AT THE EDGE OF HONOR

Macomber's maiden voyage is the first of seven projected installments tracing a seaman's career during the American Civil War. Assigned to his first command position in 1863, Officer Peter Wake takes charge of a Union navy sloop charged with patrolling the gulf waters and disrupting Confederate trade routes. Sailing from port to port and out to sea and back, often without engaging the enemy, Wake learns quickly how isolating life aboard ship can be. His confrontations with his rebellious crew are nearly as grueling as skirmishes with rebel forces, and an outbreak of malaria ravages Key West, where his ship is based. Wake's romance with Key West resident and reb sympathizer Linda adds an extra dimension to the tale, but the ups and downs of their relationship can't make up for the dearth of galvanizing action at sea. Despite the promise of more volumes to come, too many plot lines are left dangling: Wake's aggressive bos'n is baited as a possible traitor but drowns before anything can be proved, and the investigation of a high-seas conspiracy is deferred. The raw nature of gun-wielding seamen remains largely unexplored here, and the nitty-gritty details of seamanship and navigation are less than vividly portrayed, but Macomber does skillfully describes tactical strategizing while providing the history of Florida's Civil War sea battles. (Feb. 15)