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Torpedo Run
Torpedo Run Reeman, Douglas
290 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
About the author
Douglas Reeman
148 books179 followersAKA Alexander Kent.
Douglas Edward Reeman was a British author who has written many historical fiction books on the Royal Navy, mainly set during either World War II or the Napoleonic Wars.
Reeman joined the Royal Navy in 1940, at the age of 16, and served during World War II and the Korean War. He eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant. In addition to being an author, Reeman has also taught the art of navigation for yachting and served as a technical advisor for films. Douglas married author Kimberley Jordan Reeman in 1985.
Reeman's debut novel, A Prayer for the Ship was published in 1958. His pseudonym Alexander Kent was the name of a friend and naval officer who died during the Second World War. Reeman is most famous for his series of Napoleonic naval stories, whose central character is Richard Bolitho, and, later, his nephew, Adam. He also wrote a series of novels about several generations of the Blackwood family who served in the Royal Marines from the 1850s to the 1970s, and a non-fiction account of his World War II experiences, D-Day : A Personal Reminiscence (1984).
Series:
* Blackwood Family
Douglas Edward Reeman was a British author who has written many historical fiction books on the Royal Navy, mainly set during either World War II or the Napoleonic Wars.
Reeman joined the Royal Navy in 1940, at the age of 16, and served during World War II and the Korean War. He eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant. In addition to being an author, Reeman has also taught the art of navigation for yachting and served as a technical advisor for films. Douglas married author Kimberley Jordan Reeman in 1985.
Reeman's debut novel, A Prayer for the Ship was published in 1958. His pseudonym Alexander Kent was the name of a friend and naval officer who died during the Second World War. Reeman is most famous for his series of Napoleonic naval stories, whose central character is Richard Bolitho, and, later, his nephew, Adam. He also wrote a series of novels about several generations of the Blackwood family who served in the Royal Marines from the 1850s to the 1970s, and a non-fiction account of his World War II experiences, D-Day : A Personal Reminiscence (1984).
Series:
* Blackwood Family
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
November 20, 2015
At first when I read this book, I only thought of it as a simple World War II book, but as I read on I began to realize it was much more. Everything about this book was great. It gets so into detail that you can't put it down. It's just a really good book. Besides that, you kind of get into a routine when reading this because it becomes so familiar.It's interesting too. It has an exceedingly interesting plot throughout the story, which leaves you in suspense till the final battle. Even the characters are well built. I would have to say that the majority of the characters have a complex composition by the end of the book because you know about them so well. You get used to them almost like you actually know them, and it just really builds up their character. Overall, I'd have to say that this is one of the best war-fiction based books, I've ever read. I'd recommend this book to anyone whose interests involve war.
August 13, 2018
3.75 Stars!!
January 14, 2015
One of the many WW II Naval adventures by Reeman. I've never read this one, which is set in the Black Sea. In it, an officer in charge of six English motor torpedo boats has to deal with the Germans, the "allied" Russians" and a commanding officer with his eye on promotion. It's OK, but Reeman has a formula and he sticks to it here. The hero isn't so much battle-hardened as next door to shell shocked; he has a difficult romance with a woman from home; and the other characters fit into pre-assigned roles and many of them won't survive to the book's end. It's a very good historical military book, but it doesn't rise above its genre.
January 15, 2015
War at sea in a wooden boat.
The small fast boats of WWII, the American PT, the English MTB and the German E boat, all fought every day with great courage. To use and face modern automatic weapons in a wooden boat took nerve and skill. The British sailors in this book had both. The story line holds your attention with tense action, strategic planning and the terror the sailors went through in every battle.
If you like reading about war at sea, then this book is for you..
The small fast boats of WWII, the American PT, the English MTB and the German E boat, all fought every day with great courage. To use and face modern automatic weapons in a wooden boat took nerve and skill. The British sailors in this book had both. The story line holds your attention with tense action, strategic planning and the terror the sailors went through in every battle.
If you like reading about war at sea, then this book is for you..
August 24, 2014
This was my first book by Douglas Reeman. He is an excellent storyteller. A tale about motorized torpedo boats in the Black Sea during the second world war. The plot was believable and the setting was fascinating. A little too much romance for my liking. I can certainly recommend this book, and will be reading more of his work myself.
May 30, 2019
Good naval warfare novel
For people with an interest in naval warfare, especially in smaller vessels. Writen well enough and as realistic as possible
For people with an interest in naval warfare, especially in smaller vessels. Writen well enough and as realistic as possible
April 13, 2020
Quite an enjoyable "Boys' Own" World War 2 action novel. Lots of action and the commander and his coxwain's wife getting their leg-overs (but not together).
It's a great pity that Random House editors are a mindless set of morons who probably sign their names in crayon. In the e-book, no one got 'close' they all got a 'dose'; clouds were douds; clear was dear; there was a lieutenant called Horne, unfortunately for most of the time he was called Home, so when Horne was mentioned it was confusing to know who it was. Most pages in the e-book contained typos. There was also the problem of suddenly jumping in time and place without warning, one minute the good commander was occupying several paragraphs swapping body-fluids with his lady-companion in Cairo, and the next, without warning, he was in a bunker in deepest Russia.
Near the end of the book there was a well hidden Royal Navy tradition: guns were blasting away, the air reeked of cordite and burning wreckage, men all around were bleeding and drowning, then the commander shouted: "Nuts to starboard!" Wow, imagine in 1805 Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson after sending out the message "England expects ..." at the Battle of Trafalgar, calling out "Nuts to starboard!". All the men of the British fleet suddenly stopping what they were doing so to adjust their testicles to the right side, while the French and Spanish quivered with fear at such dress-sense. Mmmm, okay, maybe it was just another typo.
So yes, a good and quick read, but go for a printed copy, as it was a bit distracting having to put up with the effort of Random House's lazy e-publishing.
It's a great pity that Random House editors are a mindless set of morons who probably sign their names in crayon. In the e-book, no one got 'close' they all got a 'dose'; clouds were douds; clear was dear; there was a lieutenant called Horne, unfortunately for most of the time he was called Home, so when Horne was mentioned it was confusing to know who it was. Most pages in the e-book contained typos. There was also the problem of suddenly jumping in time and place without warning, one minute the good commander was occupying several paragraphs swapping body-fluids with his lady-companion in Cairo, and the next, without warning, he was in a bunker in deepest Russia.
Near the end of the book there was a well hidden Royal Navy tradition: guns were blasting away, the air reeked of cordite and burning wreckage, men all around were bleeding and drowning, then the commander shouted: "Nuts to starboard!" Wow, imagine in 1805 Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson after sending out the message "England expects ..." at the Battle of Trafalgar, calling out "Nuts to starboard!". All the men of the British fleet suddenly stopping what they were doing so to adjust their testicles to the right side, while the French and Spanish quivered with fear at such dress-sense. Mmmm, okay, maybe it was just another typo.
So yes, a good and quick read, but go for a printed copy, as it was a bit distracting having to put up with the effort of Random House's lazy e-publishing.
September 14, 2026
If you've read any of this author's books, you've read all his books. This is both blessing and curse. There is a strict formula that delivers reliable naval action and a cast of familiar character types (martinet commanding officer, heroic young skipper, lower decks lovable rogues etc.) I write this with real affection as I v. much enjoy these novels, written by a veteran who "walked the walk" in World War 2.
The main variables are the types of ship featured, the enemy and the theatre of operations. Here we are in the Black Sea in 1943 where our valiant skipper is leading a small force of motor torpedo boats against the Nazis in support of the Russians. This is an often overlooked part of the Eastern Front. There is lots of action in this book with a minimum of soppy Mills & Boon romance.
Didn't fully buy in to the relationship between our hero and the widow of his late friend, but you don't read these novels for emotional insight. The action is gripping, realistic and gory at times. There is even the occasional poignant moment.
"It's better not to see your enemies, Roddy. They often look too much like us."
All good stuff, blood & thunder battles and authentic detail. I will be signing back on again soon.
The main variables are the types of ship featured, the enemy and the theatre of operations. Here we are in the Black Sea in 1943 where our valiant skipper is leading a small force of motor torpedo boats against the Nazis in support of the Russians. This is an often overlooked part of the Eastern Front. There is lots of action in this book with a minimum of soppy Mills & Boon romance.
Didn't fully buy in to the relationship between our hero and the widow of his late friend, but you don't read these novels for emotional insight. The action is gripping, realistic and gory at times. There is even the occasional poignant moment.
"It's better not to see your enemies, Roddy. They often look too much like us."
All good stuff, blood & thunder battles and authentic detail. I will be signing back on again soon.
August 18, 2022
Being that Douglas Reeman is Alexander Kent, the action in this book is good. But also being that this is Alexander Kent there are pluses and minuses with the book.
Spoilers ahead:
This book deals with a small squadron of British Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB) that are sent to the Black Sea to help the Russians with their war in that region. Lt. Commander Devane, a MTB veteran is selected to be their commander.
The military portions of the book are quite well written from the interactions of the suspicious Russians to the brief POVs from the German side. The Russian protagonist is a hard drinking Captain Sorokin who eventually helps the Brits. The German protagonist is Korettenkapitan Lincke, a skilled adversary.
The action sequences are well done. fast paced and exciting but the whole book is let down by the romance portions, which frankly were irritating and I just skipped as they were irrelevant to the story. But I guess it was just par for the time this book was written when every book or movie had some kind of romance side story.
It could have been a longer book but I guess the entire piece of writing was quite typical for its day.
Spoilers ahead:
This book deals with a small squadron of British Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB) that are sent to the Black Sea to help the Russians with their war in that region. Lt. Commander Devane, a MTB veteran is selected to be their commander.
The military portions of the book are quite well written from the interactions of the suspicious Russians to the brief POVs from the German side. The Russian protagonist is a hard drinking Captain Sorokin who eventually helps the Brits. The German protagonist is Korettenkapitan Lincke, a skilled adversary.
The action sequences are well done. fast paced and exciting but the whole book is let down by the romance portions, which frankly were irritating and I just skipped as they were irrelevant to the story. But I guess it was just par for the time this book was written when every book or movie had some kind of romance side story.
It could have been a longer book but I guess the entire piece of writing was quite typical for its day.
August 7, 2024
Six-word Review: Excellent WWII story: action, romance, characters.
Maybe the best Reeman WWII book I've read so far.
The author has a formula that works for me. A young reservist, John Devane, is put in a position of responsibility. A test of the young officer's courage and leadership that he passes with flying colors and wins the respect of his crew and others. An arrogant, regular Navy superior who doesn't listen and is mostly interested in his career. A romantic relationship with someone close: in this case the widow of another officer that Devane knew. Assigned to work with not-always-reliable allies. And lastly, an explosive final battle that the protagonist wins and survives.
This book checked all the boxes. Reeman does a good job of describing the action scenes.. He also comes up with interesting characters. He tastefully describes the protagonist's romantic encounters. He does stereotype Deaver's Russian cohorts but not to the point of ridiculousness.
In summary, an interesting book to read. Well plotted and written with many events to grab and hold the reader's interest.
Maybe the best Reeman WWII book I've read so far.
The author has a formula that works for me. A young reservist, John Devane, is put in a position of responsibility. A test of the young officer's courage and leadership that he passes with flying colors and wins the respect of his crew and others. An arrogant, regular Navy superior who doesn't listen and is mostly interested in his career. A romantic relationship with someone close: in this case the widow of another officer that Devane knew. Assigned to work with not-always-reliable allies. And lastly, an explosive final battle that the protagonist wins and survives.
This book checked all the boxes. Reeman does a good job of describing the action scenes.. He also comes up with interesting characters. He tastefully describes the protagonist's romantic encounters. He does stereotype Deaver's Russian cohorts but not to the point of ridiculousness.
In summary, an interesting book to read. Well plotted and written with many events to grab and hold the reader's interest.
January 14, 2023
The story takes place in the Black Sea with a British small motor torpedo boat flotilla joining the Russian navy against the Germans in the vicinity of the Crimea. The story captures the closeness of small boat conflict as well as the conflicts between major powers trying to work together.
I liked this story. It meets the high expectations I have for Douglas Reeman's novels. The plot is engaging and moves at a fast clip. The writing is crisp and descriptive. I like the development of the characters, especially John Devine, which adds texture to the story. The personal struggle, the personal nemesis, and tactics of the battle combine with its placement within the strategy of the eastern theater to provide context.
I will continue to look Reeman's that I have not yet read.
P.s. His stories of Richard Bolitho during the age of fighting sail is excellent and a worthwhile read for those readers, like myself, who enjoy military fiction.
I liked this story. It meets the high expectations I have for Douglas Reeman's novels. The plot is engaging and moves at a fast clip. The writing is crisp and descriptive. I like the development of the characters, especially John Devine, which adds texture to the story. The personal struggle, the personal nemesis, and tactics of the battle combine with its placement within the strategy of the eastern theater to provide context.
I will continue to look Reeman's that I have not yet read.
P.s. His stories of Richard Bolitho during the age of fighting sail is excellent and a worthwhile read for those readers, like myself, who enjoy military fiction.
October 6, 2022
Action Stations
In an area of wartime action on the Black Sea, we have a very engaging story of action and portraits of bravery on the high seas.
The author draws characters you want to cheer for. The portrayal of alliances with newfound friends and the tension that ensues is dramatically illustrated here.
This story is a 5-star story by an author who is in top form when portraying action at sea.
However, his clear weakness is the insertion of a love interest. This is a clear weakness in the story. What we have here is a five-star story, but there is a one-point deduction for this feeble attempt at a love interest that only slows down the story and makes no contribution to the conclusion.
In an area of wartime action on the Black Sea, we have a very engaging story of action and portraits of bravery on the high seas.
The author draws characters you want to cheer for. The portrayal of alliances with newfound friends and the tension that ensues is dramatically illustrated here.
This story is a 5-star story by an author who is in top form when portraying action at sea.
However, his clear weakness is the insertion of a love interest. This is a clear weakness in the story. What we have here is a five-star story, but there is a one-point deduction for this feeble attempt at a love interest that only slows down the story and makes no contribution to the conclusion.
November 9, 2023
More of same.
I enjoy the stories of the sea and getting last the senior rank club. However I do wish that the author would give up the "love interest " parts. I can't believe that the author wastes his and our time with it as the attitudes are all from the senior rank club and no sea duty man would ever take his partner off beach with him, Particularly lower ranking officers on a tiny bridge. Still it pass out the book to try and make it worth the money. So I will carry on reading the books but scim over the low budget sex.
I enjoy the stories of the sea and getting last the senior rank club. However I do wish that the author would give up the "love interest " parts. I can't believe that the author wastes his and our time with it as the attitudes are all from the senior rank club and no sea duty man would ever take his partner off beach with him, Particularly lower ranking officers on a tiny bridge. Still it pass out the book to try and make it worth the money. So I will carry on reading the books but scim over the low budget sex.
October 5, 2022
An exciting naval yarn
Mr. Reman provides us with another well done World War II naval tale. British MTBs operate with Russian naval forces against German E boats. The characters are nicely drawn and ring true. The drama and action are intense and realistic. My one quibble, even though It is minor, is that the book ends without telling if any of the characters survive the war. The battle ends, but the war goes on.
Mr. Reman provides us with another well done World War II naval tale. British MTBs operate with Russian naval forces against German E boats. The characters are nicely drawn and ring true. The drama and action are intense and realistic. My one quibble, even though It is minor, is that the book ends without telling if any of the characters survive the war. The battle ends, but the war goes on.
April 12, 2026
Douglas Reeman’s Torpedo Run emerges as a riveting tapestry of naval fiction, one that marries the visceral immediacy of wartime combat with a profoundly introspective inquiry into duty, endurance, and the quiet ravages of psychological strain.
More at
https://vramonline.wordpress.com/2026...
More at
https://vramonline.wordpress.com/2026...
August 14, 2023
Good "pew-pew on boats", smooth reading, Marvel/DC-like characters. Below zero historical value, though. This is a fantasy book, treat it like that and you would not be dissapointed. Kinda like "historical" book where Nazi Zeppelins carpet-bomb New York in 1943.
January 4, 2024
Perfect for fans of Douglas Reeman, Torpedo Run is fast paced with all the twists and turns you would expect from such a good author; not his best book but not far from it, it realistically rates a 4.5 stars in my opinion as I really enjoyed it !
August 21, 2024
I like Reeman/Kent. The books are gritty, which causes me to read him sparingly. The setting of this novel is different: MTBs and E-boats in the Black Sea. Like most novels of this type it is episodic. I cannot pick a particular element that I liked here. It just works.
November 28, 2019
As usual, a well crafted story which does not leave out any of the harsh realities of war.
January 25, 2020
The very best of Douglas Reeman
April 25, 2020
Exellent from Reeman. Unusual setting in the Black Sea alongside the Russians. I always enjoy his books.
July 19, 2020
Typical Reeman novel always ships and shagging :-)
November 8, 2020
Russian aid
Give stars for an excellent story that has danger, excitement & pathos in equal measure, with the lead character getting his girl at the end.
Give stars for an excellent story that has danger, excitement & pathos in equal measure, with the lead character getting his girl at the end.
October 21, 2021
Very good
Excellent read DR at his best you can smell the cordite. A forgotten war !!!!!!!! Thanks a fast pace novel
Excellent read DR at his best you can smell the cordite. A forgotten war !!!!!!!! Thanks a fast pace novel
March 1, 2022
My favourite Reeman book. But he is the god of second world war naval fiction, completely unparalleled in my experience and one of the 20th centuries greatest naval war story tellers.
September 26, 2022
amazing war story
If you enjoy taut naval battles overlaid with behind the sens insight you will thoroughly enjoy Torpedo Run. I enjoyed it .
If you enjoy taut naval battles overlaid with behind the sens insight you will thoroughly enjoy Torpedo Run. I enjoyed it .
October 3, 2022
A good read, I enjoyed it.
October 11, 2022
Good story line
Exciting story.Good characters. Good story detail Reco.men this very highly.xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx
Exciting story.Good characters. Good story detail Reco.men this very highly.xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx
January 8, 2023
Excellent installment in the series, Reeman is at the top of his game.
March 31, 2023
Meandering WWII actioner about fictional British torpedo squadron in Black Sea in 1943. Would probably make a decent movie but thin stuff as a book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews