I loved this book and I didn't want it to end. Publsihed in 1958, this was Reeman's first novel set during the Second World War. As a new author he stuck to what he knew...the war waged by motor torpedo boats in the English Channel and North Sea against German convoys, destroyers, and minesweepers. The story and characters are believable so much so that the reader can see the main character interacting with one of his crew one moment, and then discover the same person minutes later dead on the deck with a German machine gun round through his back. The book hammers home the fact that all too often survival in war is dependent upon luck rather than skill or bravery. My only complaint is that the book ended abruptly with no indication as to whether Lt Royce, the main character, survived the war. But then again, I suppose it was unrealistic to expect a happy ending from a book based on the author's first hand experiences written when the memories were still fresh. That being said, I feel like I am somewhat invested in the characters and I want to know what happened. Still...this book covers an aspect of the Second World War that I was not familiar with and that in and of itself made it worth the read.
