Review of Adrift

[Ilze Herholdt]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Adrift" by Charlie Sheldon.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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When the Seattle Express encountered problems due to a fire in the Gulf of Alaska, Captain Steve was forced to inform the 19 other souls on board that they should abandon ship. The group left in two groups, with nine people in one lifeboat and eleven people in the other lifeboat. Meanwhile, on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, word gets out to Louise and Larry about the abandoned ship. They decided to head out into the open ocean on their tug, Warhorse, to save the burning vessel. They need the money from the salvage claim because it might save their business. However, they are not the only ones who are desperate to claim the ship. The Buckhorn Corporation, the owner of the Seattle Express, is chasing after them at a high speed. Will the last-minute plan be executed by Louise and Larry? Or will the Buckhorn Corporation overtake them?

William, who readers of Strong Heart will remember, was on the Seattle Express when the fire started. Unfortunately, the lifeboat he was on, including 10 other people, went missing for days. William and his crew were thrown onto the jagged shores of Haida Gwaii, the remote islands off the coast of British Columbia, where he was born. After hearing that Anne had been found in the snow, William's daughter, Myra, and friends flew to the Charlotte's. Anne was the third mate on the ship, and soon enough everyone except William was found. Will Myra and her friends find her father in time? You can find out by reading Adrift, written by Charlie Sheldon.

I admire the new characters added to the storyline, I believe they fit perfectly into the book. I appreciated that the author told the story from the perspectives of six different characters. This effectively lets the readers know what is happening before any other character discovers the truth. I was also pleased that all the characters from Strong Heart reappeared in Adrift, even if some of them played a small role. I was happy to know that they weren't completely disregarded. Charlie Sheldon, who has a lot of experience with ships, was good at describing how to handle a tug in bad weather conditions and how to launch a lifeboat from a burning ship.

Louise treated Larry badly. She mistakenly believed that he was cheating on her, when in reality, he was speaking to a naval lawyer to see if they could get further credit. Even after discovering this information, she still did not trust him. I found her lack of emotion towards her husband to be disturbing. I was not pleased when Steve struck Anne into consciousness. Although he had abused Anne in front of everyone, only Rachel seemed to care. They were all so determined to find William that they would hit someone hard enough to wake them from a coma if that was what it took to find out where William is. I was disappointed by this part of the story because it made William seem more important than Anne, who had risked her life so that everyone could survive.

This book can be used as a continuation of Strong Heart. The plot develops through the interactions of the characters, who switch between protagonist and antagonist roles throughout the story. This book has been thoroughly edited and is told very well. I rate this book a four out of four stars.

Readers who enjoyed Strong Heart will certainly love Adrift. Individuals who are familiar with the perils faced by mariners will be able to empathize with the struggles presented in this book. However, if you want to fully appreciate the story, I recommend reading Strong Heart first.

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Adrift
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[Avishi]

Your review is insightful. It was enjoyable to read. The story was thrilling. It has the feel of a movie plot. This story's well-developed writing also piqued my interest.

[Ohna Martin]

I have read this book. It was a great read. Without giving out spoilers the end was a bit unexpected. And I agree with the reviewer Louise did not treat Larry right.

[Phooko Tebogo PC]

I love the story line of the book. I have been holding up to picking it for reads but hey after reading the review makes me interested in it. Thank you for the review.