HMS "Ulysses" (Paperback)

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Review
'A brilliant, overwhelming piece of descriptive writing.' Observer 'A story of exceptional courage which grips the imagination.' Daily Telegraph 'It deserves an honourable place among 20th-century war books.' Daily Mail 'HMS Ulysses is in the same class as The Cruel Sea.' Evening Standard

In fiction form, this is the story of the Murmansk run - and of the attempt to get convoy , FF77, through, under the inadequate protection of a few cruisers, most of them outmod??. The Ulysses had been a lucky ship, fast, equipped with radar, with a captain who was worshipped by his crew. But Captain Vallery and his officers and men had taken more than humans should be asked to take- and when mutiny was in the making, it seemed to all Justifiable. Rear-Admiral Tyndall felt it so - and the chief surgeon, Brooks, did not hesitate to speak his mind. But the home office was adamant - and the ?? Lysses was on its way once more. From that moment on, it was unadulterated hell. The weather turned vicious; the temperature dropped to an unbelievably low figure; and the German wolf pack made the most of every opportunity. One ship after another of the convoy was sacrificed; Vallery was forced into decisions that tore him apart; disease took its toll- with Vallery himself its ultimate victim; madness, too, stalked the decks and Tyndall's sanity cracked. Men performed deeds far beyond the call of duty; and those who fell short of greatness paid the price. The clearing weather brought out the bombers- and more ships were sent to the bottom. And still the shrinking convoy went on towards the goal. Nichols, Junior medic, was transferred by breeches buoy to another ship in need - and so Nichols alone survived to tell the story of the death of a great fighter, as the Ulysses made the supreme sacrifice in an effort to take final payment. It is an unbearable story, completely unrelieved in its stark and bitter march of death and destruction. Supremely well done- but can the reading public take it? MacLean is English. Much of the lingo is perhaps too British for some readers, in the same sense that Monsarrat's H.M.S. Corvette proved too British. But the human factors here outwright the difficulties and may carry the reader through. (Kirkus Reviews)

Product Description
The novel that launched the astonishing career of one of the 20th century's greatest writers of action and suspense -- an acclaimed classic of heroism and the sea in World War II. Now reissued in a new cover style. The story of men who rose to heroism, and then to something greater, HMS Ulysses takes its place alongside The Caine Mutiny and The Cruel Sea as one of the classic novels of the navy at war. It is the compelling story of Convoy FR77 to Murmansk -- a voyage that pushes men to the limits of human endurance, crippled by enemy attack and the bitter cold of the Arctic.

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9 Reviews 5 star:  (9) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   13 of 13 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars War on the high seas, 14 Jan 2006 By A Customer Alistair Maclean is author of some of the best war fiction in the world – notably the Guns of Navarone and Where Eagles Dare – but in this book he has surpassed the rest. Seeing as I loathe spoilers in reviews, I shall keep them to a minimum! This book centres around the eponymous HMS Ulysses, a frigate in World War II. This ship is used on the arctic convoy runs to Murmansk, a vital part of the allied war effort sadly largley igonred by the Soviet government after the war. These convoy runs were the worst of the war, featuring not only the Kriegsmarine’s U-Boats, but also sub-zero temperatures, blizzards, and twenty-hour days. Combine all these and you have a good a picture of hell as it is possible to get. The men of the Ulysses think so too, and have mutinied. As the book starts, an Admiral is discussing the failed mutiny and what should be done with the Ulysses. It is decided that, to atone, she should escort one last convoy – FR77 – to Murmansk, then she will be sent to the Mediterranean theatre. The voyage that follows is truly appalling in every sense of the word. In particular, the pathos engendered by Maclean’s descriptions of men having to endure such agony is unspeakable. For me, the most poignant character is Ralston, the torpedo gunner. Without giving away too much, he does something no-one should have to do, and Vallery, the father-figure of the captain, suffers so much in making him do it and then realsiing what he has done to Ralston. It must be read to be fully experinced in all its emotional intensity. The only comparable book to this is, in my opinion, All Quiet on the Western Front, though HMS Ulysses is far more bitter and gritty. There is a rawness exuded by the book, a sense of despair and loss permeating every line. However, the ending is surprisingly upbeat, yet so sad as to be beyond words. As I read the last two pages, I had tears running down my face, a testament to the power of Maclean’s writing. Maybe upbeat is the wrong word for the ending, yet I felt that there was a certain glory in it. All the suffering, all the pain, it’s all justified in the last chapter. It’s not a long book, so those of you who are dispirited by hefty tombstone-size books have no excuse! But what it lacks in length, it more than makes up for in sheer force. Each page is littered with the anti-war message of the book. Like Saving Private Ryan, it is just not possible to come away with anything other than the idea that war is hell, and not something to be undertaken lightly. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   10 of 10 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars The most compelling book I've ever read!, 13 Jan 2000 By A Customer When I first came across "HMS Ulysses", I read it from cover to cover without putting it down - three times in a row. The story about the captain and crew of the HMS Ulysses, the story about men driven to the limit and far beyond by terror, cold and hunger, who somehow kept going because of their love and devotion to one extraordinary man, was one of the saddest, most capturing and most compelling stories I've ever read. I could almost feel the crew's desperation, feel the piercing cold, hear - and be tormented by - the captain's ripping cough. Not many books have the power to capture me that way. I know "HMS Ulysses" almost by heart by now - but whenever I read it, I still do it from cover to cover, without putting it down. Once I begin, I just can't let it go until it's all over. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   9 of 9 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars The only really good Maclean, 9 Jul 2004 By  Eriksson Tord (Sweden) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    As many reviewers before I can just concur: This is the best Alister Maclean, by far, and one of the best naval stories, ever. Nicolas Monsarrat's The Cruel Sea (available on DVD!) is similar in many ways, but this is much more hard-hitting and gut-wrenching. And for me, it is the only Maclean that has stood up to rereading, over and over again. Let's hope it will be filmed one day! Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 9 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars hms ulysses They say everyone has a book in them.This must be the best first book written by anyone.Some books are so full of research it shows but this one you feel Maclaine knows what he... Read more Published 8 months ago by J. C. Thompson 5.0 out of 5 stars Couldnt put it down When I first got the book I was unsure whether I would enjoy it. Once I got started I didnt want to put it down. He describes the story soo well. Read more Published 12 months ago by Carl Willetts 5.0 out of 5 stars HMS Ulysses - A classic This, Alistair MacLean's first novel, is an incredible mixture of bravery, tragedy, suspense, pathos, and heart-stopping action. Read more Published on 13 Jul 2005 by Gerard Walls 5.0 out of 5 stars Likely the best book I've ever read. I loved reading the other reviews on this page. MacLean is my all time favorite author, and HMS Ulysses is his best book by far. Read more Published on 29 Nov 2003 by Timothy Van Prooyen 5.0 out of 5 stars did not expect this..... I have sporadically read MacLean novels in the past. Was the favourite author of my father, and to me they have always been a guaranty of high entertainment value. Read more Published on 19 Nov 2003 5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing This is the most upsetting, compelling, the saddest and the best book I have ever read. I first read it in 1987 when I was 14 and since then I have lost count of how many times I... Read more Published on 6 Jan 2000 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 9 customer reviews...

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