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Doomed Oasis
Charles Whitaker is a Welshman who forsakes his native country for the deserts of Araby. Adapting quickly to this hostile terrain, he soon becomes more Bedouin than British. Whitaker's illegitimate son, David, sets out to find his father. He in turn is followed by a Welsh solicitor who hopes to reunite the two men. The story moves at two One involves a desperate struggle for desert oil; the second, hardly less intense, for father and son to find each other. Both struggles are resolved at Saraifa, the doomed oasis of the title.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1960
36 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Hammond Innes
104 books107 followersRalph Hammond Innes was an English novelist who wrote over 30 novels, as well as children's and travel books.He was awarded a C.B.E. (Commander, Order of the British Empire) in 1978. The World Mystery Convention honoured Innes with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bouchercon XXIV awards in Omaha, Nebraska, Oct, 1993.
Innes was born in Horsham, Sussex, and educated at the Cranbrook School in Kent. He left in 1931 to work as a journalist, initially with the Financial Times (at the time called the Financial News). The Doppelganger, his first novel, was published in 1937. In WWII he served in the Royal Artillery, eventually rising to the rank of Major. During the war, a number of his books were published, including Wreckers Must Breathe (1940), The Trojan Horse (1941) and Attack Alarm (1941); the last of which was based on his experiences as an anti-aircraft gunner during the Battle of Britain at RAF Kenley. After being discharged in 1946, he worked full-time as a writer, achieving a number of early successes.
His novels are notable for a fine attention to accurate detail in descriptions of places, such as in Air Bridge (1951), set partially at RAF Gatow, RAF Membury after its closure and RAF Wunstorf during the Berlin Airlift.
Innes went on to produce books in a regular sequence, with six months of travel and research followed by six months of writing. Many of his works featured events at sea. His output decreased in the 1960s, but was still substantial. He became interested in ecological themes. He continued writing until just before his death. His last novel was Delta Connection (1996).
Unusually for the thriller genre, Innes' protagonists were often not "heroes" in the typical sense, but ordinary men suddenly thrust into extreme situations by circumstance. Often, this involved being placed in a hostile environment (the Arctic, the open sea, deserts), or unwittingly becoming involved in a larger conflict or conspiracy. The protagonist generally is forced to rely on his own wits and making best use of limited resources, rather than the weapons and gadgetry commonly used by thriller writers.
Four of his early novels were made into films: Snowbound (1948)from The Lonely Skier (1947), Hell Below Zero (1954) from The White South (1949), Campbell's Kingdom (1957), and The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959). His 1973 novel Golden Soak was adapted into a six-part television series in 1979.
Innes was born in Horsham, Sussex, and educated at the Cranbrook School in Kent. He left in 1931 to work as a journalist, initially with the Financial Times (at the time called the Financial News). The Doppelganger, his first novel, was published in 1937. In WWII he served in the Royal Artillery, eventually rising to the rank of Major. During the war, a number of his books were published, including Wreckers Must Breathe (1940), The Trojan Horse (1941) and Attack Alarm (1941); the last of which was based on his experiences as an anti-aircraft gunner during the Battle of Britain at RAF Kenley. After being discharged in 1946, he worked full-time as a writer, achieving a number of early successes.
His novels are notable for a fine attention to accurate detail in descriptions of places, such as in Air Bridge (1951), set partially at RAF Gatow, RAF Membury after its closure and RAF Wunstorf during the Berlin Airlift.
Innes went on to produce books in a regular sequence, with six months of travel and research followed by six months of writing. Many of his works featured events at sea. His output decreased in the 1960s, but was still substantial. He became interested in ecological themes. He continued writing until just before his death. His last novel was Delta Connection (1996).
