Upon Dark Waters [Paperback]

Robert Radcliffe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 4, 2004

31st December 1942. In the middle of the North Atlantic, the deadly 'gap' where aircraft cannot protect them, a destroyer and 4 corvettes are shepherding a convoy of ships from America to Britain. But as midnight passes, the New Year is marked by a white flash on the horizon - a German torpedo. What follows is a night scarred forever in the memory of its survivors. But for Michael Villiers, officer on the HMS Daisy, it is just another chapter in an extraordinary life. The son of a beautiful socialite and a British diplomat, Michael is brought up in Sombreado, Uruguay alongside his guardian's daughter Maria, and the pair are inseparable. Even when he is sent to school in England, the family ranch remains Michael's home and when his schooling is complete, there is never any doubt that he will return to Sombreado, to Maria. But when Michael returns to Montevideo in 1939, his steamer crosses paths with a German warship - an ominous sign of the conflict to come. And though Uruguay is neutral in the coming conflict, Michael is to be allowed no such luxury: the British Legation want him to make the most of his family connections. In a war, the English ambassador explains, everyone has to take sides ...

Editorial Reviews

Review

'UPON DARK WATERS is an honest and moving account of the realities of war and one man's attempts to come to terms with his past and shape his future. The actions moves swiftly between the beautifully wild pampas and the terror of the Atlantic battle, the contrast between these two serving to emphasise the brutality and uncertainty of life during war.' WATERSTONE'S BOOKS QUARTERLY 'An absolute gem.' NEW BOOKS MAGAZINE 'Radcliffe presents life on a ship in all its freezing, soaking glory in this terrific mix of adventure and saga.' GOOD BOOK GUIDE 'Radcliffe's action scenes are executed with his customary brio, and the unusual setting makes for a fascinating read.' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'Definitely one of my ten out of ten scores for reads this year and deserves to be a bestseler.' HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW

About the Author

Robert Radcliffe lives in Suffolk and is an experienced pilot. He has written two other novels, published under a different name.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Abacus (March 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0349117187
• ISBN-13: 978-0349117188
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,785,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well written on many levels, October 21, 2011

By 

John "Sparky" (Naperville, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Upon Dark Waters. Robert Radcliffe (Paperback)

This is a very interesting novel. It is narrated by a survivor, Stephen Tomlin of the British convoy corvette in the early days of World War 2. He tells the story of Michael Villiers who born in Uruguay to a British diplomat and a socialite mother native of Uruguay. In Michael's early life he was sent inland away from Montevideo to stay with his mother's native relatives due to his poor health conditions.

We learn the story of Michael as he searches his identity and becomes a man. Joins the navy after speaking with the captain of the Germain warship Graf Spee.

Hidden within the story we learn of life aboard the British convoy corvette Daisy and it's search for Germain subs. These parts are well told and entertaining. The captain of the ship, Deed's, becomes a genuine character. He almost steals the show in this novel with his peppy one liners and classic English mannerisms. There is an honorable love story between Michael and his childhood sweetheart. He shows respect for his family.

The author contrasts the bitter conditions of battle in the North Atlantic with that of the open pampas inland of South American Uruguay. The book is well written.

I will be looking forward to the new book by Robert Radclife.