Even Better than the Movie

Prior to this audiobook, I had seen the movie and read Wouk's Winds of War. So I had high expectations. I was not disappointed, and was even surprised by how much I enjoyed of the book. The story is engaging, entertaining, profound and even (a little) twisty. The character development is excellent and rarely seen in recent fiction. The narration is very good.

A few words of expectations management: First, this is less of a war book than Winds of War, and much less than other novels. The backdrop is the WWII Pacific Theater, and there are some fighting scenes. But this is not a war action book, or even a WWII history. Second, this is an epic story. Unlike the movie, the plot unfolds over 24 hours of audiobook and sometimes requires patience. But patience will be rewarded with a fantastic read (well .... listen).

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Superb Historical Fiction

Any additional comments?

There are very few authors on this planet that can tell a masterful and engaging story while simultaneously teaching world history. Herman Wouk is one of these rare few. His stories are powerful, interconnected, and beautifully written; the listener not only feels a part of the narrative but also gains a certain affection for the characters.
The Caine Mutiny is not Wouk's finest work. I'll reserve that honor for some of his later works. That being said, the Mutiny is a fantastic story of love, hate, jealousy, and all of the complexities of thought an emotion experienced by a young sailor during World War II.
Any story from Herman Wouk will entertain and enlighten, and Tha Caine mutiny delivers on both accounts.

36 people found this helpful

I LOVE Herman Wouk.

I just do. I love the way he describes people and events. I love the way he can bring history to life. I love the understanding he brings to the events surrounding WWII. And Kevin Pariseau is a perfect narrator for his style of writing and the characters he invents.

This is one of those books that I should have read years ago, but didn't The title is part of our vernacular (like Catch 22) yet I never really understood where it came from or what it meant. This is such a satisfying listen. The writing is SO flawless. With Wouk I always feel like I'm being treated to the work of one of our greatest writers.

36 people found this helpful

Not Wouk's Best, But Still VERY Good!

First off, this is NO "Winds of War" or "War and Rememberance", which Wouk is known for. It may seem unfair to compare this book to those two MASTERPIECES, but such is the territory when you write the "War and Peace" of a generation. If you haven't read those two, I recommend you do before you read Caine. It will truly give you a feel for just how genius Wouk was.

I found Caine to be more fluffy and kid-friendly than I had expected. There isn't a lot of action, and you may fid yourself dozing off at times. Where this book excels is in character development. I mean, after all, you know just from the title what's going to happen by the end. Therefore, rich characters are a must, and this book has them! I haven't seen the broadway show, but I can imagine it's very similar to listening to the book. The characters are almost cartoon-like (in a good way), and there aren't many different settings. Again, I know it's unfair to compare this to "Winds of War", but that book had unbelievable settings, all over the world. Caine pretty much keeps things localized on a ship.

Overall, this is a very good story, but not great. There isn't enough tension, and the action is so sparse as to be nonexistent. It's predictable and unbelievable at times. It's a great character piece, written by a master writer, which alone is worth the credit.

The narrator is fantastic, bringing all the characters to life.

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The finest of the finest

Most probably the best narration I have ever had the chance to experience. Of one of the greatest novels ever written.

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Perfection!

I have had this audiobook in my library for several months. I found Wouk's two other masterpieces (Winds of War & War and Remembrance) superb and was a little worried this book would not live up to my expectations.

Well, I needn't have worried. I found this book to be similarly enthralling and a really exceptional listening experience. I can't imagine a better combo than Herman Wouk and Kevin Pariseau. Pariseau really understands Wouk's characters and narrates them expertly.

Wouk's characters are well-developed as usual. Their motivations and behaviors I found totally believable. I really cared what happened to them and often felt I was right there with them in the moment. This story is by no means predictable, and more than once I found myself surprised at the turns it took. Now that I have finished the book, I often find myself thinking back to the ending in particular, wanting to know more, reluctant to say goodby to Willie and his comrades.

