Alistair Maclean Audio Books

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Alistair MacLean, late in life
Born
21 April 1922
Shettleston, Glasgow, Scotland
Died2 February 1987 (aged 64)
Resting placeCéligny, Switzerland
ResidenceUK
Switzerland
NationalityScottish
Other namesIan Stuart
EducationDaviot local system
Inverness Royal Academy
Hillhead High School
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
OccupationAuthor and teacher
Years active1955 to 1986
EmployerRoyal Navy (1941–1946)
Gallowflat School (1946–1956)
Known forThrillers
Home townShettleston
Net worth£73,347 (at death)[1]
Height5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Spouse(s)Gisela Heinrichsen (1953–1972)
Mary Marcelle Georgius (1972–1977)
ChildrenThree sons (one adopted) with Gisela

Alistair Stuart MacLean (Scottish Gaelic: Alasdair MacGill-Eain; 21 April 1922 – 2 February 1987) was a Scottish novelist who wrote popular thrillers and adventure stories. His works include The Guns of Navarone, Ice Station Zebra and Where Eagles Dare – all three were made into popular films. He also wrote two novels under the pseudonym Ian Stuart. His books are estimated to have sold over 150 million copies, making him one of the best-selling fiction authors of all time.[2]

  • 1Biography

Biography[edit]

Early life[edit]

Alistair MacLean - Ebooks Alistair MacLean (may or may not work). Being fully aware of this, it is with little hesitation that I say the following sentences: The Golden Rendezvous is Alistair MacLean's best book, which is a staggering achievement in itself. It is also, narrowly b Reviewing books is a bit like a Rorschach Test- you tease out things that you want to see, and ignore others that don't seem. Alistair Maclean was descended from Clan Maclean. MacLean was the son of a Church of Scotland minister 3 and learned English as a second language after his mother tongue, Scottish Gaelic. He was born in Glasgow but spent much of his childhood and youth in Daviot, ten miles south of Inverness. Alistair MacLean, the son of a minister, was brought up in the Scottish Highlands. In 1941 he joined the Royal Navy. After the war he read English at Glasgow University and became a teacher. Two and a half years spent aboard a wartime cruiser gave. 1-16 of 47 results for Books: 'alistair maclean audio' Skip to main search results Amazon Prime. Eligible for Free Shipping. Free Shipping by Amazon. The books are in a MP3 format. There can be 10-15 books on the DVD. Put the DVD into your computer drive. Once the DVD is loaded you can drag a few books at a time to your desktop. Then follow the instructions for you Mp3 player to load them on to your player. You can also play them on your computer or burn them to a CD.

Alistair Maclean was descended from Clan Maclean.

MacLean was the son of a Church of Scotland minister[3] and learned English as a second language after his mother tongue, Scottish Gaelic. He was born in Glasgow but spent much of his childhood and youth in Daviot, ten miles south of Inverness. He was the third of four sons.[4]

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World War Two[edit]

He joined the Royal Navy in 1941, serving in World War II with the ranks of Ordinary Seaman, Able Seaman, and Leading Torpedo Operator. He was first assigned to PS Bournemouth Queen, a converted excursion ship fitted for anti-aircraft guns, on duty off the coasts of England and Scotland.

Beginning in 1943, he served on HMS Royalist, a Dido-class light cruiser. There he saw action in 1943 in the Atlantic theatre, on two Arctic convoys and escorting aircraft carrier groups in operations against Tirpitz and other targets off the Norwegian coast. He took part in Convoy PQ 17 on Royalist.[4]

In 1944 he and Royalist served in the Mediterranean theatre, as part of the invasion of southern France and in helping to sink blockade runners off Crete and bombard Milos in the Aegean. During this time MacLean may have been injured in a gunnery practice accident.

In 1945, in the Far East theatre, MacLean and Royalist saw action escorting carrier groups in operations against Japanese targets in Burma, Malaya, and Sumatra. (MacLean's late-in-life claims that he was captured by the Japanese after blowing up bridges and tortured by having his teeth pulled out have been dismissed by both his son and his biographer as drunken ravings.[5][6]) After the Japanese surrender, Royalist helped evacuate liberated POWs from Changi Prison in Singapore.

