1636: Commander Cantrell in the West Indies

Book #14 of Eric Flint's New York Times and Wall Street Journalbest-selling alternate history series, Ring of Fire. Eddie Cantrell, now married to the king of Denmarks daughter, is sentby Admiral Simpson to the Caribbean to secure access to the most valuablecommodity on that continent not the gold and silver which the Spanishtreasure, but the oil which up-time machines and industry need. The admiral hasalso provided Eddies small task force with the new steam-powered frigatesthat have just come out of the navys shipyards. Even with the frigates, agiant obstacle stands in his way: the Gulf-girdling Spanish presence in the NewWorld. So a diversion is needed, carried out by an up-time car mechanic and adown-time mercenary colonel who also happens to be the last earl of Ireland.Their mission: grab the oil fields on Trinidad, and so distract the attention ofSpains New World governors.