Edward Howard (1793 - 1841) is almost unknown to modern audiences, however, his writing has been favorably compared to that of Tobias Smollett and Herman Melville. If you enjoy those writers, and especially if you love the works of his friend and shipmate Captain Frederick Marryat, you'll love Edward Howard's
One of his works, Rattlin, the Reefer was edited by Marryat and for several generations people thought it was actually written by him because it was that good. His other works tended not to have an authors name but be described as 'By the Author of Rattlin, the Reefer'. Accordingly these are also often wrongly attributed to Marryat. Many of his novels are not copyright in many countries and some are available as free eBooks.
He entered the navy, where Captain Frederick Marryat was his shipmate, and served as a midshipman between 1808 and 1810 aboard HMS Aurora, mainly in the West Indies. On obtaining his discharge he became a contributor of sea stories to periodical literature. When Marryat took the editorship of the Metropolitan Magazine in 1832, he chose Howard for his sub-editor. He subsequently joined the staff of the New Monthly Magazine, then edited by Thomas Hood.