High Wind in Java: A Richard Mariner Thriller

Richard Mariner #18

by Peter Tonkin

Richard Mariner - Book 13

'A master of seagoing adventure.' Clive Cussler

Cruising the Java seas aboard Tai Fun, Richard and Robin Mariner test the revolutionary vessel for potential investment. Crewed by the finest professionals, the eco-friendly four-masted ship sails swiftly through the Indonesian islands.

During a stopover in an orang-utan sanctuary, the Mariners, along with multimillionaire eco-warrior Nic Greenbaum, discover evidence of corruption. Secrets can be deadly. Were there ulterior motives for joining the Tai Fun’s recreational journey?

Unexpectedly, the vessel changes its course. A small resource-rich island on their itinerary, Palau Baya, is hit by a chain reaction of unexplained natural disasters. Stranded and waiting for aid, Prince Sailendra deals with the crumbling of his island.

As the Tai Fun comes to the islanders’ rescue, a pirate attack slows their progress. Betrayals ensue. Richard adroitly takes advantage of rising tensions to formulate a plan.

But could it be too late?

Adrenaline-filled, High Wind in Java follows the Mariners, by no means strangers to danger, in another thrilling adventure.

Peter Tonkin was born in 1950 in Ulster, Northern Ireland and was raised in the UK, Holland, Germany, and the Persian Gulf. The son of an RAF officer, Tonkin spent much of his youth travelling the world from one posting to another. He is the author of the Richard Mariner Thriller Collection, Caesar's Spies and the Tom Musgrave Mysteries.

Praise for Peter Tonkin:

“The Ides is a testosterone-fuelled battle roar in a world of double-dealing and betrayal, where wits must be sharp and recovery time between violent encounters is brief. Peter Tonkin has infused a familiar narrative with excitement, energy and a delicious twist right at the very end.” Mystery People

”Riveting tale full of fast action” Publishers Weekly

”Edge-of-the-seat terror” Daily Post

”Good technical detail, plus an exciting climax, makes this entertaining reading” Publishing News

“A welcome aura of old-fashioned expertise” Publishers Weekly

251 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2007

About the author

Peter Tonkin's first novel, KILLER, was published in 1978. His work has included the acclaimed "Mariner" series that have been critically compared with the best of Alistair MacLean, Desmond Bagley and Hammond Innes.

More recently he has been working on a series of detective thrillers with an Elizabethan background. This series, "The Master of Defense", has been characterised as 'James Bond meets Sherlock Holmes meets William Shakespeare'. Each story is a classic 'whodunit' with all the clues presented to the reader exactly as they are presented to the hero, Tom Musgrave. The Kirkus Review described them as having 'Elizabethan detail, rousing action sequences, sound detection...everything a fan of historical mysteries could hope for."

Reviews

[Stefan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really pretty badly written book. The story is pretty interesting. The location of the story is exotic and some of the issues raised (development, resource plundering, global warming) are certainly important in our current world. Th characters are flimsy cutouts. It seems to be constructed by formula Lush tropical description. Sexy females. Dastardly villains. Noble natives.Finished book just to find out the resolution. Lesson learned ? Don't expend any energy ever again reading anything else by this author.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sigh. This was a difficult read.
I was disappointed because this series has high reviews.
I found it wordy and tedious. Paragraphs upon paragraphs that desperately needed to be edited down. It gets great praise and its 3rd star in the descriptions of Indonesia, Java, and the eco-devastations occurring there. I am guessing that the books' overly detailed mariner information about yachts and such is why the series is so popular. I just found it to go on and on. I also found the characters rather boring.

[David Vanness · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this a very enjoyable read. The story line & characters were fun to follow. A little overdone at the end. Not being a Professional Critic gives me the opportunity to allocate stars on sometimes a enjoyment level and occasionally on the scale of the writing. Guess my mood determines which level to use.