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Honor/Peter Wake #7
The Honored Dead
Cmdr. Peter Wake, Office of Naval Intelligence, is in French Indochina in 1883 on a secret mission for President Chester Arthur.
The novel opens with Wake aboard a riverboat on the Mekong River. The mission sounded simple in Washington: deliver the American president’s reply to a confidential naval offer from the king of Cambodia, while clandestinely assessing the region’s political and military situation. Wake figures it will take two more weeks and he’ll be homeward bound.
Six months later, after nearly dying at the hands of opium warlords, Chinese-Malay pirates, and French gangsters; after suffering starvation at sea, surviving a typhoon, being marooned on a beach, and enduring a horrific full-scale battle—Wake is still there. Exhausted, frustrated, and scared, he and his motley band of companions can now testify that nothing is simple in the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Empire of Vietnam.
This story illuminates the beginning of the bloody cultural clash that lasted for the next hundred years in Southeast Asia, with each side determined to avenge their honored dead.
The Honored Dead is the seventh in the award-winning Honor Series of naval historical fiction following the life and career of Lt. Cmdr. Peter Wake from 1863 to 1907, a time when the United States Navy helped America become a global power.
The previous novels are At the Edge of Honor (winner of the Patrick D. Smith Literary Award as Best Historical Novel of Florida), Point of Honor (winner of the John Esten Cooke Literary Award for Best Work in Southern Fiction), Honorable Mention, A Dishonorable Few, An Affair of Honor, and A Different Kind of Honor (winner of the American Library Association’s Boyd Literary Award for Military Fiction).
The novel opens with Wake aboard a riverboat on the Mekong River. The mission sounded simple in Washington: deliver the American president’s reply to a confidential naval offer from the king of Cambodia, while clandestinely assessing the region’s political and military situation. Wake figures it will take two more weeks and he’ll be homeward bound.
Six months later, after nearly dying at the hands of opium warlords, Chinese-Malay pirates, and French gangsters; after suffering starvation at sea, surviving a typhoon, being marooned on a beach, and enduring a horrific full-scale battle—Wake is still there. Exhausted, frustrated, and scared, he and his motley band of companions can now testify that nothing is simple in the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Empire of Vietnam.
This story illuminates the beginning of the bloody cultural clash that lasted for the next hundred years in Southeast Asia, with each side determined to avenge their honored dead.
The Honored Dead is the seventh in the award-winning Honor Series of naval historical fiction following the life and career of Lt. Cmdr. Peter Wake from 1863 to 1907, a time when the United States Navy helped America become a global power.
The previous novels are At the Edge of Honor (winner of the Patrick D. Smith Literary Award as Best Historical Novel of Florida), Point of Honor (winner of the John Esten Cooke Literary Award for Best Work in Southern Fiction), Honorable Mention, A Dishonorable Few, An Affair of Honor, and A Different Kind of Honor (winner of the American Library Association’s Boyd Literary Award for Military Fiction).
380 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2009
About the author
Robert N. Macomber
37 books36 followersRobert N. Macomber is a multi-award-winning author, internationally acclaimed lecturer, former Dept. of Defense consultant, adventurous expedition leader, an accomplished seaman, and a consultant for TV & Film Documentaries. He was named “2020 Florida Writer of the Year” by the FL Writers Association
His reputation for historical detail, engaging plots, distinctive characters, helpful maps, extensive bibliographies, and educational endnotes creates eager readers and listeners alike.
He is best known for his "Honor Series", the popular maritime thrillers which describe the life and career of his protagonist, a U.S. naval officer, Peter Wake, from the American Civil War in Florida, beyond the Spanish-American War in 1898, and well into 2023.
When not traveling for research treks, lecture tours, or book signings, Macomber enjoys cooking exotic cuisines inspired by his novels and sailing quietly among remote islands.
His reputation for historical detail, engaging plots, distinctive characters, helpful maps, extensive bibliographies, and educational endnotes creates eager readers and listeners alike.
He is best known for his "Honor Series", the popular maritime thrillers which describe the life and career of his protagonist, a U.S. naval officer, Peter Wake, from the American Civil War in Florida, beyond the Spanish-American War in 1898, and well into 2023.
