The Terrapin is a worn out ship. Her crew is a motley group with the exec having survived his own naval trauma. She is assigned a new skipper who is aThe Terrapin is a worn out ship. Her crew is a motley group with the exec having survived his own naval trauma. She is assigned a new skipper who is anxious to prove his worth and who believes the higher ups don't appreciate the gravity of the communist threat. To show them his worth, he disobeys orders and puts his ship in harm's way.
There have been lots of books dealing with Captain Queeg-like commanders and the relationships that develop between a crew who thinks the captain is crazy, the Executive Officer, charged with supporting the captain and enforcing his will on the ship. The Caine Mutiny (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) is one of those classics and should be read by everyone who enjoys a good naval yarn or even a first-rate legal battle.
I read the Arnheiter Affair (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) several years ago, a book to which Reeman refers in his introduction. He suggests that Arnheiter was right and should not have been relieved. I recommend reading both books and drawing your own conclusions. The idea that any commander can willfully disobey orders is anathema to any military service, regardless of how righteous they may think they are. Thank goodness Curtis LeMay didn't just charge off and send the bombers over Moscow with atomic weapons. He wanted to.
Reeman is clever sympathetic to Dalziel, the captain, who refuses to stay within the guidelines of his orders and, in the end, achieves a measure of validation. The book will without doubt appeal more to nautical afficionados than the average reader, but it does obliquely raise some interesting issues. ...more
Third and last of Wilson's WW II novels, Lt. Syl Grant is billeted to an Army gasoline tanker that had almost been destroyed by a Japanese plane. AfteThird and last of Wilson's WW II novels, Lt. Syl Grant is billeted to an Army gasoline tanker that had almost been destroyed by a Japanese plane. After being refitted (more or less) she is sent to refuel assorted airfields, usually acting as a shuttle between the larger tankers and fuel barges tied to the shore connected to tanks on shore. A random spark could send her skyward and the crew is a collection of misfits. Tankers had their own special dangers: "... but the men of a tanker had to live on top of thousands of gallons of gasoline almost all the time for a year or more. The fighter pilots and the marines feared only the enemy, but the tanker men also had to fear themselves and each other … one moment of carelessness or a suicidal impulse could blow them all up. Most people would never understand that, but other sailors treated the crews of gas tankers with sympathy and respect. The poor devils who ran the gas tankers had a right to swagger a little when they went on liberty."
Wilson again touches on racism as he did in Voyage to Somewhere although this book was written some thirty years later. Another theme is the relationship of men to each other, their wives, and the girls they meet while in port. Whether the wives at home at any understanding of the dangers faced by their husbands during the war is problematic.
I would read Ice Brothers first, then Voyage to Somewhere, and finally this book even though that's not the order in which they were written....more
Not for the non-nautical afficionado, but if you like ships and realistic sea stories, you will enjoy this book. It's based on Sloan's WW II experiencNot for the non-nautical afficionado, but if you like ships and realistic sea stories, you will enjoy this book. It's based on Sloan's WW II experiences at sea.
Lt. Barton is assigned to a new small supply ship bound for the New Guinea theater in the South Pacific. They are soon hauling such innocuous cargos as pineapples to Hawaii and then candy bars to assorted islands then "burial supplies" and thousands of crosses to an island called Okinawa.
Wilson nicely conveys the tedium of the war as well as the viciousness of being in a small ship during a typhoon. ...more
A very interesting novel about a little known part of WW II, that of the Greenland Ice Patrol. Comprised mostly of trawlers, they were commanded by eiA very interesting novel about a little known part of WW II, that of the Greenland Ice Patrol. Comprised mostly of trawlers, they were commanded by either old-time ice fishermen or wet-nosed and inexperienced peacetime yachtsmen. The novel is based on Wilson's experience around Greenland. The fictional Wilson (Paul) was appointed as executive officer to a very experienced Mowrey, an old-timer with a terrible drinking problem, but one who could read ice conditions like no one else. The radio officer had no sea-experience at all but he had a loathing for Germans after his Jewish wife and child had disappeared somewhere in Germany. He happened to be an electronics genius, however, a skill that was to be more than valuable later on.
A sister trawler has disappeared off the east-coast of Greenland with only a lifeboat filled with machine-gunned sailors remaining. His commanding officer having been taken off the boat for alcoholism problems, Paul and Nathan, his now executive officer, are sent east to fight the Germans and dismantle whatever weather station equipment they had established. Knowing weather conditions over Greenland was crucial for air operations in Europe so both sides wanted the advantage. Greenland, part of Denmark, which had quickly surrendered to the Germans, declared a sort of independence from Denmark and was claimed by both the Axis and Allies. It was an icy wasteland inhabited (barely) by Eskimos. Wilson spends a lot of time describing the Eskimo culture and their total lack of understanding for the animosity between the two sides. His descriptions of the ice and their culture I found quite interesting, especially their attitude toward sex, totally uninhibited and devoid of any monogamous impulses, the children considered children of everyone and cared for by everyone, their emphasis being on survival and laughter -- not a bad way to get through life except for the frigging cold.
Lots of ruminations on war, hatred, why people fight and love. I enjoyed the book very much....more
I’ve never been a huge fan of McCutchan’s Halfhyde nautical fiction, but McCutchan hits his stride in works dealing with the Royal Navy in WW II. ColdI’ve never been a huge fan of McCutchan’s Halfhyde nautical fiction, but McCutchan hits his stride in works dealing with the Royal Navy in WW II. Cold War is part of a series that follows the career of Cameron who had been on the Ark Royal when it was sunk near Gibraltar. Now he’s navigating officer on the HMS Sprinter, a frigate escorting a convoy to Russia and carrying two important officials, one a British Minister and the other a Russian general, so the stakes are higher than usual.
As is typical in wartime, nothing goes as planned and after the two VIPs, Minister of War Production Harcourt Prynne and Marshal Yurigin, had been transferred to the Sprinter in preparation for a fast trip to Murmansk, they have an engine breakdown, the captain is killed by a flying splinter, and the new captain is having eyesight problems. Cameron is now the Executive Officer, and everyone is tired of the bombasity of the new warrant officer Fasher, in charge of the guns, who loves applying punishment more than anything else. Adrift in a blinding snowstorm, their radar shows a large capital ship heading straight toward them on a collision course. In a surprising twist at the end, Cameron is ordered to do something totally unexpected.
The tension that appears in other works about the Royal Navy in WWI between reservists and regular Navy is apparent here as well and the title is clever, referring to much more than the weather on the Arctic convoys.
Fans of nautical fiction will enjoy this book. I intend to read more in the Cameron series and more in the line of nautical books published by Endeavour Books which offered me this book in hopes of an honest review which I am glad to do....more
Senior Chief O’Reilly has sixty-four days until retirement. He’s anxious to avoid anything that might jeopardize that, but an A-7 has failed to releasSenior Chief O’Reilly has sixty-four days until retirement. He’s anxious to avoid anything that might jeopardize that, but an A-7 has failed to release all its bombs and the Captain wants to land the plane on the carrier. O'Reilly has been placed in charge of the recovery crew. He’d prefer to just dump the plane in the ocean and have the pilot eject rather than risk an explosion on the ship (and ruin his retirement plans.)
The incident Brendan remembers from when he was a nineteen-year old was based, most probably, on the Forrestal fire that involved Senator McCain. Given the types of planes I wondered if the time period wasn’t around Vietnam even though the author looks way too young for that.
E. Howard Hunt. Now there's a name that brings back memories. And not particularly pleasant ones as a member of the “plumbers.” On the other hand, he E. Howard Hunt. Now there's a name that brings back memories. And not particularly pleasant ones as a member of the “plumbers.” On the other hand, he served in the Navy during WW II on destroyers and as this book was written in 1942 while he was out there living the book.
It takes place on a destroyer on convoy duty. Each chapter is preceded by a short italicized section on preparing the ship, following by perspectives from members of the crew, each with a short bio. While clearly fictional, I suspect the characters had considerable basis from his experience.
Blacks had no place except as servants to the officers. Their world was “yessuh,” no matter whether they were seasick or had other difficulties. The captain was angry because their ship hosted the commodore who second guessed his every move. Others had come from farms. All felt the drudgery.
