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Kaplan's Quest
The disappearance of his great-uncle Samuel during World War II has shaped the life of the young university lecturer, Shmulik Kaplan. As part of his Master's Thesis on the history of Germany between the wars, he sets out to try and discover what happened to his uncle – an outstanding athlete who managed to leave Germany in 1935, and yet incomprehensibly, returned to Berlin, and then vanished without a trace.
From his book lined office at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, to Berlin and to Mont St. Michel in France, and through the dusty WW II archives of the German army, the quest takes him on a rollercoaster journey of personal discovery and emotion. The search uncovers events and materials that no-one had ever heard of before, or seen, since the days of the German occupation of France.
From his book lined office at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, to Berlin and to Mont St. Michel in France, and through the dusty WW II archives of the German army, the quest takes him on a rollercoaster journey of personal discovery and emotion. The search uncovers events and materials that no-one had ever heard of before, or seen, since the days of the German occupation of France.
- GenresFiction
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
16 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 28, 2019
Very good.
If not for some editing errors this was a great book, and I could have ignored most for a five star rating except for one of main characters having his name changed from Ethan to Josh for about 5-10 pages. As a former U.S. Submariner, I find many supposedly suspenseful novels based on subs more comedies for how far off they are from reality, this one brought back memories of that life with some intriguing new, and believable technologies with feasible results. Good job. I actually hope the author considers bringing us more of the Stingray's adventures.
If not for some editing errors this was a great book, and I could have ignored most for a five star rating except for one of main characters having his name changed from Ethan to Josh for about 5-10 pages. As a former U.S. Submariner, I find many supposedly suspenseful novels based on subs more comedies for how far off they are from reality, this one brought back memories of that life with some intriguing new, and believable technologies with feasible results. Good job. I actually hope the author considers bringing us more of the Stingray's adventures.
February 17, 2018
good escapist book. not great lit, but it makes you want to keep reading and find out what will happen next. lots of good details, the author did some serious research.
December 30, 2014
To begin the author has sent me a free copy of his book with the request to read and review it. I have happily agreed to his requests. With this formality aside I will honestly report that I enjoyed this book a great deal more than I expected. Upon learning that the plot concerned a murder I was not optimistic about my reaction to the book. I am a retired criminal lawyer with a significant concentration in murder cases. Consequently, I avoid crime novels and especially murder mysteries. I have a hard time understanding the appeal of murder as a parlor game ala Agatha Christie et al. Anyway the book was a delight and not at all what I was afraid I'd find. First, it would be inaccurate to call this a murder mystery. It is more a political thriller that starts with a murder. Unlike most political thrillers, however, we are not subjected to the heroic exploits of some young secret agent that roams the globe blowing things up and killing terrorists by the score. In this book we have middle aged, out of shape, cripples doing their best to do their jobs in the confusion that is Middle East life and politics. I do not know a great deal about this part of the world but the other thing I enjoyed about this book was that it gave me a taste of the flavor of real life in that part of the world. I enjoyed this book quite a bit and I hope the author uses these characters and setting to start a series as I would definitely begin follow it.
May 30, 2018
The Flight of the Sting Ray
By Richard Steinitz
Reviewed by D. H. Grim
This is why it is called the Silent Service and why they are called the Quiet Professionals. This is not a techno-drama story filled with rads per hour or blast radius calculations. You may find the word reactor used possibly three times. This is a geo-political what-if story that links the highest levels of US Naval Submarine Command, a murdered USN submarine Captain and a Mossad controlled doppelganger that has penetrated deep into Iran who is then successfully extracted by the Sting Ray and Seal Team Ten operators.
The years of preparation required by the Agent and the unresolved mysteries surrounding the possible death of Mr. X and the murder of Capt. Joe Moreno leave you wondering if this could really happen or even more chilling has it already. Mobsters, murderers, and war criminals have tried using plastic surgery to disguise their identities but what if you had a covet operative who needed no disguise? What if nature truly provided you with such man who only needed time to learn, to mimic and study the life of the man he is about to replace, what could or would any government do with such an asset?
The Sting Ray is rushed out of new construction and into action at a pace far faster than Captain Woodbridge or Admiral Towner are truly comfortable with but the call has gone out and the Boat and her crew must respond at flank speed. Sting Ray’s newly developed technology allows it to position its self underneath surface vessels so it can make covert inter harbor transits submerged and nearly undetectable. The classified superstructure when deployed makes Sting Ray nearly an immovable object in the sea allowing for station keeping that will provide superior support for lockout operations while remaining nearly invisible and undetectable.
Come meet Dr. Gross and Mr. Roth and learn how creative solutions are found to the most complex of US Navy bureaucratic problems when the COB is allowed to function at all ahead battle.
