May, 1941. At four in the morning, a rust-streaked tramp freighter streams up the Tagus River to dock at the port of Lisbon. She is the Santa Rosa; she flies the flag of neutral Spain and is in Lisbon to load cork oak, tinned sardines, and drums of cooking oil bound for the Baltic port of Malmö. But she is not the Santa Rosa. She is the Noordendam, a Dutch freighter. Under the command of Captain Eric DeHaan, she sails for the Intelligence Division of the British Royal Navy, and she will load detection equipment for a clandestine operation on the Swedish coast-a secret mission, a dark voyage. One more battle in the spy wars that rage through the back alleys of the ports, from elegant hotels to abandoned piers, and in the souks and cafés of North Africa. A battle for survival as the merchant ships die at sea and Britain-the last opposition to Nazi Germany-slowly begins to starve. From Alan Furst-whom The New York Times calls America's preeminent spy novelist-here is an epic tale of war and espionage, of spies and fugitives, of love in secret hotel rooms, of courage in the face of impossible odds.
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"Like many of Furst's novels, the beginning is somewhat complex and I find I need to reread the opening chapters to better understand. Unlike most of his novels, Dark Voyage has an exhilarating build up and ending...I am still hyperventilating! Extremely good read!" — Paa (5 out of 5 stars)
"Like many of Furst's novels, the beginning is somewhat complex and I find I need to reread the opening chapters to better understand. Unlike most of his novels, Dark Voyage has an exhilarating build up and ending...I am still hyperventilating! Extremely good read!"
“Richly atmospheric…Extraordinary…[A] suspense story with a pragmatic, calculating eye.”
“Maintaining a measured but never lagging pace, Furst takes the Noordendam on its final dangerous voyage past the Baltic Fleet in a tour de force by a writer who's inherited the mantle of Eric Ambler and Graham Greene and wears it as if it had been custom tailored for him.”
“It’s taken Furst longer than it should have to attract a wide audience, but the acclaim is growing steadily now for his series of historical spy thrillers set in the early days of World War II…The star--and the quintessential Furst hero--is a ship, the Noordendam, a tramp in every sense of the word, worked hard and forced to work harder, performing tasks it wasn’t made to perform, not out of foolish idealism but because it can.”
“It’s no secret by now that Furst is a superlative chronicler of World War II, and his new novel is a splendid addition to an accomplished body of work…The book casts such a spell with its exact evocations of time, place, and language that one could swear Furst was a Brit writing out of his own experience in 1941 rather than an American writing today.”
" Another very good Alan Furst novel and not far from a five star rating. Furst has a talent for telling the stories of average people trying to make their contribution and sometimes turning into unsung heroes. "
" An understated and intelligent book. A terrific read. "
" The role of the merchant marine in World War II comes into sharp focus in this novel about a Dutch captain and his crew who risk their lives on top secret missions for the Allies. "
" Tramp Steamer in early WWII "
" Another good WWII novel - this one about a dutch freighter recruited to work for the allies. Good characters and gripping plot. "
" Marginal book - choppy with an ending that... just literally ends. "
" I enjoyed this. You can find reviews elsewhere. I'd read a review of Mission To Paris on the NPR website and wanted to read something from Alan Furst. This was what was on the shelf at the library. I will be reading more of theses. "
" Interesting look at the role of merchant ships during WWII. "
" Interesting story of a "secret" boat making its way north from Lisbon to the Baltic during WW II with a special cargo. Good spy yarn. "
" This fantastic novel reads like a film noir and is centered around a secret mission undertaken by a 'Spanish' freighter from Tangier to Sweden's Baltic coast during the late spring of 1941, just prior to Operation Barbarossa. "
" Did the audio which was alright even without the text at hand, which I prefer. "
" This book was slightly different than Fursts previous books. We have more characters and it takes place on a ship, not on land. An enjoyable read. "
" Realistic, and as such, dull at times. "
" Not my usual cup of tea - a spy novel. Only started it out of curiosity and out of interest for the times. I was drawn in easily and enjoyed the read more than I would have thought. "
" Great pacing! I especially like how Furst adds desperate, clandestine romance to his tales. Usual WWII stories focus the military. This story looks at the merchant marine. "
" very good. review to come "
" didnt care for the ending really "
" An interesting story, but it was far from phenomenal and I really wouldn't recommend it. "
" Far too slow-paced for my liking. Book doesn't offer anything complex. I still have yet to find a good WWII spy novel. "
" A wonderfully atmospheric, World War II spy novel that reads like a black and white film noir. This was my first Alan Furst novel, but I definitely plan to check out his other books. "
" Solid 3.5 - Dutch Merchant Marine Captain is enlisted (along with his ship, a tired old tramp steamer and his multinational crew of misfits) into the allied war effort. A very good war novel. "
" Not only a good war book, but interesting info about how merchant ships of the time were urn. "
" Very atmospheric read. Enjoyable reading experience that will have me look into Furst's other books. "
" Wow. I think this one is my favorite of the Alan Furst novels. "
" I love Alan Furst. Spy novels aren't usually well written, but Alan Furst is a master a la Le Carre. He's novels have rich atmosphere always take place during World War II, and usually end up in Paris. "
Alan Furst is widely recognized as the master of the historical spy novel. He is the author of Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The Polish Officer, The World at Night, and others. He has written for a number of magazines and news publications, including Esquire and the International Herald Tribune. Before becoming a full-time novelist, he worked as a copy writer for ad agencies in Seattle; he has also lived in New York and France. Currently, Furst lives on Long Island, New York.
Graeme Malcolm was an actor and winning audiobook narrator who earned twelve AudioFile Earphones Awards. He has performed on Broadway as Pharaoh in Aida and as Sir Edward Ramsay in The King and I. His television appearances include Law & Order, Follow the River, and Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson (with Laurence Olivier). His film credits include A Further Gesture, The Adventures of Sebastian Cole, and Reunion.
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