At the Mercy of the Sea

A Country for Castoffs

By: Amanda M. Cetas

Narrated by: Daniel Kay

September 20, 1663, gulls circle and dive overhead as the sails unfurl propelling the ship carrying twelve-year-old Etienne Gayneau and ten-year-old Abraham Dayton toward Boston and new business opportunities that promise them everything they want. Unknown to them, these ventures also carry the power to destroy. Each boy must choose - take the easy road of promise that leads to destruction, or follow the harder path to self-discovery. Both choices will cost them everything.

Trouble is coming for Etienne Gayneau and his friends at home and at sea as the English prepare to invade New Netherland, pirates roam the oceans, and pandemics and storms threaten to turn their worlds upside down.

Twelve-year-old Etienne takes to the sea again in 1663 in a desperate move to earn the money his father needs to repay their debt only to find himself shanghaied onto a pirate ship captained by none other than his old rival, Jacob Janssen van den Burgh. He will soon discover that this voyage will test his character and his faith as he must choose whether to follow the easy path that leads to destruction or the harder road to self-discovery and redemption.

Meanwhile, back in the colonies, his friends must traverse their own difficult paths to self-discovery as they struggle to find their places in their own communities. Alsoomse resists following the traditional gender roles and her mother's expectations as she must make a seemingly impossible choice to discover her rightful place in the tribe. And Abraham, wrestles with his own mixed heritage and fights to prove his worth to his father as he must choose the kind of man he will become.

©2024 Amanda M. Cetas (P)2026 Amanda M. Cetas

A smooth and enjoyable listen that weaves the lives of three different—and yet not so different—characters.

The story flowed smoothly, from one character to the next, often transitioning at just the right moment, leaving you wanting to know what happened to the character you were with. For his part, the narrator gave life to many characters of several nationalities both male and female, not an easy task.

I look forward to more!