The Caine Mutiny is much more than just a war story. This book is not only for men who can't stop reminiscing about the war. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an engrossing and rewarding listening experience.

29 people found this helpful

A God Damn Good Book

I DIDN'T ASK FOR AN ALIBI
You may want to get this book PDQ. It is 26 and half hours of really good listening. I don't stay with a book this long if it is not good, and I enjoyed every minute of listening. The story was interesting in the beginning, but really picks up once the new captain steps aboard the ship.

SEX TAKES SUCH A SMALL PART OF THE DAY.
The beginning and the end is kind of a love story. A love story that is not that romantic. I still have mixed feeling about the couple and came away feeling that they were not going to live happily ever after. The main character is a rich Mommy's boy who thinks he is better then his curvaceous, sexy girlfriend. She is not from money and must hold a job. He gets irritated with her putting on make-up, her way of talking and her lack of education. He admits that he mostly lusts her. It is a complicated relationship and even though I don't like the main character, I believe Wouk has a lot of great insight on how some relationships work or don't work. I believe he accurately portrays the true feelings that Mommy's boy is going through. IT MAKES THE REST OF THE DAY WORTH LIVING.

YOU CAN'T ASSUME A GOD DAMN THING IN THE NAVY, NOT A GOD DAMN THING.
The meat of the story is life in the navy and working under a paranoid, incompetent captain. Most of us have probably been in that position at one time in our life. In the Navy, where the captain is a God and to question him could mean your career is a tense situation beyond understanding. When your life is put in jeopardy and the life of the crew and your second in charge, what do you do? It made for interesting reading and just like the love story, there are no Pollyanna answers. Wouk's writing puts you on that ship. You feel the frustration.

WHEN IN DANGER OR IN DOUBT, RUN IN CIRCLES, SCREAM AND SHOUT.
There are some twists in the story and some heroes turn out to be big cowards. It is also haunting how one incident in a person's life may end up defining them. How one incident may stay with you and haunt you for the rest of your life and how you really don't know how you will handle a situation until you face it. This is not an all's well that ends well, type book, as most classics are not. Wouk tells it as it is and that is not always pretty. Wouk will make you think.

As a whole the narrator is good. I did get confused sometimes between, Keefer, Keith and Merrick. The narrator does not do many voices and these three main characters who do a lot of enter acting have the same voice.

THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY ON THAT...AND AS I SAID...

25 people found this helpful

A challenge to one perceptions and a great listen.

This whole story is a set up to challenge ones perceptions. Things are not always as they seem and Mr. Wouk is a master at weaving a marvelous story that brings one along enjoying the ride and then picks apart our assumptions one by one. There are facts and there is reality, and the two don't always line the way we think they do. If you have listened to "Winds of war" or "War and Remembrance" The narrator with be a welcome and familiar presence. Kevin Pariseau does a fine job and the narration adds to the quality of the writing. I recommend this book to anybody who loves history and a great story.

24 people found this helpful

Another winner!!

If you enjoyed Herman Wouk"s "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance", you will love this audible book. The same great storytelling and the same great narrator make this one you will add to your all time favorites.

24 people found this helpful

A Slice of WWII

Any additional comments?

I liked the movie, but Humphrey Bogart's representation of the Captain is more sympathetic than the original (the book).

Anyone who has ever had a very, very bad boss can empathize with the suffering of the progtagonist in "The Caine Mutiny". However, what is really good about this book is that it gives one small slice of what the American part of the WWII experience might have been like. No one in "The Caine Mutiny" is an exceptional individual, and the Caine doesn't do anything spectactular for the war effort. The Caine and it's crew are just one more cog in the machine that won the war, and this is a story about a young man who grows up (sort of) in the backdrop of 'doing his bit' in a largely unappreciated job.

The humor in this book is not overdone, but gives the reader a break from some of the drudgery that the main characters have to work through. That said, the actual 'mutiny' is, in of itself, almost a sidebar for the plot of the story.

What you get with "The Caine Mutiny" is something that is extremely well-written along with a first-rate narration.

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