A Ship's Tale Review

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A Ship's Tale ReviewThe old square-rigger Bonnie Clyde, a derelict ship, was slated to be scrapped. Or so the British Admiralty thought. How she ended up in a gale with an unlikely crew is the focus of N. Jay Young's delightful novel, A Ship's Tale. The reader is treated to the antics of a group of men brought together in 1946 by their love of the sea and the desire to preserve a piece of their country's maritime heritage. And so, the salvage work begins in earnest, and in secret, to spirit Bonnie Clyde to Scotland from her present home on the Thames.
When Flynn, a former Royal Navy Officer, comes upon the ship and throws in his lot with Bowman, Harris, Edward and Boris, little does he realize that the next few weeks will be a: challenge to all and will permanently alter their lives. Yet, in spite of such obstacles as government officials, Flynn's regular job, and the persistent shortages in England after the war, they manage to hatch a very clever scheme. Each participant in this "piracy" has specific jobs that usually require intrigue and more than a little bending of the law. Little by little, though, they come together to form a cohesive crew.
And what a crew it is. Besides the old seafarers, there are 20 untested crewmen, an unlikely stowaway and a very surprising cook. How they join talents to make the plan work is the treat. We find ourselves willing accomplices in their ruses, admiring their cleverness and cheering them along.
Seamen are like a fraternity and a number of them-including a U.S. Navy submarine become co-conspirators who use their boats to help the ship evade detection and surrender once spotter planes, MTB's (motor torpedo boats) and the Coast Patrol get into the act. A reporter, sympathetic to the mission of Bonnie Clyde and aware of a rollicking good story when he sees one, manages to get the British public on the side of the crew as well. That certainly gives the Admiralty something to think about.
Friends on land, with the help of ham radio operators, are able to keep the crew abreast of what's being published in the papers and how far the investigation by Scotland Yard has proceeded.
The first half of A Ship's Tale pulls the reader into the plotting by the crew, not only revealing what's being done to prepare the square-rigger for her rescue from the scrap heap, but also giving us very defined characters. Young weaves together the various subplots very deftly, so that, even though you want to know what ultimately happens to the ship, you can savor the time the author takes in setting the scene and building the background. You don't want to rush through this part; there are revelations and laughs when you least expect them.
The rest of the book, of course, covers the journey to Dumbarton, Scotland. At this point, you've gotten to know the characters really well, and Young puts the 'reader right next to then}' wherever the action on the ship takes place. This is good, clear writing that lets even the landlubber understand what's going on. Young also does a neat job wrapping up the crew's individual stories. All of which makes A Ship's Tale a satisfying, highly enjoyable read. --Liz ShawA Ship's Tale OverviewSet in post-war England, this is the story of the square-rigger Bonnie Clyde. She was a grand vessel in her time, but now the sea-weary sailing ship awaits scuttling in the cold waters of the English Channel. Before this great lady meets her fate, a group of rogue sailors, unable to persuade the Admiralty to help save this vessel, pirates the ship away while under tow to be scuttled. Through their creative use of materials and methods, they sail her through the English Channel and the Irish Sea, hoping to deliver the ship to her original home where she was built in Dumbarton, Scotland on the river Clyde. A former Royal Navy officer, Lt. Flynn tells the story. He is lured into conspiring with a Scottish sea captain (Bowman), his British first mate (Harris) who is the inside connection to parts from the scrap yards, an Irish navigator (Edward), and a Russian master rigger (Boris). Together, the crew outsmarts the British Admiralty and Scotland Yard in their attempts to stop the ship. During their journey, the crew fights the weather and avoids modern day detection. A sympathetic public opinion, aided by an AP reporter and a host of unlikely co-conspirators become their allies.

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