The best modern sea adventure story!
588054
I have read this book multiple times and I have loaned it out to every one I know.  It is my favorite adventure book. The writing is superb and John's analysis is spot on.  The storm is reviewed from its beginnings over Minnesota,  its brush with the J/24 world championship off New England and  on to its fateful meeting with the Fasnet fleet. He tells a compelling  story about the race and the horror of the sea in a state of rage - this is  better than Into Thin Air and the Perfect Storm.  Best of all John tells  his story with compassion and sensitivity and shows that sometimes no  matter what you do you may find yourself in an impossible situation. .  Buy  this book! You will not be disappointed!  Thanks John for a great book.
909392
Peculiar in the most exceptional way! Sea Change captured me with its unique and old world style narrative. What do I mean by old world exactly?  imagine how it is to read any of the classics and that would come close to the feeling of this book except everything was mystical, magical and not a bit too unusual. Taking that into consideration this wasn't a book I could devour in one sitting but instead has to move thru at a leisurely pace. Also, be aware there are no chapters in this book! Though sections are separated by a short italicized paragraph, so there are still convenient stopping points.

We first meet Lilly at the tender age of 8, she is the only daughter of quarrelsome and not exactly living parents. Lets call them indifferent. Due to a large birthmark on her face she is viewed by everyone as a cursed child and a witch. She is spurned by almost everyone, until one day I the beach she befriends a small kraken, Octavius. We see the friendship between these two grow stronger with each passing year until when Lilly comes off age, he disappears and she knows something terrible must have happened to keep Octavius from her.

Lilly sets off on a harrowing journey the likes of which readers may have experienced before. Her quest to save her friend leads her to meeting one strange character after another. Each encounter testing her resolve to save her friend as each person asks something of her. Fantasy readers will recognize this quest, sub quest model and appreciate it. Undoubtedly, Lillys fortitude and strength of will is nothing short of admirable and awe inspiring in my mind. Any person would count themselves fortunate to have such a loyal friend as she.

I can only say that the books description is very adequate in preparing the prospective reader for what they can expect to encounter but at the same time that couldn't be further from the truth. It is not often that a book can elicit from me such a great range of emotion and I am all the luckier for it for deciding to read Sea Change. Be aware this work is literary fantasy is not for everyone, nor the faint of heart. While Lilly is a young girl embarking on a quest and coming of age story I would in no way consider this a young adult book. Also, I remember originally thinking when receiving this book that the cover design was such a strange choice, but it fit so perfectly by the end of my reading.

Sea Change is a book I will absolutely read again someday, because I know there are things that I would be better absorbed on a second pass thru. I can say this is adult fantasy at its best, and worth giving a chance. You can expect a not quite fairytale of a darkly delicious kind such as the original Grimms tales.
1121280
I have to admit I love naval stories, especially ones dealing with New England during the 19th century, so I might be a little bit biased, but  this tale is one of the best I've read.  It's an incredible true story of a  Nantucket whaler that gets sunk by an enraged sperm whale, and the struggle  for surival by its crew in the harsh open sea.  The author does a masterful  job of bringing you right into the boat with these men as they sail for  land with primitive navagational tools and try to survive three months at  sea with the meager rations they've saved from the Essex before it sunk.  The author does a nice job weaving all the different narratives that have  been written by the surviving crew members into a cohesive story that gives  you many divergent views of the action.  I also enjoyed learning some of  the intricacies of sailing and whaling that the author brought forth in his  book.  I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a great read.
3438260
This is a great adventure story in the line of the best magical and delightful tales (The Phantom Tollbooth, the Lemony Snicket stories, etc.). Kids would love it, but it's one of those stories that reveals more with time...the story will grow with re-reading!

Especial loves:

*tips'o'the hat to mythmakers like Tolkein, Lewis Carroll, Jonathan Swift, G.K. Chesterton, and more.

* I love an adventure story (a pretty simple and clear storyline: hero goes on a quest, at bottom line) that is not simplisticly told. The story is delightful in its telling as well as for it's own merits.

*vocabulary! I don't teach anymore, but as a teacher I would have loved the prospect of vocabulary lists from the story: *meddlesome* *haberdasher* and *pandemonium*. Wordplay is also rampant with "the Just Deserts" and other literary hijinks.

*Characters that are both familiar to fiction in this genre and unique to this story. The characters feel true to the world in which they are set.

*Narration. It isn't fashionable to like narration, but as with Kate DiCamillo's 'A Tale of Despereaux', here it works admirably and the Narrator adds a sense of fun and harks to the adventure-legend sensibility.

*Illustrations. The author was able to illustrate the small chapter heading sketches, and I love the slight illumination this gives to the tale.
436079
You won't want to put this book down!  History, intrigue, adventure, and modern life mix together in an adventure fiction novel that will have you reading from start to finish. I know the author and he's lived half this book or knows people who have! He was a real treasure diver in the Florida Keys, and writes with authenticity and wit.  You'll love the book, the characters, and the adventure you embark upon!

-- Ann Albers, author&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Whispers-of-the-Spirit/dp/143570262X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Whispers of the Spirit</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Love-is-the-River-Learning-to-Live-in-the-Flow-of-Divine-Grace/dp/1411690117/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Love is the River: Learning to Live in the Flow of Divine Grace</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Bridging-the-Gap-Between-Christianity-Mysticism/dp/141165093X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Bridging the Gap Between Christianity & Mysticism</a>, and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Love-Letters-from-Ann-the-Angels-Volume-1/dp/0615134726/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Love Letters from Ann & the Angels - Volume 1</a>
3861170
This is one of my all time favorite stories.  I can't believe that a major movie has be made about this miraculous voyage of Ernest Shackleton and the HSS Endurance.  I recommend this book to everyone.
792412
Oh wow!  This was an exciting romantic adventure on the high seas.  The hero, Flint, is swoon-worthy, and the heroine, Violet Redmond, completely surprised me with her sheer tenacity, courage and determination.

I love how this story unfolded.  The protagonists didn't have a romantic awareness of the other at first.  And Violet gave Flint a great reason to be annoyed with her.  So not a good start.

Oh, but they become aware by degrees and the sexual tension builds amid the drama and the danger on the high seas.

This book would translate so well into a movie.  In my mind I could see all the characters, locations, drama and pirates in technicolour.  I think I swayed as if on a mist-shrouded ship This romance was beautiful.

I think this book makes me officially addicted to the writing of Julie Anne Long.  Its only my second book, but so far the brilliance of the writing is consistent with the compelling romance, humour and pace of What I Did For a Duke.  I could not put I Kissed An Earl down either.  Wow, wow, wow.

I Kissed An Earl is book 4 in the Pennyroyal Green series.  I am reading them out of order, but that does not diminish my enjoyment.  And I cant stop now
1123035
This is a fantastic story! love it! One of my favorite adventure stories ever!
4052440
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is an epic misadventure of a boy and a mother stumbling across a treasure map from an old Buccaneer. From there, their story takes them on a sea journey like no other. From sailing the seven seas, to finding Treasure Island and the cursed treasure itself, and to even facing up to Captain Long John Silver himself, this book takes you through a roller coaster of highs and lows as ferocious as a violent squall. To miss out on this treasure of literature is to miss out on one of the greatest adventure tales of all time! This book is a must read! A Literary Classic!
4056723
This is an excellent book, and one that I can recommend without reservation! The author does a good job developing the characters, and the story itself is a real page turner. After the first chapter or so, the story was off and running with solid adventure and lots of mystery that kept me from wanting to put it down. Also, the writing is tight and error free, unlike much of what passes for today's writing. My only quibble, which is a minor one, is that one of the main characters, Picket, develops his abilities as a warrior too quickly. However, as I said, this is minor and didn't detract from my enjoyment of what really is the best adventure story I have read in a long time. I've already pre-ordered his next book and can't wait to read it.
1004730
This is an excellent story. There's realistic romance as well as lots and lots of adventure. What I really liked about this book was how much I learned about treasure-trove, deep sea diving, marine biology and all of this done in a very interesting, fast paced dialog. This book is so good that the scenery description made me feel the breeze through the sea air. I would say that this story was somewhat predictable but so is the birth of a child or graduation from college and all of that is still exciting. But, I do want to say that there is a bit of a surprise near the end.....a big surprise.
Pick up this book, it'll be worth your while....it's very interesting, very entertaining, adventurous, romantic, with a touch of mystique and loads of suspence.
You'll truely enjoy this book..
771812
London's man against the elements work is enjoyed by all of his readers. "The Sea Wolf," however, is a far more compelling story of the nature of man. Any  lover of sea stories will find this one of the most masterful of its genre. I believe this is a masterpiece of character development as well as a sea story, however, and Wolf Larson is one of the great characters of literature.
3178805
It isn't often I find an awesome read, combining my curiosity of the open sea life, a frequent good sense of humor, and a pull at my heart strings on multiple occasions.  I am so glad I ordered this book.  Any sailor could love this story. I hope that it gets the attention it deserves,  and look forward to more stories from Vega. What a great mission, memory, and adventure!
1662177
The Tales of the Mer Family Onyx are nothing short of spectacular. The author has created a beautiful and convincing alternative world -- a modern-day Oz or Thousand Acre Wood. The stories of this mermaid family are engaging, imaginative, and gorgeously written and wisely resolved. Each chapter presents an adventure involving the children of the Mer Family, who rule the undersea world. From the powerful and majestic Neptune to the smallest merbaby, each character comes alive and will appeal to children of all ages, whether male or female. What a joy to find a new classic like this in our fast-paced, modern world!
3502622
Junger's books does not tell a perfect story, but it is certainly great. The setting is the Atlantic Ocean several hundred miles off the Eastern Seaboard where three Fall storms converge to create one catastrphic "perfect storm." Several ships, mostly deep sea fishing vessles, are caught without warning and are forced to ride it out. The action is intense as howling winds and enormous waves break boats apart and the Coast Guard and other ships race to save the crews of boats that cannot handle the conditions. It is an excellent adventure story, on par with Into Thin Air or any story about The Endurance. Junger, however, also does a superb job explaining the technical details of deep sea fishing, Coast Guard rescues, and the science behind weather systems and waves. Though I was unfamiliar with each of those topics, I was never confused because he is very clear and uses layman terms to describe complicated topics. It added wonderful some intriguing lessons to what was already very a good book. I would recommend "A Perfect Storm" to anyone who likes a well written, fast paced, adventure story. It can be read and appreciated by people of all ages and should be read by anyone who has seen the movie so they can learn about the whole story, rather than one small part of it.
4643308
What a wild ride! Never has a book kept me so perched on the edge of my seat (when I wasn't falling to the floor laughing, that is). While a fan of Vigorito's style and previous books, this novel shows a mature evolution of his writing that will leave his fans in awe, new fans hungry for more, and will expand his readership far beyond the Tom Robbins, Chuck Palahniuk, and Christopher Moore fans.

The story really weaves two tales, a modern love-story turned devious caper to bring down an evil cult leader, and a swashbuckling pirate tale turned devout love story. The parallels become a swirl as the truth of the stories is revealed.

Don't skip reading this one. Or grab the audio book as the narrator really nails it and adds a whole new voice to this novel!
3298771
AN EAST TO READ MODERN ADVENTURE FOR 21st CENTURY WHICH IS AN INSPIRING PLEASURE TO READ FOR CHILDREN TODAY

An appreciation Elizabeth Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE of The Barrister

Its always a pleasure to review books for children and we welcome Cathy Maisanos exciting story Whitehaven Beach which we are sure will provoke a great deal of interest and curiosity to a younger, modern readership.

We do not do spoilers with our reviews so do read the books Cathys Paradise Beach Mysteries series (three to date) starting with Whitehaven Beach. The imagery and inventiveness are a particular joy and the story certainly encourages and tempts readers to look for further adventures always a key to success for books written for children, and great to get beginners to read regularly!

This is how Cathy describes her book so we don't give too much away in this review: Megan and Marcus cant wait for the summer holidays to begin at Bexhill-on-Sea (yes, the rain-drenched south coast of England). This location is where their own incredible beach hut, Parry, doubles as a high-powered rocket ship. Before long, our heroes are heading for Australia on a thrilling mission (yes, the land of the marsupials).

As secret agents, (no, not 007s in reality but modern) the two must confront a dangerous gang to try and save a beautiful beach from certain environmental ruin. When they spot a massive crocodile mysteriously devouring all the famous white soft sand on Whitehaven Beach, things start to go seriously wrong.

Marcus sees Megan being swallowed by the reptile and does not hesitate to plan a daring rescue operation. Skilfully, he helps her to escape, but as they are planning how to recover the stolen sand, the thieves return and the two young agents find themselves in great danger.

The question then is will Whitehaven Beach be lost forever? Doubtful! Secret agents everywhere are invited to step inside the amazing Bexhill-On-Sea beach hut of The Paradise Beach Mysteries and join Marcus and Megan Morgan, as they travel at the speed of light to far-away top-rated world beaches, in a quest to save them from environmental ruin. So, you can see some splendid adventures here.

We am pleased to say that we don't know either locations mentioned (probably joined by the mass of readers) so that makes the story all the more interesting for the imagery deployed.

Its a ripping good read for your summer holidays even if the sun-soaked beaches give way as they do to rain-soaked beaches here, but why spoilt it with some of the wretched reality that we want to get away from.

Thank you, Cathy, and we look forward to the next adventure in the near future!