I'll read anything that has storms and ocean-going salvage tugs. This book has both, in addition to a vendetta, corporate and individual malfeasance, and romantic rivalry. The parts of the book dealing with those latter elements are the weakest. But Smith writes really well about ships during storms; the salvaging of the ocean liner in the beginning is riveting. One reviewer on Amazon complained that Smiths gets too technical and detailed during the storm scenes. Hell, man. That's the best part!

There were times, however, when I felt I had fallen into an As the World Turns version of Alice in Wonderland. The story revolves around the rivalry of Duncan Alexander (the bad guy) and Nicholas Berg (the good guy) for control, of Christie Marine and the attentions of Chantelle Christie, owner of the company and a large fortune. The “child” at issue is the “Golden Dawn,” and immense (7,000 foot) super tanker (my incredulity at the size was beginning to become an irritant) designed by Nicholas but built by Duncan after Duncan forced Nicholas from the company. The inevitable then takes control of the plot, you know, Duncan cuts corners, the ship in Nicholas’s view is unsafe, and the maiden voyage will be carrying Nicholas’s son by Chantelle. Yawn. Nicholas, meanwhile, has built his dream salvage tug. You can guess where this is going.

Four stars for the storm scene in the beginning; one for the soap.

Read [a:Jan de Hartog|54379|Jan de Hartog|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-M-50x66.jpg] or [a:Farley Mowat|41013|Farley Mowat|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1233807350p2/41013.jpg] instead. ( )

Smith does this kind of novel as well as anyone. ( )

Carino. Scorre come un telefillm ( )

The first Wilbur Smith book I ever read,while working as a cook on a prawn trawler off the coast of Australia. Maybe it was the setting, but I've been hooked on Wilbur Smith ever since. This is a wonderful, fast paced adventure with likable characters, strong motivation, and delightfully written desscriptions. My favorite quote, as Our Hero and His Sidekick are going into a sunken ship with a huge, ragged teardrop shaped hole in the metal side: "I never liek to go into a hole like that, it reminds me of my first wife." ( )

Novel about an ocean salvage tug operator, his wealthy and estranged wife, and his eco-warrior American girlfriend. Very good Smith book and not a part of his family sagas. ( )