Book excerpt: His exploits echo with the bustle of crowded ports and the crash of naval warfare... It is 1780 and seventeen-year-old Alan Lewrie is a brash young libertine with a head full of dreams. When he is found in bed with the wrong woman, he is forced to leave his profligacy behind for a new life at sea. Though sickness and hard labour await him aboard the tall-masted Ariadne, Lewrie finds himself gradually adapting to the world of a midshipman. But as he heads for the war-torn Americas into a hail of cannonballs, will he ever catch wind of the plot brewing against him back at home? The first Alan Lewrie novel, this action-packed naval adventure is perfect for fans of Patrick O’Brian, Julian Stockwin and C.S. Forester Praise for The King's Coat ‘You could get addicted to this series. Easily.’ New York Times Book Review ‘The best naval series since C. S. Forester . . . Recommended.’ Library Journal ‘Fast-moving. . . A hugely likeable hero, a huge cast of sharply drawn supporting characters: there's nothing missing. Wonderful stuff.’ Kirkus Reviews