Joseph Halsted's first full-length novel, "Last Voyage First" takes readers on a journey from present-day civilization to the year 1777. As they set sail from Florida to their New England home, Jake Shaw, a successful marine architect, his daughter Connie and her fiancé are overcome by a hurricane that whisks them back in time.
The storm washes Connie overboard where she is rescued by a British warship; resulting in her living with 300 rough naval warriors on a frigate at war. Meanwhile, Jake and Connie's fiancé continue their sail home after failed attempts to find her in an empty ocean. Only, instead of arriving to the present day New York Harbor and New England, they too arrive in the year 1777, immersing themselves into a vast culture shock and becoming reluctantly drafted into George Washington's Secret Service.
The three must live with New England's culture during the Revolutionary War, while offering shocking glimpses of modern times and warfare to a trusted few. Readers follow Connie as she escapes from captivity only to be chased through the pages by a relentless enemy, all while enduring the hardships and trials of colonial life. As the travelers learn that there may be no way back to the 21st century, they also come to appreciate the real values and struggles of the founding era of the American democracy.
Halsted uses the entertaining story of three modern individuals trapped in the 18th century to highlight actual historical events. By showing these real current-day characters in this unique format, Halsted hopes readers will enjoy learning more about a history that includes startling glimpses of the Founding Fathers of the Nation. From action-packed adventures on the high seas to the privations of colonial life, "Last Voyage First" intends to provide a new and highly entertaining look at a crucial time in history.
Joseph Halsted is an accomplished blue water sailor with worldwide navigation experience. Living in San Diego, he's had a fascination with the apparent historical inconsistencies in all printed histories of the American Revolution, particularly the year of 1777. His first full-length novel addressing those illogical events offers the culmination of a decade of research and editing.
