The Commodore Lib/E

World War II Navy #4

by P.T. Deutermann

A Navy destroyer commander navigates hostile seas and ferocious battles in this dramatic World War II thriller set in the South Pacific.In The Commodore, the Navy in 1942-1943 is fighting a losing battle against Japan for control of the Solomon Islands. Vice Admiral William "Bull" Halsey is tasked to change the course of the war. Halsey, a maverick, goes on the offensive and appoints a host of new destroyer commanders, including a wildcard named Harmon Wolf. An American Indian from a Minnesota reservation, Wolf has never fit in with the traditional Navy officer corps. But under Halsey, Wolf's aggressive tactics and gambling nature bring immediate results, and he is swiftly promoted to commodore of an entire destroyer squadron. What happens next will change Wolf's life, career, and the fate of his ships forever.An epic story of courage, disaster, survival, and triumph that culminates in the pivotal battle of Vella Gulf, The Commodore is a masterful novel of an unlikely military hero.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Military Fiction, World War II, Audiobook, War, Adventure

Audio CD

First published August 2, 2016

About the author

P. T. Deutermann is a retired Navy captain and has served in the joint Chiefs of Staff as an arms control specialist. He is the author of eighteen novels, and lives in North Carolina. His World War II adventure novel Pacific Glory won the W. Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction, administered by the American Library Association; his other World War II novels are Ghosts of Bungo Suido and Sentinels of Fire. His most recent novel is Cold Frame, a contemporary thriller set in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was introduced to Deutermann’s books by a fellow Goodreads’ member.

A Native American, Harman Wolf, is a Navy Destroyer Commander, fighting in the Pacific Theatre. His aggressive tactics brought him to the attention of Adm. William F. Halsey who promotes Wolf. He becomes the de facto commodore of a division of destroyers fighting the naval battle around Guadalcanal. The author describes Wolf’s command of his ship and his division as he develops tactics to combat the Japanese.

The story is a historical fiction but I wonder if the author took some of the experiences and tactics of some real-life U.S. Navy destroyer captains such as Arleigh Burke, Ernest Evans and Frederick Moosbrugger. I have read their biographies and find similarities to battles and tactics in Deutermann’s story. The book is well written and meticulously researched. The story might be fiction but it is historically accurate. Deutermann has great descriptions of naval battles that are very realistic and easy to read.

P.T. Deutermann retired from the navy after 26 years as a Captain. He is also the son of Admiral H. T. Deutermann. As in a typical military family both his son and daughter are Naval Officers. After retirement, he began his writing career.

Dick Hill does an excellent job narrating the book. Hill is a multi-award winning audiobook narrator and also won the Golden Voice award.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Deutermann, like David Poyer, Nicholas Monserrat and C. S. Forester, writes movingly and excitingly about the sea. In this particular book, he writes about the struggle between the outnumbered and outgunned US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy for control of the waters off Guadalcanal in the first year of the Pacific war. (Read James Hornfischer's five-star "Neptune's Inferno" for a factual grounding, but Deuterwmann doesn't take many liberties.)

Harmon Wolfe, the central character, is an Annapolis graduate with sixteen years' service in the US Navy as of his appointment as skipper of a new destroyer, the "J. B. King." Due to the high rate of attrition among officers, men and ships ("Ironbottom Sound, the main area in contention, earned its name from the number of ships sunk in its depths, many of them American) and Wolfe's willingness to be aggressive and innovative (both dreaded in the prewar Navy), he finds himself in command of more than a single ship. The fact that he is Chippewa adds to his burdens, but he is able to connect with Admiral Bull Halsey, who is looking for officers like Wolfe.

The novel's action is constant. The demands made on Wolfe and his shipmates and the dangers they face increase regularly, for the Japanese navy is highly effective and its leaders learn quickly. The advantage held by the US is shipboard radar systems, both navigational and gunnery control types. Learning about how the intelligent use of radar permitted new tactics to evolve is continually interesting. Deuterwmann's earlier book, "Sentinels of Fire," dealt with the life of a destroyer crew assigned picket duty during the Okinawa campaign. In that book, as in "The Commodore," destroyers frequently were used to shield bigger ships, cruisers and battleships, from enemy planes and torpedoes. Wolfe represents a generation of officers who put destroyers to more significant uses.