Post-war jobs[edit]

MacLean was discharged from the Royal Navy in 1946. He then studied English at the University of Glasgow, working at the post office and as a street sweeper.[7] He graduated in 1953, and briefly worked as a hospital porter, and then worked as a school teacher at Gallow Flat School in Rutherglen.[8]

HMS Ulysses[edit]

While a university student, MacLean began writing short stories for extra income, winning a competition in 1954 with the maritime story 'Dileas'. The publishing company Collins asked him for a novel and he responded with HMS Ulysses, based on his own war experiences, as well as credited insight from his brother Ian, a master mariner. The book was written over three months.[7]

Maclean later described his writing process:

I drew a cross square, lines down representing the characters, lines across representing chapters 1–15. Most of the characters died, in fact only one survived the book, but when I came to the end the graph looked somewhat lopsided, there were too many people dying in the first, fifth and tenth chapters so I had to rewrite it, giving an even dying space throughout. I suppose it sounds cold blooded and calculated, but that's the way I did it.[9]

The book sold a quarter of a million copies in hardback in England in the first six months of publication. It went on to sell millions more.[9] Film rights were sold though a movie was never made.[10] MacLean was able to devote himself to writing.[11][8]

Later life[edit]

His next novel, The Guns of Navarone (1957), was about an attack on the fictitious island of Navarone (based on Melos). The book was very successful, selling over 400,000 copies in its first six months.[7] MacLean followed it with South by Java Head (1958), based on Maclean's experiences in the South East Asia seas in World War Two, and The Last Frontier (1959), a thriller about the Hungarian Uprising of 1956. Film rights for Java Head were sold but no movie resulted.[12] His next novels were Night Without End (1959) and Fear Is the Key (1961). The Last Frontier was turned into a movie, The Secret Ways (1961), which was not very successful while the film version of The Guns of Navarone (1961) was hugely successful.[citation needed]

In the early 1960s, MacLean published two novels under the pseudonym 'Ian Stuart' in order to prove that the popularity of his books was due to their content rather than his name on the cover. These were The Dark Crusader (1961) and The Satan Bug (1962). They sold well, and MacLean made no attempt to change his writing style. He also continued to publish novels under his own name such as The Golden Rendezvous (1962) and Ice Station Zebra (1963).[citation needed]

'I'm not a novelist,' he once said. 'That's too pretentious a claim. I'm a storyteller, that's all. I'm a professional and a craftsman. I will make that claim for myself.' [13] Maclean also claimed he wrote very fast (35 days for a novel) because he disliked writing and the 'sooner he finished the better'. He never re-read a book after it was finished.[13] His novels were notable for their lack of sex. 'I like girls,' said MacLean. 'I just don't write them well. Everyone knows that men and women make love, laddie – there is no need to show it.'[13]

MacLean's books eventually sold so well that he moved to Switzerland as a tax exile. From 1963 to 1966, he took a hiatus from writing to run a hotel business in England, purchasing the Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor.[14][15]

During this time a film was made of The Satan Bug (1965). MacLean returned to writing with When Eight Bells Toll (1966).[16]

Screenwriting[edit]

Producer Elliot Kastner approached MacLean looking for film scripts which prompted MacLean to write Where Eagles Dare. In July 1966 Kastner and his producing partner Jerry Gershwin had purchased five screenplays from MacLean: Where Eagles Dare, When Eight Bells Toll, and three other unnamed ones.[17][18] (Kastner made four MacLean movies.) MacLean also wrote a novel for Where Eagles Dare which was published in 1967. The book was a best seller and the 1968 film version was a huge hit.[19] 'MacLean is a natural storyteller,' said Kastner. 'He is a master of adventure. All his books are conceived in cinematic terms. They hardly need to be adapted for the screen; when you read them, the screen is in front of your mind.'[20] MacLean wrote a sequel to Guns of Navarone, Force 10 from Navarone (1968). A film version was announced in 1967 but did not result for another decade.[21]The same year saw the release of an expensive film based on Ice Station Zebra (1968).

Maclean wrote a thriller about narcotics, Puppet on a Chain (1969), and Caravan to Vaccarès (1970). These books all began as screenplays for Kastner.[22] MacLean then wrote Bear Island (1971), the last of his first person narratives.[citation needed] Kastner produced a film version of When Eight Bells Toll (1971) and Fear Is the Key (1972); another producer made Puppet on a Chain (1971). Neither performed particularly strongly at the box office.[23] This delayed plans announced in 1972 for MacLean's then-wife Marcelle to produce three films based on his books.[4] One of these proposed films was The Way to Dusty Death, which was to star Jackie Stewart. It ended up being a 1973 novel and a 1995 film.[4]

Geoffrey Reeve directed a film of Caravan to Vaccarès (1974). By 1973 MacLean had sold over 24 million novels.[13]Civil war games for xbox. 'I am not a writer,' he said in 1972. 'I am a businessman. My business is writing.'[4] MacLean had spent a number of years focusing on screenplays but disliked it and decided to return to being predominantly a novel writer. 'Hollywood destroys writers,' he said.[5] He wrote a biography of James Cook which was published in 1972.[24] He wrote Breakheart Pass (1974),[25]Circus (1975),[26]The Golden Gate (1976),[27]Seawitch (1977),[28]Goodbye California (1979) and Athabasca (1980).

'I read a lot, I travel some,' he said in 1975. 'But mostly what I don't know I invent.'[29] In 1978 MacLean said he 'just can't understand' why people bought his novels. 'It's not as if I write that well.. I blunder along from one book to the next always hopeful that one day I will write something really good.'[5] Films were still being made out of his novels including Breakheart Pass (1975) (from Kastner), Golden Rendezvous (1977), Force 10 from Navarone (1978), and Bear Island (1979) but none did very well.

Maclean decided to focus on American television. He wrote a 120-page novella called Air Force One is Down which was turned down by NBC (it would be filmed in 2012). Maclean then pitched six new ideas to networks, each with a 25–30 page treatment. The Hostage Tower was approved by CBS and aired in 1980.[23]

Later novels[edit]

Maclean's later works include River of Death (1981) (filmed in 1989), Partisans (1982), Floodgate (1983), and San Andreas (1984). Often these novels were worked on by ghost writers, with MacLean providing only the outline.[30] His last novel was Santorini (1986), published after his death.[31] His estate left behind several outlines. One of them was filmed as Death Train (1993).[32]

MacLean's later books were not as well received as the earlier publications and, in an attempt to keep his stories in keeping with the time, he sometimes lapsed into unduly improbable plots.[citation needed] He also struggled constantly with alcoholism,[33] which eventually brought about his death in Munich on 2 February 1987.[34] He died of a stroke. He is buried a few yards from Richard Burton in Céligny, Switzerland. He was married twice and had two sons by his first wife, as well as an adopted third son. His niece Shona MacLean (also published under S.G. Maclean) is a writer and historical novelist.[35]

MacLean was awarded a Doctor of Letters by the University of Glasgow in 1983.[citation needed]

Reception[edit]

Algis Budrys described MacLean's writing style as 'hit 'em with everything but the kitchen sink, then give 'em the sink, and when they raise their heads, drop the plumber on 'em'.[36]

List of works[edit]

Novels

YearTitleNotesHigh
NYT
Wks
NYT
1955HMS Ulysses#817
1957The Guns of Navarone#123
1958South by Java Head
1959The Last Frontierin the US The Secret Ways
1959Night Without End#132
1961Fear Is the Key
1961The Dark Crusaderin the US The Black Shrike (as Ian Stuart)
1962The Golden Rendezvous#138
1962The Satan Bugas Ian Stuart#161
1962All About Lawrence of ArabiaNon-fiction
1963Ice Station Zebra#101
1966When Eight Bells Toll
1967Where Eagles DareHe also wrote the screenplay.#88
1968Force 10 From Navarone#418
1969Puppet on a ChainAlso wrote screenplay#517
1970Caravan to Vaccarès#612
1971Bear Island#514
1972Alistair MacLean Introduces ScotlandNon-fiction, edited by Alastair Dunnett
1972Captain CookNon-fiction
1973The Way to Dusty Death
1974Breakheart Pass
1975Circus#512
1976The Golden Gate#82
1977Seawitch#151
1978Goodbye California#109
1980Athabasca#3 [37]
1981River of Death
1982Partisans#151
1983Floodgate#123
1984San Andreas
1985The Lonely SeaCollection of short stories (2 stories added in 2009)
1986Santorini#132

