The Good Shepherd

Cecil Scott Forester is, of course, best known as the creator of Horatio Hornblower, but he also wrote a number of other books, including some excellent stories of war at sea in the 20th century. "The Good Shepherd" is the story of the captain of an American destroyer who is commanding the escort for a beleaguered convoy at the height of the battle of the Atlantic. He has to fight off both repeatd U-boat attacks and the sea itself. The book has points of considerable similarity to Nicholas Montsarrat's classic "The Cruel Sea" - if you like that book you will like this one, and vice versa. Both Forester and Montsarrat had served in light naval units: the experience shows. Mostly an action story but some points of very good humour, such as gentle mockery of the differences in the way the English language is used on opposite sides of the Atlantic. (The hero takes a few seconds to work out why a signal about a Royal Navy force coming to reinforce him mentions the home town of the commanding officer. He eventually works out for himself that he is heading for a rendezvous not with Captain Earl, from Banff, but with Captain the Earl of Banff ..) I strongly recommend this book. If you like it, and want to read other C.S. Forester stories of war at sea during World War II, I can suggest three others which may appeal to you. They are "Gold from Crete" which is an excellent short story collection; "The man in the yellow raft" about action in a US destroyer during the Pacific war; and best of all "The Ship" which is an absolutely brilliant account of a light cruiser in action while defending a Malta convoy against greatly superior forces.

This is the story of an American sea captain in charge of bringing a convoy of ships from America to Britain during the early days of America's entry into the Second World War. Confronted by a frightfully competent adversary--the German U-Boat fleet, Captain Krause has a vital mission indeed, as Britain's survival was dependent upon such convoys. Krause is well aware that the outcome of the war at that time was very much in doubt, and he must bring to bear all of the skills he has learned in a career forged largely in peacetime.Krause is more than a little reminiscent of Hornblower--highly intelligent, introspective, and full of self-doubts. Forester masterfully shows how Krause must continuously make tough decisions based upon imperfect knowledge, often low-quality ships and equipment, and subordinates who often execute his orders imperfectly. He must take all of these factors into account, and how he manages to do this makes for a very fine and satisfying tale.Personally, I could have done without Krause's flashbacks to his early marital troubles. I just didn't think this added anything either to the reader's understanding of Krause and his character, or to the story in general. Just my opinion. The career problems that Krause had earlier faced added a sufficient melancholy ingredient to the story, without being sordid. Forester always succeeds when he sets out to write a novel of naval adventure, and this book is no exception. This is a wonderful novel. I debated whether to deprive it of the fifth star because I believe that the Hornblower series, and "The Captain From Connecticut" are even better than this novel. But in reality this book is among the very best tales of naval adventure even if Forester has written even better ones, and so five stars it will be.

I first read this book many years ago when I was in high school. (At the time I was working my way through Forester's Hornblower saga.) One of the things that I find amazing is how fresh and moving it is on subsequent reading many years later, even after I've developed a considerable degree of middle-aged cynicism. The strength of the book lies in the characterization of the protagonist. He is above all realistic and believable, with very definite foibles and insecurities. Nonetheless, he also represents all that is best in the "warrior" tradition: duty, discipline, loyalty, focus, and application of consientiously developed professional skills and knowledge. No one can write about nautical matters like C.S. Forester, and the story of one eastward-bound trans-Atlantic convoy is spell-binding in its intensity and carefully thought out attention to detail. But the richly fabricated interior world of Commander George Krause is what makes the book really great and not just another war story. Even for those that have no particular interest in naval or military fiction, it is a superlative study of grace under pressure--of an honourable man facing the most difficult moments of his life and succeeding by doing the best he can!

C.S. Forester is known mostly for his Hornblower series and as the author of The African Queen. He wrote a number of novels and historical works that are being increasingly forgotten except by a small group of fans. The Good Shepherd is a novel that should not fade into oblivion. I read The Good Shepherd shortly before Remembrance Day (November 11) and, while it is fictional, it is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices that so many made for freedom and our way of life.I read Forester's The Ship some months ago and found a number of similarities and differences. The Ship was written during the war when the outcome was uncertain and was quite probably an effective propaganda piece. It is still an excellent, realistic story if dated by some of its jingoism. In contrast The Good Shepherd was written a decade after the issue was decided and is the product of a matured author. Like The Ship, The Good Shepherd has the action unbroken. The Good Shepherd is literally the USN Commander of an Allied convoy in the darkest days of WWII. The Good Shepherd is also a metaphor for Jesus Christ. The novel abounds in Christian symbolism, not the least of which is the parallel between Commander Krause's travails and Christ's passion. It is refreshing to read an older work and see how seamlessly previous generations of writers could incorporate religious themes while telling marvelous stories.The novel also works on a literal level and Forester acknowledges expert sources in the technicalities of anti-submarine warfare. If anyone does not understand how the German U-boats could decimate allied convoys for years, they could do worse than read The Good Shepherd. I got a terrific understanding of the cat and mouse and hunter versus hunted nature of anti-submarine warfare.Forester also brings a sense of irony to the story. The fact that Krause is a Lutheran of obvious German extraction is very ironic. He is depth charging and trying to kill people with whom he has a lot in common; a standard theme in war stories, but neatly understated by Forester.Another positive Forester attribute is his inclusiveness of allies. While Krause and his ship are USN, escorts from the RN, RCN and Polish Navy are featured. I have thought in the past, perhaps cynically, that Forester saw the advantage of not alienating any readers of English. With The Good Shepherd, it's hard to imagine that he was concerned with the size of the Canadian readership and certainly not the Polish readership. The novel is a respectful tribute to the men and is as inclusive as is manageable.I still believe that The Cruel Sea is the best naval novel of WWII but The Good Shepherd is a solid second with H.M.S. Ulysses in third. Forester has been dead for over 30 years and we still miss him.

The Good Shepard is an enthralling study of a US Naval officer attempting to do what he has trained all of his adult life to do; destroy his opponent. Forester puts you right there on the bridge as the captain attempts to control the convoy in his care, his subordinate escorts and his own ship's actions in the cold and unforgiving North Atlantic in wartime. You feel the captain's hunger after hours of action and no food. You smell the coffee. You share his inner thoughts about his crew and himself. You feel the fatigue set in as the captain spends unrelieved hours on his bridge trying to stay ahead of his opponent. It is a story of convoy operations that is unparalleled in the realm of fiction. I first read this bood thirty years ago and still return to it even now. I never tire of it.