In this book, Kent's hero Bolitho broods about marital difficulties and best friendships gone bad for most of the novel. There is only one major sea battle, and that starts at page 296 of a 310 page novel! Bolitho, his best friend, his nephew, his coxswain, his servant and his flag captain are all undergoing problems related to marriage simultaneously. I was left wondering if Kent has some recent disaster in his personal life and wrote this dark and depressing book as a therapy session. I rate this book as the worst I've read in years, the worst Kent book I've read (out of about ten), and a definite do not read.