Review of Adrift

[Ousebian Nicholas]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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It was on 5th December when the Seattle Express ship, Buckhorn's ship, caught fire. The crew members had to leave the ship and board lifeboats. They were sailing from North Pacific to Seattle. It turns out that the vessel had a mechanical issue that the engineer on duty did not identify on time. Steve, the ship's captain, ensured that every member had boarded the lifeboats before abandoning his vessel at Haida Gwaii, also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, in Canada.

The Express ship crew members boarded two lifeboats, hoping they will reach land in good hands. As the story advances, the reader is only let aware of the lifeboat that Steve and a few of his crew boarded. The reader is left wondering what could have happened with the other lifeboat. But towards the end of the story, everything is brought to light.

Sailing on the sea as well is the Warhorse ship belonging to Larry and Louise. The members onboard noticed a rising smoke from afar. They decided to find out what could be emitting smoke. Upon realizing it was Buckhorn’s ship left adrift, they decided to claim it for their interest.

The experience at sea was not favorable whatsoever for both crews. The weather was terrible and life-threatening. What the members had to do to survive is breathtaking. There are instances where some members had severe injuries. Being in the middle of the sea with no proper resources to sustain you or help can be the worst nightmare.

Adrift by Charlie Sheldon is a deep-sea thriller. It showcases what sailors experience at sea, especially during bad weather season. I like how loving and caring some characters were. For instance, Myra’s dad, William, was one of the Seattle Express members whose lifeboat got lost in the sea. You can imagine how terrified his daughter Myra was, having no knowledge of her dad’s whereabouts. Her friends and co-workers came to be with her and consoled her through that hard time.

I must say that the author is an excellent writer. His writing style is descriptive, which allows the reader to picture the scenes in each event while enjoying the reading experience. Except for a few punctuation and formatting errors, the book is professionally edited. There are a few marine terms used, which are not difficult. I’m sure readers will be glad to know about them. The narration is voiced from the perspective of the characters, which I find unique. The author merged events inland and at sea excellently without confusing, creating an intriguing and unforgettable story. That said, I award the book 4 out of 4 stars.

The book has a gripping story that will impress readers who enjoy reading deep sea thrillers. I did not find anything to dislike about the book. The book does not contain erotic content nor religious activities, but there are quite a number of profanity and gory scenes. Sensitive readers are encouraged to skip this book. One thing I learned from the story is that family and friends are vital to us all. So we should value them.

I recommend the book to readers who love adventure and thrilling events at sea in their stories. If you are looking for self-help or sci-fi novels, then skip this book.

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Adrift
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