Unusually for the thriller genre, Innes' protagonists were often not "heroes" in the typical sense, but ordinary men suddenly thrust into extreme situations by circumstance. Often, this involved being placed in a hostile environment (the Arctic, the open sea, deserts), or unwittingly becoming involved in a larger conflict or conspiracy. The protagonist generally is forced to rely on his own wits and making best use of limited resources, rather than the weapons and gadgetry commonly used by thriller writers.
Four of his early novels were made into films: Snowbound (1948)from The Lonely Skier (1947), Hell Below Zero (1954) from The White South (1949), Campbell's Kingdom (1957), and The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959). His 1973 novel Golden Soak was adapted into a six-part television series in 1979.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 9, 2013
The only way I can describe the experience of reading any Hammond Innes book is to say it feels like I'm reading a 1950's black & white movie. A very good black & white movie.
October 15, 2020
Post WW2 Middle East Arabian Desert rich with oil if only one could find it. The Emirs and Sheiks are fighting each other for territory and for agreements to be reached with Oil Companies who will pay them to drill with the expectation of finding OIL.
In the middle of all this is a Solicitor from Wales, Aubrey George Grant. He had barely met David Thomas upon discovery of the youth's killing of his stepfather, when David was arrested. The boy had discovered that his real father [Whitaker] had abandoned his mother, and he hated the father who had raised him, as well as his unknown real father. The arrest did not last long, as David escaped and then left the country, searching for his real father in a vast wasteland of a desert.
From there, the action of the book, including a lot of desert and camels - which I personally enjoyed reading - was non-stop with Arab tribes who fought each other and anyone who got in their way. What intrigued me, thinking of the sixty plus years since this action, was how the situation has changed - for the better or in some ways for the worse.
Innes is a well known and excellent author and I had read some of his books many years ago, but happened upon this one, published in 1960, in a book purge.
In the middle of all this is a Solicitor from Wales, Aubrey George Grant. He had barely met David Thomas upon discovery of the youth's killing of his stepfather, when David was arrested. The boy had discovered that his real father [Whitaker] had abandoned his mother, and he hated the father who had raised him, as well as his unknown real father. The arrest did not last long, as David escaped and then left the country, searching for his real father in a vast wasteland of a desert.
From there, the action of the book, including a lot of desert and camels - which I personally enjoyed reading - was non-stop with Arab tribes who fought each other and anyone who got in their way. What intrigued me, thinking of the sixty plus years since this action, was how the situation has changed - for the better or in some ways for the worse.
Innes is a well known and excellent author and I had read some of his books many years ago, but happened upon this one, published in 1960, in a book purge.
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December 22, 2024Another fun read, not as sexist as the others (let's goooo!) but still of its time.
October 15, 2019
A unique adventure tale that takes place in the Trucial States, the area that today consists of the UAE and parts of Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Iran. This was part of the British Raj, frontier states for British India. And after Indian independence, they continued on as British protectorates until 1971 or so. Thus this Innes novel, published in 1960, is perhaps one of the last contemporary stories about the Raj. The sweep is enormous, taking the protagonist, lawyer George Grant, from Britain, to the Persian Gulf, where is faced with the task of tracking down David Whitaker. Whitaker is a young man Grant earlier provided the means to search for his legendary father, a former British colonel who converted to Islam and lived as an Arab, all the while searching to strike oil in a remote part of the desert. Tribal conflicts, heroic last stands, and martyrdom ensue. And all these efforts are generated by the desperate desire to save an ancient oasis from the encroaching sands of desert. The oasis becomes a symbol of ancient ways, lost dreams, even as David Whitaker wants to save it and provide hope for a future that retains traditional ways of life.
Because I have just finished reading through Erich Ambler's spy thrillers, it is easy to see Ambler's influence on Innes, especially now that I have finished my fourth Innes novel. Like Ambler, Innes' heroes are ordinary men put in extraordinary circumstances. But with a twist. Usually, an Innes character seems to be faced with monumental forces of nature, as well as with the antagonistic forces of political intrigue. Innes' heroes also lack the wit and irony of Ambler's. But they still have a depth that sometimes outshines Ambler. For it seems' that Innes decided to write heroic figures that had a bit of a moral failing somewhere at work within them, whether it be anger, fear, greed, or indifference. This makes them sometimes more interesting and often ends up leaving the reader with ambiguous feelings about the resolution of the novels.
