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There are currently 23 member reviews
for The Midnight Watch
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Therese X. (Calera, AL)
A Riveting Retelling
The terrible disaster of the the sinking of the ship HMS Titanic over one hundred years ago, still intrigues modern day readers. The loss of more than 1,500 people on a luxury ship deemed "unsinkable" by its British designers and builders rapidly became worldwide front page news. Huge chunks of ice hid in the dark waters while the Titanic made its way from England to the United States suddenly ripping through the hull of the mighty ship. Eight rocket flares went up from the Titanic in the murky weather during the midnight watch, yet a nearby vessel, the SS Californian whose captain was allegedly told of the rockets but did not confirm or react to the distress signals. The teller of our story is John Steadman, a newsman who was used to "bodies" and addressing their stories with dignity. As he tells his story, the reader is given not only the facts but the emotions of the impact this disaster had on all levels of society. Bravery from the rich yet some cowards prevailed and received no mercy from a diligent reporter. The poor who were not accounted for in the headlines were also honored. This was a such a riveting
account, it was like being brought back in time as a witness. When the captain of the SS Californian has to testify at the U.S. Hearing on the disaster, we are astounded at his cool, incredible testimony and wonder at the verdict of his testimony. This novel whets the appetite to know more about this tragedy which could not have been predicted but continues to fascinate.
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Tracey S. (FL)
Interesting Story
The Midnight Watch is about the fictional relationship of the Captain of the Californian and the ship's second officer on the night of the Titanic disaster. The Californian was within sight of the Titanic and because of miscommunication between these two men and assumptions they both made, perhaps more people died than was necessary. I am interested in anything pertaining to the Titanic and it kept my interest the whole way through. The descriptions were vivid and filled with emotion. I would recommend this book to anyone.
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Mary D. (Claremont, CA)
The Midnight Watch by David Dyer
What is it about the Titanic that has managed to hold our interest and curiosity for over one hundred years? Books, movies, museum-quality displays...we never seem to lose interest. Perhaps it is the sheer arrogance of the builders and shipping company, the exquisite grandeur of the vessel, the shattering number of lives lost, the prominent names on board...who knows? The Midnight Watch is indeed another book about the sinking of this magnificent ship, but from a very different point of view, that of a reporter, who specializes in writing stories that put life back into those who died in tragedies. His quest for bodies recovered from the ship are thwarted: Carpathia only picked up survivors, and The Californian, who was supposedly picking up bodies, was empty upon arrival. Sensing something amiss among the captain and officers of The Californian, he sets out on another story: why didn't The Californian respond to the eight distress flares sent up by the Titanic, especially when she was the closest ship?
No spoilers here...the book read very easily, was thoroughly engaging, providing deep insights into the captain, his officers, the wireless operators, etc. His final article is included at the end of the book, along with an epilogue where he once again talks with the captain, who still believes that nothing was amiss.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in Titanic lore, especially from a very different point of view.
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Tracy N. (Kentfield, CA)
The Flawed Watch
This is a compelling account of the Titanic disaster and the ship that did not come to her rescue. As an avid reader of everything about the Titanic, I did not know the story of the SS Californian. Dyer is able to draw us into the story with all the forces that motivated the officers, crew and their flawed actions while serving the Californian on that fateful, cold, dark night.
Dyer brings a solid characterization of this time period. The sensational journalism, the unsinkable shipping industry, the emerging Suffragettes and the British and American inquiries conducted about the sinking of the Titanic are rich and fascinating. Dyer delivers a great read! The Midnight Watch is a story to contemplate and the sad truth of "what if" haunts me…
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Hayley A. (Council Bluffs, IA)
Both Entertaining and Moving
I very much enjoyed reading 'The Midnight Watch;' it's an excellent piece of historical fiction. So excellent, in fact, that it's often difficult to tell where fact ends and fiction begins. The Titanic disaster has become so ingrained in our current pop culture that it's hard to appreciate the emotional impact that it had on those living in 1912. I appreciated the chance to view the tragedy from the observer's perspective.
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Nancy F. (Naples, IN)
Must read if you ever wondered......
This is one of the best historical novels I have read in past several years! The author did a wonderful job of taking many complex details and relating them back to individual stories that tell about a historic event we all know...the sinking of the Titanic. However, the author was filling in the missing "dots" to weave a possible explanation for why so many lives were lost. A wonderful read!
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Jeff M. (Somerset, NJ)
The Midnight Watch
The fascination with the sinking of the Titanic has continued for over 100 years, including the mystery of the steamer, the SS Californian and what it observed and what it did or did not do on the night of the sinking. That debate has raged on even into the 1990s where another reappraisal of evidence was conducted by the British government.
Author David Dyer has done exhaustive research on this subject. Centering around a fictional news reporter and the real people involved in the tragedy, along with using the actual transcripts from the US and British inquiries, Dyer develops a very plausible narrative describing the events and possible reasons for the actions that took place. Particularly riveting is the account of the nine members of the Sage family who were third-class passengers onboard the Titanic. While some early parts of the book were a little slow for me, the story really takes off once the inquiry begins. I would recommend the book to a broader audience, more than just those interested in the Titanic.
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