Whirlaway

by Robert Wintner

Martin and Jack plan to escape deadend jobs by hustling the money to finance a yachting business in Hawaii, but encounter unforeseen consequences

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Robert Wintner has authored 15 novels, 3 memoirs, 3 story collections and 5 reef photo books. Robert Wintner is the nom de plume of Snorkel Bob, Hawaii’s biggest reef outfitter. He lives on Maui with his wife Anita, Cookie the dog, Rocky, Yoyo, Inez, Buck, Tootsie, and Coco the cats, and Elizabeth the chicken. His novels and stories are adventures, meant to record and entertain with insight.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ones for the guys.....

[Blayne H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. Talk about good timing. Stuck at home during Covid, this book took me to Hawaii, the ocean, the blue sky, the warmth of Hawaain sun on your skin. Martin was my fave. He made me laugh through his wit and intelligence. The story of 2 mid-thirty somethings that are tired of the 9-5 and want adventure. They talk brain surgeon friend into helping them finance a sailing yacht and this novel details ocean adventures, Martin and Jack's lives and even a bigger something we all want in our lives that may be missing. Spellbound! Pass the suntan lotion please!

[Korra II Allison Baskerville · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whirlaway starts out like the drunken ramblings of a madman. It goes on and on, like the world’s most dull, dry, boring as shit autobiography.

The main character is a total scumbag who uses everybody around him, yet seems to have the gall to look down on them. Up until this book got to the point where the main cast got their yacht, I struggled to figure out who the hell this book was meant for.

As soon as they got the yacht, I knew. The author is clearly very familiar with nautical terms and sailing and that’s obvious. The book takes on whole new energy. It came across to me as the type of book my car-obsessed brother would write if he wasn’t illiterate. This book is written for those people who have no friends and no hobbies. All they do is talk about that one thing that interests them to anybody who will listen. All women are to them is something to have sex with.

When I saw the author’s bio on Goodreads and the majority of it was about Hawaii, sailing, scuba diving, etc. I got the impression this guy was just like my brother. One of the reviews stated that it wasn’t well known outside of Hawaii and I’d bed that’s because the majority of the intended audience is illiterate and wouldn’t pick up a book if you paid them.

With all the women in this story just being sex objects and characters talking about “shooting fags”, it’s a mystery to me why the author thought this turd would be a good book to have re-published in the modern-day.

I occasionally re-read books I know are terrible or watch garbage movies to tear them apart. This book isn’t one of those books. This book is terrible in every way possible. The characters are unlikable pricks. The writing is dull, dry, boring, lifeless, and insufferable. The book is clearly a relic of the past and should have died there. Even the narrator spends the entire start of the book sounding bored out of his mind.

There are too many books out there by authors who deserve your support and far too many incredible stories to be read. Don’t waste your time with this piece of trash.

NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval. 

[John Oswalt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whirlaway is what you would get if Elmore Leonard wrote "Fear and Loathing in Maui" -- the main characters stay just one step ahead of financial and personal ruin while indulging in non-stop alcohol, sex, and drugs, as they try to make a go of operating a charter boat business on Maui. Like in Leonard's books, everyone has an angle and is out for him (or her) self. It's all enormously entertaining.

I can't understand why this book is almost unknown outside Hawaii. Wikipedia says it has been optioned by Hollywood; it would make a great movie. Wintner obviously knows Maui and sailing very well. I read the book just after returning from a stay in South Maui where the events take place (and where Wintner lives), which added to my enjoyment.