INVISIBLE: Story of the USS Manta Ray

by M.E. Nyberg

In 1943, the war with Japan hangs in the balance. The Manta Ray–the most effective United States attack submarine in the Pacific–becomes embroiled in a top-secret experiment; an experiment designed to render the boat invisible. The penetrate the waters of Tokyo Harbor and sink the dreadnoughts the Yamato and Musashi, the two largest most formidable capital warships in the world. First Officer Michael Murphy becomes mired in an unfolding deception as he struggles to come to grips with the dangerously escalating war and the difficulties of commanding an invisible submarine on a perilous secret mission. Accompanying him is the beautiful and intelligent Lucy Charlesworth, the British engineer assisting the enigmatic Dr. Hoffmann overseeing the experiment. The brilliant young scientist and executive officer become captivated with each other, but what is truly the timeless connection behind the attraction they share? During a fraught-filled voyage marked by storms, enemy depth-charge attacks and island-hopping, the boat’s irascible Captain Canfield reveals to Murphy the true nature of the mission and the truth behind the secret ‘package’ mysteriously sequestered onto the Manta Ray in the dead of night. INVISIBLE is an authentic account of the arduous life of the World War II submariners tasked with the perilous endeavor of underwater search-and-destroy combat. The invisibility science is realistic and tangible–based on reportedly factual evidence–the results, out-of-this-world! A page-turner from beginning to end! “There's a Twilight Zone type feel to the book. The mystery at the narrative's core stays in a tense, intriguing state throughout the entirety of the story; the type of existential, mysterious conflict needed to keep the reader engaged- making the concept more cinematic.” - Screencraft “It feels like we are in the hands of a writer who knows what they are talking about. The depiction of the world of the submarine and the men within it - as well as the larger paradigm of the military during WWII - feels detailed and specific. We believe that these men know each other and have history, and we believe in the way they relate to each other and the world. The world of Hawaii during the war is clear and fully-realized.” - Launchpad

429 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 4, 2020

About the author

"Nyberg displays a remarkable knowledge of life on a submarine in the middle of the 20th century, an expertise that lends the swiftly paced action a considerable measure of authenticity." Kirkus

M.E. Nyberg is an author and award-winning filmmaker. INVISIBLE (Story of the USS Manta Ray) is his 4th novel, a WWII submarine Sci-fi thriller. His first three novels comprise The Shade Trilogy his first book series of gothic mystery.

Mr. Nyberg studied creative arts under August Coppola, earning his M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from San Francisco State University. He spent years in the film and entertainment industry in California working as a Production Manager and Location Manager on feature films: The Steam Experiment; Ashes of Eden; Touchback; Setup; Chalk; Junior; A Walk in the Clouds; Heart and Souls. He also has credit as a touring camera person for major artists Eric Clapton, NSYNC, Shakira, Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli. He is a devoted educator having taught at San Francisco State University and currently teaches screenwriting and filmmaking at Baker College.
He is an avid reader, comics collector, videographer, musician and gardener.

Contact: www.menyberg.com
author@menyberg.com

Reviews

[Richard Magrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely delightful book! A story of WWII submarine warfare in the Pacific, a mystery in time, a love story, and some quantum mechanics science fiction thrown in to keep you thinking! The action is constant and real. It is obvious that Nyberg has spent some time in a vintage sub—the details are right on. And it’s just a darn good yarn that will keep you turning the pages wondering what will happen next. Pick it up and enjoy!

[M.E. Nyberg]

This is a story primarily about the existential angst of 1943, a world at war, the razor's edge of history; which way will we fall, hope and prosperity or dictatorial governments and endless conflict? Questions that remain pertinent today.

In 1943 the war with Japan in the Pacific hangs in the balance. The USS Manta Ray, a United States attack submarine is tasked with a top-secret experiment; an experiment designed to render the boat invisible while on the surface. The mission: enter the shallow waters of Tokyo Harbor and torpedo the two great battleships, the Yamato and Musashi, the two largest most formidable capital warships in the world.
Returning to Hawaii from a sixth war patrol–after failing to fire torpedoes upon the enemy– Lieutenant Commander Michael Murphy, the submarine’s first officer, becomes disoriented; having sustained a concussion during the Japanese counterattack. At home, he struggles to navigate the pitfalls of a paranoid and dangerous moment in time–the tenuous years of the US Naval command at Pearl Harbor in 1943. Murphy grapples with a growing self-doubt and a crumbling marriage–his wife Hildy’s love slowly eroding by the constant pressure and uncertainty of a world at war and a rapidly diminishing body of friends and comrades. To aggravate the situation, Murphy’s haunted by vague notions of a future life filled with technology and international friendship, visions that haunt his dreams and moments of clarity, casting doubts on his sanity and ability to command his own submarine–an honor being held from him by his commanding officer, the Manta Ray’s irascible captain, Oliver Canfield who wants to keep Murphy aboard the Manta Ray at all costs as his first officer.
Along on this perilous mission is the beautiful and intelligent Lucy Charlesworth, the British engineer assisting the enigmatic physicist Dr. Hoffmann overseeing the experiment. The daughter of a British commodore killed by a German U-boat, the brilliant young scientist and heroic first officer become captivated with each other, but what is truly the timeless connection behind the attraction they share?
While in transit, marked by violent storms and nocturnal visitations, Canfield, defies his mission orders by attacking an enemy convoy, and is removed from command by Pearl Harbor, replaced by the vain and incompetent Commander John Bradshaw whose ineptitude immediately places the submarine into harm’s way. Canfield reveals to Murphy the true nature of the mission and the truth behind the secret ‘package’ sequestered onto the Manta Ray by Bradshaw and his operatives in the dead of night; a device apparently capable of destroying the entire port, effectively taking Tokyo Harbor out of the war.
Against orders, and common sense, Bradshaw pushes the science team into conducting the invisibility experiment before they rendezvous with the science team aboard the sub-tender Athena and things go horribly wrong. When Bradshaw collapses mentally, Murphy is forced to make life and death decisions with profound repercussions for himself and the crew.

INVISIBLE is a highly detailed and accurate reenactment of the arduous life and work of the WWII submariners and the perilous endeavor of underwater combat.