The War of Knives

February 19, 2007
In this entertaining sequel to No Quarter
, the debut installment of Campbell's Matty Graves series of historical novels, the intrepid nautical hero, newly promoted to acting lieutenant aboard the navy schooner Rattle-Snake
, finds himself out of his depth on terra firma. It's 1826, and Commodore Cyrus Gaswell, a family friend and patron to the 17-year-old Graves, dispatches the lieutenant to San Domingo to investigate a rumored plot by Toussaint L'Ouverture to expand his successful slave rebellion to the United States. Once on shore, Graves hooks up with a colorful cast of shady characters: Alonzo Connor, "a gentleman of color" who claims to represent the U.S. War Department; Connor's black secretary, George Franklin; the Parson, a shadowy figure identified with "the White Hand," a racist society committed to removing all nonwhites from America; and Juge, a soldier in Toussaint's army who serves as Graves's guide. None are whom they claim, and they're all soon caught up in a deadly local struggle—the War of Knives. With only a bare-bones historical foundation, Campbell constructs an elaborate swashbuckling tale that will appeal especially to fans of high historical adventure.