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one, in my opinion, tells a naval war story as well as Mr. Deutermann. Once again he takes us to the South Pacific during WWII. He, along with half a dozen family members, served extensive tours with the U.S. Navy so you can feel the authenticity of his work. We are on board the destroyer USS John B. King in 1942 off the coast of Guadalcanal. The U.S. Marines have just moved inland
after establishing a successful beachhead and are clinging tenaciously to a very valuable airfield. The Japanese want that airfield just as badly as we do and their navy is giving special attention to the mission of supporting their ground troops with additional troops, ammo, food, fresh water, medical supplies and other needs. Our navy is working just as hard to see that the Japanese troops do not receive these supplies. Our hero, Harmon Wolf, is the King's commander and figures out the tactics necessary to combat the Japanese. Mr. Deutermann's writing puts the reader on board ship and he/she feels the emotional roller coaster of naval warfare; the excitement, uncertainty, exhilaration and raw terror. There is nothing romantic about Deutermann's description of warfare.

[happy · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this forth entry into his World War II Navy series, P.T. Deutermann once again demonstrates that he is one of the best novelists currently writing on WW II. This novel is set in the horrifying seas in the Southern Solomon Islands as the US Navy is getting stuffing beat out of it in night actions against the Imperial Japanese Navy. Capt Deutermann has way of writing battle sequences that is positively riveting and brings the reader into the middle of the action.

The novel opens with a new destroyer, the USS John B King, arriving in Tulagi on the second day of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal and the crew and more importantly the ship’s commander seeing the damaged ships of the first night still smoking in the harbor – I thought it a very evocative scene. The King is immediately dispatched to join the destroyer screen for the 2 US battleships and is involved with the actions of the second day of the battle. It is this action that the readers get to know the captain of the King, Cdr Harmon “Sluff” Wolf - a half Native American graduate of the USNA, and his extraordinary tactical abilities as he comes up with a way to deal with the Japanese Long Lance torpedoes that have been causing havoc with the US escorting ships. Unfortunately he has no time to relay his ideas to the other ships in the screen. When he executes these new tactics, it appears he is running away and he has to explain this to his superiors. He does and also come to the notice of the Adm Halsey, for the right reasons and this relationship helps him navigate the jealousy and racism of other naval officers.

As the American destroyers are continuingly be whittled down by the Japanese, Cdr Wolf is promoted first to a destroyer Division and then a Destroyer Squadron commander. As he advances he uses his tactics against the Japanese to great effect. However, the Japanese are also shown to be adaptable and they devise tactics to use against him and he falls into their ambush, getting his ship sunk beneath him.

This leads to the section of the novel that I find the least believable. After his ship sinks, he makes it to shore and is rescued by a coast watcher. While exciting and well researched, this part of the novel is just too coincidental for me. It seem as if the author thought that since I am writing about the Solomon’s, I have to have a section on the Coast Watchers. The plot line for this section looks at just what dangers the Coast Watchers faced. In spite of a serious head injury, he eventually returns to the US control after the Coast Watcher is discovered and killed.

After returning to US control, the Navy bureaucracy, including Halsey’s COS, try to get rid of him and it is only through Halsey’s intervention he stays in the battle. As his injuries pile up, he is finally returned to Pearl Harbor and given command of a special training squadron that all destroyers joining Nimitz fleet must pass.

In addition to the battle sequences being excellent, Capt Deutermann does an outstanding job of showing just how important radar was becoming. The use of radar not only gave the Americans much earlier warning as well as the location of the enemy, radar control allowed much more accurate shooting, both with guns and torpedoes. The advantages of this are very well done.

All in all an excellent novel that I found a joy to read. I finished it in 2 days. I would have rated this 5 stars, but I’ve dropped this 3/4s of a star because of the Coast Watcher section. On good reads I’ve rounded to rating of 4 stars. Still I highly recommend this to anyone interest in World War II or the Navy

[Stephen Hoyt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will put you on the bridge

One of the very best sea stories of the war that I have ever seen. Like Deutermann I have been "on the bridge" and this returned me to those times. If you want to know what happens "up there" this is the book. I've read all of the books Deutermann has written and this is definitely one of his best. If I were teaching this would be required reading for all Navy manager's. They won't understand much of it but it will teach them the concept of "chaos" called war.
Please continue to write, Commodore.