In the Kindle version, this book is a fast and easy read. Enjoy it for the story that it is. The backdrop is contemporary and the state actors are real as is the geopolitical implications.
Remember when SECDEF Donald Rumsfeld said, “There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know”. He could have been speaking of the Sting Ray, but then we don't know.
I rate this book at 3 cigars and 3 bourbons which is pretty darn good!
By Richard Steinitz
Reviewed by D. H. Grim
This is why it is called the Silent Service and why they are called the Quiet Professionals. This is not a techno-drama story filled with rads per hour or blast radius calculations. You may find the word reactor used possibly three times. This is a geo-political what-if story that links the highest levels of US Naval Submarine Command, a murdered USN submarine Captain and a Mossad controlled doppelganger that has penetrated deep into Iran who is then successfully extracted by the Sting Ray and Seal Team Ten operators.
The years of preparation required by the Agent and the unresolved mysteries surrounding the possible death of Mr. X and the murder of Capt. Joe Moreno leave you wondering if this could really happen or even more chilling has it already. Mobsters, murderers, and war criminals have tried using plastic surgery to disguise their identities but what if you had a covet operative who needed no disguise? What if nature truly provided you with such man who only needed time to learn, to mimic and study the life of the man he is about to replace, what could or would any government do with such an asset?
The Sting Ray is rushed out of new construction and into action at a pace far faster than Captain Woodbridge or Admiral Towner are truly comfortable with but the call has gone out and the Boat and her crew must respond at flank speed. Sting Ray’s newly developed technology allows it to position its self underneath surface vessels so it can make covert inter harbor transits submerged and nearly undetectable. The classified superstructure when deployed makes Sting Ray nearly an immovable object in the sea allowing for station keeping that will provide superior support for lockout operations while remaining nearly invisible and undetectable.
Come meet Dr. Gross and Mr. Roth and learn how creative solutions are found to the most complex of US Navy bureaucratic problems when the COB is allowed to function at all ahead battle.
In the Kindle version, this book is a fast and easy read. Enjoy it for the story that it is. The backdrop is contemporary and the state actors are real as is the geopolitical implications.
Remember when SECDEF Donald Rumsfeld said, “There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know”. He could have been speaking of the Sting Ray, but then we don't know.
I rate this book at 3 cigars and 3 bourbons which is pretty darn good!
May 27, 2019
Lt. Commander Jeff Woodbridge is transferred to Groton, Connecticut to take command of an experimental, stealth submarine, the U.S.S. Stingray. He is promoted to Commander and we oversee the completion of the sub, which is set for two months.
One of the conflicts in the novel is the murder or accidental death of the previous captain. The NCIS determines it was a murder and that one of the civilian workers was the culprit, but someone else had assumed his identity. This thread doesn't get much attention. Also Woodbridge isn't deterred one bit nor is he even a little bit frightened. This just doesn't seem very realistic to me.
Woodbridge is also surprised to find that the boat's doctor is female. The civilian contractor's son is also aboard, completing software and electronic upgrades; there's a bit of a problem when the boat is given its first assignment. Both of them wind up on board when the sub goes to sea. The job of a stealth sub will be to offboard Navy Seals and CIA operatives and pick them up when their missions are complete. The boat doesn't have facilities for a woman and such an assignment may endanger the life of a civilian.
A potentially interesting element in the book is the doppelganger who looks exactly like an important person in a foreign country at odds with the United States and Israel (the author is an Israeli). The lookalike has been soaking up his counterpoint's background and quirks for five years. Once we're introduced to this person, it's not too hard to figure out the Stingray's mission.
We also learn some techniques the sub will use to get through the Suez Canal and enter dangerous harbors. One is “piggybacking” where the sub hides beneath a larger vessel. It has equipment aboard to avoid sonar and radar and remain extremely quiet.
I was in the Navy for four years, never on a sub, but I've had some conflicts with superior officers. Jeff Woodbridge comes across as a by-the-book commander; then he sets about breaking the rules with a little help from the Admiral he works for. The two original characters are the contractor's son and the female doctor, who's one of the most able characters in the book. Unfortunately most of the others are flat. I suppose you could say that's what the Navy is supposed to be, but that was not my experience. I guess I was expecting a crisis situation and it never showed. There was one that could've been, but nothing really crucial happened.
One of the conflicts in the novel is the murder or accidental death of the previous captain. The NCIS determines it was a murder and that one of the civilian workers was the culprit, but someone else had assumed his identity. This thread doesn't get much attention. Also Woodbridge isn't deterred one bit nor is he even a little bit frightened. This just doesn't seem very realistic to me.
