The author has carefully recounted the events which led up to Balboa's explorations in 1513 through the interior of South America to the Pacific. Although interesting, the facts are confusing due to the abundance of detail. Once through the thick maze of background years, the reader can easily follow the record of Balboa's actual expedition. That part of the narrative is vivid and well-paced. The amount of information and the style will not faze the history enthusiast.