Source for The New York Times Best Seller list: 'Adult New York Times Best Seller Listings'. Hawes Publications. Retrieved 30 August 2014. Figures are for the Adult Hardcover Fiction lists, 1956 through 1987: highest position reached and total number of weeks on list. A '—' indicates it did not make the list. Note that the Times list consisted of a Top 10 from 1963 through 1976, but a Top 15 or 16 before and after; thus, books during that middle period may have had longer stays relative to the others.

A collection of MacLean's fiction works from 1955 to 1971, published by Heron Books (London) in the mid-1970s

UNACO books by other authors

YearTitleAuthor, using
MacLean's notes
1980Hostage TowerJohn Denis
1981Air Force One is DownJohn Denis
1989Death TrainAlastair MacNeill
1989Night WatchAlastair MacNeill
1990Red AlertAlastair MacNeill
1991Time of the AssassinsAlastair MacNeill
1992Dead HaltAlastair MacNeill
1993Code BreakerAlastair MacNeill
1995RendezvousAlastair MacNeill
1997Prime TargetHugh Miller
1998Borrowed TimeHugh Miller

Golden Girl series by other authors

YearTitleNotes
1992Golden Girlby Simon Gandolfi
1993Golden Webby Simon Gandolfi
1994Golden Vengeanceby Simon Gandolfi

Films with screenplay contribution

YearTitleNotes
1968Where Eagles Darebook author/screenplay
1970Puppet on a Chainbook author/screenplay
1971When Eight Bells Tollbook author/screenplay
1975Breakheart Passbook author/screenplay

Other films

YearTitleNotes
1961The Secret Waysbook author
1961The Guns of Navaronebook author
1965The Satan Bugbook author
1968Ice Station Zebrabook author
1972Fear Is the Keybook author
1974Caravan to Vaccaresbook author
1977Golden Rendezvousbook author
1978Force 10 from Navaronebook author
1979Bear Islandbook author
1980The Hostage Towerstory
1989River of Deathbook author
1993Death Trainstory
1995The Way to Dusty Deathbook author
1995Night Watchstory

Allegedly written by Alistair MacLean

YearTitleNotes
1962Bloody borderlandby Tadeusz Kostecki in 1946 as Droga powrotna Płowego Jima

References[edit]