Woodbridge is also surprised to find that the boat's doctor is female. The civilian contractor's son is also aboard, completing software and electronic upgrades; there's a bit of a problem when the boat is given its first assignment. Both of them wind up on board when the sub goes to sea. The job of a stealth sub will be to offboard Navy Seals and CIA operatives and pick them up when their missions are complete. The boat doesn't have facilities for a woman and such an assignment may endanger the life of a civilian.
A potentially interesting element in the book is the doppelganger who looks exactly like an important person in a foreign country at odds with the United States and Israel (the author is an Israeli). The lookalike has been soaking up his counterpoint's background and quirks for five years. Once we're introduced to this person, it's not too hard to figure out the Stingray's mission.
We also learn some techniques the sub will use to get through the Suez Canal and enter dangerous harbors. One is “piggybacking” where the sub hides beneath a larger vessel. It has equipment aboard to avoid sonar and radar and remain extremely quiet.
I was in the Navy for four years, never on a sub, but I've had some conflicts with superior officers. Jeff Woodbridge comes across as a by-the-book commander; then he sets about breaking the rules with a little help from the Admiral he works for. The two original characters are the contractor's son and the female doctor, who's one of the most able characters in the book. Unfortunately most of the others are flat. I suppose you could say that's what the Navy is supposed to be, but that was not my experience. I guess I was expecting a crisis situation and it never showed. There was one that could've been, but nothing really crucial happened.
January 10, 2022
The Review
This was such an intriguing and gripping thriller! The author did an amazing job of balancing the descriptive military workings of the novel’s setting aboard the submarine with the personal character developments and thoughtful approach to suspense and mystery that this narrative held. The way the author utilized the multiple perspective approach to the storytelling was so great to see, as a setting such as a submarine and anything involving the military often involves so many different working parts that to approach it any other way may have taken away from the growing mystery of this narrative.
The very distinctive way the author was able to work into the story how the ship came to be made and the intricacies of constructing a submarine of this new type of capabilities were so well researched and developed within the confines of the narrative. It added to the intense imagery that the author deployed in this narrative, as did the amazing atmosphere that made this novel capture some of the intrigue and mystery that great 80’s military films surrounding the Cold War were known for.
The Verdict
A memorable, fast-paced, and character-driven narrative, author Richard Steinitz’s “The Voyage of the Stingray” is a must-read submarine and military suspense thriller! The action and suspense blended well with the character growth in this narrative, and the way the cast of characters became a great mixture of soldiers serving aboard a ship together to more of a family-unit style of storytelling was both heartwarming and engaging to read, and the exploration of morality versus military engagement from the ship’s new commander was so fascinating to read.
This was such an intriguing and gripping thriller! The author did an amazing job of balancing the descriptive military workings of the novel’s setting aboard the submarine with the personal character developments and thoughtful approach to suspense and mystery that this narrative held. The way the author utilized the multiple perspective approach to the storytelling was so great to see, as a setting such as a submarine and anything involving the military often involves so many different working parts that to approach it any other way may have taken away from the growing mystery of this narrative.
The very distinctive way the author was able to work into the story how the ship came to be made and the intricacies of constructing a submarine of this new type of capabilities were so well researched and developed within the confines of the narrative. It added to the intense imagery that the author deployed in this narrative, as did the amazing atmosphere that made this novel capture some of the intrigue and mystery that great 80’s military films surrounding the Cold War were known for.
The Verdict
A memorable, fast-paced, and character-driven narrative, author Richard Steinitz’s “The Voyage of the Stingray” is a must-read submarine and military suspense thriller! The action and suspense blended well with the character growth in this narrative, and the way the cast of characters became a great mixture of soldiers serving aboard a ship together to more of a family-unit style of storytelling was both heartwarming and engaging to read, and the exploration of morality versus military engagement from the ship’s new commander was so fascinating to read.
December 14, 2022
I enjoy submarine novels and read as many as I can. However, I wish I’d skipped this one.
First, the positives. I really like the submarine. It’s described well, and represents an interesting and innovative concept. The author thought through the implications of its design and how such a sub might operate tactically.
As for negatives, it’s a long list. I suspect no editor approached within reading distance of the manuscript. If it weren’t for weak verbs, strange capitalization choices, unrealistic dialogue, repeated words, cliches, missing words, jarring point-of-view shifts, misused words, folksy wording in formal naval correspondence, misspellings, anachronisms, and plot inconsistencies, there’d be little left to read.
In case I haven’t dissuaded you from reading the book, I won’t spoil the ending. It spoils itself. Novels about military submarines often include excitement, danger, battle, and high adventure. This novel could have benefited from at least one of those, but didn’t.
Moreover, most modern novels involve a change in the main character, the protagonist. If that character doesn’t change between the beginning and the end, a reader is left to wonder what the point of the book is. I’m wondering that now, about this book.
