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Great sea stories?
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Wilbur Smith's ship stories include Birds of Prey, Monsoon and Blue Horizon (written and published in that order).
Why not try Patrick O'Brien? He is supposedly the king of ship stories (I haven't tried them though, so can't guarantee this) and, as an added bonus, if you like the first one there is a series of about twenty to follow
. First one is Master and Commander.
Why not try Patrick O'Brien? He is supposedly the king of ship stories (I haven't tried them though, so can't guarantee this) and, as an added bonus, if you like the first one there is a series of about twenty to follow
. First one is Master and Commander.
novella
Active Member
The classic true tale is Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana. A great book in every sense.
If your tastes run more to the modern, The Perfect Storm is a good read, but I don't rate it as great writing. An exciting story well told, for the most part, though the human-interest aspects (onshore romances, family connections) feel like set-ups.
If your tastes run more to the modern, The Perfect Storm is a good read, but I don't rate it as great writing. An exciting story well told, for the most part, though the human-interest aspects (onshore romances, family connections) feel like set-ups.
Well ive read all of wilbur smith's stuff, he's one of my favourites. I wouldnt call his recent books sea stories (Blue horizon in particular) since most of the story progresses on land.
Im also right in the middle of Moby Dick, its fantastic so far, a character-driven sea adventure rather than a plot-driven one.
Im also right in the middle of Moby Dick, its fantastic so far, a character-driven sea adventure rather than a plot-driven one.
novella
Active Member
Here's some info on Richard Henry Dana. He played a big role in early American maritime law and his book (Two Years Before the Mast) is the real deal.
http://www.sandiegohistory.org/bio/dana/dana.htm
My brother is a Patrick O'Brien fanatic. What he loves is the particular, expansive seaman's vocabulary that O'Brien always uses--every sail, knot, deck hand, etc. has it's own associated terminology. I myself think those books have too many words in them.
http://www.sandiegohistory.org/bio/dana/dana.htm
My brother is a Patrick O'Brien fanatic. What he loves is the particular, expansive seaman's vocabulary that O'Brien always uses--every sail, knot, deck hand, etc. has it's own associated terminology. I myself think those books have too many words in them.
True@1stLight
New Member
Huge fan of Moby Dick ....
Well Im thinking of starting the Patrick O brien collection because i just got a copy of Post Captain from a library, the first few chapters seem more like historic fiction than a straight story but its very interesting nevertheless.
Just one more request, can someone please show me a sight on the net that explains nautical terminology. I get totally lost sometimes when I read some sea stories with their terminology, Joseph Conrad is my favourite author for example, but when I read his 'Youth', I was really pushed out of the story because I didnt get the technical bits about everything.
Just one more request, can someone please show me a sight on the net that explains nautical terminology. I get totally lost sometimes when I read some sea stories with their terminology, Joseph Conrad is my favourite author for example, but when I read his 'Youth', I was really pushed out of the story because I didnt get the technical bits about everything.
blueboatdriver
Member
Go for "Moby Dick" and then read "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick. This is the story which inspired Melville. Not as much a classic but much easier to get through. A real page turner.
Occlith
Well-Known Member
Oberon
New Member
For a great understanding and feel for the modern Navy, there is no one can compare with David Poyer's series of novels. Amazon's list of Poyer novels Start with The Med and take it from there.
He also has written about scuba diving and the beginnings of the US Navy in the Civil War. I've read almost everything he's written and He PUTS YOU THERE, quite simply, with believable, fallible characters.
He also has written about scuba diving and the beginnings of the US Navy in the Civil War. I've read almost everything he's written and He PUTS YOU THERE, quite simply, with believable, fallible characters.