Customer Reviews

The Whale Warriors: The Battle at the Bottom of the World to Save the Planet's Largest Mammals

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Wow! I've been a lifelong member/supporter of Paul Watson and Sea Shepherd. Heck, I even worked with him back in the founding days of Greenpeace, when Greenpeace was doing what Sea Shepherd does now. I thought I already "knew" all about the 2006 campaign in the Antarctic, but Heller's book really brings to life what it would have been like to be on the ship. Really terrific writing, heartbreaking commentary about whales and Planet Earth that puts it all in perspective, and exciting descriptions of the encounter with the murdering bogus "research" whalers. This book is very credible for its honesty. Life on the ship in the treacherous Antarctic Ocean is not a pleasure cruise; the ice and the weather are impressively difficult to endure. But endure it they did, well enough to find the deceptive, cowardly whalers and to engage them in a confrontation that nobody else in the world - not even any Navy of any country - has the balls to do. The crew of the good ship Farley Mowat are all heroes and heroins. These great folks do everything on a shoestring budget and continue to be pioneers in stopping slaughter and awaking minds around the planet. Thanks to Peter Heller for writing about it so well.

This book has it all -- life threatening confrontations on icy seas, big boats crewed by men who don't mind flouting international law to continue an outdated and murderous hunt, a good guy with the face of a sea otter, nerves of tempered steel, and a heart full of devotion to the world's largest mammals... and Peter Heller's beautiful narrative that can swing from exquisite descriptions of Antarctica's ice coast to Ken Follet-caliber suspense. Once you've digested its message about the imminent collapse of the great whales as well as the other fisheries in our oceans, you'll never be able to order sushi again. Buy this book for the pleasure of the read, or buy it for the disturbing message about the state of our marine ecosystems -- it somehow makes the world feel more beautiful and more fragile than ever before. It made me feel simultaneously blessed to live on earth, and empowered to help it heal or slip away, depending on my actions. Bravo, Peter Heller! I'd give this book six stars if I could.

Adrenaline is Peter Heller's drug of choice, and for those who share his addiction, reading this book is a fine and legal way to satisfy your craving. You will be carried away by his graphic descriptions of life on board the Farley Mowat, a small boat of doubtful seaworthiness manned by an all volunteer crew whose strength is dedication rather than experience, facing 100 mile an hour winds, 35 foot waves, 32 degree water, and island sized icebergs. The captain's sense of mission begs for comparison to Ahab's pursuit of the great white whale in Moby Dick, but in this case Evil is represented by a very large whaling factory boat backed by the full power of the Japanese government. Captain Watson does not believe in the efficacy of moral persuasion, he believes physical threat and intimidation are the only effective deterrents and to this end willingly puts his ship and crew at risk in a game of chicken on the high seas. You know, of course, that at least the author survived, otherwise your wouldn't be enjoying this tale he wrote, but it is easy to get absorbed and forget this fact, so the suspense continues to mount - the kind of reading experience every one has got to love, with the possible exception of the author's mother.
If your reading interests are more aesthetic or cerebral, Peter Heller has something for you, too. In addition to being a professional adventurer, he is also a poet - I mean a very good one who writes poetry that most people can't understand. In this book he displays his talent, using beautiful and accessible language, to evoke unforgettable images of sky, water, ice, albatross, penguins, seals, porpoises, whales, and people that most of us will never experience in person.
Interspersed with the adventure and beauty is a running comment about the precarious state of the world's oceans and their inhabitants, how they got that way, what to do about it, and the moral and health implications of eating fish - or any other animal products, for that matter. Neither a sermon nor a political tract, and remarkably free of ideology, this information is good food for thought. Speaking of which, after reading this book you almost certainly will never eat whale meat and will probably at least hesitate to eat any fish at all. You may even adopt a vegan diet and lifestyle like the crew of the Farley Mowat.
In closing I feel compelled to reveal that I now know Peter Heller does not always tell the truth - at least not the whole truth. I leave it up to the reader to decide about the morality involved here. On December 25th, 2005, Peter called by satellite from the Antarctic Ocean to wish his mother and family a Merry Christmas and cheerfully told her everything was going fine - not to worry. On that day the Farley Mowat was experiencing dangerously bad weather and an imminent confrontation with the Japanese whaler which could have landed them all in 32 degree water with a chance of rescue and survival close to zero. In the book, Peter did not mention having made this call. The only way I know about it is (a belated full disclosure here) that he is my stepson; his mother is my wife.

The book's cover convinced me to pick it up, but Peter Heller's writing and the Sea Shepherds' story kept my attention from that point onward. I'm usually not drawn to non-fiction unless I'm researching a subject, and generally never adventure "true life" material. This book, however, has changed that for me.

Heller combines just the right amount of prose with conversation, facts with perspective. He enters into the fray of the Sea Shepherds' world with enough hesitation to cajole the more timid into joining him and with enough enthusiasm and objectivity to keep the attention of those with fixed opinions (for or against) about the subject of whaling. It really isn't a one-sided show. During the course of the book, the author questions his own ideas about the Sea Shepherds' methods, Captain Watson's zeal, and the legality/morality of the two-month venture into the Antarctic seas. While obviously sympathetic toward the whales, he isn't overly sympathetic toward the protagonists who are there to protect the whales by (almost) any means necessary. There is just enough cynicism in his approach to allow you to decide the black and white for yourself.

The reader is swept along for the ride with Heller on this adventure and what a ride! It was very hard to put down the book and I read late into the night. Through Heller, I felt as though I were a mute crew member on the Farley Mowat during that expedition--present to observe the often humorous, occasionally mundane, sometimes terrifying, but always interesting activities and perspectives that the motley crew of the Farley Mowat experience and offer during that two-month period of time. I know it may sound trite, but I was truly inspired by their enthusiasm and resolve.

I know more about the whaling situation and what it really means to fight for their existence on this planet after reading The Whale Warriors than I have after years of getting Greenpeace updates or the occasional news report. It is tangible to me now, this fight for the whales--something that I have a visceral attachment to and not just a subjective ethical opinion about. I sincerely hope that the recent change in leadership in Australia (global warming's supposed to be the top issue now) helps to bring a backbone to the political stage there instead of just popular support for antiwhaling enforcement. After having mentioned Greenpeace, I should note some of the more interesting clashes weren't between the Sea Shepherds and the whalers, but with their fellow environmentalists. It is a subtle and charged situation, but it was eye-opening to see the exchanges between the Sea Shepherds and Greenpeace from the inside.

All of this said, I heartily recommend this book for a wonderful and fluid reading experience. You will definitely come away with an opinion on the subject and you undoubtedly will enjoy yourself during the adventure.

Read "The Whale Warriors" and you will never, I suspect, skip another story about whale hunting or international whaling conferences or anything in newspapers and magazines about the quality of our oceans and their health. Full disclosure that Peter Heller is a Denver-based friend but I had no idea about the level of detail and eye-opening account he tells in this book. The entire issue of whaling is told with balance and perspective and passion and zeal. The details are worthy of the most attentive reporter, the depth of analysis carries weight and heft. Finally, the big moral question is well probed. Your appetite for fish may drop, but your interest in people who spend their lives making a difference in this world will increase. To boot, the writing is terrific. Many writers have "done" the Antarctic but Heller brings a fresh, cool touch. "The next morning at nine we rounded the high cliffs of Cathedral Rock guarding the eastern cape and turned north into South Bay. Since dawn the south coast had been a ragged rampart of tall fluted cliffs and sharp guard rocks at the mouth of rugged coves. Low scudding clouds and damp air. Fog boiling over the tops of the headlands. As soon as we turned the corner, the wind hit, twenty knots offshore from the northwest, and cold, raking the bay into gray chop." This is a trip well worth taking -- to the Antartic and deep inside your own awarness of government-backed exploitation of natural resources and what committed soldiers can accomplish if they decide to make a difference.

I ordered this book for my Kindle 2 and have been engrossed in it since the first page.

This book isn't the love-fest one supposes. The author, while not understanding the rationalization for whaling, does express mutilple concerns with regard to the safety of the crew and others on the Oceans with them. And he's got valid points.

Let me start by saying that the mammals of the water have been my favorite animals since childhood. I abhor their mistreatment and celebrate their majesty. As a woman of Christian faith, I am of the mindset that the animals of the ocean are in tune with the miracle of Creation and the Creator, as are all other animals. I'm of the opinion that hunting should not be a sport, but for sustenance needs. If you kill it, you eat it, or wear it because there was nothing else around to wear. Period. And any hunting should be a fair fight. If you're bringing a high tech weapon to fight an animal who is pretty much defenseless against it, you haven't got the skills to go sustenance hunting anyway.

Therefore, the current position on whaling doesn't make much sense to me when we have so many resources for food in the 21st century. This isn't indigenous sustenance (which I don't really have a problem with). This is several big buck countries continuing a tradition that doesn't even seem cost effective.

Having said that, I love biographies about charismatic leaders and the people who give up everything to follow them. This book is an interesting psychological study of one man with a history of a troubled childhood on a mission to punish a group of humans for their violence against defenseless animals. One cannot tell if he's at war with the whalers or the past.

And that's why this book is so frightening in so many parts. Seeing graphic descriptions of how the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society harbors some volunteers who openly verbally HATE humanity on every level puts new perspective on their actions. Some of the crew seems not to be coming from a place of love of nature, but from a hatred of humans, for whatever reason. How are you going to protect the human next to you on the Sea Shepherd boat if you really just hate all humans?

It's creepy to read the quotes in so many parts of the book wishing that all humans would be killed, all meat eaters shot, etc. The crew on this ship are reminding me a little too much of the guy from Grizzly Man. There are folks in this book who would hate me just for having had two children. It's almost a little culty.

Captain Watson and his crew have been called racists by whaling proponents, namely, Japanese and Native population whalers. To be sure, there is an air of superiority in their conversations, but it seems to be equal opportunity condescension. The dialogue attacks many groups and elevates animals to almost benevolent deity status; a status that I cannot understand as animals are complex enough to have their own social issues and mores, some of which aren't that nice. Just like human animals.

This book has raised more questions for me than answers. Namely, I'm really concerned about the Sea Shepherd tactics with regard to what they do to other boats. My concern isn't just for the other boats, but for the whales. If a Japanese whaling boat goes down in the Ocean after having propellers messed with, or having been rammed by another boat; what happens to the fuel it was carrying? Yes, they aren't whaling then, but what are the pollutants doing? What happens to the things on the boat that are toxic for the Oceans? What happens to the wildlife in the area? What happens if the Sea Shepherd boat goes down? And what are we doing about the pushing of marine mammals to extinction? Don't they deserve earth as well?

The book is a study in contradictions, written masterfully by someone who knows he's in over his head as soon as they're on the open ocean. I still don't have any answers about this problem. The book recently allowed me to open up a meaningful dialogue with a co-worker who is an active animal rights activist and vegan. Surpise, we had more in common with regard to animal rights than we had opposed. It prompts conversation, which is a wonderful thing.

There has never been a book that has spoken to me like this one. It takes you through so many emotions - pain, frustration, anticipation, laughter, hope. Even if you cannot completely agree with Captain Paul Watson's actions, you can appreciate his passion. You turn the pages eagerly, waiting for a climax and even when it comes it leaves you wanting more. And that is the point - this is a story that will never end as long as there is the unnecessary murder of the oceans most peaceful mammals and a man like Captain Paul Watson ready to protect them.

The Whale Warriors is an exciting page turner about the 2006 whaling campaign in Antartica. It is chock full of harrowing information about the state of our seas (scientists predict the entire ocean will collapse by 2048!) to amazing insight into marine mammals (dolphins will refer to themselves and the dolphin they are communicating with by name AND also refer to a third dolphin by name during a dolphin-conversation).

The book delves into the interesting and diverse cast of characters aboard the Farley Morat. Who would give up everything (family, a livelihood) to risk their lives at the edges of the earth for a whale? You'd be surprised.

This book is both exhilarating and heart-breaking. An adventure worth taking that will change, forever, the way you look at the ocean.

As author Peter Heller says on his web site, no writer of fiction could hope to invent the wild truth on display in this tale of adventure on the high seas. Heller joined Captain Paul Watson and his 44 crew members aboard the Farley Mowat to find and stop the Japanese whaling fleet in 2005.

Heller's balance of objectivity and subjectivity provides for a very engaging and exciting read. This book is perfect for reading aloud, which is how we have been approaching it. Heller's prose style creates a you-are-there feeling. Mingled with regular visits to the Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace web sites for real-time blog updates, the reader can really feel like they are on the journey. This is an ongoing battle between those who see whales as intelligent, sensitive, and aware; and those who see them only as a "resource" to be harvested to the fullest extent. It is being played out right now in the southern ocean, so this book has an immediacy and relevance beyond the story it tells of 2005.

It would be enough if this were a great adventure well told, but The Whale Warriors is more than that. It is a decent introduction to the current state of the ocean. The information is woven so neatly into the story that the blend of plot, commentary and factual information is nearly seamless.

Kudos to Peter Heller for taking on a controversial and emotional subject, and telling the story in a form accessible to everyone.

It is only toward the end of _The Whale Warriors: The Battle at the Bottom of the World to Save the Planet's Largest Mammals_ (Free Press) that author Peter Heller describes the atrocities being committed against whales by the Japanese whaling fleets. He doesn't see them himself, but describes a video that was shot aboard one of the whalers showing the effects of explosive harpoons and the drawn out electrocution of a pregnant whale. "There is no more barbaric method of slaughter on earth, in any meat industry," Heller writes. "This prolonged butchery and torture are reserved for the most intelligent, most social order of beings." You don't have to be an ecology freak or tree hugger to be disgusted by the slaughter, carried out by Japanese whalers in the guise of doing scientific research (and then, oh, by the way, selling the "autopsied" whales for meat). It doesn't matter that the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society does seem to consist mostly ecology freaks, vegans, and starry-eyed whale enthusiasts. They are doing what they can to stop the whale hunts, and this book is Heller's riveting account of Sea Shepherd's voyage at the end of 2005 to confront the whale hunters on their own grounds.

Sea Shepherd has its own ship, the _Farley Mowatt_, an ancient 200-ton former freighter, painted black and flying the Jolly Roger. By at least some definitions, the crew are pirates, and their work is certainly not subtle, including ramming, using propeller foulers to entangle the props and immobilize the ship, and stink bombs. They get away with it because no one wants to take them to court where they can publicize the evils of whaling. The captain of the _Farley_ and its 43 volunteer crewmembers is the bearish Paul Watson, an original founder of Greenpeace from which he is now estranged. As Heller pictures him, he is an anti-Ahab, monomaniacally pursuing those who are pursuing whales, brilliant in leadership and expression, but also quite possibly crazy. "I did not think he was exactly insane," Heller writes. His fast-moving account of the 51 days of pursuit includes portraits of remarkable crew members, many of whom are completely inexperienced as sailors. It isn't all grim on board; there is a great deal of silliness, poker games, much drinking, bad music, snowboarding on icebergs, and even a New Year's Day dip in the icy water. The descriptions of the _Farley_ at sea, encrusted with ice and taking dangerous rolls are indeed scary. The eventual chase and the climatic confrontation with the whalers is full of adrenaline, while the ship's muted success fits fully the ambiguities described herein.

Paul Watson's tactics may be controversial, but readers will be cheering for him by the end of this book. The reason is that Sea Shepherd might be pirates, but they still have the moral high ground against whalers. On this very voyage, they were pursuing Japanese whalers who were bent on killing whales which everyone knows are endangered, and taking them out of waters within an internationally established whale sanctuary. You don't have to agree with Watson's methods, but everyone must agree that current international conservation laws are not being enforced, and that the world is turning a blind eye to violations because of reluctance to upset trading partners. Heller's brilliant account of a harrowing voyage might report the quixotic follies of the ship _Farley Mowatt_, but it is an angry and bitter education into the destructive follies of whaling.