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The Cruel Sea cover art

The Cruel Sea

Written by: Nicholas Monsarrat
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Publisher's Summary

Based on the author's own vivid experiences, The Cruel Sea is the nail-biting story of the crew of HMS Compass Rose, a corvette assigned to protect convoys during World War II.

Darting back and forth across the icy North Atlantic, Compass Rose played a deadly cat-and-mouse game with packs of German U-boats lying in wait beneath the ocean waves. Packed with tension and vivid descriptions of agonizing U-boat hunts, this tale of the most bitter and chilling campaign of the war tells of ordinary men who had to master their own fears before they could face a brutal menace - one that would strike without warning from the deep.

©1951 Nicholas Monsarrat (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about The Cruel Sea

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Heros

This book relates the service and sacrifice of the captain and crews of British ships that guarded convoys and hunted submarines during the dark days of WW II. They battled the cruel sea and a dangerous enemy to keep the life line to Britain and Russia open, enduring massive gales, killing cold, and packs of Nazi submarines. This book reads with an authentically based upon the author’s own experiences. The narrative moves swiftly and convincingly through action so tense as to nullify time and accelerate the beat of the heart. One comes to know and empathize with many of the characters, and when some die one dies with them. Romantic interludes are handled gracefully and with a tact lacking in newer books. The language is appropriate and the naval descriptions are understandable. It is a gripping book that one does not want to end except for the longing to finish the war and the need to sail the very cruel sea. This book is at the pinnacle of action literature.

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The hardships endured by the Convoy Escorts and Merchant Marine in the Second World War

The reader was superb.He completely captured the different accents and the tones for each character

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Gripping, Graceful, Important

important british and canadian history of the the Battle of the Atlantic told with grace, pace, compassion, and honesty. very well-read by Simon Vance.

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A Masterpiece

I loved The Cruel Sea when I read it myself, but I loved it even more as read by Simon Vance. He brings such individuality to each character’s voice, and this book has a lot of characters. I’ve listened to this book twice now and got even more out of it the second time. It’s beautifully written and wonderfully read.

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Still enthralling

I first read this book shortly after its publication when I was in grade 13,about 10 years after the war. I was fascinated then reading it in print, and wondering how the author evoked the feeling of actually being inside the book. I have re read the book over the years and found it still absorbing.
I have listened 2or3 times since receiving this edition and will probably do so again an enthralling story of people doing their best in the most challenging circumstances. I wish I knew of more books like this although a few come to mind.

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A classic naval novel!

An exceptional story that stands out over the course of time. Great insight into the Battle of the Atlantic from a convoy escort's perspective. Well written and researched with characters you care about. I highly recommend this book!

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