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To the Honor of the Fleet
The year is 1916. England and Germany have already struck the first blows in the war to end all wars. And Woodrow Wilson's political future depends on its outcome. In a daring scheme to protect the peace, two naval officers become the President's pawns in a war game with a shocking and deadly end.
510 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 26, 2018
I recently read To the Honor of the Fleet by Robert H. Pilpel. His writings are like that of a younger Tom Clancy, very detailed and very slow to start. It takes place in the Opening Months of the First World War The Story starts with the arrest of two American Naval Advisors, Colonel House and Captain Harris Maltbie for disclosing information to the US government, it then flashes-back to months earlier, where the two meet with President Woodrow Wilson and a young FDR (whom is Secretary of the Navy). Wilson gives them the assignment to advise British Naval Operations in the Atlantic Ocean as the German-American named Gehlmann is sent to Germany to advise German Naval Operations. The story goes into the people's personal lives, Gehlmann a rich Jewish Man is shown to have a tenuous relationship with Father issues, Maltbie is shown with a girlfriend and how their relationship will be different once he get home, it is hinted that she may be pregnant.
At the respective bases, House and Harris meet with a Captain Taylor and a Young Winston Churchill (whom seemed scared from his defeat at Gallipoli), whom tells them their assignment to observe combat on the HMS Lion. After two days of sailing they see what are signs of a German Navy, they meet the Germans and engage in a high pitched battle. At the Battle of Dogger Bank, The Royal Navy lost Several destroyers including the HMS Tiger, Taylor`s Ship all hands were lost. The German Side lost 3 Cruisers and 2 Destroyers, Gehlmann was lucky to be out of there alive from the German Side. After the Battle, the plot was discovered by a captain and had Maltbie arrested, which resulted in Colonel House being arrested as well. Unbeknownst to the two, a German U-Boat sunk the Lusitania, a American supply vessel carrying passengers and Weapons, which started the process of bringing America into World War One. House and Maltbie were released after the onset of America`s Intervention into the First World War.
I rated the book 3 out 5 Stars because of its longness and its slow to start reading, the fact of many historical figures interacting with the main characters, I liked this book but it had some downsides, the slow start definitely kinda did not want me to read, but i warmed up to it after the high pitch battle scenes. I recommend this book for people who like to read Tom Clancy .and the historical fiction genre. (this book counts as two).
(This book counted as two)
(editied copy of the original)
At the respective bases, House and Harris meet with a Captain Taylor and a Young Winston Churchill (whom seemed scared from his defeat at Gallipoli), whom tells them their assignment to observe combat on the HMS Lion. After two days of sailing they see what are signs of a German Navy, they meet the Germans and engage in a high pitched battle. At the Battle of Dogger Bank, The Royal Navy lost Several destroyers including the HMS Tiger, Taylor`s Ship all hands were lost. The German Side lost 3 Cruisers and 2 Destroyers, Gehlmann was lucky to be out of there alive from the German Side. After the Battle, the plot was discovered by a captain and had Maltbie arrested, which resulted in Colonel House being arrested as well. Unbeknownst to the two, a German U-Boat sunk the Lusitania, a American supply vessel carrying passengers and Weapons, which started the process of bringing America into World War One. House and Maltbie were released after the onset of America`s Intervention into the First World War.
I rated the book 3 out 5 Stars because of its longness and its slow to start reading, the fact of many historical figures interacting with the main characters, I liked this book but it had some downsides, the slow start definitely kinda did not want me to read, but i warmed up to it after the high pitch battle scenes. I recommend this book for people who like to read Tom Clancy .and the historical fiction genre. (this book counts as two).
(This book counted as two)
(editied copy of the original)
June 18, 2022
Robert H Pilpel’s To The Honour of The Fleet is essentially a political thriller set in WWI. Although set in and around the navies of the participants the key elements of the plot are less naval than they are about politics – US neutrality and the Wilson administration’s dimplmatic attempts to broker peace, or at least keep an eye on the war with the need to win the election in the background. It took me a long time to get into this. I started and stopped twice and have only continued as I am trying to finish books. Fortunately, it does pick up somewhat.
It feels like the set up should be an interesting way to see the naval war through the eyes of both sides. But this is unfortunately undermined by the brits being much more likable. Maltbie is endearing and selfless whereas Gehlman is somewhat cold and self centred, and his German host is an even more unpleasant character. And by halfway through the book Gehlman returns to the US leaving the German viewpoint represented by Admiral Muller who is definitely a secondary character.
Although the main plot is the political and naval, and ultimately a bit of espionage, there are romantic subplots – with both main characters – which between them take up a lot of the book. Although useful in entwining the characters these are for the most part rather sordid, so while I am sure they would be engaging for some they rather put me off the book.
With the focus on the diplomatic and romantic there is, for a outwardly naval book, remarkably little time at sea. The book encompasses some of the main naval battles of WWI; Dogger Bank and concluding with Jutland. Yet the naval actions last a comparatively few pages, and dispute Jutland being set as the climax at the end I am tempted to say it is not the real climax and twist which is on the personal/romantic side. Gehlman does become more likable as the book carries on, but not sufficiently so that I found the ending, which I wont give away, very satisfactory. As a result not really a book I would recommend.
It feels like the set up should be an interesting way to see the naval war through the eyes of both sides. But this is unfortunately undermined by the brits being much more likable. Maltbie is endearing and selfless whereas Gehlman is somewhat cold and self centred, and his German host is an even more unpleasant character. And by halfway through the book Gehlman returns to the US leaving the German viewpoint represented by Admiral Muller who is definitely a secondary character.
Although the main plot is the political and naval, and ultimately a bit of espionage, there are romantic subplots – with both main characters – which between them take up a lot of the book. Although useful in entwining the characters these are for the most part rather sordid, so while I am sure they would be engaging for some they rather put me off the book.
With the focus on the diplomatic and romantic there is, for a outwardly naval book, remarkably little time at sea. The book encompasses some of the main naval battles of WWI; Dogger Bank and concluding with Jutland. Yet the naval actions last a comparatively few pages, and dispute Jutland being set as the climax at the end I am tempted to say it is not the real climax and twist which is on the personal/romantic side. Gehlman does become more likable as the book carries on, but not sufficiently so that I found the ending, which I wont give away, very satisfactory. As a result not really a book I would recommend.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews