Samuel Collier came from nothing. A street urchin, an orphan, and even a thief, he seems headed for a life in the alleys of London. So when he becomes the page of Captain John Smith and boards the ship the Susan Constant, bound for the New World, he can't believe his good fortune. He's heard that gold washes ashore with every tide.

But beginning with the stormy journey and his first contact with the native people, Samuel realizes that the New World is nothing like he had ever imagined. The lush Virginia shore where they settle is both beautiful and forbidding, and it's hard to know who's friend or foe.

The settlers' troubles are just beginning—the summer of 1607 brings a mysterious illness, and winter brings starvation. It's soon clear to Samuel that the ways of the English don't always work in this unfamiliar land. They need to find new ways, and Samuel is ready to learn.

Filled with authentic details and real people, Blood on the River brings to life a significant time in American history.

From the dust jacket