[Rob Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Deutermann books over the years, but this is probably his best to date. Often you have to get through a couple of chapters to really get into a book. In this case half way through the first page. While World War II Destroyer tactics may not interest many, this books is about leadership, and doing the right thing. It has lessons for every reader, along with a darn good tale.

[Jim A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typically well written naval novel from Deutermann. This one takes place in the area around Guadalcanal in the fall of 1942, mostly Iron Bottom Sound. More than once I had to go to Google to get information on an island and the relative positions to other islands. Made the novel that much more interesting.

Wolf is at first the captain of a new destroyer. He then moves to the position of Commodore, in command of a destroyer squadron. The battle scenes are well written and almost qualify, to me at least, as a "page turner".

If naval warfare, World War II style, is your cup of tea I strongly recommend this one be included on your TBR list.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have been 5 stars, but I had to subtract half a point for several technical errors that I spotted often. I guess I know too much about the Guadalcanal campaign.

[Karen Ayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outrageous pulse stopping action

Fiction yes but probable, different details...real. And sad. Lives lost, heroes made, and the hell of war seared in....and LIFE!. I finished as educated and sensitized and thankful. Glad I read it!!

[John Purvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Commodore” eBook was published in 2016 (August) and was written by P. T. Deutermann (http://www.ptdeutermann.com). Mr. Deutermann has published more than a dozen novels.

I received a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The novel is set during the early years of World War II. In 1942 the Americans were fighting the Japanese for Guadalcanal. In the sea around the island, the US Navy was doing all that they could to stop the flow of supplies and reinforcements headed to the island.

When the story begins, one of the US destroyers in the conflict is commanded by Commander Harmon “Sluff” Wolf. Though a US Naval Academy graduate, Wolf does not fit the normal mold of a Naval Officer. As a Native American from rural Minnesota he is far outside the circles of most of the other officers.

But Wolf’s outside-the-box thinking enables him to survive encounters with the Japanese and begin to make them pay for their attack on the US. Wolf’s actions catches the eye of Admiral Halsey. Halsey puts Wolf in charge of a destroyer squadron, promoting him to Commodore.

Wolf leads his men and ships into action with the Japanese. They suffer high casualties, but continue to confront the Japanese. Wolf finds that some of his enemies are fellow naval officers and must deal with that distraction. Wolf also meets a pretty nurse when he is recuperating in the hospital for injuries suffered during action at sea.

I really enjoyed the 8.5 hours I spent reading this 304 page World War II Thriller. I thought that it painted a very real picture of the surface combat going on in the Pacific. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent novel of naval combat in the Pacific during World War Two. Deutermann is ex-navy and is expert at conveying the terror of sea battles against the Japanese navy in 1942. His main character,"Sluf"Harmon rebels against the top down use of destroyers in naval encounters, basically to shield the bigger ships. Harmon, who is part Chippewa, invents a maneuver called the Comanche circle which tries to move round the Japanese ships, firing torpedoes, then moving quickly away, and then coming from another direction firing every gun on the ship, stopping, circling around some more and repeating the process. Despite this innovation a million things can go wrong and they do, ships are sunk, hundreds die and every move is subject to criticism. The battles described in the book are based on similar encounters between the coasts of Guadacanal and Savo Island. Three thousand US sailors died in this small space appropriately called Ironbottom Sound.

Deutemann brings these violent battles to pulse pounding life and honors the men who held the line in these early days of the war. This is the fourth book in Deutermann's "World War Two Navy" series. I've also read Pacific Glory which, with a larger canvas, tells more of this horrific period in history.

[Tony Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really, really enjoyed it... I think this is one of the best from Pete Deutermann! Those who are Surface Warfare veterans and are up on their history of the war in the Pacific will truly appreciate his attention to detail when it come to ship handling and the fighting capability of the old Fletcher Class destroyers and the cruisers available at the outbreak of the war. Pete is a great writer and keeps the reader's attention from the start... it is definitely a worthwhile read!

[nicholas m. lacetera · Rating 5 out of 5]

High drama on the high seas

Great read. You feel like you are in the battle and can't stop reading until the end. I highly recommend reading this novel.

