Douglas Reeman (1924–2017)
Author of To Glory We Steer
About the Author
Douglas Reeman was born in 1924 in Thames Ditton, Surrey, England. At the the beginning of World War II, he joined the Royal Navy age of 16. His naval experiences have been major influences on his works. Reeman is regarded as the master of sea stories. In 1958, his first novel, A Prayer for the show more Ship was published. Under the pseudonym, Alexander Kent, he wrote over 20 novels including the best-selling Richard Bolitho novels. Under his real name, he has written over 30 novels including the Royal Marines Saga. His works as Kent and Reeman are published in 14 languages around the world. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Disambiguation Notice:
Alexander Kent is a pseudonym of Douglas Reeman.
Image credit: via author's website
Series
Works by Douglas Reeman
Midshipman Bolitho: "Richard Bolitho Midshipman" and "Midshipman Bolitho and the "Avenger"" (1980) 10 copies
Fregattenkapitän Bolitho. Bruderkampf / Der Piratenfürst. Zwei Romane in einem Band. ( maritim). (2001) 4 copies
El guadamarina Bilitho. 2 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Lord God Made Them All / The Golden Sabre / Still Missing / Surface with Daring — Author — 2 copies
Great Tales of the Sea 1 copy
Reader's Digest 4 in 1 -Surface with Daring etc. (Need Other TItles) — Author — 1 copy
Reader's Digest 4 in 1 The Volunteers etc. (Need Other Titles) — Author — 1 copy
Reader's Digest 4 in 1 Torpedo Run etc. (Need Other Titles) — Author — 1 copy
Die Entscheidung Kapitaen Bolitho in der Falle; Roman. Gesamttitel: Ullstein; Nr. 22725 : Maritim (1992) 1 copy
Bătălie în adâncuri 1 copy
HMS Serpent slaat terug ! 1 copy
Reader's Digest 4 in 1 Winged Escort etc. (Need Other Titles) — Author — 1 copy
De ondergang van de Thistle 1 copy
Ataca si scufunda! 1 copy
Associated Works
The Mammoth Book of Men O'War: Stories from the Glory Days of Sail (1999) — Introduction — 107 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1974 v04: The Boy Who Invented the Bubble Gun / The Good Shepherd / The Property of a Gentleman / His Majesty's U-Boat (1974) — Author — 29 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The North Runner • A Ship Must Die • Error of Judgement • Kalahari (1979) 7 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Collision • Wild Goose, Brother Goose • The Property of a Gentleman • I Can Jump Puddles • Go in and Sink! (1969) 5 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Surface with Daring • I Take Thee, Serenity • The Silence of the North • The Slow Awakening (1977) 4 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Winged Escort • Our John Willie • The Bermuda Triangle • The Cheetahs • The Left-Handed Sleeper (1970) 4 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Volunteers • Outrage • The Incredible Journey • Red Crystal (1986) — Author — 3 copies
Het Beste Boek 68: De wilde gans / Kamer 807 / De Camerons / Zijner majesteits U-boot — Author — 3 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Torpedo Run • Banners of Silk • My Left Foot • Trojan Treasure (1981) 3 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Big Bridge • Badge of Glory • Blue Above the Chimneys • No Escape (1982) 3 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Winged Escort • Ghost Fox • Mrs. Pollifax on Safari • The Naked Country (1978) — Author — 2 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: A Piano for Mrs Cimino / The Devil's Coachman / My Left Foot / Torpedo Run (1982) — Author — 2 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: A Ship Must Die • Snowbound Six • Amanda/Miranda • Bullet Train — Author — 1 copy
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Camerons; Because I Loved Him; Rendezvous-South Atlantic; Meeting With a Great Beast — Author — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Reeman, Douglas Edward
- Other names
- Kent, Alexander (pseudonym)
- Birthdate
- 1924-10-15
- Date of death
- 2017-01-23
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- naval Officer
police officer
child welfare officer
novelist - Organizations
- Royal Navy
London Metropolitan Police - Relationships
- Reeman, Kimberley Jordan (spouse and co-author)
- Short biography
- Douglas Edward Reeman (born 15 October 1924, Thames Ditton) is a British author who has written many historical fiction books on the Royal Navy, mainly set during either World War II or the Napoleonic Wars.
Reeman joined the Royal Navy in 1940, at the age of 16, and served during World War II and the Korean War. He eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant. In addition to being an author, Reeman has also taught the art of navigation for yachting and served as a technical advisor for films. Douglas married author Kimberley Jordan Reeman in 1985.
Reeman's debut novel, A Prayer for the Ship was published in 1958. His pseudonym Alexander Kent was the name of a friend and naval officer who died during the second world war.[1] Reeman is most famous for his series of Napoleonic Naval Stories, whose central character is Richard Bolitho, and, later, his nephew, Adam. He also wrote a series of novels about several generations of the Blackwood family who served in the Royal Marines from the 1850s to the 1970s, and a non-fiction account of his World War II experiences, D-Day: A Personal Reminiscence (1984). - Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- Thames Ditton, Surrey, England, UK
- Places of residence
- Thames Ditton, Surrey, England, UK
Portloe, Cornwall, England, UK - Map Location
- England, UK
- Disambiguation notice
- Alexander Kent is a pseudonym of Douglas Reeman.
Members
Reviews
This review contains spoilers.
****
Richard Bolitho's squadron is sent on manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea and to participate in what would later be known as the Battle of Copenhagen (1801). It proves to be a dramatic series of events battle-wise and personally for this newly promoted rear admiral: he nearly loses his leg to a shrapnel wound that becomes infected, he fights a duel on behalf of his nephew, and he meets a young woman who is the spitting image of his dead wife (and immediately tells show more her this, which isn't weird at ALL).
I read a few of the early books in this series back in 2015, so catching up with this particular book now (reading massively out of order, at least chronologically) was a bit jarring. "Wait a minute, he had a WIFE? And she DIED?" It's like when you lose touch with someone for 15 years and then catch up and you're like "last time I saw you, we were just graduating university, and now you're a director and have three kids, what the heck".
I deemed those first three books "comfortable" and "undemanding". That's largely true of this installment, because I read it fairly quickly for a historical novel, but Kent does not shy away from describing the physical trauma of these naval battles. (For those who, like me, are squeamish about eyes, one poor soul has his eyes blasted out of his head.)
The main criticism I have of this book is that many of the female characters exist to be leched upon or made fun of. Even Belinda, Richard's not-at-all-awkwardly-met new girlfriend, is rescued from a carriage wreck with much sexier description than is warranted for the circumstances. Like I get that when the ships are at sea, there aren't many women around, but on shore I'd like to see some more well-rounded female characters.
Overall, this book was fine (and it was neat to see Copenhagen from the sea after having been there in 2024), and I'll probably read the series wildly out of order some more. show less
****
Richard Bolitho's squadron is sent on manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea and to participate in what would later be known as the Battle of Copenhagen (1801). It proves to be a dramatic series of events battle-wise and personally for this newly promoted rear admiral: he nearly loses his leg to a shrapnel wound that becomes infected, he fights a duel on behalf of his nephew, and he meets a young woman who is the spitting image of his dead wife (and immediately tells show more her this, which isn't weird at ALL).
I read a few of the early books in this series back in 2015, so catching up with this particular book now (reading massively out of order, at least chronologically) was a bit jarring. "Wait a minute, he had a WIFE? And she DIED?" It's like when you lose touch with someone for 15 years and then catch up and you're like "last time I saw you, we were just graduating university, and now you're a director and have three kids, what the heck".
I deemed those first three books "comfortable" and "undemanding". That's largely true of this installment, because I read it fairly quickly for a historical novel, but Kent does not shy away from describing the physical trauma of these naval battles. (For those who, like me, are squeamish about eyes, one poor soul has his eyes blasted out of his head.)
The main criticism I have of this book is that many of the female characters exist to be leched upon or made fun of. Even Belinda, Richard's not-at-all-awkwardly-met new girlfriend, is rescued from a carriage wreck with much sexier description than is warranted for the circumstances. Like I get that when the ships are at sea, there aren't many women around, but on shore I'd like to see some more well-rounded female characters.