And I never realized until I went to sea how much you can hate something that you can’t beat … something that wins over you whenever you’re tired … something that won’t let you rest … where there is never anything but the feel of the spray and the shock of the waves and the blackness of night and the fog-gray days and always the sea. Always the sea and the tearing wind and no place ever to lie still while your heart pounds with the feel of the sea and your brain is tight with the smell of the sea and your belly is hollow with the fear of it, and always the ship goes on through the night and the days that are not day.
The theme and writing reminded me a little of Alistair MacLean. If you enjoy nautical fiction, you will like this book. Not up to Marley Mowat, or Herman Wouk, but good enough and of historical interest since it was written during the war it portrays. ...more
Gandt is a former Navy fighter jock, flying A-4s off a carrier and then for many years as a Pan Am pilot (he wrote an account of the rise and fall of Gandt is a former Navy fighter jock, flying A-4s off a carrier and then for many years as a Pan Am pilot (he wrote an account of the rise and fall of Pan Am, Skygods.)
His fighter jock novels follow the career of Brick Maxwell (I didn't realize there was a sequence when I started this book so I'm a bit out of order.) In addition to Maxwell we have DeLancey, the hotshot squadron commander (a hotshot in his own mind and vindictive SOB); Claire, former GF of Maxwell, now a reporter looking for insider information; Tyrwhitt, Claire's estranged husband who write a column supportive of Saddam but who's really a CIA plant, and assorted other pilots.
There are constant political machinations among the squadron, petty jealousies, harassment of the female pilots, manipulations in return by the some of the women, and pilots with hangovers, problems at home, and many other distractions. Makes you wonder if drones aren't such a bad idea. I'm not such if it was the author's intent, but goodness, WW III could be just a hangover away. I truly hope what DeLancey does is not representative of what Gandt experienced during his time flying carrier jets....more
This book is probably only for die-hard nautical fans like myself who love Max Hardberger's books. You have to be really weird like me to enjoy the arThis book is probably only for die-hard nautical fans like myself who love Max Hardberger's books. You have to be really weird like me to enjoy the arcane twists and turns of the shipping industry. If you do, and you enjoy sardonic writing, you'll love this book.
Robert Fairchild is a New York hedge fund owner/manager who becomes intrigued by the possibility of making money in the shipping industry. He's a total neophyte, completely unaware of the hazards and complications of an industry ostensibly stateless but subject to a myriad of regulations, all of which cost money and time.
Succumbing to the desire to be a ship owner and against his better instincts, he decides to buy an old freighter from a Greek broker and that's where his troubles begin. ("The truth was stark; Robert had willingly gotten drunk and made a very costly mistake for which he could blame no one but himself. This was one of the few downsides of having a one man investment committee.") The market for charters, thanks to fires in Russia, seems to be moving his way so, greed taking over, he uses his personal funds, well maybe a few dollars, too, from the fund, to creatively finance the purchase of the ship. Then things get really hairy. "“Yeah, that figures,” he laughed condescendingly and shook his head back and forth. “Look, Mr. Fairchild, I hate to spoil your quaint little illusion, but in the shipping business everything is negotiable all the time. A word is only a man’s bond if the market is moving in his direction. And just so you know, you haven’t earned the freight until you’ve been paid the freight – and the demurrage. . . Now it appeared as if he were the ATM machine, spitting cash at the ship. In fact, the only difference between him and the lanky Indian guys in the orange jumpsuits smoking cigarettes directly beneath the massive NO SMOKING sign painted on the rust-streaked accommodation building was that they were making money. He was spending money."
Robert's travails will lighten your day. Guaranteed. And convince you NEVER to buy a ship.
HMS Ulysses is a ship badly in need of rest., Having already been on several Arctic runs to Murmansk, she and her borderline mutinous crew are being sHMS Ulysses is a ship badly in need of rest., Having already been on several Arctic runs to Murmansk, she and her borderline mutinous crew are being sent on another high-speed convoy with supplies desperately needed by the Russians. It’s FR 77; the weather is deteriorating, and the Nazis know the convoy is on its way. No rescue ships on this convoy; given what happened to the Stockport and Zafaaran, (both torpedoed with a loss of all hands and many who had been rescued from other ships that had been sunk) it probably wouldn’t make any difference anyway.
MacLean’s nautical descriptions excel at vividness. And the Ulysses must fight its way through one of the worst storms ever recorded and no one understands or describes a warship moving through such an event as MacLean.
The cold was now intense: ice formed in cabins and mess-decks: fresh-water systems froze solid: metal contracted, hatch-covers jammed, door hinges locked in frozen immobility, the oil in the searchlight controls gummed up and made them useless. To keep a watch, especially a watch on the bridge was torture: the first shock of that bitter wind seared the lungs, left a man fighting for breath. . .But the real danger of the ice lay in its weight. A ship, to use technical terms, can be either stiff or tender. If she's stiff, she has a low centre of gravity, rolls easily, but whips back quickly and is extremely stable and safe. If she's tender, with a high centre of gravity, she rolls reluctantly but comes back even more reluctantly, is unstable and unsafe. And if a ship were tender, and hundreds of tons of ice. . .. And then there were the torpedoes...
“"The sea was on fire. Flat, calm, burdened with hundreds of tons of fuel oil, it was a vast carpet of licking, twisting flames. That much, for a second, and that only, Vallery saw: then with heartstopping shock, with physically sickening abruptness, he saw something else again: the burning sea was alive with swimming, struggling men. Not a handful, not even dozens, but literally hundreds, soundlessly screaming, agonizingly dying in the barbarous contrariety of drowning and cremation.
"For a man in the sea, oil is an evil thing. It clogs his movements, burns his eyes, sears his lungs and tears away his stomach in uncontrollable paroxysms of retching; but oil on fire is a hellish thing, death by torture, a slow, shrieking death by drowning, by burning, by asphyxiation-for the flames devour all the life-giving oxygen on the surface of the sea. And not even in the bitter Arctic is there the merciful extinction by cold, for the insulation of an oil-soaked body stretches a dying man on the rack for eternity, carefully prfeserves him for the last excruciating refinement of agony.”
This is not a feel-good book. It’s about as realistic a portrayal of the Murmansk run in mid-winter as one could imagine. Characters you like die. War sucks. The Murmansk run was a killer. It’s based, in part, on the experiences of convoy PQ17. Ripping good story. One Amazon reviewer noted, “Don't read this book unless you plan on leaving a part of yourself in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic.” Impossible to say it better.
MacLean knows whereof he speaks. He saw service in the Royal Navy in the Arctic, Mediterranean and Far East theaters and was, in fact, involved in naval action against the Tirpitz while serving in the Arctic. I believe Ulysses was his first book, appearing in 1955, followed by The Guns of Navarone.
Also published in the U.K. under the title This Thing Of Darkness, Note the three volumes are available for the Kindle as one book. (Thank you somebodAlso published in the U.K. under the title This Thing Of Darkness, Note the three volumes are available for the Kindle as one book. (Thank you somebody.)...more
I’m not sure why I delayed getting to this title since I enjoyed Gorky Park so much, to which this book is a sequel of sorts. Of sorts, because it folI’m not sure why I delayed getting to this title since I enjoyed Gorky Park so much, to which this book is a sequel of sorts. Of sorts, because it follows directly on the heels of Gorky, but the author in a few brief paragraphs lays out precisely why Arkady, formerly head investigator for the prosecutor’s office in Moscow is now working as a slimer on a factory ship in the Bering Sea.
It’s good. Those who don’t like what they view as excessive detail in Moby Dick probably won’t like this book either, but as you know, I wallow in all manner of detail and the descriptive scenes of working on the factory ship were quite interesting, particularly when they discover a slime eel (hagfish) in the body of a Russian woman who was dragged up by one of the accompanying American trawlers (it’s a joint Russian/American business.) Totally gross.
Because of his previous investigative experience, the captain pulls Arkady from the factory line and has him investigate, wanting to have everything kosher for the American observers on board. Arkardy is forced to walk a very fine line between those in power who see no reason for an investigation, nor do they want one, and his innate sense of justice that refuses to accept the official verdict of suicide when all the evidence points in a different direction. Everyone lies and everyone has nefarious reasons for doing so. It’s a world populated by paranoiacs and schemers.
