Fancy a little Errol Flynn? J. D. Davies delivers in The Mountain of Gold. With his first ship wrecked and 100 lives lost, young Captain Matthew Quinton hasn't had the best of luck, and in this sequel to 2010's Gentleman Captain, Quinton's confidence has yet to regain its sea legs when the capture of a wily Irish slave disguised as an Arab pirate sets him on a wild goose chase. Intercepted in the Mediterranean, Omar Ibrahim--or Brian Doyle O'Dwyer if you prefer--is as good as hanged when, in Scheherazade fashion, he weaves a tale of a mountain of gold deep in the north African desert. Matthew is more than dismayed as the impetuous King Charles II buys O'Dwyer's story and tasks Quinton with the quest of finding the fabled treasure.
Though set more than a century earlier, plot and character comparisons to C.S. Forrester's Horatio Hornblower are unavoidable. Both feature youthful yet somewhat uptight commanders whose careers as captains have dubious beginnings. Devotees of Patrick O'Brian's extensive Aubrey-Maturin saga should also take heed. A respected expert on the 17th-century British Navy, Davies pours historical detail into his prose without weighing down the adventure. And while Quinton might be a bit milquetoast for those who prefer their sailors more Jack Sparrow than gentleman, the supporting cast adds plenty of spice. The Mountain of Gold should please readers who like their history both nautical and nicely written. --Tom Lavoie, former publisher