Customer Reviews

Twilight for the Gods

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I first read this sea story of a mans love for a dying sailing ship and way of life when working on Okinawa in the 60's. Years passed and I foregot the title and author but always wish I knew because I wanted to read it again .Brousing in a used book store one day I found it and was thrilled.The ending is the best of any story I have ever read. I re read it every couple of years and give paper backs to friends to read.

The story of a decrepid windjammer at the end of the era of sail. The Nautical detail is as good as Patrick O'Brian. The characters are straight out of Film Noir--the showman and his lady down on their luck, the Minister who secretly questions his faith, the ambitious and unscrupulous 1st Mate, the hard-as-nails Captain hanging on to a failed career and failing ship, and the beautiful widow who obvioulsly has something to hide.

If you are an old timey Pacific sailor, or just want to know what it was like, then this is the book for you. I didn't personally experience the angst of seeing the age of the windjammers get replaced by steam, for me it was the having to change from steamships to motor ships. This helped me relate to the story. I put in 40 years on sail, steam and diesel so I could understand the nautical language where as a land lubber might not. Although the book is set in a time very different from now, the characters you will meet are still around.

Ernest Gann always writes great books and this one is no different. Always a good read, even many years after my first time read.