Review by Seeley James
Deadly Straights – Author R.E. McDermott, ~90,000 words, $4.95
Deadly Straights is a nautical thriller. I am a desert rat. My experience with the ocean is limited to sticking my toe into it on vacation and asking, “Holy crap, is it always this wet?” So, you can imagine my trepidation at reading a novel about terrorists seizing ships. Right, I know what you’re thinking. The same thing I thought: What damage could you do with a ship? Well, RE McDermott explains it in gripping detail. The story is a tremendous thriller full of frightening challenges, painful disasters, epic heroism and great characters. McDermott weaves a complex tale with expertise surpassing well known authors. I put him on a level with James Rollins, Clive Cussler, Vince Flynn and others. And RE McDermott is a debut author!
This is a classic thriller about terrorists threatening to upset our way of life and change the balance of power in the world. But what draws you to this story is the individual and collective heroism that rises in every character and scene. People helping survivors, engaging in desperate battles against terrible odds, and taking up arms against terrorists. It is full of satisfying moments, including this gem from a minor character, trembling and frightened and excused from the suicidal counter attack planned by his boss below deck:
Santos shook his head. “In that room,” he said, “are two cousins and my sister’s husband. What would I say to their families? That I hid so I could live? … [No.] We go together.”
The story takes you into the arcane world of oil tankers and the inherent dangers within. In a review form, I cannot do justice to the level of detail the author brings. It is perfect. Not too much to bore you; enough to validate the concepts; enough to respect his expertise; and more than enough to scare the beejeezus out of you.
It even has a cast of thousands. In the hands of a lesser author this would be a mess. But he makes his characters easy to parse and gives their characters the correct weight: enough to visualize the situation, not so much you can’t tell them apart. And, best of all, each character is a powerful personality. Here is one scene that needs no set up:
Sanchez felt like a man on his first ski jump, deciding halfway down it was a bad idea.
And another from a Russian Major whose bravery borders on comically insane explaining to our rationally reluctant main character:
Borgdanov grinned. “Good. So is unnecessary to have Ilya shoot you in painful but unimportant place. You come with me. How you say… tandem jump?”
What really makes a good, emotional thriller is the bad guy. In this one, the bad guys give you the chills. One of them is actually smart (at least he out-witted me more than once) and that makes him even creepier. One of the terrorists is duped into his martyrdom and you feel for him. Another, the dupe-r gets his just rewards. Overall, this is an outstanding book.
Buy this book. Give copies away for birthdays and holidays.
Peace, Seeley James