When not traveling for research treks, lecture tours, or book signings, Macomber enjoys cooking exotic cuisines inspired by his novels and sailing quietly among remote islands.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 1, 2021
Lieutenant Commander Peter Wake is sent on a mission to Viet Nam and Cambodia during a tense political climate that has these countries rushing toward war. He doesn’t expect pirates, smugglers, rubber competitors, and kings to be among his companions on a journey fraught with danger at every turn. Peter’s resourcefulness and diplomacy get him out of many tight situations, only to plunge him into more of the same. The history lessons can get complex, but you’ll follow along just to see what trouble Peter will find next. Can he fulfill his mission when a single disapproving glance from a monarch can lead to his death? “The Honored Dead” is another exciting installment in this engrossing series that is educational as well as entertaining.
June 1, 2010
The book was an eye opener about the politics and culture of cambodia and viet nam in the later 1800s as seen through the eyes of a commander in the US navy. Soon after reading it I began to delve into books to understand the history of this part of the world. The mix of cultures and political troubles that this region has had are reflected in the various regimes to the present day. History does not repeat itself... it helps us understand why we are where we are.
August 31, 2010
Holds your interest,well written.Really enjoyed this book,but then I'm easy when it comes to sea stories,and navy books.Keep up the good work.Onward,and upward sir!
April 8, 2016
Macomber writes and excellent historical fiction - getting the mix of adventure and historical accuracy not far from perfect.
Read
June 3, 2020Outstanding series. South East Asia history is spot on.
July 30, 2022
SE Asia, especially Cambodia and Viet Nam, in 1883-4. A tumultuous time with deadly machinations of the French, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodians, predatory Western industrialists, the Church, and Americans. The plot is very contrived to tell a very complex story of the interweaving of all these threads. Great history. Great action. Great details that bring the time and place to life.
Cmdr. Peter Wake, Office of Naval Intelligence, is in French Indochina in 1883 on a secret mission for President Chester Arthur.
The novel opens with Wake aboard a riverboat on the Mekong River. The mission sounded simple in Washington: deliver the American president’s reply to a confidential naval offer from the king of Cambodia, while clandestinely assessing the region’s political and military situation. Wake figures it will take two more weeks and he’ll be homeward bound.
Six months later, after nearly dying at the hands of opium warlords, Chinese-Malay pirates, and French gangsters; after suffering starvation at sea, surviving a typhoon, being marooned on a beach, and enduring a horrific full-scale battle—Wake is still there. Exhausted, frustrated, and scared, he and his motley band of companions can now testify that nothing is simple in the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Empire of Vietnam.
This story illuminates the beginning of the bloody cultural clash that lasted for the next hundred years in Southeast Asia, with each side determined to avenge their honored dead.
The Honored Dead is the seventh in the award-winning Honor Series of naval historical fiction following the life and career of Lt. Cmdr. Peter Wake from 1863 to 1907, a time when the United States Navy helped America become a global power.
Cmdr. Peter Wake, Office of Naval Intelligence, is in French Indochina in 1883 on a secret mission for President Chester Arthur.
The novel opens with Wake aboard a riverboat on the Mekong River. The mission sounded simple in Washington: deliver the American president’s reply to a confidential naval offer from the king of Cambodia, while clandestinely assessing the region’s political and military situation. Wake figures it will take two more weeks and he’ll be homeward bound.
Six months later, after nearly dying at the hands of opium warlords, Chinese-Malay pirates, and French gangsters; after suffering starvation at sea, surviving a typhoon, being marooned on a beach, and enduring a horrific full-scale battle—Wake is still there. Exhausted, frustrated, and scared, he and his motley band of companions can now testify that nothing is simple in the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Empire of Vietnam.
This story illuminates the beginning of the bloody cultural clash that lasted for the next hundred years in Southeast Asia, with each side determined to avenge their honored dead.
The Honored Dead is the seventh in the award-winning Honor Series of naval historical fiction following the life and career of Lt. Cmdr. Peter Wake from 1863 to 1907, a time when the United States Navy helped America become a global power.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2018
Another amazing tale of the adventures of Lt. Cmdr Peter Wake. Looking forward to the next in the Honor Series!
March 26, 2021
While the plot is very interesting, what might turn off some readers is the length of the book.
May 13, 2022
Great story. Great read!
History of Southeast Asia with Great details and enough hand to hand and Naval battles to keep military readers interested.
History of Southeast Asia with Great details and enough hand to hand and Naval battles to keep military readers interested.
January 5, 2026
Enjoyed the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews