O destino faz com que o tenente Nicholas Ramage assuma o comando da fragata inglesa Sibella, em meio ao fogo cerrado dos inimigos franceses. O navio está prestes a ir a pique, mas a rendição não entra nos planos do oficial. Ramage faz uma manobra que permite salvar boa parte da tripulação da fragata e parte para nova missão: resgatar, em terra, um grupo de aristocratas franceses contrários á política de Napoleão. Algo inesperado acontece: a fuga pela praia, um dos aristocratas, o conde Pitti, é dado como morto e Rmage decide zarpar sem ele, levando apenas o conde Pisano e sua prima, a marquesa di Volterra. Tentando ocultar sua própria covardia, Pisano acusa Ramage de covardia e incompetência, por ter deixado, ainda com vida, o conde Pitti na praia. A acusação leva Ramage á Corte Marcial, mas o oficial ao qual ele es´ta subordinado, o almirante Nelson, continua confiando nele e resolve lhe dar nova chance. Ramage é enrão enviado para uma missão ainda mais perigosa e demonstra grande bravura.

"Ramage" is the first in a series of sea novels. The story opens up with a sea battle and our ship sinking. Our hero becomes the captain of a sinking ship and the start of his troubles. Ramage is likable, perhaps too much so with the crew. I found some parts boring, too much description about putting up sails. Another part that annoyed me was his reaction to the lady in the story. A bit overdone. He sounded like a wide eyed schoolboy. I'm hoping it doesn't take him too long to become a adult. ( )

This is actually a historical romance, although at first it just seems like naval fighting! I think this would be good to read to learn nautical terms. ( )

I read this book a while ago and cannot believe I never added it to my library.

Ramage is a lord and his father is a disgraced naval officer but not by deed. Ramage is just starting his career in the Navy. This book starts when he is a junior officer on a ship between Corsica and Italy and is in the fight for its life... and losing. He is the only officer alive and must make a decision surrender or retreat and save some of the men. Both options are bad in the view of the British Navy but he has no choice.

He looks at the orders for the ship and finds that its secret mission is to rescue Italian aristocrats. It is the only way he can save himself from being torn apart in a court marshal.

It is a great adventure with many great scenes and the decriptions are first rate.

I look forward to reading more of this series ( )

Excellent series, sometimes based upon actual events. Always a good story with interesting characters, puzzling quandaries, and sometimes quirky solutions. Age of sail tyros should read early in their literary questing for his knowledge and insights into fighting, sailing, and British Navy life during these quite fascinating times. Many set in the Caribbean where Pope lived for most of his writing career enabling him to provide very helpful maps, not often found in fiction, for his scenarios.

This book introduces many of the characters that sustain through the series. Because the books are not always available in their historic sequence; Pope usually provides some quick background information early in each book. ( )