Isaac Biddlecomb Books

From Simon & Schuster, By Force of Arms is James L. Nelson's powerful saga of the American Revolution and a stirring dramatic maritime adventure. Fleeing the New England coast after foiling a British man-of-war's attempt to seize his cargo, merchant sea captain Isaac Biddlecomb finds himself in the middle of a brewing rebellion and at the mercy of a sadistic captain.

From Simon & Schuster, The Maddest Idea is James L. Nelson's Book Two is a powerful saga of the American Revolution and a stirring dramatic maritime adventure. When gunpowder reserves dwindle to dangerously low levels in 1775, General George Washington sends Captain Isaac Biddlecomb on a treacherous mission to capture British gunpowder in Bermuda.

From Simon & Schuster, The Continental Risque is James L. Nelson's powerful saga of the American Revolution and a stirring dramatic maritime adventure. Nelson's exciting seafaring trilogy concludes. As cries for independence ring through the chambers of the Second Continental Congress, Captain Isaac Biddlecomb and his crew are called upon to engage The Royal Navy.

James L. Nelson's Revolution at sea saga has brought to life a never-before-seen side of America's war for independence. With the expertise of a seasoned mariner, a historian's vivid attention to detail, and a natural gift for sensational storgtelling, "the American counterpart to Patrick O'Brian" (David Brink) carries us along on his bold and stirring course through history. After ferrying General George Washington's troops across the East River and through the hell known as the Battle of Long Island, Captain Isaac Biddlecomb receives a monumental order. He is to transport to France the most powerful secret weapon in the country's arsenal -- scientist, philosopher, and spirit of the enlightenment Dr. Benjamin Franklin. With a new team of men forging through the wintry North Atlantic, and braving the cordon of the Royal Navy, Biddlecomb's seemingly simple mission is just the first volley in a grand scheme: to topple France's neutrality by gaining its vital support, and turn the colonial uprising into a full-scale world war for freedom.

James L. Nelson, "the American counterpart to L. Patrick O'Brian" (David Brink), writes breathtaking descriptions of the age when saliors became warriors and warriors became legends. Now his acclaimed Revolution at Sea Saga continues as General George Washington fights a loosing battle to keep Philidelpia from the hands of the British. ALL THE BRAVE FELLOWS It is 1777, the Year of the Hangman, and Captain Isaac Biddlecomb is bound for Philidelphia with his wife and child in the Continental brig of the Charlemagne. His orders are to take command of the newly built 20-gun frigate Salmouth and get her out to sea before she is taken by General Richard Howe's invading army. Unbeknownst tp Biddlecomb, the entire British fleet stands between him and the new nation's capital. Forced to run his beloved Charelmagne aground, Biddlecomb comes face-to-face with his mortal enemy, Lt. John Smeaton. Meanwhile, General Washington has yielded Philidelphia to Britain's might. As Biddlecomb and his crew battle to reach the prized Falmouth, only shipwright Malachi Foote and a ragtag band of deserters from the Continental Army stand between the vessel and the seemingly unstoppable British Army.

The year 1777 is bleak indeed for the cause of American Independence, with the British army twice defeating Washington and taking the capital city of Philadelphia and the Royal Navy sweeping aside the defenses of the Delaware Bay. And for Captain Isaac Biddlecomb and the men of the half-built frigate Falmouth, things are direr still. After managing to slip through a British blockade, they find themselves trapped in a desolate harbor on the New Jersey coast and menaced not by the British but by the outlaw bands that terrorize the countryside and see Falmouth as a potentially valuable prize. Deserter Angus McGinty steals Biddlecomb’s most potent weapon, the captured British sloop Sparrowhawk, leaving him to face the ruthless Pine Robbers on his own, with only his diminished crew and the near-useless local militia to help. Meanwhile, Virginia Biddlecomb, trapped in occupied Philadelphia, sees her chance to play a clandestine role in the fight. In the course of her activities, however, she lets slip information that will put her husband, his ship, and his crew in mortal danger, leading to a desperate race to get the unwieldy Falmouth to a place beyond the reach of the Royal Navy.