NINETY FEET TO THE SUN

by Eric J. Collenette ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 18, 1986

Here, British submariners carry on in WW II after their officers are all lost in battle. Ben Grant, coxswain of the His Majesty's submarine Scavenger finds himself in charge of the boat when all the officers are killed by fire from Nazi aircraft in the waters off occupied Norway. When Grant opens the late captain's private cupboard and reads the sub's secret orders, he learns that they're expected to locate and sink a floating dock that the Nazis are towing to Norway. Not only does Grant have a difficult mission, he's got a sullen Chief Engine Room Artificer throwing spanners in the works just as he needs to establish himself as skipper. In a break from tradition, E.R.A. Welks, the king of the diesels, is neither Scottish, taciturn, nor competent--just mean. The Scavenger's first attack on the dock is a dud, and the boat takes a beating from German destroyers. Grant steers his crew to relative safety in a handy deserted fjord and leaves the men to patch things up while he leads a scouting party in-country. They run into Nazi trouble but get saved by the Resistance, who get them back to the fjord from which they limp to reattack the dock. The torpedoes connect, but the Scavenger is sunk 90 feet below the surface. The handful that make it out have to tangle with unsympathetic Americans and another German destroyer before they can finally get warm and dry in Scotland. Cold and wet, but action-packed, and the elimination of officers and order adds considerably to the suspense.

Pub Date: April 18, 1986

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Walker

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1986

Categories: FICTION