AyoungEnglishmanembarksonhistory’smostdaringnavalassaultThomasSpyrewieldshisrapierlikeanexpert,buthisbladehasneverdrawnblood.Asurgeon’sapprenticeinElizabethanLondon,youngThomasspendshisdayslearningthemostmodernmedicaltechniques—fromamputationtobloodletting—andbynighthetriestokeephismasterfromgamblingawaytheirearningsatbearfights.