Adventure, romance, racism and loyalty are set against a backdrop of life aboard a U.S. Navy vessel during the early 1960s in Rick Ainsworth's "Thunder and Storm: The Haverfield Incident," the winner of the 2007 Indie Excellence Award for Historical Fiction.

The narrative revolves around the lives of new recruits as they embark on a journey that will be a life-changing experience.

It is also a coming-of-age story of the protagonist who grows from a defiant young man to a mellower and more mature person.

"Thunder and Storm: The Haverfield Incident" is a compelling page-turner that combines deftly portrayed characters, a gripping plot and meticulously researched historical details.

Apart from being clear and crisp, the fictionally accurate narrative captures the exciting atmosphere aboard a naval ship.

By interweaving Edgar Allan Poe's poems into the thought process of his main character, R.J. Davis, Ainsworth adds an interesting touch.

This is a riveting book that will appeal to fans of naval history as well as wider audiences. Readers of the book will recognize that history can teach many things. According to the author, "Redemption can come in many forms; truth is earned individually, perhaps over long periods of time, and trust and mutual respect are just a few of the lessons that can be gained from this book."

Ainsworth will also have his second book, "Murder on Pratas Reef," a finalist for the 2007 National Best Books Award for Historical Fiction, available at the Author's Extravaganza at the Pahrump Community library Saturday, March 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Ainsworth's main character is again R.J. Davis, but this time the setting is aboard the U.S.S. Frank Knox.

It is set in July 1965, just before dawn in the South China Sea. The Frank Knox, a proud Navy vessel which had been named Ship of the Year in 1964, is en route from Vietnam to Hong Kong and has just run aground on Pratas Reef.

The officers and crew must work together, each with his own unique perspective on the ship, the untied and sometimes comically ineffectual methods employed to free the ship.

But just as they thought matters couldn't get any worse, a body is discovered after the grounding. Much worse, it is not accidental, but a murder.

The murder investigation, conducted by a Navy CID investigator, coincides with the feverish attempts to salvage the ship, and the impinging events back in the States take their toll on the emotions and morale of the sailors.

No one who lived through these times, even aboard a naval vessel halfway around the world, was immune to the effects of the burgeoning Vietnam conflict, the Watts riots, and the struggles of the civil rights movement.

Ainsworth is a full-time novelist as well as an avid bicyclist. He was born in Colorado and currently resides in Las Vegas.