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To Risks Unknown: an all-action tale of naval warfare set at the height of WW2 from the master storyteller of the sea
Multi-million copy bestselling author Douglas Reeman is the master of naval fiction and this action-packed, high-octane WW2 historical adventure is no exception. Jam-packed with tension, drama and all-guns-blazing warfare, it's perfect for fans of Clive Cussler, Bernard Cornwell and Wilbur Smith.
'One of our foremost writers of naval fiction' - Sunday Times
'Just superb!!!' -- ***** Reader review
'Such a joy to read' -- ***** Reader review
'Kept me gripped' -- ***** Reader review
'Hard to put down while reading' -- ***** Reader review
***********************************************************************************
1943: Now there is to be no more retreat for Britain and her Allies.
At last the war is to be carried into enemy territory. From captured bases and makeshift harbours in North Africa, The Royal Navy's Special Force is to be the probe and the spearhead of the advance.
To this unorthodox war come H. M. S. Thistle and her commanding officer, John Crispin. Both veterans, she from the Atlantic, he from the trauma of seeing his last command and her company brutally destroyed. Soon they are fighting amongst remote Adriatic islands - helping the partisans and guerrillas with whom they have little in common, except an overwhelming common hatred of the enemy who has attacked and destroyed their countries.
When it comes to the crunch, ship and crew have to be welded into a single fighting unit. And it has to be done, not in training, but on active duty.
'One of our foremost writers of naval fiction' - Sunday Times
'Just superb!!!' -- ***** Reader review
'Such a joy to read' -- ***** Reader review
'Kept me gripped' -- ***** Reader review
'Hard to put down while reading' -- ***** Reader review
***********************************************************************************
1943: Now there is to be no more retreat for Britain and her Allies.
At last the war is to be carried into enemy territory. From captured bases and makeshift harbours in North Africa, The Royal Navy's Special Force is to be the probe and the spearhead of the advance.
To this unorthodox war come H. M. S. Thistle and her commanding officer, John Crispin. Both veterans, she from the Atlantic, he from the trauma of seeing his last command and her company brutally destroyed. Soon they are fighting amongst remote Adriatic islands - helping the partisans and guerrillas with whom they have little in common, except an overwhelming common hatred of the enemy who has attacked and destroyed their countries.
When it comes to the crunch, ship and crew have to be welded into a single fighting unit. And it has to be done, not in training, but on active duty.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
56 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Reeman
138 books178 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 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 5, 2015
First use of "oblivion"--page 12.
Typical Reeman, although slow start. This is one of those episodic books that builds to a climax almost casually. As it was one of his later books, the love interest is slightly more realistic, and the "black-hat" Englishman slightly more nuanced. On the other hand, it swipes the climax from a previous Reeman novel (can't remember which) where the black-hat performs an act of fatal quasi-redemption.
Typical Reeman, although slow start. This is one of those episodic books that builds to a climax almost casually. As it was one of his later books, the love interest is slightly more realistic, and the "black-hat" Englishman slightly more nuanced. On the other hand, it swipes the climax from a previous Reeman novel (can't remember which) where the black-hat performs an act of fatal quasi-redemption.
March 27, 2021
I’ve only read one Douglas Reeman novel, HMS Saracen and that was very enjoyable. The theme is much the same in To Risks Unknown: a salt of the earth skipper captaining what appears to be a vessel on its last legs and answering to an arrogant senior officer.
To Risks Unknown is set in the Mediterranean in 1943. There are a number of battle scenes which are thrillingly described, as you would expect from a man who served in the Royal Navy during the war. The sea is portrayed as a threat and the weather an enemy throughout.
I enjoyed it.
David Young. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of ‘39, all published by Sacristy Press.
To Risks Unknown is set in the Mediterranean in 1943. There are a number of battle scenes which are thrillingly described, as you would expect from a man who served in the Royal Navy during the war. The sea is portrayed as a threat and the weather an enemy throughout.
I enjoyed it.
David Young. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of ‘39, all published by Sacristy Press.
August 29, 2021
Sea story of WWII. A Lt.Commander, somewhat traumatized by a shipwreck and the subsequent slaughter of his men in the water by machine gun and fire, is given a new command. The ship is a corvette, an unwieldy and not very powerful warship usually used as an escort for convoys. His mission is to render special services in unusual settings. His missions are commanded by an older, reckless commander with an attractive WAVE assistant.
The war in the Mediterranean sea as the Allies prepare to invade Italy is the setting, with a major portion of the action in the sea off Yugoslavia.
Very good read.
The war in the Mediterranean sea as the Allies prepare to invade Italy is the setting, with a major portion of the action in the sea off Yugoslavia.
Very good read.
July 7, 2018
Mixed bag
I like Douglas Reeman's rollicking sea yarns; great action, nice naval details. Disappointed that his characters seem so formulaic; always an honourable yet sound CO, a loyal No. 1, some warrant officer who actually sunshine and a bad, officious and ambitious superior. Shame really, as a Cadman like CO might make a nice change of pace. Still loved the main character though, HMS Thistle. And still a great story of an often neglected theatre of operations.
I like Douglas Reeman's rollicking sea yarns; great action, nice naval details. Disappointed that his characters seem so formulaic; always an honourable yet sound CO, a loyal No. 1, some warrant officer who actually sunshine and a bad, officious and ambitious superior. Shame really, as a Cadman like CO might make a nice change of pace. Still loved the main character though, HMS Thistle. And still a great story of an often neglected theatre of operations.
April 1, 2024
4 Stars/ 81%
You know what, this took me entirely on the blindside. I was expecting a dramatic, yet slightly pulpy WWII naval adventure (which it kinda was) but I did not expect it to go quite as hard as it did on throwing plot twists, emotions, and satisfying endings at me.
Genuinely surprised and genuinely enjoyable.
You know what, this took me entirely on the blindside. I was expecting a dramatic, yet slightly pulpy WWII naval adventure (which it kinda was) but I did not expect it to go quite as hard as it did on throwing plot twists, emotions, and satisfying endings at me.
Genuinely surprised and genuinely enjoyable.
July 22, 2024
HMS Thistle is a old corvette. Both her and her Captain are given a second chance by the demands of WW2 to show their value. This is a wonderful little book mixing the routines and traditions of the Royal Navy with the fluid demands and unknown variables of guerilla warfare. Characters are believable and well written. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
May 7, 2019
A get you thinking read
A book to keep you thinking with plenty of twists and turns,with well described missions and through out / plot line
A book to keep you thinking with plenty of twists and turns,with well described missions and through out / plot line
July 21, 2019
Well written book
As a navigation officer I found the book very true to fact.
I can recommend this story to all readers of navel books
As a navigation officer I found the book very true to fact.
I can recommend this story to all readers of navel books
June 19, 2020
A good old novel with a lot of action
November 17, 2020
Fun adventure story
Well told and clever story about small ships and relatively backwater areas for the war. Good characters and fun read.
Well told and clever story about small ships and relatively backwater areas for the war. Good characters and fun read.
March 23, 2021
Super fun read. Had me reminiscing about The Caine Mutiny!
December 24, 2021
Great read
Best book I've read in ages. Couldn't put it down as I followed the exploits of The Thistle and her crew.
Best book I've read in ages. Couldn't put it down as I followed the exploits of The Thistle and her crew.
December 28, 2021
Excellent story
Excellent book with depth to the story and the characters in it. It also had sufficient length to develop interest. Reeman is always good.
Excellent book with depth to the story and the characters in it. It also had sufficient length to develop interest. Reeman is always good.
January 2, 2022
Good read
Another good read from Douglas Reeman does not disappoint a fictional story but edging on the realms of realty worth reading
Another good read from Douglas Reeman does not disappoint a fictional story but edging on the realms of realty worth reading
May 28, 2024
Six-word Review: WWII British commandos in the Adriatic.
Longer review later.
Longer review later.
October 18, 2024
The usual good WW2 Naval adventure from Douglas Reeman. Excellent narration by David Rintoul. However, it was let down by poor production. Several passages repeated in the audiobook.
December 16, 2025
good fictional account of a warship during WW2
September 1, 2025
I enjoyed the book, but I do not think it reaches the very high standards of other books from Mr Reeman.
December 13, 2015
If you want to read about the Royal Navy in World War II and indeed, in the (hot) Cold War in the 1950's, Reeman is your man. You can see that he knows exactly what he is talking about, having served in the Royal Navy in World War II. One thing interesting about To Risks Unknown and other Reeman books is that he is able to convey the sense of desperation that sustained combat imposes on a man, something I am familiar with. But he does it in a way where the protaganist has to rise above his personal pain to perform extraordinary tasks, something I have seen many times.
April 28, 2010
If you are in Arizona with nothing to read, and you get to a used book store that sells .95 cent books for $3.00, and there is notging else to read, go for it. It's a typical WWII Navy yarn that is okay but nothing that needs to stay in your library.
November 13, 2016
Great Story!
Reeman has a knack for writing great stories. This is a fast paced tale that keeps the reader engrossed in the action and makes the reader almost part of the action. I am chomping at the bit to read the author's next book.
Reeman has a knack for writing great stories. This is a fast paced tale that keeps the reader engrossed in the action and makes the reader almost part of the action. I am chomping at the bit to read the author's next book.
November 9, 2016
Excellent book. Great read
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews