Like his stellar Killers of the Flower Moon, Grann deftly examines a true story from history--in this case the wreck of and mutiny aboard a British man-of-war called the HMS Wager. It's the 1740s and, while on a mission to capture a Spanish ship and its treasures, The Wager is grounded on a deserted island near Patagonia. After months of fighting, death, and starvation, the remaining crew builds a flimsy boat and ends up making it to Brazil, where they are praised as heroes. Yet mere months later, three crew (one being John Byron, Lord Bryon's grandfather) claiming to be from The Wager show up, saying that the first boat was manned by mutineers.

In Grann's capable hands this shocking drama becomes an examination of life at sea at that particular moment in history and the horrors of human nature. He weaves in commentary from crew journals (John Byron's story is especially intriguing), while also sharing the ins-and-out of life on a boat. Within the front-row drama, Grann also explores the monarchy, imperialism, and class differences. All together, these threads create one compelling story.

I will admit; it didn't hit as well with me as Killers did (I think because that story had more complexity and intrigue to it), but I still enjoyed this nonfiction read.