An Awkward Commission.

UK,small 8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. [Complete number line 10 - 1 descending.] NFINE/FINE. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright, crisp,clean, matt,wrap-around brown background with colour, partial photographic illustrated front panel of dw/dj with brown+black lettering,spine/backstrip with thumbnail minature of front's photograph to head of same and white+beige lettering,rear panel with critics' black+brown lettered reviews.Negligible shelf-wear, bumping,creasing to maily to top edges - no nicks, tears or splits present but miniscule bumping with reciprocal creasing to corner tips of dw/dj and similarly to both head+foot of spine/backstrip,a small laminate bubble and minimal lifting of same,to front's bottom edge near lower corner.Top+fore-edges whilst generally overall bright and clean,top edges with some light dust-flecks and light grubbing(?), fore-edges without foxing/spotting; contents bright, tight,clean,solid and sound - near pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips - appears unread,apart from my own collation. Publisher's bright,crisp,clean and unblemished,sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright, crisp,blocked gilt lettered spine/backstrip,a black headband and immaculate plain white endpapers. UK,small 8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,12-315pp [paginated] includes 23 chapters; plus [unpaginated] half-title+ title pages,a potted biography of author with advert of his other published work to date,to its reverse,a dedication with blank verso,and to the rear,an Author's Note also with a blank verso,and a further 2pp blanks.
See also my book IDs'rja1154624 - 'THE SCENT OF BETRAYAL'(1996) for an earlier Harry Ludlow (the 5th) title for an Author SIGNED,UK,HB+dw/dj,1st edn and rja640016 - 'A DIVIDED COMMAND.' (2013) for a UK, HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Visually the exterior appearance is more than acceptable,and even particularly internally,the book is also in an exceptional condition/ state of preservation and presentation for a book of its age.It is only the exterior faults that prevents a slightly higher grading. Despite them,it really is a more than acceptable example for its cleanliness,brightness and minimal wear.
Since being pressed into service,John Pearce has endured a hectic whirlwind of events,facing wild storms at sea and bitter battles with the enemy.His recent,surprising promotion means that he is now finally free to follow his own wishes, rather than being forced to serve in King George's navy.However the same does not apply for the trio of Pearce's closest freinds who, with Pearce as their leader,call themselves the Pelicans.
Whilst Pearce is indulging himself in London,his friends are shipped off to the Mediterranean.Riddled with guilt over leaving them and still haunted by his father's executionat the guillotine,Pearce vows to liberate the men who have stuck by him through thick and thin.Having spent months trying to get on dry land,he now has no choice; he must take ship and follow them.His application to William Ptt for a place finds him sailing towards the Mediterranean with secret despatches for Admiral Lord Hood.
South and ahead of him,his Pelicans are serving under a brutal tyrant aboard a 74-gun ship. Meanwhile,just off Toulon,Pearce's sworn enemy,Captain Ralph Barclay,puts the lives of his crew as well as that of his beautiful young wife at risk in his vain search for glory.
With help being withheld by all higher powers,Pearce is obliged to embark on a dangerous mission before he can free his friends: at stake,the whole British position in the Mediterranean.
David Donachie is a Scottish nautical historical novelist.He also writes under the pen-names Tom Connery and Jack Ludlow as well as more recently (from 2019),Jack Cole.Having written 10 different series of novels which include several trilogies,his John Pearce series,of which this title is the 3rd,after 'By The Mast Divided' and 'A Shot Rolling Ship.',is the largest with 16 titles in it,as of 2021.
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