OT - HMS Ulysses

[Canoerebel]

This is off topic and a copy of something I just posted in my AAR, but I wanted to open it up to a wider audience. This is directed to all you guys, but I'm especially interested in feedback from those of you who are citizens of the United Kingdom.

Have you ever read Allistair McLean's novel HMS Ulysses? If so, what do you think of it?

(It's a novel set in the Murmansk convoys during World War II.)

It has been one of my favorite books since my high school years, and a recent re-reading hasn't altered my high opinion of it. I assume Brits would hold it in high regard, but I thought I'd ask.

[AW1Steve]

I'm not a Brit, but I enjoyed it immensly. I was recently able to locate a pb edition, but I'm still looking for a hard cover. I't make a great movie.

[Tiornu]

[Spoiler alert]
Honestly, I didn't think much of it. The drama felt stretched and forced. I think more planes crashed into this ship than historically crashed into the whole of British cruiser-dom prior to the kamikaze. It was the man's first novel, and I don't think he'd found his voice yet.

[Terminus]

I found it soul-crushingly depressing, which I suspect was a big objective for McLean...

[jmalter]

an alternative to HMS Ulysses, in the same theater - Jan de Hartog's "The Captain. 'S got a nift' RN cruiser, too, but no Kapok Kid.

[ilovestrategy]

I haven't read it but I'm going to assume that no mess boys were accused of stealing the last of the strawberries! [:D]

[Arnhem44]

I remember reading this when I was a kid, flipping back and forth between the line drawing of the ship and whichever page I was on whenever any part of the ship was mentioned, I think this was the book that introduced me to where the turrets were on a ship when you talked about A,B,X,Y turrets, good times. Been looking for a pb edition for a year now but the local shops here suck big time, was thinking of turning to Amazon, any alternatives out there? It's not published anymore is it? Just pre-owned books out there now?

[Grollub]

I read it as a kid. Loved it, even if it was kind of depressing.

I have another favorite though, that I read for the first time when I was young and have kept rereading over the years.

It's Nicholas Monsarrats "The Cruel Sea". Anyone who have missed this one would be advised to correct that mistake. Can be found here;
http://www.amazon.com/Cruel-Sea-Classics-War/dp/1580800467/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305970955&sr=8-1

[spence]

It's Nicholas Monsarrats "The Cruel Sea". Anyone who have missed this one would be advised to correct that mistake.

Talk about soul-crushingly depressing...rubbing the burn cream onto the burned survivor and having the man's skin breaking away, layer after layer, then hoping he would just die and then having the man see it in the Execs eyes....

[Grollub]

Ok, I missed labeling that one as "depressing" as well. [:'(]

[AW1Steve]

ORIGINAL: ilovestrategy

I haven't read it but I'm going to assume that no mess boys were accused of stealing the last of the strawberries! [:D]

Nope. But the story does open with the aftermath of a mutiny. [:D]

[BrucePowers]

I have never read HMS Ulysses. Another great book about North Atlantic convoy duty is The Good Shepard By CS Forrester. This was about a captain of a US destroyer on convoy duty. It was a very good book.

[Hortlund]

ORIGINAL: Tiornu

[Spoiler alert]
I think more planes crashed into this ship than historically crashed into the whole of British cruiser-dom prior to the kamikaze.

I dont remember any aircraft crashing into the Ulysses [&:]

OnT: I love the book, have read it several times.

[Terminus]

Apparently not recently. I forget if it's two or three German aircraft that hit it.

[AW1Steve]

I'd love to get it on Kindle. Unfortunately only Amazon UK has it , and apparently we in the USA can't purchase from them.[:(]

[BrucePowers]

I purchased my copy of the Ordnance Survey from them. All you have to do is open up an Amazon UK account. That is what I did.

[obvert]

If anyone does want it from the UK Amazon, I'd be happy to get a copy, read it, and then send it on when I I get to the US in June.

[AW1Steve]

Oh I've ordered books from them......the problem is kindle is an e-book. I tried to get them to send it to my emai for my PC (where I'd download it to my Knidle) but apparently their system doesn't permit that. I suspect it's a copy right thing.

[AW1Steve]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Apparently not recently. I forget if it's two or three German aircraft that hit it.

I don't think they were kamikazes though...I got the impression it was a dead pilot at the control.

[Terminus]

True. There were definitely one Stuka and one Condor.