Captured by pirates and brought to the west coast of Africa, young British seaman Andrew Battell longs for his home in 17th Century England. His only hope of returning is to work hard and be awarded freedom by his Portuguese captors—a freedom he is consistently denied.

As he is moved further and further inland, away from the coast and any hope of a boat back to England, Battell’s dreams of freedom begin to dwindle. Finally, taking matters into his own hands, he escapes and takes sanctuary among the Jaqqas, a tribe of cannibalistic warriors lead by the sinister Lord of Darkness …

Battell recounts his own story in a vivid novel of furious force, singular passion, and intimate detail.