High Water

There are authors who write about the sea. Then there was Douglas Reeman, who seemed to write as though he had personally negotiated with the ocean and discovered that it was every bit as dangerous, unpredictable and uncompromising as everyone suspected.

High Water, published in 1974 by Arrow, is another fine example of Reeman’s gift for maritime adventure. Few writers have captured life at sea with such authenticity, and fewer still have managed to combine naval action, human drama and suspense so effectively. Reading a Douglas Reeman novel is rather like signing up for a voyage without first checking the weather forecast.

The story plunges readers into a world where ships, tides and human courage are constantly tested by forces far beyond individual control. Reeman understood that the sea is one of literature’s great settings because it creates problems that cannot simply be ignored. When things go wrong on land, one can usually walk away. When things go wrong at sea, matters tend to become considerably more urgent.

What follows is a gripping blend of action, tension and character-driven storytelling. The men and women who populate Reeman’s novels are rarely superheroes. They are professionals faced with difficult choices, dangerous situations and responsibilities that cannot be postponed until conditions become more convenient.

There is a delightful irony in humanity’s relationship with the sea. For thousands of years people have looked at vast expanses of water, noted the storms, shipwrecks and assorted dangers, and concluded that travelling across it remains an excellent idea. Maritime history is essentially a long record of optimism battling geography.

Reeman’s strength lies in making readers care about both the people and the vessels involved. Ships in his novels are never merely machinery. They become characters in their own right, with strengths, weaknesses and personalities shaped by the men and women who serve aboard them.

The novel also reflects Reeman’s remarkable knowledge of naval life. Having served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, he brought an authenticity to his work that readers immediately recognise. The details feel convincing because they largely are.

Modern thriller readers may be surprised by the measured confidence of Reeman’s storytelling. He does not rely upon endless explosions or impossible feats. Instead, suspense emerges naturally from circumstances, decisions and the unforgiving realities of the sea itself.

There is also something wonderfully timeless about maritime adventure. Technology changes, ships evolve and navigation becomes more sophisticated, yet the fundamental challenge remains the same. Human beings continue to venture onto an environment that possesses absolutely no interest in their comfort.

As a product of the 1970s, High Water also represents a golden age of popular adventure fiction, when authors like Reeman attracted enormous audiences by telling well-crafted stories rooted in expertise and experience rather than gimmickry.

This 1974 Arrow edition remains in good condition and comes from the shelves of Crappy Old Books. It has weathered the decades far more gently than many of the vessels found within its pages and remains a solid, readable copy of a classic maritime thriller.

An excellent acquisition for fans of naval fiction, sea adventures, military thrillers or anyone who enjoys stories where courage, skill and determination are tested against forces larger than themselves. Exciting, authentic and richly atmospheric, High Water is Douglas Reeman at his seaworthy best.

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