Notes
  1. ^Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  2. ^Head, Dominic (26 January 2006). The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English. Cambridge University Press. p. 431. ISBN9780521831796.
  3. ^'Rev. Alistair MacLean'. Family Search. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  4. ^ abcdeWar Is Hell, but It Pays Off for MacLean: War Pays Off for MacLean War Pays Off for MacLean War is Hell, but It Pays Off for Alistair Johnstone, Jain. Los Angeles Times 17 Dec 1972: p1.
  5. ^ abcMystery of success: Alistair MacLean wants to be greatDangaard, Colin. Chicago Tribune 11 Sep 1978: b1.
  6. ^Webster, Alistair MacLean: A Life, p. 191.
  7. ^ abcAlistair Maclean dies aged 64The Irish Times3 Feb 1987: 4.
  8. ^ ab'Novelist Alistair MacLean Dies at 64'. AP News. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  9. ^ abWar Is Hell, but It Pays Off for MacLean: War Pays Off for MacLean War Pays Off for MacLean War is Hell, but It Pays Off for Alistair, Johnstone, Jain. Los Angeles Times 17 Dec 1972: p1.
  10. ^Wales, Roland (3 March 2017). 'Movie Countdown: 52 – 46'. From Journey's End to The Dam Busters: The Life of R.C. Sherriff, Playwright of the Trenches. Pen and Sword Books / WordPress. ISBN1-47386-069-5. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  11. ^'Alistair MacLean: An enduring writer of thrillers'. The Week. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  12. ^New Guinness Film to Cost $4 MillionThe Washington Post, Times Herald 20 Jan 1960: B10.
  13. ^ abcdBest-Selling Author Alistair MacLean Dies: [FINAL Edition]The Washington Post 3 Feb 1987: b04.
  14. ^Johnstone, Iain (10 May 1978). 'The Man with the Golden Typewriter'. The Australian Women's Weekly. p. 65. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  15. ^'His 22 Best-Selling Thrillers Have Brought Alistair MacLean Fame, Fortune and a Lonely Life'. People. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  16. ^Cromie, Alice (25 September 1966). 'Crime on My Hands'. Chicago Tribune (1963-Current file). Chicago. p. n4.Italic or bold markup not allowed in: newspaper= (help)
  17. ^Gene Kelly to Do 'Married'Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 30 July 1966: 18.
  18. ^Aba, Marika (21 July 1968) 'The Burtons.. 'Just Another Working Couple'. Los Angeles Times (1923–Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif]. c18.
  19. ^'Where Eagles Dare'. TCM.
  20. ^ALISTAIR MacLEAN DIES; BOOKS SOLD IN MILLIONS: [Obituary]McDOWELL, EDWIN. New York Times 3 Feb 1987: B.7.
  21. ^Second 'Navarone' Film SetMartin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 13 Apr 1967: d19.
  22. ^The Man who Knows where the Action is.Alistair MacLean and Godfrey Smith. The Sunday Times (London, England), Sunday, January 18, 1970; pg. 37[S]; Issue 7651. (1523 words)
  23. ^ abAlistair MacLean's Eiffel Tower Drama By DAVID LEWIN. New York Times 11 May 1980: D37.
  24. ^THE BOOK REPORT: Capt. Cook's Great Voyages Told in Sketches With TextKirsch, Robert. Los Angeles Times 28 Sep 1972: e7.
  25. ^BREAKHEART PASS by Alistair MacLean. Kirkus Reviews.
  26. ^CIRCUS by Alistair MacLean. Kirkus Reviews.
  27. ^THE GOLDEN GATE by Alistair MacLean. Kirkus Reviews.
  28. ^SEAWITCH by Alistair MacLean. Kirkus Reviews.
  29. ^CRITIC AT LARGE: The Scot's Got Lots of PlotsChamplin, Charles. Los Angeles Times 27 Feb 1975: f1.
  30. ^Haunted by ghost writersHamilton, Ian. The Observer (1901–2003); London (UK) [London (UK)]19 Mar 1995: 88.
  31. ^The Final Adventure of Alistair MacLean: SANTORINI By Alistair MacLean Doubleday. 245 pp. $16.95By Heywood Hale Broun. The Washington Post 12 Apr 1987: BW7.
  32. ^The New Adventures of Pierce Brosnan: ACTOR IS BACK ON TRACK WITH USA NETWORK'S 'DEATH TRAIN'SUSAN KING TIMES STAFF WRITER. Los Angeles Times 11 Apr 1993: J15.
  33. ^Norman, Barry (2003). And Why Not?: Memoirs of a Film Lover. NY: Simon and Schuster. pp. 211–14. ISBN978-0684020884. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  34. ^McDOWELL, EDWIN. 'ALISTAIR MacLEAN DIES; BOOKS SOLD IN MILLIONS.' New York Times, Late Edition (East Coast) ed.Feb 03 1987.
  35. ^https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/scots-crime-writer-shona-maclean-killed-off-to-appeal-to-men-1-2248772
  36. ^Budrys, Algis (April 1966). 'Galaxy Bookshelf'. Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 67–75.
  37. ^'PAPERBACK BEST SELLERS; MASS MARKET.' New York Times, Late Edition (East Coast) ed.Apr 25 1982.
Bibliography
  • Petri Liukkonen. 'Alistair MacLean'. Books and Writers
  • J. Kingston Pierce (1 October 2013). 'Fit to Thrill: Alistair MacLean Deserves to Be Read Again'. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  • Edwin McDowell (3 February 1987). 'Alastair MacLean Dies; Books Sold In Millions'. The New York Times. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  • 'Bestselling British Author Alistair MacLean Dead At 64'. Ocala Star-Banner. 3 February 1987. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  • Lee, Robert A. Alistair MacLean: The Key is Fear. Borgo Press, 1976. ISBN0-89370-203-X.
  • Webster, Jack. Alistair MacLean: A Life. Chapmans Publishers, 1991. ISBN1-85592-519-2. (Alternative title: Alistair MacLean: A Biography of a Master Storyteller.)
  • 'Maclean, Alistair.' Chambers Biographical Dictionary. Liam Rodger and Joan Bakewell. London: Chambers Harrap, 2011.

