Post Captain (Aubrey & Maturin, #2)

Post Captain, the second in Patrick O'Brian's much loved Aubrey-Maturin series of novels, begins with Jack Aubrey returning to an England at peace following the Treaty of Amiens. With his friend Stephen Maturin, he begins to live the life of a country gentleman but their comfortable existence is cut short when Jack is reduced to a pauper overnight. He flees to the continent to seek refuge only to find himself a hunted fugitive from Napoleon's regime. Aubrey's adventures in escaping from both France and the debtor's prison will grip the reader as fast as his unequalled actions at sea.