--------- The plantation in which this story takes place is in the owned by , who controls his slaves with an iron fist. We enter the story as the islands are suffering from a severe sickness, killing off people one by one. Eventually, Sheldon bows to the fever that his workers are experiencing and he's left weakened and vulnerable. This is when Joan Lackland arrives with her shipwrecked crew. From this point forward Joan begins changing everything about the plantation. It's enjoyable reading about the changes in Sheldon as the story progresses. He starts off extremely racist and sexist towards anyone who isn't a white male. With Joan around, he has no such room to continue being that way. The character of Joan, is really where the book redeems itself. For a book of that time, it is rare to find such a strong female character. What follows are adventures through the islands and a glimpse of plantation life in that place and time. Every time you begin a Jack London book you are immediately swept away by his masterful writing and this is no different. Very romantic and full of excitement and adventure. The story gives good insight into white slavery and racism well, though. Scroll Up and Grab Your Copy!