Endangered Species

by Richard Woodman

Book Overview

Captain John Mackinnon and his ship, the Matthew Flinders, are embarking on their last voyage. Both endangered species, they symbolize the irreversible, quiet decline of the British merchant fleet.
But this journey to Hong Kong will prove to be anything but quiet. Internal tensions among the crew provoke unrest and lead to a navigation error, steering them right into the violent, destructive path of Typhoon David. Suddenly the crew of the Matthew...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1574090763
• ISBN13: 9781574090765
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Sheridan House
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Recommended for working sailors

The "Matthew Flinders" is on her final voyage for Hong Kong to be sold for scrap, and the members of the crew are sailing to the demise of their way of life (hence the name, "Endangered Species"). En route, they rescue a sinking junk filled with people fleeing Vietnam. There is plenty of excitement as this novel looks at the changing times and how we fight and adapt to them.This is not a "historical" sea-faring novel like the Nathaniel Drinkwater series by Woodman or the Aubrey and Maturin series by O'Brien. The book is most likely set in the 1980s since there is an AIDS reference and Hong Kong is still under British control. The story tells of the lives of seamen in the British Merchant Navy as it declines.Richard Woodman, from the information in the book, has been a sailor for a large part of his life. His detailed descriptions of the ship show you his familiarity. Also, his portrayal of the characters will remind you of past shipmates (if you have worked and lived on a boat as I have). We all know the war-veteran skipper, MacKinnon, and the ne'er-do-well MacGregor.There are some logical problems with the novel though. First, the ship goes through a typhoon and finds itself in the eye of the storm. This would mean that the crew must pass back through the storm, but this never happens. Second, a window is shattered by the storm and someone is injured. The window is never repaired, and there is no mention of the after-effects (like wind or noise). Lastly, the navigation is mostly dead reckoning and celestial fixes. I would think that a modern novel would mention other sources (like Loran or Omega). These may be petty, but they are noticeable.Regardless of these errors, this is still an engaging and nostalgic read. I could easily see myself reading more books by Woodman, just as I would recommend that you should read this one.

A dynamic, brillitantly written maritime action/adventure.

Captain John Mackinnon and his ship, the Matthew Flinders, are embarking on their last voyage. The captain and his vessel symbolize the irreversible, quiet decline of the British merchant fleet. But this journey to Hong Kong will prove to be anything but quiet. Internal tensions among the crew provoke unrest and led to a navigation error, steering them right into the violent, destructive path of Typhoon David. Suddenly the crew of the Matthew Flinders are no longer fighting for their livelihood, but for their very lives. yet on the same sea, other lives are at stake as well. When Mackinnon feels compelled to rescue a boatload of Vietnamese refugees fleeing to Hong Kong, he sets off an explosive chain of events that will lead to mutiny, confrontation with Hong Kong authorities, and the greatest challenge of his nautical career. Endangered Species is a dynamic, brilliantly written maritime action/adventure novel.