[Phil Swift · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phil Swift

Author P.T. Deutermann’s Commodore is a fantastic book about naval combat in the Pacific theater during WWII. The historical fiction book follows a American destroyer captain, Harmon Wolf, through multiple naval skirmishes in Guadalcanal. After multiple successful attacks on Japanese vessels Wolf is promoted to the rank of commodore and given command of a destroyer division. During another skirmish Wolf’s flagship was destroyed, and he was stranded on an island. In the end he is rescued and manages to win the final battle against the Japanese and securing victory. The major theme Wolf stresses throughout the book is no plan survives contact with the enemy. This theme is shown many times in the book. Some examples are the heavily damaged American cruisers returning home after the previous night’s engagement, the destruction of Wolf’s flagship after a surprise ambush ruins the commodore’s plan to repel a Japanese attack, and even the final battle is nearly ruined by a hidden Japanese destroyer. Though the story is full of examples of Wolf and many other sailors overcoming the change of plans, and They supplement, improve and adapt their own plans for victory. The Commodore shows us the bravery of these men and the chaos of war.
Deutermann’s realistic depiction of the fierce fighting for Guadalcanal immerse the reader into the chaos of the Solomon Islands campaign. The story moves quickly, and the book starts off with a grim atmosphere. Deutermann gives the reader a glimpse of the fighting, and his characters all reflect certain groups in the navy during the war. Commodore Latham represents the spit-and-polish interwar period commander who follows a strict chain of command. “Admirals do not normally communicate with individual ship captains.” “But when they do, it’s incumbent on you to follow the last order given and not to take independent action.” (Deutermann 60). Commodore Latham is later killed by a surprise air attack. His death and many others could have been prevented if he listened to Wolf’s warnings. Another character group is represented by Admiral Hollis. He represents the small group of officers who actually change when faced with a new threat and improvise. “ I remembered what you said about torpedoes, so we’d fire for a minute, make a major turn, then start back up again.”(Deutermann 276). Therefore the night action which Admiral Hollis commanded was a success.
Deutermann delivers a diverse book. One moment there is a glorious victory and the next is a destruction of a friendly warship. Deutermann keeps readers on their toes through the entire book. He shows a story which is easy to picture, and features a realistic depiction of the naval combat throughout the Solomon Islands campaign. The build up to the climax is written beautifully, and the ending is well deserved for a character such as Commodore Harmon Wolf. This book is great for anyone who is interested in naval combat in WWII.

[Mike Hedley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Deutermann book. It is a long time since I read a WWII naval "warie" (war novel) and the last ones I read were Australian, featuring of course the Royal Australian Navy. In many ways The Commodore is impressive, but a few errors let it down in places. "Reverted back" is simply reverted, and a circular radar display with the centre of the plot at the origin is a Plan Position Indicator (PPI) not Planned Position Indicator. It's a view from above, like a house plan. The most commonly seen version most people will have seen is a weather radar display. I operated them many years ago when they were still monochrome, like Sluff's.

I also became rather annoyed with the constant listing of their Action Stations equipment (once would do). The action described is very realistic: Deutermann's detail reminds me very much of David Weber's although Deutermann's effort is no doubt grounded in real operating procedures. The almost constant action involving one man is mildly suspicious- many US destroyers and larger ships managed to get completely through WWII without firing many shots at all. The action where Sluff's ship the Barret is sunk is also slightly odd. The Japanese fire a torpedo at them while bracketing the ship with 8 inch shellfire. I hardly think a torpedo would be fired at a range of a few hundred metres- it's not likely to arm and also likely to pass completely under a destroyer.

Still, a commendable effort, and a fun read without making the reader need to think too deeply. It seems odd given the scale of the naval component of the Pacific war that so few books have featured that theatre, and as noted, those that were around in my youth were usually from an Australian point of view (but not always in the Pacific- many RAN ships served in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean).

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read two prior books by Peter Deutermann featuring the United States Navy in WWII and its men and women. My favorite uncle served in the U.S. Navy in WWII landing on Guadalcanal with the First Marine Division thus my passion for books such as this. The author comes from a U.S. Navy family. His father was a senior Navy officer in the Pacific Theater serving in destroyers. Peter Deutermann knows of what he is writing. And he does it very well.

Commander Harmon Wolf, his main character in this stand-alone novel, is a Native American from a Minnesota reservation. He is an outsider even though he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. The story takes place in 1942-43 around Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands (SW Pacific Ocean) not far from Australia.

The U. S. Navy is hopelessly out gunned by the Japanese Navy, having had most of its battleships destroyed at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. The fleet is mostly composed of antiquated destroyers and cruisers with a scattering of the new Fletcher Class destroyers with a secret weapon - surface and aerial radar. Wolf uses that invention to create new tactics for the Navy and especially the "tin cans", the destroyers.