External links[edit]

Alistair Maclean Audio Books Online

  • Alistair MacLean on IMDb
  • Harper dares with Alistair MacLean reissue, 2009.09.11

See also[edit]

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Preview — The Golden Rendezvous by Alistair MacLean

From the back cover:
MURDER FOR MILLIONAIRES
A luxury cruise .. A missing atomic scientist .. A hidden nuclear device .. A very rich and beautiful woman ..
A band of desperate hijackers .. A ship of gold.
Put them all together with First Officer John Carter, tough, shrewd, resourceful, and you have a fantastic blend of suspense – adventure and international intrigue.
Published July 12th 1982 by Fawcett (first published 1962)
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Rating details

Reviewing books is a bit like a Rorschach Test- you tease out things that you want to see, and ignore others that don't seem terribly important to you. No two people ever approach a book in quite the same way- those familiar twins, Context and Subjectivity, shape every review you make.
Being fully aware of this, it is with little hesitation that I say the following sentences: The Golden Rendezvous is Alistair MacLean's best book, which is a staggering achievement in itself. It is also, narrowly b
..more
Dec 02, 2015Jonathan Kirby rated it it was amazing
I was 16 years old when I discovered Alistair Maclean. Actually this book was first read in Reader's Digest Condensed Books, and I didn't really appreciate it. But then when I really 'tasted' Maclean - you have to be the right age, and have the right education, to appreciate classical writers like Alistair Maclean - I never knew a writer who could be so GOOD. Yes, he writes suspense and adventure; but he is always clean, always humorous (in a self-deprecating way) and always marvellous in his gr..more
Aug 09, 2015Thomas Strömquist rated it liked it · review of another edition
I probably remember the movie (starring Richard Harris) more than the book, really. But I would say that this is readable, but not in any way among the first dozen or so you should pick if you're starting on MacLean.
Mar 15, 2017Lenny Husen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Perfect MacLean. His best work was done in the '50's and '60's. I thoroughly enjoyed this one from start to finish. I slowed down on purpose to stretch it out.
Here are quotes from the book:
'I couldn't make it; reasons, instinct, logic, common sense all told me I couldn't make it, but I made it.'
'It was about forty years too late now, I supposed, for anyone to point out to Dr. Marston that he was a born actor. No question in my mind now but that that was what he should have been: the gain to bot
..more
Jun 23, 2012Feliks rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Alistair MaClean is one of the more difficult thriller authors to endorse. The problem is, that he was so uneven in his output. He wrote what, 30 books? But quality is entirely 'hit-or-miss', throughout. He was the 'junk-food' of the classic-era thriller-writers. So sometimes you reach for one of his titles; knowing its possibly bad ..but you just keep stuffing it into your craw. He's the writer that you're always a little-bit-embarrassed to be caught reading.
People talk about where the 'rot' i
..more
It's a rare thing for a 'thriller' to garner four or five stars from me. While reading these types of books, I feel the mapping of the plot, as if the voice from a GPS computer were directing my every turn. It feels manipulative. While the sights may be interesting along the way, the randomness of life has been suppressed.
This is the feeling that was conveyed by The Golden Rendezvous. It was an engaging turn of events and the setting, a passenger ship at sea, enhanced the experience. The charact
..more
Jan 27, 2018Philip rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: pocket-books, kiss-kiss-bang-bang, 1960s, mystery-thriller, first-person, fiction, filmed, air-and-sea
This was written just around the middle of Maclean's 'good period,' which generally ran from his first (and many would say best) book in 1955, HMS Ulysses, through Where Eagles Dare in 1967, (as opposed to the clunkers he wrote through the 70's and 80's). Like many if not most of his books from that early period, it's written in the first person, and while it's well-plotted and enjoyable enough, his voice and characters are so consistently recognizable there is absolutely nothing here that disti..more
Nov 06, 2012Suzannah rated it liked it
A fun book, but silly.
Jun 23, 2016Royala Christoph rated it really liked it
I have loved Alistair MacLean's work ever since I first discovered it in junior high. I'm a girl who loves suspense and action/adventure, but am conservative enough not to appreciate the hardcore profanity and sex scenes found in novels like Robert Ludlum's thrillers. MacLean's works, written mostly in the 1950s and 60s, are consistently clean and classy. There is romance in every one of his novels except for Ice Station Zebra, but not so much that it slows the pacing of the plot. MacLean has on..more