Overall, this book was fine (and it was neat to see Copenhagen from the sea after having been there in 2024), and I'll probably read the series wildly out of order some more. show less
Captain Mark Gunnar is assigned to the newly refitted sub chaser, USS Hibiscus. Still recovering mentally & physically from abuse as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, Gunnar in the eyes of his new crew, is damaged goods and a suspect leader.
As his early command decisions become apparent, their fears appear to be real. Sent to an island near Taiwan which is claimed by both Chinas, Gunnar is soon faced with American officials on the island who think they are in control. He sees a show more different situation based on his Vietnam experience but cannot convince the officials to prepare for an invasion.
There are the usual cast of characters one finds on a ship in a Reeman novel some of whom are strong, some weak, and some are crooked. There is a love interest for Gunnar which seems forced and an unnecessary addition to the plot. Some of the Chinese characters are caricatures while others are stereotypes. When written in 1966, the situation around Taiwan would have been hot and dangerous. Still not one of Reeman's better efforts. show less
As his early command decisions become apparent, their fears appear to be real. Sent to an island near Taiwan which is claimed by both Chinas, Gunnar is soon faced with American officials on the island who think they are in control. He sees a show more different situation based on his Vietnam experience but cannot convince the officials to prepare for an invasion.
There are the usual cast of characters one finds on a ship in a Reeman novel some of whom are strong, some weak, and some are crooked. There is a love interest for Gunnar which seems forced and an unnecessary addition to the plot. Some of the Chinese characters are caricatures while others are stereotypes. When written in 1966, the situation around Taiwan would have been hot and dangerous. Still not one of Reeman's better efforts. show less
Old submarine chaser USS Hibiscus has recently completed a refit in Hong Kong dockyard before being handed over to the Nationalist Communists in Taiwan. Suddenly she is handed over to Captain Mark Gunnar to command along with a quickly gathered crew scraped from various other US ships in port at the time and ordered to the desolate island group of Payenhau.
Gunnar has recently recovered from injuries sustained during his torture by the Viet Cong guerrillas and is haunted by the memories of show more what he had to endure. Initially he sees his new command as a poor reward for his experiences but soon comes to realise that he has been given a chance of redemption against a cunning and vicious adversary.
I don't know what it is but I love Reeman's books when he writes under the pseudonym of Alexander Kent and have read virtually all those books but when he writes under his own name they rarely seem to grab me in the same way. Perhaps it is the different ages when the books are set, the Kent series are set in the days of sailing ships and Nelson etc whereas Reeman's own are set during or just after WWII or perhaps it is because Kent's are part of a series so we see how the characters grow over several books whereas Reeman's are generally one offs. Who knows?
In many respects this book is stereotypical of so many in the genre. We have a honourable, brave, captain damaged by previous events who is given an aged ship to command, then fights and wins against impossible odds finding both love and redemption along the way. There are incompetent officers, double crosses and even a love interest squeezed in. But when all said and done it's a rollicking tale told at a breakneck pace. There is little character development other than what's absolutely necessary but you still end up hoping that the hero will ultimately succeed. Reeman is definitely at his best when describing life on board the ship as it and its crew's struggles to stay afloat during a typhoon.
If you are looking for some thought provoking, long living in the memory read then this is not for you but if you are looking for an escape into days when honour, duty and comradeship had real meaning then give it a whirl. show less
Gunnar has recently recovered from injuries sustained during his torture by the Viet Cong guerrillas and is haunted by the memories of show more what he had to endure. Initially he sees his new command as a poor reward for his experiences but soon comes to realise that he has been given a chance of redemption against a cunning and vicious adversary.
I don't know what it is but I love Reeman's books when he writes under the pseudonym of Alexander Kent and have read virtually all those books but when he writes under his own name they rarely seem to grab me in the same way. Perhaps it is the different ages when the books are set, the Kent series are set in the days of sailing ships and Nelson etc whereas Reeman's own are set during or just after WWII or perhaps it is because Kent's are part of a series so we see how the characters grow over several books whereas Reeman's are generally one offs. Who knows?