The battle scenes are spectacular. The relationships between the men and women with whom Wolf serves is poignant and frustrating. Great characters. Deutermann's historic references are accurate and educational. This is a MUST READ for WWII and nautical fiction fans.

GO! BUY! READ!

[Sam Reaves · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another of Deutermann's novels about the U.S. Navy in World War II. They are action-packed, full of convincing detail and unsparing in their depiction of the desperation of the times and the grimness of naval combat.
In this one, Harlan Wolf, half-Chippewa and half-Irish, from a reservation in Minnesota, an outsider in the hidebound prewar navy, finds himself commanding a destroyer in the perilous waters off Guadalcanal in November, 1942. The naval encounters there were extraordinarily costly in men and ships, as the Japanese strove to resupply their troops on the island and the Americans tried to prevent them. Three thousand American sailors, including two admirals, died in what came to be known as Ironbottom Sound.
That's the historical background; in Deutermann's story Wolf distinguishes himself with innovative tactics and is put in command of a small squadron of destroyers (earning the title of commodore) but runs into prejudice and official censure in addition to the perils of combat and shipwreck, which are vividly depicted.
This is probably for military history buffs only, with lots of inside dope on commanding a destroyer in battle ("...we will turn together to three five zero, speed two-five, and run until torpedoes start going off, at which point we will turn together to zero five zero and open fire...") and sobering evocation of the brutal costs of warfare at sea.

[Doug Sundseth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set mostly during the Guadalcanal campaign in early WWII (1942), this book is about a destroyer captain who is promoted to squadron commodore as a result of casualties. It does an excellent job of capturing both good leadership and careerist backbiting.

The protagonist is a part-Anishinaabe graduate of the US Naval Academy in the pre-war years who starts the book as a brand-new ship captain. At this point in the war, the navy was still largely commanded at every level by the products of a promotion by retirement system, which had caused both stagnation and the rise of people who were good at office politics.

The combat sequences were very well done, and the results of combat were appropriately horrific. There is a middle section that interrupted the flow of the book a bit, but the results of that were important to the remaining narrative.

When Deutermann is writing about military subjects (destroyer combat here), he is an excellent writer. When he drifts off to non-military subjects, he is pretty good. At its best, this series is top-tier military fiction. Highly recommended.

[George Tonzetich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific book if you like WWII naval action fiction on the Pacific! All around Guadalcanal. They used some real characters like Halsey, Nimitz, Miles Browning. When in the combat sections, I didn't want to stop reading! Great character development. Used the Guadalcanal timeline from Aug - Dec 1942 perfectly without needing to develop a different plot. The only thing I found a little amusing was the story around Capt Miles Browning? Miles Browning, by all accounts, was a highly decorated US Naval officer in the air arm. This book made him look like a vindictive, racist asshole! Its interesting because, as a student of WWII campaigns, I never had read anything negative about him? Mind you, as you delve into subjects more deeply, you sometimes discover that some revered people in history were not very nice human beings?

[Benedict J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story of Naval combat around Guadalcanal in 1942 featuring a hard- hitting destroyer captain with a way of getting into the tick of the fighting .
At that time, the US Navy was being roughly handled by the Imperial Japanese fleets which had more ships , bigger ships and especially much better torpedos , the deadly “ Long Lance”. Harmon Wolf is an interesting character, heroic, craft and caring, but soon with the reputation of getting in the middle of the worst of combats. The author writes exciting novels. The tactics, life aboard ship and naval politics seem true , especially the combat scenes which are full of dramatic tension.
Even though it did. To rate this book as highly as some of the other books of Deuterman have read, that may be due to the fact I had just finished another book, Sentinels of Fire,which was excellent.
I recommend them both to fans of the genre.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was honestly disappointed in the romatic portions of this book of the nurse married to the Annapolis Classmate who died on the Arizona at Pearl Harbor, as well as trying to track to different characters as the other two Naval Academy Classmates of the one who died on the Arizona. Just to much jumping back and forth for my liking. I also picked this book to read after reading an earlier one of his "PACIFIC GLORY" which was truly amazing. Having said that when it comes to writing of WWII Naval Battle at Sea this author is among the very best. He obviously has first hand knowledge of ships and our Navy and I enjoy reading his books of this genre. But I would strongly prefer he stick to that and leave all the touchy feely romatic stuff to others. In this book he even gets into investigative stuff with the Hawaian Police like a detective. Had the actual at sea naval parts of this book not been so fantastic I would have only given this book 1 or 2 stars!

