Sam Steele's Adventures on Land and Sea

<p><i>Sam Steele’s Adventures on Land and Sea</i> (1906) is a novel by L. Frank Baum. Although he is more widely known as the author of the <i>Land of Oz</i> series, Baum also used several pseudonyms to make forays into more conventional fiction for young adults. <i>Sam Steele’s Adventures on Land and Sea</i>, written under the pen name “Capt. Hugh Fitzgerald,” is a story of discovery, betrayal, fortune, and adventure. “An orphan, now, and alone in the world. This father whom the angry seas had engulfed was the only relative I had known since my sweet little mother wearied of the world and sought refuge in Heaven, years and years ago.” Having already lost his mother as a boy, sixteen year old Sam Steele faces tragedy once more. His father’s ship, the <i>Saracen</i>, was lost at sea near the Lucayan Archipelago, leaving just one sailor alive. All that remains of Captain Steele are his watch, his ring, and a son who never had the chance to say goodbye. Soon, Sam is cut off from his rightful inheritance by Mrs. Ranck, his guardian. Alone in the world, without a penny to his name, Sam reconnects with his maternal uncle Naboth, a sea captain preparing to sail from San Francisco to join the Klondike Gold Rush. Together, they journey into the vast Pacific, where fortune and danger await. While <i>Sam Steele’s Adventures on Land and Sea</i> is far from the fantasy and fairy tale style most of Baum’s readers adore him for, it remains an entertaining work of adventure fiction for devoted fans of the <i>Oz</i> series and newcomers alike. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of L. Frank Baum’s <i>Sam Steele’s Adventures on Land and Sea</i> is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.</p>