In many respects this book is stereotypical of so many in the genre. We have a honourable, brave, captain damaged by previous events who is given an aged ship to command, then fights and wins against impossible odds finding both love and redemption along the way. There are incompetent officers, double crosses and even a love interest squeezed in. But when all said and done it's a rollicking tale told at a breakneck pace. There is little character development other than what's absolutely necessary but you still end up hoping that the hero will ultimately succeed. Reeman is definitely at his best when describing life on board the ship as it and its crew's struggles to stay afloat during a typhoon.
If you are looking for some thought provoking, long living in the memory read then this is not for you but if you are looking for an escape into days when honour, duty and comradeship had real meaning then give it a whirl. show less
'High Water' was Douglas Reeman's second novel, and it's unlike anything else of his I've read of his to date. While most of his books are set during World War II (or, if writing as Alexander Kent, during the Napoleonic wars), this one doesn't involve war at all.
Protagonist Philip Vivian, a World War II gunboat captain, who during those desperate wartime patrols across the Channel kept up his spirits by dreaming of owning his own boat. Now peacetime has brought his fresh troubles. He runs a show more charter business out of Torquay harbour on his motor yacht Seafox but he has had a bad season and can't pay his bills. He might lose his boat.
Disheartened Vivian chances across his old commander Felix Lang who offers him a questionable job across to France. Vivian takes the job because he trusts his old naval buddy and the pay-out will keep him solvent. But, of course, it can't be that simple.
The book quickly turns into a thriller involving counterfeit money, drug smuggling, treachery, deceit, police chasing the wrong guy, kidnapping, murder and of course a lovely young lady. Vivian proves to be a capable hero who takes a great deal of punishment and just keeps on coming. He might even be able to extricate himself from the situation without too much damage to himself, his boat or his reputation.
There plenty of action but, there is little in the way of character development and the romance, which is based on a "love at first sight" spark never really felt credible. I fully expected Karen to turn out to be a part of the evil plan, because that seemed the most reasonable explanation for her sudden and inexplicable passion for poor Vivian but no that wasn't the case, meaning that the real villain was so well telegraphed that it came as no surprise at all. It soon becomes obvious that Reeman isn't really a thriller writer. The plot seemed to rely far too heavily on happenstance to drive it along and the book comes to an end with villain coming to a sticky end more by accident rather than by design. It's that sort of book. show less
Protagonist Philip Vivian, a World War II gunboat captain, who during those desperate wartime patrols across the Channel kept up his spirits by dreaming of owning his own boat. Now peacetime has brought his fresh troubles. He runs a show more charter business out of Torquay harbour on his motor yacht Seafox but he has had a bad season and can't pay his bills. He might lose his boat.
Disheartened Vivian chances across his old commander Felix Lang who offers him a questionable job across to France. Vivian takes the job because he trusts his old naval buddy and the pay-out will keep him solvent. But, of course, it can't be that simple.
The book quickly turns into a thriller involving counterfeit money, drug smuggling, treachery, deceit, police chasing the wrong guy, kidnapping, murder and of course a lovely young lady. Vivian proves to be a capable hero who takes a great deal of punishment and just keeps on coming. He might even be able to extricate himself from the situation without too much damage to himself, his boat or his reputation.
There plenty of action but, there is little in the way of character development and the romance, which is based on a "love at first sight" spark never really felt credible. I fully expected Karen to turn out to be a part of the evil plan, because that seemed the most reasonable explanation for her sudden and inexplicable passion for poor Vivian but no that wasn't the case, meaning that the real villain was so well telegraphed that it came as no surprise at all. It soon becomes obvious that Reeman isn't really a thriller writer. The plot seemed to rely far too heavily on happenstance to drive it along and the book comes to an end with villain coming to a sticky end more by accident rather than by design. It's that sort of book. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 125
- Also by
- 22
- Members
- 14,249
- Popularity
- #1,617
- Rating
- 3.5
- Reviews
- 176
- ISBNs
- 1,622
- Languages
- 11
- Favorited
- 4