This is a real feel-good story about somebody turning their life around and becoming a better person, even when all the odds are stacked against him. Perhaps this makes it sound worthy, though it is anything but. Expect an exciting adventure story involving a ship race on storm-tossed seas, courtroom drama, some low-key romance and constant confrontations. The flyleaf hints at tragedy, but this is quickly dealt with and forms little of the book (surprisingly little, considering) with Butler bouncing back at every turn, full of vigor and the will to succeed. Pages turn like lightning, and I can’t remember the last time I read anything quite like this. Newcomer Geoffrey Bird has the power to take a rather old fashioned type of story and make it seem vibrant and modern. I do hope he is going to make a habit of writing books like this.