French explorer and naval officer Jean-Francois de la Perouse (1741-88) was, after James Cook, the greatest explorer of the Pacific in the eighteenth century. In 1785, La Perouse was commissioned by Louis XVI to head an expedition into the uncharted regions of the Pacific Ocean. Setting out from France, the expedition over the next three years was the first to map the coasts of California, Alaska, and Siberia. From there, La Perouse continued to Easter Island and Hawaii, where La Perouse Bay bears his name. After a stop in Botany Bay, Australia, La Perouse's two ships set out for the Solomon Islands. En route, they encountered a storm and were sunk; despite search efforts over the centuries, no trace of the wreckage of La Perouse's ships has been found.
Where Fate Beckons tells the story of La Perouse's life and adventures, along the way providing a lively introduction to the world of French colonialism, the end of the Age of Exploration, and French society in the years leading to the French Revolution.