In the wake of his monumental Second Voyage, James Cook was summoned back to the Pacific by the Admiralty, ostensibly to return Omai, a young man from Raiatea, to his homeland. However, the true mission was to seek out the elusive Northwest Passage, a rumored route connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans north of Canada. Commanding HMS Resolution, with Captain Clerke at the helm of HMS Discovery, Cook embarked on an adventurous journey that included stops in Tenerife, Cape Town, and New Zealand. After successfully reuniting Omai with his people, Cook became the first European to set foot in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and meticulously charted the West Coast of North America. Despite facing numerous delays, he bravely ventured into the Bering Strait, only to be thwarted by ice, preventing his passage in either direction. Tragically, Cook returned to Hawaii, where he met his untimely end at the hands of the natives. Following Captain Clerkes death from tuberculosis, the remaining crew returned to Britain under Captain Gores command. This first volume chronicles the voyage leading up to Cooks initial visit to Hawaii. - Summary by David Cole