[minz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book about the early part of the war and how the tactics (as everybody has mentioned). I read this book as the second of one of his books I read (but labeled #4) you can start anywhere in the series as they all seem to be stand alone.
The captain is an Indian that is not part of the 'old boys' club makes his way to commodore of a destroyer team and the personal battles that occur with in the ranks. The other part that I was shocked to find out was how much of this book he is out of action running around the bush.
A good read. I would have given it a 5 star but it seemed like the last few pages he goes off in the weeds and try as I may I could not finish it. I think it was an attempt at the end of an old movie to tie everything up.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the midst of World War II, the Navy is fighting a losing battle against Japan for control of the Solomon Islands. Ship after ship is being destroyed by Japan’s powerful navy and devastating air attacks. Vice Admiral William “Bull” Halsey is tasked with changing the course of the war and goes on the offensive, appointing a host of new destroyer commanders, including a wild card named Herman Wolf. An American Indian from a Minnesota reservation, Wolf has never fit in with the traditional navy officer corps – until now. Under Halsey, Wolf’s aggressive tactics and risk-taking nature bring immediate results, and he is swiftly promoted to commodore of an entire destroyer squadron. An epic story of courage, disaster, survival, and triumph that culminates in the pivotal battle of Vela Gulf, “The Commodore” is a thrilling tale of the war in the Pacific at its turning point.

[Studebhawk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling Naval Action at Sea
This story is an excellent account of naval action at sea. The author will keep you turning the page. The author surrounds you in a constant drumbeat narrative of action on a destroyer during WWII during the Pacific campaign.
I was impressed by the author’s depth of the details of naval surface warfare at sea during wartime. His description of the sense of the chaos of war at sea, the disorientation, noise, and the loss of shipmates really hits home to any experienced sailor, including, the armchair sailor who enjoys a thrilling action story of men at war.

[Ted Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

P.T. Deutermann is a master storyteller of military action thriller novels. He is an artist at combining authentic history, real life military figures and fictitious war heroes in actual wartime locations. His storyline is action packed using technical military terms that enhance the overall experience. THE COMMODORE does not disappoint in all aspects of this military history reenactment. It is a portrayal of a WWII U.S. Navy hero showing perseverance and grit in fighting the enemy while dealing with military leadership procedures. A vividly authentic, historically accurate, and emotionally compelling, WWII military novel.

[Victor Laporte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had such a great time reading this book. Just dove in and kept swimming until I finished it. Going against orders and following your own instincts to save your ship and crew is what anyone would do, right? Not so easy when your not following orders but instead trusting your own experience and split second decision making in a life or death situation. Trying to put myself in the same situation I shudder at the thought of trying to make those decisions. Glad there were men in harms way braver than me.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Split second tactics and aggressive action turned the war and the battle for Guadalcanal

Destroyers we’re essential and expendable and only one of the huge Japanese torpedoes was enough to break one in two and drop more than 300 men into shark infested waters. The Japanese had more and bigger and faster ships at the start of WW II and their string of victories in Southeast Asia allowed them to become experts in night tactics and naval warfare. Only the advantage of US radar helped even the odds. Another superb story and well worth the time.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and well written. Reads like a Non-Fiction account of the Savo Island battles. Character development is done well and you get enough of everything to believe the story. Some parts are obviously extra but the story overall is worth reading. Heavy in Naval jargon but I expect most people reading are as well.
Read it for what it is and not what you think it should be and you’ll enjoy it.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. Excellent writing that enable me to follow the battles at sea easily. The main character was terrific....a real fighter. I've heard of the many naval battles around Guadalcanal but never got a good historical fiction book like this one. The book did not drag at all and never got bogged down with technical naval details. It was all about the destroyers and their fight against the enemy.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

WWII Naval action off Guadalcanal

Exciting portrayal of Destroyer action in the Slot facing Japanese Naval forces attempting to reinforce their embattled troops on Guadalcanal! Commander, then Captain, then Commodore Wolf as he aggressively directs his destroyers in this critical battle.
Excellent action scenes showing the chaos in the midst of the encounters and the significant losses both sides suffered.