Verses in the Sand

Experience the Napoleonic Wars like never before, through the eyes of two men from opposite worlds, united by fate but destined for conflict.

'Verses in the Sand' is a gripping tale of action, romance, and friendship set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars and the failed 1798 United Irishman rebellion, marking the beginning of a series that will explore British and Irish history between the years 1792 and 1815.

In the year 1799, British army captain William Mason and fiery Irish convict Sean find their fates entwined. The sole survivors of a shipwreck, they find themselves stranded on a deserted island. Despite their mutual distrust toward each other, both men realise they must cooperate to survive and over time, animosity gives way to a fragile camaraderie. To pass the time, William tutors the previously illiterate Sean in reading, arithmetic, and even French, and he discovers an astonishingly brilliant and poetic soul within the young rebel. Each evening, Sean composes exquisite poetry in the sand, reflecting on their lives. The verses vanish with the tide but leave an impression on both men.

However, the island transforms into a battlefield when Lady Elizabeth, a young English aristocrat, washes ashore. She is a captive to the enigmatic yet ruthless pirate captain, Mercier, and his sinister crew. Through several flashbacks, we witness an epic sea battle between a formidable British ship of the line and a swift French frigate — revealing the events leading up to Mercier's arrival on the island.

William and Sean are thrust into the heart of a perilous rescue mission, setting the stage for a confrontational showdown with Mercier and his menacing crew.

At its core, Verses in the Sand is a clean and wholesome romance combined with action and military history with a compelling character study that brings Sean and William to life in all their complexity.