Percival Keene is a part of Frederick Marryat's collection of adventure novels, beloved by the likes of Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway. Marryat was a Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic Wars, but retired to research and writing after the wars' end in 1815. He wrote dozens of novels, plays, short stories and essays inspired by his naval experiences. Originally published in 1842 and then re released in 1986, Percival Keene is a coming of age story about the illegitimate son of a naval captain who follows in his father's footsteps and joins the navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The book follows Percival's rise in the naval ranks with help and support of his father.