If I were you, I’d sit this voyage out.
First, the positives. I really like the submarine. It’s described well, and represents an interesting and innovative concept. The author thought through the implications of its design and how such a sub might operate tactically.
As for negatives, it’s a long list. I suspect no editor approached within reading distance of the manuscript. If it weren’t for weak verbs, strange capitalization choices, unrealistic dialogue, repeated words, cliches, missing words, jarring point-of-view shifts, misused words, folksy wording in formal naval correspondence, misspellings, anachronisms, and plot inconsistencies, there’d be little left to read.
In case I haven’t dissuaded you from reading the book, I won’t spoil the ending. It spoils itself. Novels about military submarines often include excitement, danger, battle, and high adventure. This novel could have benefited from at least one of those, but didn’t.
Moreover, most modern novels involve a change in the main character, the protagonist. If that character doesn’t change between the beginning and the end, a reader is left to wonder what the point of the book is. I’m wondering that now, about this book.
If I were you, I’d sit this voyage out.
February 24, 2023
Teaching about the Holocaust takes a great amount of sensitivity and thought on the part of the teacher which can make looking for appropriate materials a challenge. On the one hand, students need to be introduced to the world of those caught up in it by having the feeling they have stepped into someone’s shoes. On the other hand, we want learners to broaden their horizons through literature which impacts them and their thinking. Kaplan’s Quest engages the reader from the start through to the end of the story. The reader is taken from Israel to Germany, France and Canada in search of a missing family member who disappeared without a trace during the Second World War. Curiosity and interest keep the reader’s attention throughout and makes one want to see what information Sammy will be able to uncover by searching through archives and meeting with people who had contact with his great-uncle. Slowly he begins to piece together his great-uncle’s journey from his life as a Jewish athlete in Berlin under the Nazis to a monastery in France. Although the book is set in modern times, the theme of the Holocaust and the effects WW2 had in Europe come to life in the descriptions of the quest Sammy undertakes to unravel the mystery of how and why his great-uncle survived the first few years of the war and why he ultimately vanished from sight.
February 28, 2024
The Voyage of the Stingray is written by Richard Steinitz.
“A new type of stealthy nuclear submarine - the USS Stingray - is under development and Commander Jeff Woodbridge has been assigned to command her. Shortly after sea trials have been successfully concluded, Stingray is sent on an urgent mission.”
This title is filled with fascinating, interesting details of life aboard a submarine.
It is very technical and offers an insider’s look at submarine design and construction.
The technical advancements are astounding.
There is a brilliant (it seemed to me) CO - I hope the Navy has many officers like him.
The story is full of geography, Navy life, ship building, sea trials, suspense and adventure.
There is a Notes section which I appreciated.
I read this book on the basis of two other titles written by Mr. Steinitz.
Murder Over the Border - a detective story set in the turmoil and upheaval of the Middle East.
Kaplan’s Quest - a personal and historical journey of discovery.
Both titles were excellent.
I recommend all 3 titles. *****
“A new type of stealthy nuclear submarine - the USS Stingray - is under development and Commander Jeff Woodbridge has been assigned to command her. Shortly after sea trials have been successfully concluded, Stingray is sent on an urgent mission.”
This title is filled with fascinating, interesting details of life aboard a submarine.
It is very technical and offers an insider’s look at submarine design and construction.
The technical advancements are astounding.
There is a brilliant (it seemed to me) CO - I hope the Navy has many officers like him.
The story is full of geography, Navy life, ship building, sea trials, suspense and adventure.
There is a Notes section which I appreciated.
I read this book on the basis of two other titles written by Mr. Steinitz.
Murder Over the Border - a detective story set in the turmoil and upheaval of the Middle East.
Kaplan’s Quest - a personal and historical journey of discovery.
Both titles were excellent.
I recommend all 3 titles. *****
June 18, 2018
Rife with proof-reading errors, and the occasional story-line fumble
The subject matter interests me (I served in the US Sub Service), but this story just never delivered. The jolly swashbuckler "voice” of the narrator never rang true to any character I ever shipped with, there were fumbles of technical and trade language, typos that should have been cleaned during edit, and even an occasional reconfiguration of the basic layout of the sub. Meanwhile, the story line (in the apparent interests of suspense) fails to connect threads, or even to hint at their connections, until the very final pages.
The subject matter interests me (I served in the US Sub Service), but this story just never delivered. The jolly swashbuckler "voice” of the narrator never rang true to any character I ever shipped with, there were fumbles of technical and trade language, typos that should have been cleaned during edit, and even an occasional reconfiguration of the basic layout of the sub. Meanwhile, the story line (in the apparent interests of suspense) fails to connect threads, or even to hint at their connections, until the very final pages.
