Customer Reviews

Uncharted Waters

5 star:		(4)
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I have to admit that after reading this book, I feel like I have not only traveled all over the world but have fallen in love with an amazingly funny cast of characters! Seinfeld meet the Merchant Marines! This book is a easy, smooth flowing read with lots of adventure. The characters are not only plausible but I have become deeply connected with each of them. Blaze is not your typical female sailor, while being chased by the mafia lover she is able to steer all sea worthy off course with her quick pick-up lies to playing helpless to get help for her escape. Joe Bones and Shanghai Cid have a story for everyone and My favorite is Murry the K. I could write a whole book on just "Murry the K" alone. He is your OCD, drive everyone crazy, mommas boy Merchant Marine. I loved how Ted constantly played with Murry psychologically. Between the water spots to diving for sea sponges, Murry is the guy that we all hate but couldn't live without.

There are also tender moments such as the authors personal love for the sea as a young boy with friends Dickey and Bobby, or fishing with his father in New York, at Lake Carmel. The tense moment of the Iraq war while trying to stay on task with a Sea Goddess and Yosemite Sam at the helm. Truth is, I laughed so hard with the "sailor talk" that I learned all sorts of new phrases like FUBAR and you just have to read the book to find out about Mongo's contest on the Diego Garcia!

I highly recommend this book to everyone! It truly is the author's mind who has flair for the wacky, or as he is described by the back of his book, "an eye for the good life and the ladies". This novel is a true treasure of the sea!

This book is a riot!
A fun read full of colorful characters that become friends. His descriptions make you feel like you're right there on the ship with these burly, smell guys (and a few hot chicks.) Makes you want to sign up for the Merchant Marines just for the adventure of it!

This story reads like a fast, fun, tale with short, easy chapters and an a quick flow in the narrative.

The cast of characters are all individuals who remind me of someone I know, or should have known from my past. They cover the gambit: Sweethearts,to Sticklers,to Slobs to Saints and a cross section of misfits for good measure. All with a lot of hilarity and good humor as we follow their adventures across the Pacific and beyond.

This is a Sea Story with a lot of irony, and I learned a bit about what Merchant Marine Sea Life is like in reading it. There is the usual amount of Sailor's exagerrated telling and explaining of certain events which transpire, but it doesn't matter if you are reading first or second hand blarney...you will find a lot of humor and catch yourself chuckling as you read page after page. Some of the events which the characters encounter are to funny to attempt a description. I savored each chapter and read it during my stationery bike ride at the gym. It took my mind off that monotous task and entertained me, To Boot!.

Ovedrall, I highly recommend this fast and easy story.

To the author I ask, What happened to our Hero "Ted" and the Femme Fatale, "Blaze" in Brazil? Saving the answer for part two of an ongoing Seagoing Saga???....I hope so!

I sure would like to have an inside look at this guys brain. He must be full of stories that are both adventurous as well as exciting. I must say it almost makes me want to go out and work on the open sea. It makes for a different type of life than I have, but one I sure would like to explore. Thanks for writing the book and sharing one of your many (I am sure, you have more) amazing tales.