Lots of reflections on Russian society; comments like “In irony we lead the world,” which in context is not only amusing but perspicacious. And, my goodness, Smith has a dim view of people in general if his books are any testament....more
This book is based on the true story of the Phemius, a ship which was sucked into the circular trajectory of a hurricane in 1932. The captain’s reportThis book is based on the true story of the Phemius, a ship which was sucked into the circular trajectory of a hurricane in 1932. The captain’s report of the experience so intrigued the Holt Line owner that he gave a copy to Richard Hughes (A High Wind in Jamaica) who turned it into this novel.
The ship was the well-cared-for Archimedes with a very competent captain and crew. The month being mid-November, the likelihood of a West Indian hurricane was more than remote, it was unheard of. The cargo was the usual motley of items including quantities of newspaper, which, because of their lightness, were stored fairly high in the hold. The barometer continues to drop precipitously and thinking he is sailing around the storm, Captain Edwardes finds himself in its clutches, perhaps from a twin since this storm doesn’t seem to be following the rules. Dick, the cabin boy, at first mesmerized by the fur of the wind, is in its thrall. “Then the exultation which the storm had raised in him whirled up in his head giddily, and he was sea-sick.”
At first the ship seems to be riding the waves with equanimity until a coir matting becomes lodged in the steering rods and steerage is lost leaving the ship to wallow broadside into the waves. To make matters worse, hatches, which are designed to withstand enormous pressure from above, were now subject to tremendously strong winds blowing across the deck, and, much as with an airplane’s wing, generated lift and creating a vacuum across the top of the hatches pushing them up from below.
It goes without saying (but I will anyway) readers disinclined to enjoy nautical books will not like this book. Tant pis pour toi. The rest of us will love it.
A picture of the Phemius at http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants... that gives you a good idea of the superstructure and funnel which was lost in the 1932 hurricane. (The one described in the book took place fictionally in November 1929.)
Read the introduction by John Crowley to the NYRB edition. In it, he quotes Ford Maddox Ford as describing Hughes writing as so good as to be almost inhuman. “It’s hard … not to wonder whether Hughes ever made clear to himself the distinction between all-knowing divinity and pitiless chance.” Indeed....more
Interesting blend of hard SF and legal drama. Ensign Paul Sinclair’s first ship assignment is on the USS Michaelson, where, in addition to his other dInteresting blend of hard SF and legal drama. Ensign Paul Sinclair’s first ship assignment is on the USS Michaelson, where, in addition to his other duties, he acts as the ship's legal officer. The naval dialogue seems quite realistic, and were it not for a few references to space stuff, one might think they were aboard a modern day Navy ship. Except there was not one “fuck” in the entire book. So maybe in the future they have eliminated all swearing; yeah, right.
The Michaelson’s captain Wakefield, anxious to see some combat, decides to intercept an alien vessel that is technically outside his patrol zone. He’s the typical Queeg without the steel balls and stolen ice cream. (As an aside, the Caine Mutiny is a must read and based oin Herman Wouk’s experiences aboard a WW II mine-sweeper/destroyer. Queeg’s must have been relatively common because my brother-in-law’s first assignment as an ensign was under a similar character.) When the ship fails to heave to and then makes what appears to be a threatening move, the captain asks Sinclair for a legal interpretation of the orders, very broad and suitably vague,** then destroys the ship only to learn it was an unarmed civilian ship, albeit an alien one. (Remember the USS Vincennes shooting down Iran Air Flight 655 in 1988? see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air...) I’m still puzzled by how an Airbus 300 could have been confused with an attacking F-14. 290 civilians were killed including 66 children.*)
Unlike the captain of the Vincennes, Wakefield is court-martialed and the last third or so of the book is the trial, itself quite interesting if you like legal drama, which I do. Sinclair finds himself in some interesting moral and ethical dilemmas that are sensitively handled.
Billed as a legal thriller, it’s not much of the latter, but the legal aspect is quite good.
