The Novel, the Author

Louis Aurélien, captain of the three-master Némésis, sails to and fro across the Caribbean in search of sugar cargo. He docks in Cuba where he finds himself confronted with the terror of the Mambi insurrection and concentration camps. The war for independence is beating down in all its horror, plunging his companions as well as the entire Cuban population into a bloodbath [Read Chapter 1, “Remember the Maine”]. Only his commitment to the young Gabriela allows him to endure it. But the United States and Spain are at war, and Marines are preparing to land at Guantanamo. As the two young people watch, the squadrons and the armies clash in the last major conflict of the 19th century. Will Captain Aurélien and the young Cuban woman together be able to pull through?

François Adrien hails from a family of sailors and travelers. Born in Paris, he obtained a scientific degree, and later completed his education in studying military strategy. His engineering profession, his passion for the sea, and the appeal of foreign cultures have led him and his wife, with their three daughters, to live in various countries on several continents. The Shadow of Nemesis is his first novel.