As for The Doomed Oasis itself, it seems to lack the intimacy of the other Innes novels I have read. The grand sweep of the story comes at a price. George Grant and David Whitaker seem to orbit each other, as they do David's sister, Sue. Nobody really connects. And of course this especially applies to David and his father, Charles Whitaker. In the end, the characters remain as isolated as the desert wilderness they explore. And not even the "happy ending" can disturb that final sense as being a commentary on the desperation of finding meaning in existence.
Because I have just finished reading through Erich Ambler's spy thrillers, it is easy to see Ambler's influence on Innes, especially now that I have finished my fourth Innes novel. Like Ambler, Innes' heroes are ordinary men put in extraordinary circumstances. But with a twist. Usually, an Innes character seems to be faced with monumental forces of nature, as well as with the antagonistic forces of political intrigue. Innes' heroes also lack the wit and irony of Ambler's. But they still have a depth that sometimes outshines Ambler. For it seems' that Innes decided to write heroic figures that had a bit of a moral failing somewhere at work within them, whether it be anger, fear, greed, or indifference. This makes them sometimes more interesting and often ends up leaving the reader with ambiguous feelings about the resolution of the novels.
As for The Doomed Oasis itself, it seems to lack the intimacy of the other Innes novels I have read. The grand sweep of the story comes at a price. George Grant and David Whitaker seem to orbit each other, as they do David's sister, Sue. Nobody really connects. And of course this especially applies to David and his father, Charles Whitaker. In the end, the characters remain as isolated as the desert wilderness they explore. And not even the "happy ending" can disturb that final sense as being a commentary on the desperation of finding meaning in existence.
September 22, 2012
Originally published on my blog here in November 2000.
The legend of Lawrence of Arabia plays a large part in this thriller about oil and politics in the peninsula. Colonel Charles Whitaker is a figure clearly based on Lawrence, a European who has accepted Arab customs and who has a great deal of influence in the politics of the various small states which are mostly today subsumed into groupings such as the United Arab Emirates. Here, it is oil rather than war which is the aim, but Whitaker as he has become older has managed to destroy his reputation with the oil companies as he has put forward a theory that oil is present in vast quantities in places where it was never found.
Whitaker is not the central character in the story. This is his son David, who came out to Arabia once he had discovered his paternity. David becomes passionately involved with the desert kingdom of Saraifa, the doomed oasis of the title. Water is brought to the inhabitants through ancient aqueducts, the falajes, but now the slow process of neglect which is gradually destroying them has been accelerated by the vandalism of enemies from the neighbouring emirate. David comes up with a desperate plan to stop this brutal destruction, which the Whitakers have themselves motivated by their conviction that oil is to be found in a border area disputed by the two countries.
The Doomed Oasis has the potential to be a far better novel than it is. The contrast between the motivations of greed and romance is something which could be the basis of an interesting story. The relationship between the Whitakers, one of several broken father-son relationships in Innes' novels, has dramatic potential which is not exploited. Also like other Innes' novels, it centres around poorly written courtroom scenes; there are far better devices to use in a thriller.
The legend of Lawrence of Arabia plays a large part in this thriller about oil and politics in the peninsula. Colonel Charles Whitaker is a figure clearly based on Lawrence, a European who has accepted Arab customs and who has a great deal of influence in the politics of the various small states which are mostly today subsumed into groupings such as the United Arab Emirates. Here, it is oil rather than war which is the aim, but Whitaker as he has become older has managed to destroy his reputation with the oil companies as he has put forward a theory that oil is present in vast quantities in places where it was never found.
