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Original poster

Terrible things happening at sea

42 replies

ApocalypseNowt · 04/05/2026 09:45

My latest type of book to read is historical accounts of terrible things happening at sea. So far I've read:

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
The Wager by David Grann
In the Kingdom of the Ice by Hampton Sides

All brilliant and very readable. First one is probably my favourite and was the inspiration for Moby Dick.

I'd appreciate any recommendations for books that fit this brief. Thank you!

OP posts:
nothingcangowrongnow · 31/05/2026 23:04

A niche thread that I’m delighted to have joined

Lansonmaid · 01/06/2026 07:17

snurtifier · 31/05/2026 22:58

In Hazard by Richard Hughes is a great novel based on the true story of a ship caught in an Atlantic hurricane.

Sink The Bismarck! by CS Forester is a very gripping account of the pursuit of a German battleship in WW2.

If you want to include the horrors of war under terrible things happening at sea then The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Montserrat is quite good, but Sharks And Little Fish by Wolfgang Ott is much better. It is absolutely brutal though.

Calling The Cruel Sea quite good is like calling the Pope a bit Catholic- it’s a great book in my opinion. Nicholas Monserrat served on corvettes in the battle of the Atlantic and the book reflects his experiences. He also wrote a really good novel called The Master Mariner, about a young sailor, Matthew Lawe, who was cursed by an act of cowardice during the Spanish Armada battles to wander the seas until they ran dry. Matthew sails with Henry Hudson, is a pirate on the Spanish Main, a Newfoundland cod fisherman, sails with James Cooke and Horatio Nelson. you learn a lot about the history of the time as well as the sea. Unfortunately Monserrat died before he could complete book 2, he left a series of notes though so you could see how he planned the ending. Thoroughly recommended.

Corianda · 01/06/2026 07:23

This Thing of Darkness by Harry Thompson is a great book -about Captain Robert Fitzroy

snurtifier · 01/06/2026 08:23

Lansonmaid · 01/06/2026 07:17

Calling The Cruel Sea quite good is like calling the Pope a bit Catholic- it’s a great book in my opinion. Nicholas Monserrat served on corvettes in the battle of the Atlantic and the book reflects his experiences. He also wrote a really good novel called The Master Mariner, about a young sailor, Matthew Lawe, who was cursed by an act of cowardice during the Spanish Armada battles to wander the seas until they ran dry. Matthew sails with Henry Hudson, is a pirate on the Spanish Main, a Newfoundland cod fisherman, sails with James Cooke and Horatio Nelson. you learn a lot about the history of the time as well as the sea. Unfortunately Monserrat died before he could complete book 2, he left a series of notes though so you could see how he planned the ending. Thoroughly recommended.

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If you like The Cruel Sea then it would be interesting to see what you think of Sharks And Little Fish. It's also based on the author's experiences, in this case on minesweepers and U-boats.

Monserrat's style and his characters feel a bit dated to me. Ott's writing is still really vivid and fresh, and it's a surprisingly modern book in terms of its characters' attitudes to the war in general.

Lansonmaid · 01/06/2026 09:24

snurtifier · 01/06/2026 08:23

If you like The Cruel Sea then it would be interesting to see what you think of Sharks And Little Fish. It's also based on the author's experiences, in this case on minesweepers and U-boats.

Monserrat's style and his characters feel a bit dated to me. Ott's writing is still really vivid and fresh, and it's a surprisingly modern book in terms of its characters' attitudes to the war in general.

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Thanks for the recommendation- I’ll give it a go. I’m always interested in books about the war at sea.

Have you read Das Boot? That’s the battle of the Atlantic seen from the perspective of a patrol by a German U boat, but you do need to be careful on which translation you get. My son bought one that seemed to be more translated to American English and it didn’t seem quite right.

PermanentTemporary · 02/06/2026 22:42

Wavewalker by Suzanne Heywood isn’t exactly about the sea or that historical but you might like it anyway.

snurtifier · 06/06/2026 22:20

Lansonmaid · 01/06/2026 09:24

Thanks for the recommendation- I’ll give it a go. I’m always interested in books about the war at sea.

Have you read Das Boot? That’s the battle of the Atlantic seen from the perspective of a patrol by a German U boat, but you do need to be careful on which translation you get. My son bought one that seemed to be more translated to American English and it didn’t seem quite right.

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I quite liked Das Boot, but IMO Sharks And Little Fish is better. Interestingly there is a character who may possibly be based on the author of Das Boot -- a journalist who is sent aboard the U-boat to chronicle the trip and completely fails to cope with the experience.

HangryBrickShark · 06/06/2026 22:29

ApocalypseNowt · 04/05/2026 09:45

My latest type of book to read is historical accounts of terrible things happening at sea. So far I've read:

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
The Wager by David Grann
In the Kingdom of the Ice by Hampton Sides

All brilliant and very readable. First one is probably my favourite and was the inspiration for Moby Dick.

I'd appreciate any recommendations for books that fit this brief. Thank you!

I've read in the Heart of the Sea. Was a great read.

mathanxiety · 07/06/2026 00:35

The Perfect Storm, by Sebastian Junger. Gripping.

BestZebbie · 07/06/2026 00:41

The White Ship by Charles Spencer - a true story from British history, about a disaster that ended up creating a civil war.

swimsong · 07/06/2026 09:46

Sons of the Waves by Stephen Taylor.
First hand accounts and biographies of the rare literate ordinary sailors who found themselves in adventures all over the world. No captains, no officers - just the raw experiences of (mostly young) jack tars.

elkiedee · 11/06/2026 14:42

Bookmarking to read and perhaps reply later.

Philandbill · 11/06/2026 18:10

@Darrara Star of the Sea has stayed with me since I read it about fifteen years ago. Such a powerful book.
Off track for you OP but others might like Down to the Sea in Ships by Horatio Clare. It's a non fiction account of his time as a writer in residence for Maersk and is about container shipping. Rather surprisingly it is gripping.

elkiedee · 13/06/2026 12:29

Philandbill · 11/06/2026 18:10

@Darrara Star of the Sea has stayed with me since I read it about fifteen years ago. Such a powerful book.
Off track for you OP but others might like Down to the Sea in Ships by Horatio Clare. It's a non fiction account of his time as a writer in residence for Maersk and is about container shipping. Rather surprisingly it is gripping.

Do you know that Star of the Sea (which I loved too),* has a sequel, Redemption Falls*? I still have to read my copy but I think it's set in the US.

Hatty65 · 13/06/2026 17:00

I'm giving a shout out to HMS Ulysses if you want fiction. Alastair Maclean served on the Arctic convoys in WWII and this is a great book.

Philandbill · 13/06/2026 18:38

@elkiedee I found Star of the Sea so emotional and haunting that I can't bring myself to read Redemption Falls 😕

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