April 27, 2019
Great read that provides a good understanding of the Israeli Arab conflict. The plot involved a murder mystery with political and espionage connections. I hope this is the first of a series of books involving this group of characters.
February 28, 2018
Enjoyable Adventure in Sub!
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August 1, 2015
It’s been a question in Sammy’s family for years, but no one pursued it. Now for his Master’s Thesis concerning the history of Germany between the two world wars, he decides to research what happened to his namesake, his great uncle (Onkel Samuel), just prior to WWII. Samuel had been an excellent athlete participating in the Maccabi Games of 1935; returned to Berlin; and corresponded with his brother, Ethan Kaplan, until September 1939. That’s where the trail ended. Ethan had tried to find Samuel after the war was over. He was only able to discover that Samuel had been picked up by the German army in late 1938, interrogated and released.
Sammy and his cousin, Jack, were always close. When Jack wasn’t involved in his archaeological project in France, he offered to give Sammy a hand in his research. Jack’s archaeological dig was actually located under the building known as the Monastery of Mont St. Michel. What he found hidden there had nothing to do with medieval construction and everything to do with the 1940’s era. It was a German soldier’s helmet from WWII and a journal belonging to Captain Max von Vollendorf.
The subject matter of this story was fascinating. It’s historical fiction dealing with the Jewish culture and history of the holocaust. I hadn’t pre-read a lot of information about the book so when I started reading, I began to wonder if any / some of these characters were real. But at the outset, the author made it clear they were fictional. The novel is told in first person by Shmuel (Sammy) Kaplan. I thought the characters were well developed. However, there is a bit too much detail for the story to flow smoothly. While it is never my intention to give ‘spoilers’ in my review, I just need to mention that there is a high level of coincidence to bring it all together. As Sammy is side-tracked to investigate Vollendorf instead of his great uncle, it’s not too hard to put it together that the two will connect in some way. But in reality, if I were looking for Onkel Samuel, I would not have spent time researching Vollendorf. Much of the work that Sammy and Jack engage in is interviews and finding additional research material. Rating: 3 out of 5.
Sammy and his cousin, Jack, were always close. When Jack wasn’t involved in his archaeological project in France, he offered to give Sammy a hand in his research. Jack’s archaeological dig was actually located under the building known as the Monastery of Mont St. Michel. What he found hidden there had nothing to do with medieval construction and everything to do with the 1940’s era. It was a German soldier’s helmet from WWII and a journal belonging to Captain Max von Vollendorf.
The subject matter of this story was fascinating. It’s historical fiction dealing with the Jewish culture and history of the holocaust. I hadn’t pre-read a lot of information about the book so when I started reading, I began to wonder if any / some of these characters were real. But at the outset, the author made it clear they were fictional. The novel is told in first person by Shmuel (Sammy) Kaplan. I thought the characters were well developed. However, there is a bit too much detail for the story to flow smoothly. While it is never my intention to give ‘spoilers’ in my review, I just need to mention that there is a high level of coincidence to bring it all together. As Sammy is side-tracked to investigate Vollendorf instead of his great uncle, it’s not too hard to put it together that the two will connect in some way. But in reality, if I were looking for Onkel Samuel, I would not have spent time researching Vollendorf. Much of the work that Sammy and Jack engage in is interviews and finding additional research material. Rating: 3 out of 5.
May 14, 2015
Kaplan's Quest follows Samuel Kaplan as he looks into the fate of his great-uncle during the second world war. His quest to discover what happened to his namesake, will take him from Israel to Germany to France and beyond.
Right of the bat this is an intriguing book, offering a mystery and dollops of info on Jewish culture and holocaust history. This could have been an excellent, thought provoking read, unfortunately the writing is fairly didactic, a little dry and it failed to stir much more than mild curiosity in me.
A good deal of the book involves interviews and research, which did bog down the first 60% of the text. As this is not a real life investigation, merely inspired by real life events, I feel that a good deal of this research time could have been cut down. There is similarly little feeling to any of the characters. I couldn't tell you if I found Samuel nervous or excited because there was little emotion to the writing. The characters were bland and flat and there was no feeling of urgency or even why he wanted to know. If I was to travel across the globe to discover something, I would have some desire or emotional reaction for this, but I could not understand the main character's motivation. Was it academia? Had he always been eager to know? The fact that I couldn't fathom his reasons were a big problem. In addition, he met the love of his life at some point during the last 40% of the book and I can't tell you a thing about her, which is poor when you consider I finished reading about 45 minutes ago.
The mystery itself was intriguing and the effort put into writing the diary entries was impressive but this is not enough to carry the rest of the text.
