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Honor/Peter Wake #1
At the Edge of Honor
Robert Macomber's Honor series of naval fiction follows the life and career of Peter Wake in the U.S. Navy during the tumultuous years from 1863 to 1901. At the Edge of Honor is the first in the series and winner of the Patrick D. Smith Literary Award as Best Historical Novel of Florida.
The year is 1863. The Civil War is leaving its bloody trail across the nation as Peter Wake, born and bred in the snowy North, joins the U.S. Navy as a volunteer officer and arrives in steamy Florida for duty with the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. The idealistic Peter Wake has handled boats before, but he's new to the politics and illicit liaisons that war creates among men. Assigned to the Rosalie , a tiny, armed sloop, Captain Wake commands a group of seasoned seamen on a series of voyages to seek and arrest Confederate blockade-runners and sympathizers, from Florida's coastal waters through to near the remote out-islands of the Bahamas. Wake risks his reputation when he falls in love with Linda Donahue, whose father is a Confederate zealot, and steals away to spend precious hours with her at her Key West home. Their love is tested as Wake learns he must make the ugly decisions of war even in a beautiful, tropical paradise—decisions that take him up to the edge of honor.
Next in series > > See all of the books in this series
The year is 1863. The Civil War is leaving its bloody trail across the nation as Peter Wake, born and bred in the snowy North, joins the U.S. Navy as a volunteer officer and arrives in steamy Florida for duty with the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. The idealistic Peter Wake has handled boats before, but he's new to the politics and illicit liaisons that war creates among men. Assigned to the Rosalie , a tiny, armed sloop, Captain Wake commands a group of seasoned seamen on a series of voyages to seek and arrest Confederate blockade-runners and sympathizers, from Florida's coastal waters through to near the remote out-islands of the Bahamas. Wake risks his reputation when he falls in love with Linda Donahue, whose father is a Confederate zealot, and steals away to spend precious hours with her at her Key West home. Their love is tested as Wake learns he must make the ugly decisions of war even in a beautiful, tropical paradise—decisions that take him up to the edge of honor.
Next in series > > See all of the books in this series
292 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2002
44 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Robert N. Macomber
37 books35 followersRobert 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 29, 2011
Great book about the Cival War and the fighting that took place in Florida. Robert Macomber is a friend of mine, so I may be somewhat prejudiced. After reading the first three of his novels I finally convinced my wife to try one. We were on our boat in the rain and three days later she came up for air. She had finished ALL three and loved them. A couple of years ago we were at Robert's home and he presented us with his "storyboard" of the next book. He is an author who not only knows where his writing is going, but he also spents lots of time researching the area he writes about. Who would think that someone could write historically accurate fictional novels that would be that interesting. Macomber is a nationally reconized lecturer that lectures at the Naval Academy, aboard cruise ships including the maiden voyage of the Queen Elizabeth II and other similar ships. Try one of his books, you will not be disappointed. In fact you may get hooked.
Later I will tell you of the other seven books of his I have read. He is coming out with number eight in the series in March and we will attend the party.
Later I will tell you of the other seven books of his I have read. He is coming out with number eight in the series in March and we will attend the party.
December 4, 2019
U.S. Naval Ship Master Peter Wake is assigned to command the sloop, Rosalie, out of Key West during the Civil War. Peter’s sense of honor is challenged through tests in battle and at home as he falls in love with the daughter of a Rebel traitor. Peter is a noble young man and a born leader who learns his own strengths and weaknesses during his first year of duty. The details of the Naval campaign in this region during the war are educational and interesting as readers experience them through Peter’s eyes. He is a likeable, heroic character, and I look forward to following his career through this well-written series.
January 11, 2022
fantastic historical seafarers story
When my brother recommended this book to me, I was certain that it would be a good story. We had just visited Ft. Myers and gone on a tourist boat ride from Captivate out through the islands. The book about the Civil War in South Florida was well written with great adventures and well drawn characters.
When my brother recommended this book to me, I was certain that it would be a good story. We had just visited Ft. Myers and gone on a tourist boat ride from Captivate out through the islands. The book about the Civil War in South Florida was well written with great adventures and well drawn characters.
August 19, 2008
Wow! I learned that barrier islands of southwest Florida had naval activity during the US Civil War. Being a resident of this area it was fun to read about places like Useppa Island, Sanibel Island and Key West in a historical setting.
July 16, 2022
Excellent history of a little known corner of the Civil War; the Navy blockade of the Keys and South Florida coast. Very detailed rendering of the oppressive jungle, heat, storms, bugs, disease that was as much the enemy as the Rebs. Much sailing jargon that was a bit too much (for me), but the situations depicted covered a range of issues, including the international complications (Spanish/Cuba, British/Bahamas and French/Mexico!), strategies of the blockade runners, the refuge Union supporters, sailing and fighting tactics, and crew problems and the challenge of command. A love interest was included that raised issues about the residents, their allegiances, and the consequences of them being violated. While interesting, this seemed forced and briefly sketched.
The year is 1863. The Civil War is leaving its bloody trail across the nation as Peter Wake, born and bred in the snowy North, joins the U.S. Navy as a volunteer officer and arrives in steamy Florida for duty with the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. The idealistic Wake has handled boats before, but he's new to the politics and illicit liaisons that war creates among men. Assigned to the Rosalie, a tiny, armed sloop, Captain Wake commands a group of seasoned seamen on a series of voyages to seek and arrest Confederate blockade-runners and sympathizers, from Florida's coastal waters through to near the remote out-islands of the Bahamas. Wake risks his reputation when he falls in love with Linda Donahue, whose father is a Confederate zealot, and steals away to spend precious hours with her at her Key West home. Their love is tested as Wake must make the ugly decisions of war in a beautiful, tropical paradisedecisions that will take Peter Wake right up to the edge of honor.
The year is 1863. The Civil War is leaving its bloody trail across the nation as Peter Wake, born and bred in the snowy North, joins the U.S. Navy as a volunteer officer and arrives in steamy Florida for duty with the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. The idealistic Wake has handled boats before, but he's new to the politics and illicit liaisons that war creates among men. Assigned to the Rosalie, a tiny, armed sloop, Captain Wake commands a group of seasoned seamen on a series of voyages to seek and arrest Confederate blockade-runners and sympathizers, from Florida's coastal waters through to near the remote out-islands of the Bahamas. Wake risks his reputation when he falls in love with Linda Donahue, whose father is a Confederate zealot, and steals away to spend precious hours with her at her Key West home. Their love is tested as Wake must make the ugly decisions of war in a beautiful, tropical paradisedecisions that will take Peter Wake right up to the edge of honor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2019
Strictly a book for Civil War and sailing enthusiasts, as well as anyone interested in developing the skills of leadership in the field. Peter Wake, a New Englander born to a merchant marine family, has volunteered for service in the Union Army in 1863. He's assigned as Master of a small sailing vessel among the East Gulf Blockading Squadron on the west coast of Florida. In other words, he's engaged in stopping blockade runners in the shallow, mosquito and viper-infested waters of the Florida Keys, bays, and rivers. Everything I've previously read about the blockade ships was that they were usually powered by sail AND steam. Not so, with Wake's ship. His sails are at the mercy of the weather.
Wake quickly makes an impression on his bosses in Key West, and they give him increasingly difficult missions - all requiring him to make decisions in the field, and in combat, which would tax even the most senior commanders.
Unfortunately, Wake's love interest is the daughter of a Rebel, who is involved in blockade running as well as the harassment of Union objectives. This "consorting with the daughter of an enemy" draws his superiors' attention, as well as ire.
The descriptive prose makes the reader hear and feel the humidity, the mosquitos, the danger of the sea in a small ship, and the buzz of bullets.
The author, Robert Macomber is quite knowledgeable in the sailor's lingo of the 1860s. Although much of that language went right over my head - for the sailing enthusiast, I'm sure you would understand every jib.
Wake quickly makes an impression on his bosses in Key West, and they give him increasingly difficult missions - all requiring him to make decisions in the field, and in combat, which would tax even the most senior commanders.
Unfortunately, Wake's love interest is the daughter of a Rebel, who is involved in blockade running as well as the harassment of Union objectives. This "consorting with the daughter of an enemy" draws his superiors' attention, as well as ire.
The descriptive prose makes the reader hear and feel the humidity, the mosquitos, the danger of the sea in a small ship, and the buzz of bullets.
The author, Robert Macomber is quite knowledgeable in the sailor's lingo of the 1860s. Although much of that language went right over my head - for the sailing enthusiast, I'm sure you would understand every jib.
April 8, 2014
With this book there were some spelling and punctuate arrears, but all together in was a great book. It consisted about the naval civil war and the crew and captain of the vessel the rosalie ( an armed sloop) in the union blockade squadron in the gulf of mexico stopping blockade runners from escaping. Also the various missions that they went on , including going to havana (cuba), and Nassau (bahamas)
March 8, 2015
Robert Macomber sure knows how to weave a tale. Robert Macomber sure knows how to create memorable characters; especially Peter Wake! I'm hooked. We bought the first seven of this series. High adventure on the high seas. Fun discussions between me and Wes. If you have a chance to meet this author I recommend you do so. The Pine Island Library invited him for a book talk at a luncheon at the Elks Club. So glad I went. Fascinating! FAB research into each novel.
February 14, 2020
Didn't care for the writing style. Many nautical terms within the same paragraph which I found difficult to follow. Even though I am a boater, and so know port from stern, it was wordy with choppy sentence structure.
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March 13, 2025I discovered this series of naval historical fiction novels (there are a total of 25) at the bookstore on Fleming Street, in Key West. Macomber is billed as a "local author." He lives in the Fort Myers area.
I am a fan of this genre. The series and the character are a refreshing change/addition to the classical C.S. Forester Hornblower characters of the British royal navy, centered around the time period of the Napoleonic wars. Peter Wake is a young U.S. Navy "captain" participating in naval actions around Florida during the American Civil War during his early career, and continuing on until the early 20th Century. Macomber also builds a multi-generational story in the last novel of the series.
Macomber, the author, is a reputable historian. I learned more about significant major events in the history of the United States and of the world during the period from the beginnings of Peter Wake's professional life in the Civil War, through the latter half of the 19th Century, and up until Wake's death in 1920, than I ever learned in any history courses in school.
I am a fan of this genre. The series and the character are a refreshing change/addition to the classical C.S. Forester Hornblower characters of the British royal navy, centered around the time period of the Napoleonic wars. Peter Wake is a young U.S. Navy "captain" participating in naval actions around Florida during the American Civil War during his early career, and continuing on until the early 20th Century. Macomber also builds a multi-generational story in the last novel of the series.
Macomber, the author, is a reputable historian. I learned more about significant major events in the history of the United States and of the world during the period from the beginnings of Peter Wake's professional life in the Civil War, through the latter half of the 19th Century, and up until Wake's death in 1920, than I ever learned in any history courses in school.
August 25, 2023
Great book but...
This is a wonderful adventure book, a novel that has a great deal of action as well as a good bit of knowledge about how naval life was during the Civil War. There are many books about the blue water Navy during that period, tales of famous battles. However, this book covers a segment of the Navy I never knew existed, the war along the coast of Florida. One seldom thinks of Florida as being in the war, and yet with it's great amount of coast line and rivers and water ways it was a blockade runners dream.
Now the negative part of the book. This Kendall version has a ridiculous number of typos from beginning to end that were very disconcerting. It took me a while to figure out what the words meant. For instance, if a word began with the letters c l, it came out as a d. This does not take away from the excitement of the book itself. I still highly recommend it.
This is a wonderful adventure book, a novel that has a great deal of action as well as a good bit of knowledge about how naval life was during the Civil War. There are many books about the blue water Navy during that period, tales of famous battles. However, this book covers a segment of the Navy I never knew existed, the war along the coast of Florida. One seldom thinks of Florida as being in the war, and yet with it's great amount of coast line and rivers and water ways it was a blockade runners dream.
Now the negative part of the book. This Kendall version has a ridiculous number of typos from beginning to end that were very disconcerting. It took me a while to figure out what the words meant. For instance, if a word began with the letters c l, it came out as a d. This does not take away from the excitement of the book itself. I still highly recommend it.
February 1, 2024
I have had a long time love for this genre of naval warfare historical fiction. As a boy I read the Hornblower books by C.S. Forester, in my 40s I read the 20 book Aubrey & Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, and now, in my sixties and beyond I have read and enjoyed most of the Peter Wake novels by Robert Macomber. See my review of the Master & Commander series by O'Brian and the Honor series by Macomber at the following link - https://grahamsegger.com/sailing-logs...
March 22, 2018
This was definitely a work of naval fiction. I’m not a naval person. I know the difference between a boat and a car, & that’s about as far as my knowledge of ships goes, so I was very confused at times. I’m sure if I was ‘into’ ships & stuff, I would have enjoyed this much more. I never managed to finish it.
November 13, 2023
On The Edge
On the Edge of Honor kept me in the middle of excitement. Robert Macomber is a brilliant author and a fantastic story-teller. I couldn't put the book down. As a result, I am now up to the ninth book in the Honor Series. I've enjoyed them all.
On the Edge of Honor kept me in the middle of excitement. Robert Macomber is a brilliant author and a fantastic story-teller. I couldn't put the book down. As a result, I am now up to the ninth book in the Honor Series. I've enjoyed them all.
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August 28, 2021Good Read
This was a fun read. Not quite the level of Forrester, but if you’re a naval fiction fan, you won’t mind.
This was a fun read. Not quite the level of Forrester, but if you’re a naval fiction fan, you won’t mind.
August 25, 2025
Good Book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2025
The Edge of Honor takes place in Florida during the Civil War.
Florida was involved in the Civil War. The Navy had blockades along the coast of Sw Florida to prevent the confederacy from sending goods back to England.
Sw Florida at that time was wilderness, and Key West was civilization and where the navy was based. The men looked forward to going back to Key West when they were on leave.
The book describes Key West well, bringing out the fun that still is Key West.
Florida was involved in the Civil War. The Navy had blockades along the coast of Sw Florida to prevent the confederacy from sending goods back to England.
Sw Florida at that time was wilderness, and Key West was civilization and where the navy was based. The men looked forward to going back to Key West when they were on leave.
The book describes Key West well, bringing out the fun that still is Key West.
July 24, 2011
Macomber's novel is a good read, full of the technical jargon sailors will appreciate, and lots of civil war action at sea. I wish Macomber knew the difference between "flaunt" and "flout," however.
November 17, 2012
Great read- inserting a fictional officer into naval history.
February 18, 2016
A fast moving highly readable historic novel. i look forward to the the next stories featuring Lt. Peter Wake.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews