Splinter on the Tide
War makes boys grow up fast, and World War II had that effect on plenty of civilian guys turned naval reserve officers, men like Ash Miller. With his first ship blown out from under him by a floating mine just prior to the story’s opening, Ash has a year of sea duty experience at just the time the navy receives the first of a new class of small escort vessel, the wooden-hulled sub chaser. The little ships are tailor-made for very junior officers to command, and he finds himself made captain of Chaser 3 as a freshly minted lieutenant (junior grade).
With a couple of green ensigns and a little crew of inexperienced enlisted reservists, Ash must rely heavily on a handful of regular navy petty officers to help him mold the vessel into an effective warship. Convoying merchant ships up the East Coast is the duty Chaser 3 has drawn, but in those early days of the war, U-boats make things dangerous even within sight of Boston and Miami. Occasional upkeep periods in port help Ash keep his sanity despite a frenzied schedule, and he soon develops a bond with a young teacher named Claire. But the pressure, the boredom of convoy routine, and the random periods of great danger when U-boats move in stretch their relationship to the breaking point.
Parotti captures the feel of shipboard life perfectly, and the technical details he brings make for great realism. Unfortunately, the plot is a bit “under-gunned,” with a shortage of drama and character conflict. For some readers, this may be unsatisfactory in a war story. For others, though, it may provide a comfortable, enjoyable read.
