Trapp's Secret War

British author Callison (Redcap) continues the bizarre adventures of Capt. Edward Trapp, the seaman who sees the chaos of WWII as an opportunity for his own commercial gain. Supposedly narrated by crewmember Naval Liaison Officer Miller, the novel's uneven lurching matches the journey of Trapp's derelict ship, the Charon II. From Callison's highly idiosyncratic style (filled with countless asides, aborted words and mind-numbing nautical details) a story eventually emerges, concerning the bombings of other ships in Trapp's convoy and dysfunctional interactions among Trapp and his crew. Late into the novel Trapp's plan becomes clear: he had only joined the British convoy in order to protect his ship as he pursued his real goal\x97reaching a remote spot near the Arctic Circle where a ship filled with gold has allegedly been trapped in ice. Visions of the gold fill Trapp's greedy soul. Given the farcical nature of the story, the ending is hardly a surprise, but most readers won't persevere that far. This novel is neither military history nor a thriller, nor even good fantasy, but more an exercise in bizarre style couched in feeble and inappropriate attempts at humor. (Apr.)