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Oceans and the Stars

A Sea Story, A War Story, A Love Story (A Novel)
4.43 goodreads logo

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( 2,956 ratings, 412 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Oceans and the Stars by Mark Helprin is a sweeping tale that blends elements of nautical adventure and dreamlike exploration. The story follows a sea captain who embarks on a perilous journey across vast waters, encountering mysteries and reflecting on personal lost loves along the way. With its rich descriptions and philosophical undertones, the book explores themes of time, memory, and the quest for redemption in the vastness of the ocean.
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Format: Hardback
$4999
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're drawn to sweeping narratives that blend adventure and introspection, set against the backdrop of sea voyages and the vast cosmos. Mark Helprin's lyrical prose weaves together themes of courage, destiny, and the pursuit of understanding, offering a captivating journey through richly imagined worlds. If you enjoy stories that explore complex characters and philosophical undertones, this novel could be a remarkable addition to your collection.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A Navy captain near the end of a decorated career, Stephen Rensselaer is disciplined, intelligent, and determined always to do what's right. In defending the development of a new variant of naval ship, he makes an enemy of the President of the United States, who assigns him to command the doomed line's only prototype—Athena, Patrol Coastal 15—with the intent to humiliate a man who should have been an admiral.

Rather than resign, Rensselaer takes the new assignment in stride, and while supervising Athena's fitting out in New Orleans, he encounters a brilliant lawyer, Katy Farrar, with whom he falls in last-chance love. Soon thereafter, he is deployed on a mission that subjects his integrity, morality, and skill to the ultimate test, and ensures that Athena will live forever in the annals of the Navy.

As in the Odyssey, Katy is the force that keeps him alive and the beacon that lights the way home through seven battles, mutiny, and court martial. In classic literary form, an enthralling new novel that extolls the virtues of living by the laws of conscience, decency, and sacrifice, Oceans and the Stars is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Oceans and the Stars by Mark Helprin is lauded for its richly developed characters and the protagonist's compelling moral journey, woven with references to Shakespeare. The novel combines thrilling action with profound emotional depth, appealing to fans of military narratives and those who appreciate elegant prose. Described as both a love letter to traditional naval values and a grand epic, it explores themes of bravery and virtue, with every plot detail meticulously crafted to provide a comprehensive experience. It stands as an inspiring tale, aligning with literary classics like From Here to Eternity.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781419769085

Publisher: Abrams

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 09 November 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: Abrams

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 229.0mm

Height: 152.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 464

About the Author

Mark Helprin is the internationally acclaimed, bestselling author of Paris in the Present Tense, Winter’s Tale, In Sunlight and in Shadow, A Soldier of the Great War, Freddy and Fredericka, The Pacific, Swan Lake, Ellis Island, Memoir from Antproof Case, and numerous other works.

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