Honor Bound

Honor/Peter Wake #9

by Robert N. Macomber

Commander Peter Wake, U.S. naval intelligence agent, is in Florida in 1888 culminating an espionage mission to learn Spain's naval readiness in Cuba. He and sidekick Sean Rork are hoping to wrap it up and head home on their annual leave. But a beautiful woman from Wake's past shows up, begging him to find her missing son. He agrees, and thus Honor Bound, Wake sets off across Florida and through the Bahamian islands with a motley band, including a Smithsonian ethnologist, a naval architect, a Bahamian Seminole sailor, Russian spies, British military intelligence, and a Polish-Haitian soldier. The search for the boy leads Wake through an ever-deepening maze of international intrigue—and an ever more passionate relationship with the boy's enticing mother. After enduring storms, mutiny, and shipwreck, Wake and his group find themselves deep in the jungles of Haiti and the alien world of the Bizango culture and the vodou religion. The trail leads Wake to the hidden lair of an anarchist group, only to learn they are planning to wreak havoc around the world—unless he stops it.

Genres: Fiction

336 pages, ebook

First published March 1, 2011

About the author

Robert N. Macomber is a multi-award winning author, internationally acclaimed lecturer, former Dept. of Defense consultant, adventurous expedition leader, an accomplished seaman, and a reviewer for the New York Journal of Books. He was named “2020 Florida Writer of the Year” by the FL Writers Association

His reputation for historical detail, engaging plots, distinctive characters, helpful maps, extensive bibliographies, and educational endnotes creates eager readers and listeners alike.

He is best known for his "Honor Series", the popular maritime thrillers which describe the life and career of his protagonist, a U.S. naval officer, Peter Wake, from the American Civil War in Florida, beyond the Spanish-American War in 1898, and well into 2023.

When not traveling for research treks, lecture tours, or book signings, Macomber enjoys cooking exotic cuisines inspired by his novels and sailing quietly among remote islands.

Reviews

[Brian V · Rating 2 out of 5]

What significance does a historical context make to how we experience a novel? This book answers the question. Same author as 7 previous excellent historical novels, same theme, honor, same stylistic features (sudden, unexpected developments, pinballing plot that encompasses many personages, a bit of romance, danger, armed conflict, improbable coincidences, etc.) but almost no essential historical context. Stripped of historical significance, this novel is a second rate action adventure-romance novel with impossible-to-believe situations, roller coaster plot shifts that defy logic or reason, beyond stupid decisions by an experienced naval intelligence officer, etc., culminated by a European madman scientist building a state of the art air ship on a remote mountain top in Haiti! Where did he get materials, machine tools, industrial processes, skilled labor, etc.? This brilliant engineer plans to sail the balloon across thousands of miles of ocean amidst storms that would rip it apart---and it does, several hundred miles into a journey. REALLY!! I finished, but reluctantly-- honor bound to give this author, who has written an excellent series (so far), the benefit of the doubt. I will try the next one in the series, but I am concerned…

2 stars, and that is generous.




t’s June, 1888, and Cmdr. Peter Wake, U.S. naval intelligence agent, is in Florida culminating an espionage mission to learn Spain’s naval readiness in Cuba. A woman from his past shows up, begging him to find her missing son, and Wake sets off across Florida, through the Bahamian islands, and deep into the dank jungles of Haiti. His band includes a Smithsonian ethnologist, a Bahamian Seminole sailor, Russian spies, and a Polish-Haitian soldier. Overcoming storms, mutiny, and shipwreck, Wake discovers the hidden lair of an anarchist group planning to wreak havoc around the world—unless he stops it.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honor Bound is a fun read. As typical with Macomber novels, it was well researched and contained plenty of action & excitement. Peter Wake & Sean Rork live on!

[Geraldine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Robert Macomber when I read somewhere that he wrote about how when there was a rebellion in Haiti, long ago , that Eastern Europeans were exploited by Napoleon to quell the Haitians. The Eastern Europeans turned on Napoleon and assisted the Haitians in gaining their freedom.
Honor Bound Tells the story of Haiti , Cuba, and the States during that time period.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honor Bound was a fun read. As typical for Macomber novels, the book was very well researched and contained plenty of action and excitement. Peter Wake & Sean Rork live on!