May 03, 2010Surreysmum rated it it was ok
[These notes were made in 1984:]. A MacLean I thought I'd read, but I had no recollection of it. I must admit that I found the non-stop slaughter a little more difficult to take than I remember from my teen-age perusals of this author. In this one, our strong, silent first-person narrator is first officer of a cargo boat-cum-luxury liner which is hijacked by representatives of a small third-world government for the purpose of stealing $150 million in gold. A small nuclear weapon and a kidnapped..more
Aug 11, 2011Robert Brokenmouth rated it it was ok
This, I think, is where the rot sets in for real. The character knows too much and doesn't share it. Instead, we get lots of pontification. It's a great plot, but I don't give a bugger about the characters, partly cos they talk too much bollocks. Compare this with his first three books and you can see he needs an editor - but he obviously wouldn't listen. Pity, it's one draft away from being 4 out of 5.
Aug 14, 2012Peter rated it really liked it
my first alisair maclean at sixteen..started me on a roll that saw me read all of his books over the next couple of years..biggles for teens
Nov 13, 2018Doris Pearson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A very exciting read with non-stop drama action. Gold, secret weapon, beautiful woman.Explosive !
This was an odd book to read and is an odd book to review. On one hand, so much of it is unbelievable and downright stupid, I want to give it two stars. On the other hand, it's pretty action packed and is somewhat of a page turner. I couldn't put it down. So I'm not sure what to say.
An atom bomb is stolen from an American base. A British ship, however, is where the plot takes place. It's truly bizarre. It's a cargo ship, okay, but has also been converted into a luxury liner -- without the tradit
..more
Sep 04, 2018Adam Pilbeam rated it it was amazing
This book ought to be a classic. A high seas adventure, starring the capable First Officer Carter as he grapples with pirates with a dangerous agenda. The writing is immaculate, and I really think it is one of MacLean's best.
Another naval thriller from Maclean. Possibly one of his best plots - the suspense really builds up in the first half of the novel. The second half is not half-bad, but I had to exercise my suspension of disbelief too often. The plot isn't as layered as some of his books, and I got the feeling that with a protagonist like Chief Officer Carter, the antagonists never had a chance.
Nonetheless, it serves it's purpose as quick, enjoyable filler between more serious reads admirably. Maybe I'm putting
..more
Another great Alistair MacLean novel with a boatload of admirable heroes and dastardly villains. None are more heroic than the ship’s chief officer, John Carter, who doggedly refuses to let fear get in his way, even when faced with seemingly impossible odds. I’m going to be deliberately vague here to avoid spoilers, but without doubt the best moment in the book is when a scientist explains to John the terrible danger facing them and the likely consequences should John attempt to tamper with a ce..more
Feb 12, 2013Dhiraj Sharma rated it it was amazing
The best MacLean ever and my personal favourite. As with all MacLean Novels the plot is thrilling to the very end.
The hero is typical MacLean: tough, resourceful and gifted with a self-deprecating sense of humor.
Modern pirates day pirates running after gold bullion and a nuclear bomb take over a luxury liner and its upto the first mate (the protogonist) to outwit them in the dangerous game of cat and mouse.
The story grips you from the very first page and will keep you hooked till the the last
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Aug 13, 2014Shalini M rated it liked it
Maclean was the one who made suspense thrillers the first of my favorite genres (and it is only in last few years that I started enjoying other genres more). However, in this one, he wasn't at his best. His protagonists are typically highly intelligent and resourceful, and the story line usually borders on believable. But the protagonist in this one is too super-human, and quite a few turns are either predictable or completely defy logic, to make the story quite unbelievable. But it is still edg..more
Jan 30, 2015Coby rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Alastair MacLean is an author of the 20th century well known for action and suspense. Two of his best known classics, The Guns of Navarone and Where Eagles Dare, are edge of your seat reads and both were made into edge of your seat movies. The Golden Rendezvous is not as good as Navarone of Eagles, but the story is still quite thrilling. Chief Officer John Carter of the SS Campari is not having a good day. Last minute passengers with coffins delay the departure of the Campari from Nassau. The ab..more

