There is a sub-plot involving a nasty character which was obviously written to introduce an element of conflict. He then tells us that Wilfred Collingwood will subsequently die of tuberculosis, and is not to be confused with his brother Cuthbert who would gain renown with Nelson. For example, at one point he has Drinkwater meet Wilfred Collingwood, who coughs persistently (OK so far). The basic elements of the story were fine, but I found the author's habit of occasionally speaking directly to the reading audience to be off-putting and unnecessary. In overcoming his difficulties he is sustained by his growing love for Elizabeth and the contrast of home life with the brutality of naval service. Through his experiences both in action and in the hard life on Cyclops, Drinkwater matures and gains the ability to stand up against the tyranny of the midshipmen's mess and the sinister and evil influence of the senior midshipman, Morris. When the frigate is detached on special service to the swamps of South Carolina, grim actions are fought at sea and by a detachment of the ship's company on land, resulting in violent deaths before CYCLOPS arrives in New York in 1781 and is sent back to Spithead with the news of Lord Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown.

HMS Cyclops is involved in pursuing American privateers who are a danger to British trade and Drinkwater finds himself part of a prize crew when initiative and courage in a critical situation enable him to survive a dangerous encounter. Action in Admiral Rodney's dramatic Moonlight Battle of 1780, when Cyclops' capture of the Santa Teresa plays a decisive part, is the start of Nathaniel Drinkwater's life at sea.

The Tijuana Bible by Ron Goulart