In conclusion, it's an able mystery but not written compellingly enough for my tastes. I recommend taking back the text and injecting a little more life into the characters.
Right of the bat this is an intriguing book, offering a mystery and dollops of info on Jewish culture and holocaust history. This could have been an excellent, thought provoking read, unfortunately the writing is fairly didactic, a little dry and it failed to stir much more than mild curiosity in me.
A good deal of the book involves interviews and research, which did bog down the first 60% of the text. As this is not a real life investigation, merely inspired by real life events, I feel that a good deal of this research time could have been cut down. There is similarly little feeling to any of the characters. I couldn't tell you if I found Samuel nervous or excited because there was little emotion to the writing. The characters were bland and flat and there was no feeling of urgency or even why he wanted to know. If I was to travel across the globe to discover something, I would have some desire or emotional reaction for this, but I could not understand the main character's motivation. Was it academia? Had he always been eager to know? The fact that I couldn't fathom his reasons were a big problem. In addition, he met the love of his life at some point during the last 40% of the book and I can't tell you a thing about her, which is poor when you consider I finished reading about 45 minutes ago.
The mystery itself was intriguing and the effort put into writing the diary entries was impressive but this is not enough to carry the rest of the text.
In conclusion, it's an able mystery but not written compellingly enough for my tastes. I recommend taking back the text and injecting a little more life into the characters.
July 20, 2015
Samuel Kaplan was named after his great-uncle Samuel. While growing up, there were many comparisons between the two. It only stood to reason the younger Samuel would write his thesis about his uncle's disappearance. The elder Samuel was an outstanding athlete and had managed to get out of Germany before WWII started. His family could not figure out why he went back to Berlin when he could have gone with his family to Jerusalem. After WWII, there wasn't any more information to show his whereabouts. His family had no idea what happened to him. The younger Samuel begins digging into historical documents, photos and books. His hope was he'd find his uncle. He never knew his journey would take him to many places and provide him with an abundance of information.
First let me say I read this particular book five times. Yes, you read correctly, five times. Mr. Steinitz takes us on a journey few will ever make. The writing is solid and the characters three dimensional. I was lost in the story each time I read it! I decided to read it so many times because I didn't want to miss any detail. I'm a history buff but I still learned many new details while reading this. You'll be amazed at the historically accurate book. Your emotions will be pulled in many directions as you follow the information Samuel discovers. Mr Steinitz has the uncanny ability of storytelling without making it seem like storytelling. This is a keeper and should be on your TBR pile immediately.
The only thing I would change is the charts. I think you can explain them very well without diagrams. It's the only issue I found.
I gave this book 5 cheers out of 5 because it's very in-depth. Copy of book provided by author in exchange for a fair review~
First let me say I read this particular book five times. Yes, you read correctly, five times. Mr. Steinitz takes us on a journey few will ever make. The writing is solid and the characters three dimensional. I was lost in the story each time I read it! I decided to read it so many times because I didn't want to miss any detail. I'm a history buff but I still learned many new details while reading this. You'll be amazed at the historically accurate book. Your emotions will be pulled in many directions as you follow the information Samuel discovers. Mr Steinitz has the uncanny ability of storytelling without making it seem like storytelling. This is a keeper and should be on your TBR pile immediately.
The only thing I would change is the charts. I think you can explain them very well without diagrams. It's the only issue I found.
I gave this book 5 cheers out of 5 because it's very in-depth. Copy of book provided by author in exchange for a fair review~
August 22, 2014
I 'won' this book from GMTA Publishing in exchange for a sincere and unbiased review.
I am very lucky as this was an outstanding read.
MURDER OVER THE BORDER, written by Richard Steinitz, is a 'quiet' book, full of ordinary people going about their work and their daily lives. I expected a fast-paced thriller and this was a refreshing surprise.
Lt. (Res.) Yossi Abulafia is a 45 year old commander in the Jerusalem Police Department. He gave up his exemption for his 1 month military reserve duty every year, as he had a great 'gig' going at Charlie Post, near the triangular border between Israel, Jordan and Syria. It was boring duty and Yossi began a hobby of nature photography, especially of a local antelope herd, while watching and documenting border traffic in the area. One random photograph of a metallic gray BMW with 2 men (1 with a gun) stopped alongside the Jordanian highway haunts him for many years and is later the key to solving an international murder mystery.
MURDER OVER THE BORDER is a many-faceted story. It is a mystery; it is a spy thriller; it is about friendship; it is a great description of and portrayal of Israeli life. I very much liked the characters and identified with them. I especially liked the book's 'sense of place'.
I hope Mr. Steinitz has plans to develop these characters and write another mystery with them as key players. I would like to meet up with Yossi, Yehiel Avison, Arieh Bar-Gur and Abd'el Wafa Aziz again, as I feel very connected to them and like their honesty, their friendship and their practical and realistic philosophies about life.
I am very lucky as this was an outstanding read.
MURDER OVER THE BORDER, written by Richard Steinitz, is a 'quiet' book, full of ordinary people going about their work and their daily lives. I expected a fast-paced thriller and this was a refreshing surprise.
Lt. (Res.) Yossi Abulafia is a 45 year old commander in the Jerusalem Police Department. He gave up his exemption for his 1 month military reserve duty every year, as he had a great 'gig' going at Charlie Post, near the triangular border between Israel, Jordan and Syria. It was boring duty and Yossi began a hobby of nature photography, especially of a local antelope herd, while watching and documenting border traffic in the area. One random photograph of a metallic gray BMW with 2 men (1 with a gun) stopped alongside the Jordanian highway haunts him for many years and is later the key to solving an international murder mystery.
MURDER OVER THE BORDER is a many-faceted story. It is a mystery; it is a spy thriller; it is about friendship; it is a great description of and portrayal of Israeli life. I very much liked the characters and identified with them. I especially liked the book's 'sense of place'.
I hope Mr. Steinitz has plans to develop these characters and write another mystery with them as key players. I would like to meet up with Yossi, Yehiel Avison, Arieh Bar-Gur and Abd'el Wafa Aziz again, as I feel very connected to them and like their honesty, their friendship and their practical and realistic philosophies about life.
December 30, 2014
Initially, I should reveal that this book was the second of two sent to me by the author with the request that I read and review them. I have agreed to do that but in no way guaranteed a favorable review. With this disclosure completed I would like to report that I found the book quite enjoyable. It is about an Israeli graduate student in history who decides to investigate the disappearance of an uncle he's never known as his thesis project. The disappearance took place shortly before the start of WWII and unlike the fates of other Jews in Germany at that time the uncle's fate mysteriously failed to be documented by the fastidious German bureaucracy. This investigation takes the student to Germany and then to an archaeological dig in France being supervised by his Canadian cousin. Together with an American Jewish girl this trio pursues this mystery as it blossoms into other lives and locations. Ultimately they become obsessed with exposing a tale that failed to reach the light of known history and to answer questions for a dozen Jewish families about relatives thought lost for all time. There isn't a lot of action in the telling of this story and it reads more like a police procedural but the story is both touching and compelling and certainly well written. Heck, there's even a little romance and a nice Jewish boy makes his mother happy when he brings home this nice Jewish girl from Westchester, N.Y. So, try it, you'll like it.
September 15, 2014
I received this book as an ebook free from the author through LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review. This is an excellent book, one that everyone should read. It shows a quieter side of the Israeli Arab conflict with both sides secretly trying to work out their differences. Of course there is still violence and murder. This book is about ordinary people, their work, their lives, and trying to get along with each other. Throughout the course of the book an Israeli police officer establishes a lasting friendship with a Jordanian police officer. I get the feeling that the author loves Israel but he doesn’t take sides. After reading this book I came away with a better understanding of the Israeli Arab conflict and negotiations and the people and culture of the area. There are villains and extremists on both sides as there are good people on both sides. There is a strong emphasis on family and friendships. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
November 10, 2014
I received this book in exchange for a review.
I feel fortunate to have received this book. I found out that this is the debut novel for this author - what a great start. As I was reading I felt that I was actually there following the characters through their actions. The author has quickly crafted a cast of excellent characters that interact well. I particularly enjoyed an inside look at the lives inside Israel and the adjoining Arab states. The plot built in an intriguing manner towards a very fulfilling ending.
This book was non-stop look inside the Israeli-Palenstinian conflict and showed how it may be possible to solve this problem. Overall a great look at the inner workings of the two societies. When I finished the book, I actually had a desire to visit this part of the world. Unfortunately the current strife against the western countries kept me from really considering that.
I feel fortunate to have received this book. I found out that this is the debut novel for this author - what a great start. As I was reading I felt that I was actually there following the characters through their actions. The author has quickly crafted a cast of excellent characters that interact well. I particularly enjoyed an inside look at the lives inside Israel and the adjoining Arab states. The plot built in an intriguing manner towards a very fulfilling ending.
This book was non-stop look inside the Israeli-Palenstinian conflict and showed how it may be possible to solve this problem. Overall a great look at the inner workings of the two societies. When I finished the book, I actually had a desire to visit this part of the world. Unfortunately the current strife against the western countries kept me from really considering that.
December 5, 2014
Kaplan's Quest is nothing like a traditional book. Instead, it is a narration of a quest by a Jewish man to investigate family history of those lost during the second world war. The story evolves as Samuel (Shmulik)digs deeper and ultimately finds a story of twelve Jewish athletes that went missing during the start of WWII.
This is an interesting story in which Samuel (and the reader) learns about a period almost lost to us that did not live through it. I learned a lot and really enjoyed the characters and the story. This is not a literary masterpiece rather, it is a down to earth story of what is real life, written by a very talented author about meaningful relations in life. As such, it screams out for 5 stars. While I am at it, here is a plug for the author's first book, read Murder Over the Border. I promise you will also enjoy that book about life within Israel.
This is an interesting story in which Samuel (and the reader) learns about a period almost lost to us that did not live through it. I learned a lot and really enjoyed the characters and the story. This is not a literary masterpiece rather, it is a down to earth story of what is real life, written by a very talented author about meaningful relations in life. As such, it screams out for 5 stars. While I am at it, here is a plug for the author's first book, read Murder Over the Border. I promise you will also enjoy that book about life within Israel.
June 10, 2015
Oh, the mysteries of mad Max's tunnel, great read!
I found this to be an amazing read. Shmulik Kaplan has spent his life hearing stories of his great uncle Samuel's mysterious disappearance during the atrocity known as world war 2. When He gets a chance to go to Germany Shmulik through a variety of circumstances gets a hold of Captain Max Von Vollendorf's notebook, which is actually like a diary of what this crazy man did during the war. This also sends Shmulik Kaplan on the quest to know only fond out about his uncle, but a few secrets along the way. This story was well told with just the right amount of suspense and mystery. It read like a memoir of a real life story of the mysteries of a war torn country and its aftermath. Great job by an exceptional writer.
I found this to be an amazing read. Shmulik Kaplan has spent his life hearing stories of his great uncle Samuel's mysterious disappearance during the atrocity known as world war 2. When He gets a chance to go to Germany Shmulik through a variety of circumstances gets a hold of Captain Max Von Vollendorf's notebook, which is actually like a diary of what this crazy man did during the war. This also sends Shmulik Kaplan on the quest to know only fond out about his uncle, but a few secrets along the way. This story was well told with just the right amount of suspense and mystery. It read like a memoir of a real life story of the mysteries of a war torn country and its aftermath. Great job by an exceptional writer.
June 13, 2015
I liked this book because it felt more of an accurate portrayal of espionage than what you read about or see on TV. Yossi Abulafia is a member of the Israeli police, although his job description changes when he is shot at while on duty, but taking pictures. A hobby of his. From here Yossi's life takes more than a few twists and turns along with those of this mystery thriller that I think readers will love. The author did a great job of keeping the story intriguing without so much going on that readers get lost in the confusion. As the world goes through so much war and terror it is like a breath of fresh air to read a thriller like this that actually keeps you in suspense and tells the story behind the story of what true espionage and police work is like.
March 30, 2013
MURDER OVER THE BORDER was a very intriguing, action-packed, and compelling read. Steinitz tells the story so well, I lost myself in it. It truly felt like I was there. The novel was easy to follow but very hard to figure out which makes for a great story. The characters are very well written and you can easily relate to them and understand their story and circumstances. I am looking foward to reading more from this author. Highly recommended read.
Rating: 4.5
Reviewed by: KellyR,My Book Addiction Reviews
Rating: 4.5
Reviewed by: KellyR,My Book Addiction Reviews
December 23, 2014
In this historical fiction, a young academic from Israel conducts a search for his granduncle who went missing from pre-war Germany. The trail leads from Germany to a monastery in France. Here he discovers the faith of his granduncle and eleven other Jewish athletes who were engaged in uncovering a possible pre-historic tunnel between monasteries in England and France. This work gives a view of what life was like under Nazi German rule. This was a free review copy from the author and was a gripping read.
December 24, 2014
Yossi is a Israeli police officer serving a month's reserve duty monitoring the border with Jordan. While witnessing a murder on Jordan's side of the border he falls, injuring himself enough that he has to retire. He transfer to a position representing Israel to Intrapol when in is crippled preventing an assassination in Amsterdam. To concurrent story line converge in this exciting spy/murder novel and was a read that I could not put down. Unlike many crime writers, the author has a knowledge of firearms and proper nomenclatures of such. This was a free review copy.
December 14, 2014
Terrific book
Fascinating account of two cousins who work together to solve a mystery of a crazy German who tried to find an underwater route from France to England during the second world war. It's educational as well as absorbing. The characters are quite likeable and work tirelessly to find the answer. Very enjoyable.
Fascinating account of two cousins who work together to solve a mystery of a crazy German who tried to find an underwater route from France to England during the second world war. It's educational as well as absorbing. The characters are quite likeable and work tirelessly to find the answer. Very enjoyable.
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