is more likely to rescue the doomed souls he meets than terrorize them, which leads to repeated conflict with his fellow privateers, especially when he takes the kidnapped Magdalena under his protection. Battling ships and the Spanish fortifications protecting Porto Belo, Sharpe finds his deadliest feuds are those aboard his own ship. Trapped in the middle of the rivalry between his uncle, Captain Richard Tarr, and Captain Edward Hornigold, Sharpe makes more enemies on deck, in particular the formidable yet sly Cheval. He is pushed to his limits as he fights for his own survival and that of the woman he loves, knowing the odds are stacked high against him.