Alistair Maclean Audio Books Reviews

After reading two famous books of this author, my expectations for this book was quite high. This book didn't reach to my expectations. The story started on a very slow pace. The story was not at all time knitting. Hence I had taken a long time to read. Plot of the story was good and could be made interesting and page turning if the author wished too. If you haven't read any books of this author and your reading this one for the first time you might like it. But to appreciate the author's story..more
May 13, 2015David Miller rated it liked it · review of another edition
Picked this at random from the MacLean titles at my local library. Was a great read - very entertaining. All you have to do is accept the nature of reality in an Alastair MacLean book. This reality allows the hero to be sandbagged on the head, shot in the leg, lose a lot of blood, and still save the day and get the girl via heroic feats of derring-do. Which is what makes it so fun - *if only I could be that guy that can do that*. Secretly we all want to be James Bond. Any book that keeps me up p..more
Dec 05, 2015Chris rated it really liked it · review of another edition
I enjoyed this book. It was better than some of the other MacLean novels that I read recently, if only because the protagonist wasn't a master spy who was inexplicably inept. In this case, the hero is a man who is thrust into strange and difficult circumstances and he manages to outwit the cleverest of villians. The criminal plot at the center of the novel seems a bit over-complicated and therefore difficult to believe, but it was fun nonetheless.
Jun 07, 2014Gateacre rated it really liked it · review of another edition
MacLean is always at his best when at sea and this novel is no exception. His ex-naval background gives him real authority and authenticity, and it has to be said that First Officer Carter is definitely one of his more memorable characters. As usual it is tightly plotted and has the usual mix of eccentric good guys and bad guys. A fast paced, gripping read!
I LOVE this book -- hadn't read it in years. Supposedly it was coming out in a Nook format, so I eagerly plunked down my money and then .. it wasn't available. So I found it on ABEbooks.com, a great source of old books. It's a great thriller with a commonplace, so to speak, hero. Bruce Willis could have done a great job with this, in movie form, about 20 years ago.
Sep 12, 2017Richard Mellon rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Rich people ..
Rich people enjoying life on s pleasure boat .. Alistair decides to mix in double cross and rogue government criminals to ruin their good time .. Lots of fun for the reader for sure ..
Nov 30, 2011Veeral rated it liked it
A typical MacLean thriller which brings nothing new to the table. But I have read it couple of times nevertheless and I like the character of the wisecracking captain. That's why this book has a special place in my heart. Good memories of adolescent years.
I always enjoy books by Alistair MacLean, even though he tends to follow the same formula as he develops his stories - tough, resourceful protagonist takes on bad guys, and against overwhelming odds, prevails and wins the day.
Feb 15, 2013Brian Turner rated it really liked it
High seas adventure from Alistair MacLean.
Without giving too much away, a cruise ship finds itself caught up in events with possibly fatal consequences.
Lots of tense action and plots within plots.
May 08, 2011Roshni rated it really liked it · review of another edition
This book was classic MacLean: espionage, adventure, and mystery. The added romance took away a bit from the plot, so this was not as enjoyable as some of MacLean`s other books. But, still a fantastic read with suspense that keeps you on the edge of your chair, unable to put the book down. ..more
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Alistair Stuart MacLean (Scottish Gaelic: Alasdair MacGill-Eain), the son of a Scots Minister, was brought up in the Scottish Highlands. In 1941, at the age of eighteen, he joined the Royal Navy; two and a half years spent aboard a cruiser were to give him the background for HMS Ulysses, his first novel, the outstanding documentary novel on the war at sea. After the war he gained an English Honour..more
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