Some Readers comments on
DEEP THEIR GRAVE
lmcpfe@aol.com
from U.S.A , 18 August, 2000
Top line story of life at sea in WW ll
A trip back to W.W.11 using the experiences of the author. As an individual whom fatefully has not been required to serve in the military, and was born to fortunate veterans of W.W.11,I have only stories and history books as tools to look back on the events of W.W.11. As this event marches further into history we loose the ones that can share the experience with such realistic and firsthand detail. While reading "Deep Their Grave" I found myself hearing the ocean waves; smelling the salt air; becoming one of the crew; feeling seasick, hopeless and excited all at once; and virtually an onlooker to the degradation of war and helpless to assist in a time of need. I look forward to the author's next book.
mdavis.rford@clear.net.nz
from New Zealand , 22 December, 1999
Thoughtful gripping story of the merchant marine in WW2
There are not many books written about the 'War at Sea' from the perspective of the merchantmen who ran the gauntlet of the trans-Atlantic crossing in WW2. This is the fictional story of one merchant vessel's voyage as seen mainly through the eyes of a young cabin boy on his first ship and its Master. The story of that journey is grippingly written. However, what separates this book from the ordinary is that the narrative and the dialogue used are so utterly in the style of those times, and this brings alive the characters and events in an unusual way in the mind's eye as the story evolves. Added to this, the lively descriptions of day-to-day shipboard activities are full of the most meticulous and accurate nautical terminology, which makes it abundantly clear that the author is himself an "old man of sea". The lasting impact of WW2 on Gyles' generation that drives them still to write about it 50 years later should remind us all that war never solves mankind's problems, it merely creates new ones. A thoughtfully written adventure story with an ironic twist.
Arnie81@aol.com
from USA , 4 December, 1999
A darn fine tale
Deep Their Grave provides a riveting first-hand relationship with the crew of this WWII vessel as they experience the adventure of their lives. The plot builds a suspenseful story of historical accuracy with characters that are quite believable. The author evokes from us a respect for the mission and the courage that it took to attempt it. This book gives long overdue credit to those that gave their lives in service of country without adequate offensive or defensive capability. The ending, though a twist on the expected, is consistent with the real-life theme that permeates the situations and crises throughout the voyage. This book is hard to put down. The author has obviously lived this and has done justice to life on a ship at war.