The Sea Wolf

Dick Hill does a brilliant cockney English, a satisfactory Van Weyden and the narration is acceptable. As for who Wolf Larsen is, Hill doesn't have a clue. His reading of Larsen is flat, stuck in a monotone. From Larsen's first word to the last, with one exception that left me wanting, Hill is expressing Larsen's moments of anger, elation, sadness, passion, force, pessimism, reflection, (rare) mirth, depression, and in general every word of normal conversation- in variations of barking, snapping, shouting, bullying, threatening and spitting.In depicting Larsen as nothing but a brute, Hill is depriving him of his extraordinary intellect, his magnetism, his social skills, the intelligence guiding his power and his beauty.The five stars are for London's masterpiece since they apply to rating the book and not the CD. This recording is worthless to me.

Jack London's stated intention in writing this book was to place a man and a woman, both intellectual, well-to-do, yet socially soft (physically and psychologically). into the very challenging world of a seal hunting boat and watch them strive for survival. In this context, he has created one of the most fascinating characters of all literature, Wolf Larson, the inhuman captain of the "Ghost." Larson takes great delight in the suffering he brings to Humphrey Van Weyden and Maud Brewster, but they steadily grow to meet the challenge. This book can be read and enjoyed on two levels: As a rousing sea adventure, or as a discourse on society and sociology. Jack London is my favorite author -- I am in the process of collecting first editions of all fifty of his books -- and yet I find Sea Wolf ranks head and shoulders above all his other works. It could explain why this story has been turned into a film seven times, more than any of his his other stories, including The Call of the Wild. Two of cinema's great Wolf Larsons have been Edward G. Robinson and Charles Bronson.

I thought there was wonderful character development. London made me feel as if I actually knew the people as well as he did. He used fantastic visual imagery and if I closed my eyes I could see the action take place. He used many sailing terms I was unfamiliar with and to more thoroughly enjoy the book I would suggest any reader brush up on sailing vocabulary and parts of a sailing vessel.

The book is a classic study of two characters - the Luciferian captain Wolf Larson, and the gentleman-turned-neophyte-sailor Humphrey Van Weyden. As Hump learns to survive the brutal conditions aboard Larson's ship, the Ghost, he grows from a soft academic type to a strong and resourceful survivor. Larson, the captain, is presented as a monster with no regard for human life. Larson is intrigued with Hump and engages him in philosophical discussions, but absorbs none of Hump's basic goodness. As Hump develops into a man, Larson degenerates into a blinded, diseased, pitiful creature. Hump overcomes his adverse conditions and even finds love, while Larson self-destructs. The adventure aboard the vessel is described in vivid detail, and the author clearly knows sailing. A wonderful story!