Does factual history make for good fiction? Well, yes and no in this military novel with strong spiritual themes. Father John Washington, Rev. Clark Poling, Pastor George Fox and Rabbi Alex Goode are thrown together on the doomed army transport ship Dorchester
in February 1943. As Nazi U-boats lurk just beneath the surface of the western Atlantic, waiting to intercept and destroy ships that pass within torpedo range, spiritual battles take place on board the Dorchester. Not, however, among the clergy. Despite their diverse religious traditions—Catholic, Jewish, Methodist and Reformed Protestant—the four chaplains find a consistent unity of purpose in boosting the spirits of the military men under their care. Indeed, the spiritual unity is unbelievably idyllic: some disagreement or tension among the four might have made their relationship more convincing. However, the final sacrifice they make—based on true accounts—is undisputedly inspiring. The novel's strength lies in its detailed depiction of a heavily researched historical event; this is also a weakness, as the reader often feels more like a history pupil than a participant in the adventure. This story might have been better presented as nonfiction. Still, history buffs who prefer a Christian theme in their novels will be happy to find a new offering in the limited pool of titles available to them, and WWII fans will enjoy this retelling of the sinking of the Dorchester. (Sept.)
