The Good Shepherd
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4.3 • 188 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
"C. S. Forester is the First Admiral of all the seven seas of fiction," wrote John P. Marquand after reading The Good Shepherd. "Commander George Krause, USN, skipper of the American destroyer Keeling, is a long jump from Forester's best known hero Horatio Hornblower. But Commander Krause for my book is exactly as good as Hornblower ever was."
The mission of the commander was to lead the protecting screen of four escort vessels convoying thirty-seven Allied merchantmen across the icy North Atlantic from America to England. It was in the most critical days of WW II, when the German submarines had the upper hand and Allied shipping was suffering heavy losses.
The tense, concentrated action begins when Commander Krause is called to the bridge just after he has taken a much deserved shower. The wolf pack is forming and he has not time even to put on warm outer garments. For the next forty-eight hours he remains on the bridge.
Exhausted beyond measure, he must make continuous and critical decisions as he leads his small fighting force against the relentless U-boats. Inevitably ships are sunk and men are drowned, but the enemy pays the price and the convoy pushes on to its objective.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
C. S. Forester may be best known for his Horatio Hornblower series of nautical adventures, but this stand-alone war novel proves that his bona fides go far beyond those beloved books. Commander George Krause is in charge of a navy destroyer during World War II’s Battle of the Atlantic. Over 48 hours, Krause will have to battle German forces—along with his own fears and growing exhaustion—to protect a supply convoy and keep all his men alive. In the midst of battle, Forester depicts Krause’s ever-increasing personal doubts, both about his own fitness for command and his religious faith, as he ruminates over the sacrifice of his marriage for his military career. Throughout the whole book, we were rooting for Forester’s hero, out there in the middle of the vast, lonely ocean. The Good Shepherd is up there with The Red Badge of Courage as one of the most powerful and humane tales of wartime ever written.
Customer Reviews
Incredible read
It was very hard to put down. At first worried about the naval navigation terms, orders, etc. But if you push through that there’s an incredible story of a man, alone, trying to do his best. Excellent.
Can’t wait for the movie
I can see Tom Hanks blasting through this combat soaked yarn. Cold,determined, and resolved to see it through.
Study before reading
You’ll need to know boating terms (astern, port,etc), longitude/latitude and military abbreviations.