Customer Reviews

Time and Tide

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

You almost have to have been A U.S. Navy Sailor to appreciate this book fully. Those who have "gone down to the sea in ships" through the years will understand what I mean. This book combines all the elements of good fiction (in my humble opinion). Good characters, most niether good noe evil, but human: war, love, honor, deciet, and friendship. My favorite aspect of this book is the air of mysticism applied to the sea nad the ship, you either have been to sea and understand it or you haven't and probably don't. The characters are very good, it is obvious that Mr. Fleming read Herman Wouk, the parallels between Arthur McKay and "Pug" Henry cannot be missed, but I believe this is a plus and as a long time member of the Pug Henry fan club I cannot fault him for it.

If you are or have ever been on a Navy Combat vessel at sea READ THIS BOOK. If you haven't, read it anyway, and perhaps you will see what it is about this duty that forever changes those of us who have.

I read this book a while back. I just saw it in the library today. I remember it so well that I felt compelled to right a review.

Anyone that is familiar with WW II and the naval campaigns will want to read this book. This is the story of a light cruiser with a new captain. The previous captain (if I remember correctly) was court martialed for cowardice. He was a close friend of the new captain. That's the first sub plot in this book.

There are other plots that that happen throughout the book. The book is so well written and the character so well developed that I can still remember the pleasure of reading it. There were good guys and bad guys, creeps and regular Joes. The ship is like a small town.

Oh, I left out the battle sequences. Wow! Incredible. Even the aftermath and cleanup after the battles was well handled. The cruiser limping back to port for a refit and overhaul.

The ending is a little sad. But, after you read the book, you will understand why it had to be so.

If you at all enjoy WW II naval action, this is a must read book.

A couple of reviewers at least, have referred to the Jeff City as a "light cruiser",(maybe such as Boise-class)
but I think that it is actually probably intended to be an 9X 8inch gun "Treaty Cruiser"...each ship that i can think of that the Jeff moves into the shoes of, was a 10000 ton Portland/Indianappolis class cruiser?

the following might be regarded as a <<<<<< Spoiler >>>>>>

------------

It begins playing the part of the USS Chicago from Savo Island..(an 8in treaty cruiser)...becomes USS Salt Lake City at battle of Bering Sea(I think another treaty heavy cruiser)
becomes admiral Spruances flagship in later years of Pacific War ---USS Portland ..
finally it steps into the ill-fated clothes of the --USS Indianappolis-- and shares its fate..
to play those 'roles" it needs each time to be a Quincy/Vincennes/Astoria/Houston style 8in cruiser, im pretty sure.

Someone compares McKay to Hermann Wouks Pug Henry ...perhaps so, it is incidental that in "War and Remembrance", Henry is in command of the USS Northampton..another actual "treaty cruiser" sunk in the Solomons Campaign

I came across this book overseas 12+ years ago. It is a great read for anyone who enjoys WWII books and likes well written stories. Other reviewers have described the plot enough so I won't waste space.
Suffice it to say that Fleming captures the spirit of the times and has a true gift for filling out characters. Writing as a Navy veteran, I can say that he got this right. I would recommend this without reservation.

I just finished "Time and Tide" this morning and perhaps I'm still "under the influence" but I don't think so. I've read hundreds of novels...many about the Navy/military/WWII. This is truely a cut above the rest. I agree with the other reader/reviewer that this reminded me a lot of Herman Wouk only a little better. This is my first book by Flemming but it sure won't be the last. As a mustang Captain I could see myself and former shipmates in so many of the characters. They were alive for me. They were so real I find it hard to realize I must bid them "fair winds and following seas".

This book is engaging and competantly written. And it certainly has enough history - both speculative and factual - to keep a WWII history buff thinking.

However, it is very focused on the inner life of characters, more so than on the war, history, etc. It reads a lot like Rosemary Sutcliffe. In fact, if the author wasn't "Thomas" I'd assume the author was a woman due to its "romance-novel" approach. Some guys might find this a bit irritating if they're expecting an action book.

Good example, is that there's loads and loads of info and detail about the _very_ personal lives of the characters involved - quite often a lot more than you'd want to know. However, a major battle like Cape Esperance flies by in a few paragraphs. The rest before and after is all about the emotional states of people, etc.

Another turn-off for some, and occasionally me, is the "ick" factor. the dead are described in gruesome detail, and plenty of lurid detail is given about the sexual events of characters whether they are humping their wives, girfriends, ugly prostitutes, bashing homosexuals, or engaging in homosexual rape of pretty new sailor boys. While certainly there was plenty of all of this in WWII (and before and after) it's just impossible for so many things to be routinely happening on one ship. Furthermore, nearly every terrible thing that happened to a dozen cruisers in the pacific in WWII all happen on this one ship - this unrealistic concentration of shlock twists and distorts and ultimately mocks the service of many brave men. It's hard to like the book or the author when the main concentration of his effort is on "expose" rather than balanced realism. it seems like the book was written in hopes of a TV movie or series - let's hope that never materializes.

So I personally find it a strange read. Skillful but with an adolescent preoccupation with "yuck" and pointing out things that adults already know are there but politely overlook, a "guy topic" executed in a "gal way". It might not be my cup of tea. But it also might not be my wife's cup of tea, either. Honestly, I'll finish it but then I'll probably throw it out, it has that much trashiness about it. As people like to say - Your Mileage May Vary. Maybe a better library loan than purchase.

I'm a big fan of Naval fiction - from Napoleonic Wars to present day - and this was one of the best I've read. I picked it up with some trepidation, because I couldn't even finish Fleming's mish-mash "Over There" but he's redeemed himself with this one. The ending of Time and Tide is particularly poignant.

All Navy. Should be read by anyone with blue and gold in their veins.

Recently read this book and it tends to capture the day-to-day stress of the lives of the fighting men of WWII and the people who supported them; the USS Jeff City is similar to several ships/crews with which I have had the pleasure to serve! Currently a Commander in the US Naval Reserve, I can put myself in their shoes!! Can someone tell me if this book was ever printed in a hardback format?????? Great reading. . . . G. H. Quiggle

This is the story of the light cruiser "Jefferson City" and the men and women connected with it. The JC is stationed in various parts of the Pacific during World War II and is, as is appropriate for historical fiction, a composite of a number of real-life fighting ships. While my father tells me it's not entirely historically accurate, it is certainly a good adventure with solid, multi-dimensional characterizations of both genders (something that keeps me interested in Fleming's work). And, it passed a couple of key tests for me: It made me want to learn more about the Pacific Fleet, and I was sad to leave these people behind at the end of the book