Michael Scott 
Tom Cringle’s Log 

No collection of nautical fiction would be complete without the inclusion of "Tom Cringle’s Log", a novel that, along with the works of Marryat, became a cornerstone of the genre upon its publication some 150 years ago. Told in Scott’s irresistible and immediate style, the novel follows the life of young midshipman Tom Cringle: his imprisonment in occupied Germany by Napoleon’s forces, his West Indian cruise on the Torch, a British man-of-war, his daring escape from West Indian pirates, and his ultimate promotion to the officer ranks. (Excerpt from Goodreads)