Dark Voyage

Alan Furst takes his story away from his usual haunts to the deck of the Dutch tramp steamer the Noordendam and the waters of the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. Captain E.M. DeHaan is the somewhat reluctant hero this time (in the manner of Furst's other lead characters like Jean Casson and Nicholas

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Morath). DeHaan and his ship are recruited by Dutch Naval intelligence and eventually become tools (not to say pawns) of British espionage on a dangerous mission that takes them from Alexandria to Finland.

Another entertaining effort by Furst with fine writing, but not my favorite. Furst is the master at capturing the atmosphere of the early days of WW II (especially Paris and eastern Europe) and he's a bit 'at sea' (pardon the pun) in Dark Voyage. The bits on land in Algiers and Alexandria are first-rate. Highly readable and recommended for fans of espionage thrillers

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Dark Voyage is not Furst's best work, but my caveat is that Furst's best work is amazing, so understand that this book is pretty darn good. Furst is a master at evoking the pathos and heroism of individual during the darkest period of WWII for the Allies - the 1940-41 years.

Furst's stories are

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valuable because they remind us that the tides of war are often turned not though the efforts of great men or climatic battles but through the decisions and sacrifices made by unknown but corageous individuals in events long bypassed and forgotten in the primary historical narrative.

As with his other works, Furst weaves in characters from his other novels - some as bit players, some more sharply in focus.

Dark Voyage is more brooding mood then sturm and drang, but its a welcome addition to his canon nonetheless.

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Does thinking of a book weeks after reading bring forth strong images, an atmosphere so dense you feel as if you are inside it, a cast of characters you can see in your mind as if they are old friends you know and like? Surely such a novel is worth at least four stars, which is how I rated Dark

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Voyage by Alan Furst.

I will be reading more of his work, because war stories interest me, and because I like the way he writes. (This review refers to the digital edition.)

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Usually, in a World War II espionage spy novel by Furst, the reader spends time with only the protagonist throughout the story; perhaps a secondary character or two also stick around for most of the book. But this time, the action focuses on Capt. Eric DeHaan of the Dutch freighter Noordendam and

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the ship's crew, a group that covers a number of nationalities and languages. The time is spring of 1941, and DeHaan and the Noordendam are enlisted to aid the war effort against Germany by having the ship pose as a Spanish freighter in order to engage in top secret missions, smugglers saboteurs and arms. DeHaan is a typical Furst hero, an ordinary man who, due to circumstances, finds himself in extraordinary situations, needing to rely on his intelligence and instinct for survival to complete his missions. He also needs to rely on his crew, and by the end of the book, I had grown quite fond of all of them. I don't consider Furst's novels to be pageturners, but they are compelling thanks to the realism, a product of the author's extensive research. This one is no exception.

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Really enjoyed it. Not as obliquely written as some of his other stories, but still very personal and impactful. Captures nautical feeling very well.

Started 9/30/12.

The adventure spy novels by Alan Furst are generally set in a stylish and romantic time period (WWI or WWII) and his writing reflects that. I enjoy the fact that there is a little romance, a little violence, and a little history.

Alan Furst's books are all set between 1935-1945. Although technically "spy" novels, Furst's novels might just as easily be considered historical fiction. Meticulous research combined with strong character development make each one of Furst's novels a great joy.

Captain of a tramp steamer gets pressed into service by British Intelligence. Viggo Mortensen, what a role this would be for you.

This book is a little different from Furst's other books, in that it focuses more on war operations than espionage. It did an excellent job of conveying a sense of the danger the war posed, not just to the characters, but to the people of that era generally.

My first Furst book (alliteration unintentional) but certainly not my last. Reputed to be the "master of the historical spy novel". This book apparently is a little unlike his others and is a different sort of spy novel. Set on a clandestine Dutch tramp steamer in the early WWII from N Africa and

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around ending up in the Baltic. Full of atmosphere.

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Another WW2 espionage story. 1941. The captain of a Dutch merchant ship is approached and asked to assist in the war effort against Germany. His ship will be disguised as a Spanish vessel, since Spain is neutral, and it will transport material for use in the war. The Captain agrees. The main

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mission is to bring equipment into the Baltic Sea, to the south coast of Sweden, for intercepting radio communication.

Another captivating story from Furst. I did not get into the book very strongly until the second half of the story. Not one of my favorites, but a very enjoyable read.

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It was slow getting into it, but it got very exciting at the end.

Well reasearched and methodically written. However i found the pace too slow and the characters didn't interest me. Doubtful that iw ill read from this author again

One of Furst's best. In 256 pages he managed to move around the Mediterranean and to the Baltic. Seemed real and moved quickly while the chraxcters had depth.

Some of his WWII books can be slow, this wasn't one of them.

I hated the ending when I finished the book. And when I woke up the next morning I thought it was perfect.

A story made better by the use of humour and its unusual setting.

Alan Furst excels in writing dark, atmospheric books set in and around World War II, and Dark Voyage is an excellent example of his writing. The hero of this book is Dutch sea captain, Eric DeHaan, and he is recruited in 1941 by the Dutch Naval Intelligence. Disguising his ship as a neutral Spanish

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freighter, a series of missions are completed for the British Navy. Starting in the Mediterranean Sea with assisting a British commando unit in North Africa, then delivering munitions to the island of Crete, the ship is finally sent to the Baltic Ocean to rescue an assorted group of refugees.

Perfectly capturing the atmosphere of the era and the nautical feel of a merchant marine ship, Dark Voyage is an expert blend of meticulous research and exciting story. From the port of Tangier to the days at sea, we are taken on an intense and richly detailed adventure. Although important history is unfolding in the background, this is a very human story of a variety of people caught up in a desperate situation.

Dark Voyage has a slightly different feel from some of the other books by Alan Furst that I have read, probably because there is more action in this book. This is an espionage story with a cast of assorted Europeans pressed into service, putting their lives on the line. This was an intense, exciting read that I fully enjoyed.

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Furst writes immersive, atmospheric historical fiction set around the beginnings of the second World War. This one is before the United States has entered the war and the Germans have been absolutely devastating merchant ships that England depends on. Starts slow and not a page turner for quite a

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while but don't let that scare you off as a reader. You get some setup and background that people would decry was missing if it wasn't there. When was the last time you had dinner in Tangier?

If you want a WWII espionage novel different than most, here you go. This is a seagoing one. Holland was overrun by the Germans and a Dutch merchant vessel is sometimes repainted and re-flagged to appear as a Spanish freighter. Characters come and go and I didn't quite connect to the characters as I usually do, other than the Dutch Captain who I became quite fond of as the story unfolds. I don't want to reveal important elements of the story, but I hope I meet the Captain again in a later book. I really admired him and will miss him. At the end of the novel we do not know the fate of the Captain and crew.

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In May, 1941, a creaky old cargo ship, the Santa Rosa, ties up in the port of Lisbon to load cork, canned goods, and cooking oil bound for the port of Malmo on the Baltic Sea. But the Santa Rosa is really the Dutch ship Noordendam, and her captain Eric DeHaan, has been commissioned by the Dutch

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government in exile to work with the British secret service.

DeHaan is the typical Furst hero - a world weary msn of middle age who nonetheless, is a dedicated anti-fascist and not only brave, but also compassionate, especially towards his motley international crew who are all fugitives from something or other. Furst perfectly portrays the role of the spy steamer - long periods of fairly mundane work followed by bursts of abject terror. This book will have you on the edge of your chair from beginning to end.

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Not bad spy and ship story. Ending seemed abrupt though.