The Enemy Below

HMS Hecate #2

by D.A. Rayner

DUEL AT SEA

From the moment the radar indicated a German sub, the captain of the destroyer Hecate knew he would achieve his life’s ambition — a duel to the death in deserted waters between his ship and an enemy submarine.

Below the choppy sea sped the U-121 commanded by Kapitan von Stolberg, an efficient, brutal sailor who also welcomed a fight to the finish — but for a different reason. His submarine was entrusted with a mission that could prove catastrophic to the Allied war effort. Nothing — least of all a British destroyer — must stand in his way.

Plotting his strategy like a deadly game of chess, the destroyer captain doggedly tailed the elusive sub. Depth charge answered torpedo, cannon matched gun and finally man faced man in a climactic battle for supremacy at sea.

THE ENEMY BELOW was the basis for the Academy Award winning 1957 movie starring Robert Mitchum and Curt Jürgens.

About the author: Denys Arthur Rayner was a Royal Navy officer who fought throughout the Battle of the Atlantic. After intensive war service at sea, Rayner became a writer, a farmer, and a successful designer and builder of small sailing craft.

Genres: Fiction, War, World War II, Historical Fiction

151 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 1957

About the author

Denys Arthur Rayner DSC & Bar, VRD, RNVR (9 February 1908 – 4 January 1967) was a Royal Navy officer who fought throughout the Battle of the Atlantic. After intensive war service at sea, Rayner became a writer, a farmer, and a successful designer and builder of small sailing craft - his first being the Westcoaster; his most successful being the glass fibre gunter or Bermudian rigged twin keel Westerly 22 from which evolved similar "small ships" able to cross oceans while respecting the expectations, in terms of comfort, safety and cost, of a burgeoning family market keen to get to sea. Before his death in 1967, Rayner had founded, and via his pioneering GRP designs, secured the future expansion of Westerly Marine Construction Ltd - up until the late 1980s, one of Britain's most successful yacht builders.

Reviews

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author knows his ships of war for this is an extremely detailed book describing the activities of both an American destroyer and a German submarine in combat and set in World War II. I did prefer the movie because of this.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so good as expected.

Free download available soon at FadedPage

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Enemy Below is a favorite movie of mine and so I came to the book with high expectations. The book as usual is light years ahead of the movie. Some major differences are the destroyer is a destroyer not a destroyer escort. The Allied navy is the Royal Navy not the US Navy. The other differences are the view of the German commander and his relationship with his officers. This makes the book far more enjoyable and interesting. The most interesting part of the book is Rayner's attitude about the Germans. It is quite clear how he feels about the Germans and how some wounds hadn't quite healed at the time he wrote the book. I can't wait to own a copy.

[Colin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was ok,but story was limited in only been set above or below waves,so became a little repetitive with not alot of action.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once in awhile you come across a movie that is as good as the book. This is the first time I have read the book and found it as gripping as the film. I accept the fact that Hollywood had to make the HMS Hecate an American ship. They couldn't have financed the film otherwise. The storylines aren't quite the same but whatever. The main difference, I think, is in the characters of the two captains. Murrell in the book is perhaps more emotional and clinical at the same time, but Robert Mitchum was brilliant. The literary Von Stolberg is an arrogant, Junker pig. Not a Nazi but just as bad. Curt Jurgens performance was much more sympathetic and I felt myself drifting to his side by the end of the film. The literary von Stolberg, not so much.

[Muna D · Rating 5 out of 5]

The enemy below, it is an interesting book. It’s about war of an enemy and the attitude of Germans while they betrayed them also it's just not one book it has different topics on one but it's all related to the historic(war)of past.

Other differences are the views of the German commander and his relationship with his officers. This makes the book more enjoyable and interesting. The most interesting part of the book is Rayners attitude about the Germans.

[Jose C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great suspense & nautical action. I think this came before the Good Shepard by CS Forrester, but I read Shepard first, so I personally compare them & both are great reads. This Enemy Below gets better after each chapter, & the ending is classic, right up to the last sentence of the book. I like how each chapter alternates between the British destroyer & the German submarine, and the story still progresses at a good pace. I liked the Robert Mitchum movie of the same name, but would have liked it if they would have kept it with a British ship (& of course, the British accents - I'm a US sailor).

[Vicente J Herrero · Rating 4 out of 5]

HIS Hecate last duel

Great naval war story good to follow the maneuvers on a maneuvering board in order to better appreciate good seamanship. Loved the very likely fisticuffs end.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sure it made a better movie.

[Mitchell Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hood read

Great story of wartime at sea told in the old style. Great read! I highly recommend it to all. Lol

[Chaplain Stanley Chapin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good sea actions

A interesting storyline of both the activities and operators of a German submarine and a British destroyer, with mind games between the two Captains

[Commander Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having watched the film more than once I looked forward to reading once I found out it existed. It didn't disappoint even though I knew what was coming.

[Cresposts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Full of suspense and thrilling naval battles!

[Jim Kelsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this 25 cent Pocketbook paperback version of this novel. I loved the movie and found significant differences. The novel follows a British frigate and a German U boat. The chess match between captains was tense and engaging.
Three jimmys out of five

[Ron Musgrove · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big, hard and full of seamen.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read with funny little twist....read in penn.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book ,I can see why it was used for the base for the movie of te same name.