The second in the Bolitho series. Home on a short leave, Bolitho is suddenly called back to serve on a small ship where his brother happens to be Captain. You would expect rivalry between the two brothers but that doesn't happen. This seems to break away from what usually happens in these kind of stories. This is the only surprise as the story falls into the type that I have seen a dozen times, a routine story with a lack of imagination.
This is the first of the Bolitho series. It is more of a short story than a novel. Being short, it doesn't waste a lot of time on dressing, although some explanations seem to be left out, making you wonder. As the story starts he already has a four year career behind him. A career that seems to have been easy going as it now takes a turn for the worse. He suddenly becomes aware of the prejudices and cruelty that surround him. The story seems to lack strength.