*Quote from the Wikipaedia article: When questioned in a 2000 BBC documentary, the U.S. government stated in a written answer that they believed the incident may have been caused by a simultaneous psychological condition amongst the 18 bridge crew of the Vincennes called 'scenario fulfillment', which is said to occur when persons are under pressure. In such a situation, the men will carry out a training scenario, believing it to be reality while ignoring sensory information that contradicts the scenario. In the case of this incident, the scenario was an attack by a lone military aircraft. Just imagine what the U.S. reaction would have been to an Iranian attack downing a U.S. civilian airliner.
** That reminds me of something a candidate for a job once said during an interview. One of the search committee had asked something about mission statements, and the guy (bless him) said that he was familiar with mission statements, that they were “vague yet meaningless.” Direct hit....more
I'll read anything that has storms and ocean-going salvage tugs. This book has both, in addition to a vendetta, corporate and individual malfeasance, I'll read anything that has storms and ocean-going salvage tugs. This book has both, in addition to a vendetta, corporate and individual malfeasance, and romantic rivalry. The parts of the book dealing with those latter elements are the weakest. But Smith writes really well about ships during storms; the salvaging of the ocean liner in the beginning is riveting. One reviewer on Amazon complained that Smiths gets too technical and detailed during the storm scenes. Hell, man. That's the best part!
There were times, however, when I felt I had fallen into an As the World Turns version of Alice in Wonderland. The story revolves around the rivalry of Duncan Alexander (the bad guy) and Nicholas Berg (the good guy) for control, of Christie Marine and the attentions of Chantelle Christie, owner of the company and a large fortune. The “child” at issue is the “Golden Dawn,” and immense (7,000 foot) super tanker (my incredulity at the size was beginning to become an irritant) designed by Nicholas but built by Duncan after Duncan forced Nicholas from the company. The inevitable then takes control of the plot, you know, Duncan cuts corners, the ship in Nicholas’s view is unsafe, and the maiden voyage will be carrying Nicholas’s son by Chantelle. Yawn. Nicholas, meanwhile, has built his dream salvage tug. You can guess where this is going.
Four stars for the storm scene in the beginning; one for the soap.
The Baikal is a Typhoon-class Russian ballistic missile submarine. It’s huge, the size of a WW II aircraft carrier, and the United States paid Russia The Baikal is a Typhoon-class Russian ballistic missile submarine. It’s huge, the size of a WW II aircraft carrier, and the United States paid Russia to destroy as part of the reduction of nuclear weapons. The Chinese, eager to force a confrontation over Taiwan, have their own plans for the sub. They have paid corrupt Russian officials to deliver the sub to them, and, unbeknownst to the sub’s volunteer crew, it’s loaded with 20 nuclear tipped ballistic missiles. (This puzzled me as the sub would have trimmed differently with all that weight on board; surely the captain would have noticed the difference. Ah well, it’s fiction.)
There’s another sub in the water, the Portland, an American Los Angeles-class attack sub with a dysfunctional captain, a rebellious crew, and a woman lieutenant who speaks Russian. She and the captain, commander Vann, who has a very checkered past, get off to a bad start, and things go downhill from there. Everyone seems to have an ax to grind. An admiral at Norfolk wants Vann to prevent the Russian sub from making it through the Bering Straits, and issues orders with enough leeway to give the Vann an excuse to torpedo the Russian sub. Lots of interesting maneuvering under the ice and tricks to fool sonar.
The issue of women aboard subs is not handled with any subtlety. Scavello, the female Lieutenant, seems to have little to do and the enlisted men nothing better than to complain about the soap she uses. White does a nice job of portraying the devastation and poverty facing the Russian Navy, in fact the Russians come across much better than the Americans.
If you liked The Hunt for Red October (I did, about the only Clancy I do like,) you’ll love this cat-and-mouse sub chase and the little assorted side-plots. Several Amazon reviewers compained that the book was a mish-mash of Clancy's novel and Crimson Tide. Picky, picky. I love the technical detail, the more the merrier.
Robin White is listed as the co-author of the very excellent Hostile Waters with Peter Huchthausen. I could not verify that and the Huchthausen book lists an R. Alan White. If anyone knows if these authors are the same, I'd appreciate knowing. ...more
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