Whitaker is not the central character in the story. This is his son David, who came out to Arabia once he had discovered his paternity. David becomes passionately involved with the desert kingdom of Saraifa, the doomed oasis of the title. Water is brought to the inhabitants through ancient aqueducts, the falajes, but now the slow process of neglect which is gradually destroying them has been accelerated by the vandalism of enemies from the neighbouring emirate. David comes up with a desperate plan to stop this brutal destruction, which the Whitakers have themselves motivated by their conviction that oil is to be found in a border area disputed by the two countries.
The Doomed Oasis has the potential to be a far better novel than it is. The contrast between the motivations of greed and romance is something which could be the basis of an interesting story. The relationship between the Whitakers, one of several broken father-son relationships in Innes' novels, has dramatic potential which is not exploited. Also like other Innes' novels, it centres around poorly written courtroom scenes; there are far better devices to use in a thriller.
December 31, 2017
The perfect adventure story for the holidays. It combined life in dreary and rainy Cardiff with the burning heat and sun of the Arabian deserts and a plot that kept the reader's attention to the end. It was anything but "a slog" as one critic described it and the vivid portrayal of the incredible hardships of the desert made it seem very real. One would have to have little imagination not to be fully involved in this story.
July 24, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this - reminded me a bit of Shute's Trustee from the Toolroom - in a good way !
Explores the impact of oil & water resources on communities, of military, business, political and journalistic expectations and manages to be a good story at the same time !
Explores the impact of oil & water resources on communities, of military, business, political and journalistic expectations and manages to be a good story at the same time !
April 1, 2018
I couldn't finish this book. I kept going until the 50% mark, about 160 pages in. At this point... nothing had really happened yet. I mean, various small things had happened here or there, but they didn't add up to anything, they weren't pointing to any plot, they weren't going anywhere. The book didn't seem to be about anything. I couldn't tell you who the protagonist was or what the goal of the book would be.
So why 2 stars and not 1? Well, I still didn't feel like it was a complete waste of time. I enjoyed some of the writing. I liked the descriptions of Arabia. I liked the mystery around the region and it was fun getting a picture of it from this time period.
However, that alone does not a book worth reading make.
So why 2 stars and not 1? Well, I still didn't feel like it was a complete waste of time. I enjoyed some of the writing. I liked the descriptions of Arabia. I liked the mystery around the region and it was fun getting a picture of it from this time period.
However, that alone does not a book worth reading make.
April 12, 2022
I would say “The Doomed Oasis “ by Hammond Innes is a book I throughly enjoyed, started Sunday night, then again the whole Monday, couldn’t put the book down. Real swashbuckling adventure in the desert with tribesmen 3 heroes, Grant, David & his father Colonel Whitaker, camels, oil drilling, water holes, “falajes”or wells”all contributing to an exciting tale. I think this Hammond Innes story is the best I’ve read so far & I’ve read “Isvik” “Campbells Kingdom“ ,”The Strange Land” & “The Lonely Skier”. I’ve still got to read quite a few other books of Mr Innes that I have in my bookcase that I bought.
All I can say he is a really good story teller. There should be a film made on “The Doomed Oasis “. I give this a 5 star rating!
All I can say he is a really good story teller. There should be a film made on “The Doomed Oasis “. I give this a 5 star rating!
April 7, 2024
Review of the 1984 dramatized audio version (3 stars)
I listened to the dramatized audio adaptation from 1984, which was splendidly done with many sound effects, as well as Arabic and foreign languages. But there is a significant amount of blasphemy in the story, and the plot itself was just okay. It features a Welsh lawyer as protagonist, who heads to the desert of Arabia to uncover a mystery involving a father and his estranged son, and big oil companies.
I listened to the dramatized audio adaptation from 1984, which was splendidly done with many sound effects, as well as Arabic and foreign languages. But there is a significant amount of blasphemy in the story, and the plot itself was just okay. It features a Welsh lawyer as protagonist, who heads to the desert of Arabia to uncover a mystery involving a father and his estranged son, and big oil companies.
