the Atlantic between the British and French navies. It’s a facet of the Napoleonic Wars that is rarely depicted, which makes for an interesting interlude, especially when tied in with Burr’s scheming and early attempts to suppress slavery. Those who have never read a Nathan Peake novel may find this one a bit challenging to comprehend all of the story’s nuances, but fans of the series will enjoy this ninth entry. As always, Hunter excels at his depiction of sea battles, keeping readers on the edges of their seats as Peake and his men fight not only the enemy but also Mother Nature.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit...)



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