The Good Shepherd: A Novel

“The Good Shepherd” is a action novel set in World War II in the Atlantic. It was published in 1955 and was s consistent with standards of popular American fiction of that time. It is a war novel about the Battle of The Atlantic and of course involves violence. It is set on an American Destroyer and as such it is not a romance novel. I liked the novel very much. It is clearly written and makes for a good, mostly easy to understand, audiobook.The author is of British nationality and was born in Cairo. He lived a good deal of his adult life in the United States. He did write novels about the British Navy. This novel is decidedly about the American Navy. The protagonist is the commander of a United States Destroyer that is escorting a merchant convoy. There is a great deal of inner dialogue about what goes on in the mind of protagonist, I listened to the novel on audiobook, reading along on kindle when I could. The story moved along quickly and was an easy reading experience.I have previously read another novel by this author, “The African Queen”. I enjoyed that novel about as much as this novel. Both of these novels have been made into movies. I like the movies as much or more than the novels. “The African Queen” is considered a Hollywood Classic.In summary I enjoyed this novel a good deal. The author wrote several novels about a British Naval Officer from another era, Mister Hornblower. I intend to a novel from that series in the near future. Thank You for taking the time to read this review.

The novel had some very exciting passages as the captain of a destroyer and three other escort ships pass through the "pit", the section of the Atlantic crossing that could not be covered by allied air, while fending off a Nazi wolfpack. It was well written, for the most part, took 1-star off for the overly repetitious goings about the captain's sore legs and addiction to coffee, as well a little to heavy on the Bible verses. Definitely still worth a read.

I bought this to get a printed feeling of the film GREYGOUND with tom banks as the ship captain. This reads like a one persons account of the travel in wartime of a ships captain during wwii. You can watch the film and/or read the book and I did both. It was a truly inspiring account of what a war can do to so many millions of people, and for what? Highly recommended and not a large book at that I couldn't always put it down instead of reading on.

Read twice. First time to enjoy the action, second to savor the complex strategies. Forester never disappoints. So many books and stories

This is one of my favorite sea stories. I had the honor to command two naval vessels: a destroyer and a cruiser. When my family wanted to know what it was like to be the commanding officer of a navy combatant, I referred them to this book. This copy was a disappointment.It presents in a slim, about 126 page volume. The print is smaller than any other book I ever remember seeing; it seems to be about 9 point. The sentence spacing is similarly cramped. Trying to read this book, keeping up with where one was on the page would cause a real headache.I have returned it.

*A good read, a little to much about the Captain’s past and private thoughts. However it held my interests. Like the Greyhound’s ending I was left looking for a little more.

Many thanks to a good friend who tipped me off to the trailer for "Greyhound" when it was released *and* to the great 99 cent Kindle deal on this!A really riveting story - some good destroyer/escort vs. U-boat action; but the bulk of the story is the sheer exhaustion the main character feels from 48 hours of constant attention to his "flock" - a convoy of almost 40 ships headed east to England in a "blind spot" of no air cover, and just three other armed escorts besides his to guard the flock.A few running back stories provide some flesh and bone to the main character - the most important of which was his status as "fitted and retained" by the US Navy - apparently meaning he was passed over for promotion after a 20-year career but still needed for the service - a verdict that wounded him deeply - and, in turn, affected his marriage which ended in divorce. But the glimpses of his pre-war life do not overwhelm the story.Forester also frequently alludes to Bible verses that not only fit the situation ("He that seeketh, findeth" as he chases a U-boat) but also are in character for an obviously pious man. It also adds a lovely literary flair to an action story.The interesting thing, for me, is that the 48 hours of sustained action is so immersive that one begins to feel the rhythm of the ship - the watch changes, the radar station, the varying competency of the lieutenants that rotate among the watches...and the knowledge that, at any second, there could be an alarm from a visual sighting, a radar pip, or - tragically - the sinking of a valuable ship.If there's a fault, the book sometimes feels like a 300-page trigonometry word problem, as there is a dizzying array of course changes and mental meth as he plays cat-and-mouse with the wolf pack; in what I hope is a humorous comment: Forester (and other naval fiction writers) get a free 20% of their word count from repeated commands and "very wells."Highly recommended - and I can't wait for "Greyhound."

The book although a novel makes you feel like you are living the complete danger of the Battle of the Atlantic.

This is a very good read, especially on Christmas Eve! Story for the whole family to enjoy!

This book generated a thrilling movie stared and produced by Tom Hanks.

Der Plot ist spannend und realitätsnah geschrieben, ich bin gespannt auf den Film!

A Great War story.

As a former submariner,who has the expérience OF diving with the GERMAN U Boots,type 7,type 9 ,type 21,there are not that many left a live today,I was enthralled by " THE GOOD SHEPHERD ".It gives most OF the tactics used by the destroyers And " HUNTER KILLER GROUPS" to destroy the U Boots .This was how GUNTHER PRIEN disappeared when pursuing in earnest his targets:it shows the major rôle OF the newly invented RADAR to locate the otherwise invisible U Boots : with their low profile ,Grey silhouette ,And streamlined superstructure ,they were impossible to find ,And with the top OF the périscope a Few feet above the waves they were as invulnérable as ghosts.I disagree with the author's multiple référence to the "PILLENWERFER ": I have read all the memories OF the U Boot " KAPTAN LEUTNANTS " ( KALEU) And met those who were lucky to have escaped death,And they confirmed they didn't use this device that often ,it had many cons ..they relies mostly in diving very deep ,much deeper than the US And ENGLISH destroyers knew And expected .It was not uncommon to go down to 230 meters And more .OF course some didn't surface up to tell....The type 21 ,which came too late ,was invulnérable to the Allies :it could run 18 knots submerged And with the "snorchel" didn't have to surface to top the batteries .The major shortcoming OF the KRIEGSMARINE was their late discovery OF the RADAR And IFF( Indentification OF Friend or Foe),And the failure to rencognize That the ENIGMA machine had been decyphered .All in all ," THE GOOD SHEPHERD" is faithful to the Spirit OF this very particular aspect OF the WAR.A must read .