November 30, 2024
Long winded
Innes used this same method of telling his story via courtroom testimony as he did with “The Wreck of the Mary Deare”. It too was a convoluted tale that was made into a slightly less boring movie which also involved an older protagonist who ends up with a younger woman without much of a mention of romance in the story. All so very British in attitude towards Arabs and romance. But he got the oil executives right: scoundrels.
Innes used this same method of telling his story via courtroom testimony as he did with “The Wreck of the Mary Deare”. It too was a convoluted tale that was made into a slightly less boring movie which also involved an older protagonist who ends up with a younger woman without much of a mention of romance in the story. All so very British in attitude towards Arabs and romance. But he got the oil executives right: scoundrels.
July 2, 2018
A somewhat dated little thriller that explores the complications behind exploiting the oil resources of feuding Arab states in the mid-20th Century. The story moves along, but the characters are very muc, "blah"...
June 18, 2018
Old-school action. As one commenter said, it;'s like watching a black and white movie on a Saturday afternoon. Dated, but entertaining.
December 1, 2020
A fairly entertaining adventure story; as in the one other Innes novel I have read, Innes is very good at writing man vs. nature, and at describing harsh natural environments.
September 23, 2021
Decent first half, really boring second half.
October 30, 2022
Dated in its attitudes about non-English people. Still an interesting adventure in the Arabian peninsula.
November 14, 2025
Took me a while to get nto it but after that I enjoyed it.
September 25, 2025
When I was in high school (1950s) Hammond Innes was my favourite writer. My current interest in the Sahara induced me to re-read The Doomed Oasis which was the last book I read in 1959. Reading the cover notes I realised The Doomed Oasis was set in Arabia. I went ahead and read it regardless. Reading the first half of the book I was thinking I should re-read more Hammond Innes. It was so good. Many of Innes’s books are set in exotic locations. (Golden Soak is set in Australia). Innes spent time in each location before writing his novels. In The Doomed Oasis I liked the convincing descriptions of that part of Arabia now within Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Some place names are authentic, some are fictional. Interestingly the parallel sandridges he describes run north-east south-west and contain areas of gravelly rises – similar to the sandridge country in Australia’s Great Sandy Desert. When the pleasant slow pace of the novel is replaced by fast paced action I began to lose interest. Too many “comings and goings” of scenes and characters. I did not have a clear picture of the “tower” and its environs where the final action takes place. And the fate of one of the main characters is just a little too convenient. A good quote I noticed: “you can’t buy immunity from your actions.” Maybe as a schoolboy I enjoyed the fast-paced second half more than the slow-paced first half. I have no immediate plans to re-read another Hammond Innes – but if I did it would be The Wreck of the Mary Deare.”
April 3, 2023
Quite old-fashioned in many respects and reflecting the attitudes of 1960. There isn't a huge amount of inner reflection from the narrator. It also takes a while to get going but it does rattle along nicely towards the end and the conclusion is pretty satisfying. Innes does put you in the relentless heat of the desert skilfully and throws a clever curveball or two at the reader.
December 28, 2016
Found this book thru some serendipity and the beginning was exciting, but it fizzled halfway thru and became a slog. It sounded like the type of book that Wes Anderson has used for inspiration for the books read aloud in his movies.
March 6, 2014
a nice audio to craft to
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October 15, 2008A Inn
April 21, 2013
Good book, dated though. Hammond Inness one of my favorite authors. Small town lawyer becomes involved with politics in Arabia. Published in 1960.
July 19, 2013
It's many years since I read this book, but I do recall that as usual with Mr Innes, it was a good yarn.
June 15, 2015
A quick read. Entertaining in an old B movie sort of way. After setting up the story with lots of characters and detail the ending is kind of fast and puzzling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2010
This old novel is worth reading. I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews