Wager

English language

Published May 7, 2023 by Simon & Schuster, Limited.

ISBN:
978-1-4711-8367-6
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A horrible journey to no good end

We are shoved onto a wooden world unwilling, tasked to thieve from Spanish mine ships.

Old sick men are dragged onto ships in terror as they know they will never survive to set foot at home.

Most people die as the sea and hunger and madness devour them.

Nothing is gained along the way. Some make it back.

I was hoping for something as insanely captivating as Killers of the Flower Moon but here the story is one of deciding constantly to steer into death and … dying.

Full title checks out

The book delivers on its title. The author is the same guy who wrote Killers of the Flower Moon and he sure know how to write page-turners. Here, the basic story is about a squadron of British ships that, in 1740, were sent to chase after a Spanish galleon to steal its supposed load of silver. In order to do that, the squadron would have to round Cape Horn. A lot happens. Three different groups from the original crews make it back to England after about 6 years, some were shipwrecked, some carried out the mission, and two different groups of castaways ended back home through separate routes. It is a rich narrative, and a darn good story. Colonialism still sucks.

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