Against The Odds

In August 1815, a ship called The Commerce runs aground off the coast of Northwest Africa. Onboard are eleven crew members who are merchant traders who have no choice but to row to shore. They will soon find themselves at the edge of the Sahara, one of the most inhospitable places on earth where oasis settlements are controlled by tribes who also run the trans-Saharan slave trade. With no way to escape and dwindling supplies, they will need to cross the largest hot desert in the world...

Captain James Riley’s ship is marooned off the coast of Northwest Africa, where the Sahara meets the sea. The vessel is useless, and his crew’s only chance to make it home is by crossing the largest hot desert in the world. Aside from the sun and lack of food and water, the men also have to avoid being taken captive by desert tribes. But after a chance encounter with a trader named Sidi Hamet, Riley learns there might be a way out - but the price will be very high...

When Captain Riley and his crew are divided amongst warring nomadic tribes, Riley needs to devise a plan to find all of his men. Only then can he convince Sidi Hamet to take them to the city of Swearah where he can make a bid for their freedom. But to get there they’ll have to pass through 800 miles of unforgiving sun and sand. It’s a gamble that might cost him and his men their lives. Listen early and ad free with Wondery+...

Sidi Hamet’s family is hundreds of miles away, far across the Sahara. Hamet yearns for his wife but must pay off his debts to his father-in-law before they are reconnected. Meanwhile, Captain James Riley searches for his freedom in the city of Swearah. But, if Riley is going to find his way back across the sea, he must find someone to pay ransom for an American crew. The two men must rely on one another in order to succeed, but only one will live to tell the tale...

Author Dean King traveled across the world to retrace Captain Riley’s footsteps through the Sahara Desert. His book, Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival, recounts Riley’s story and King’s own experiences in the desert. King shares his memories of discovering Riley’s forgotten memoir and what his journey taught him about friendship and survival. Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening...