Voyage to the North Star: A Novel

For 332 pages Peter Nichols takes us on a rare and beautiful, then at times horrifying adventure during which we get very well acquainted with about eight characters. Boden, Shred and Moyle were men I had to admire, and for all the right reasons.Nichols made sure we would despise the wealthy and despicable Schenk - accidentally rich during the depression of the thirties, and wildly amused as so many of the old-guard wealthy went down in financial flames. Nichols made certain we would loathe Schenk's harlot of a daughter Harriett, the quietly brutal Joey and that detestable Captain Percival. The harrowing story was well told - credibly told by a man who knows the sea and ships - and it looked like we were on a voyage that HAD to have a rewarding ending.And so it went, until the final two pages, where Nichols sticks a knife in our guts, seemingly gleeful over our duplicity, our trust in him. An act of savagery by Joey two-thirds into the story ultimately leads to the revengeful killing of our heroes Boden and Moyle just when it looks like they're going to get rewarded for their strength of character and grit displayed throughout the adventure, and for their heroism toward the end that saves the others from certain doom. Then in the book's Epilogue, he gives another twist to that knife in our bellies. He describes how the characters he led us to hate live even more happily ever after, and more prosperously. All, that is, except Joey, who would have been only a bit player if his acts were not of such disastrous consequences.What in the world was Peter Nichols thinking of? If writers stray so foolishly, don't editors today dissuade them - especially new writers like Nichols - from such folly? If they can't dissuade, they can make demands. Famous authors have been induced to make serious changes in plot: "We won't publish it like it is," is an ultimatum that has been heard by many writers. The fiercely obstinate and already famous Paul Gallico's epic "The Snow Goose" had a slant that the editor would not accept: Gallico's essence of the story that Frith and Philip had developed a romantic relationship had to go or ELSE!, said the editor. Gallico grudgingly accepted the editor's demand, which was essential to the credibility of the story.That should have been done here, and a fine book would have been the result.

SPOILER ALERT. I'll begin with a cliche: Good writing -- especially good fiction writing -- is exceedingly difficult. Anyone who reads a great deal knows that especially. I also happen to have spent my life as a professional writer, and those of us who do that know the truth of the cliche doubly,So I'm going to take this opportunity to be offended on behalf of Peter Nichols who, with Voyage, has written I think a rare work of fiction which a number of commenters here have dismissed, in a number of instances because they were angry that his novel does not have a conventionally happy ending. In dismissing this novel so arbitrarily, they ignored the prodigious research Nichols obviously did to recreate a 1930s world, a world as meticulously drawn as if it were a documentary.He has populated this world with an unusually large cast of characters, of all ages and backgrounds, and made each of them full of honest life. Then he sets them off together on a voyage of utter unpredictability yet one which always ends up clearly grounded in convincing historical and fictional reality -- a voyage, what's more, than gathers an irresistible momentum. Did I, too, wish at the end for a happier conclusion? Yes, course, Just as I wish Life had more happy conclusions. Can I fault an eloquent, lyrical, intelligent and skillful writer like Nichols for seeing Life as ill-fated? No. If that were the measure of great literature, we'd have to dismiss a lot of Hemingway, Hardy, Turgenev, Tolstoy and countless others.

I have read that this book was written by a first-time novelist, Peter Nichols. If so, the author has a gift for (1) realistic depictions of life at sea, and in the frozen north, (2) accurately portraying the over-the-top narcissism of the rich in the 1930s, and (3) help us get to know characters in this meandering tale that eventually let us down.What I liked: I enjoyed this book, well, most of it, for it's unflinching look at human frailties, and of dreams of adventure gone off the rails, destroyed by hubris, as many dreams are. The development of the characters was entertaining and realistic, even the unsympathetic ones, such as the captain and his family. And the descriptions of arctic scenes evoked the beauty that this place must offer, to those willing to pay its price of admission.What I didn't like: The book too a bit long to get started, and by this I don't mean the boat sailing; I refer to the meandering path the characters take until they finally meet up and begin to interact. I am OK with unlikeable characters, I feel that serve to balance the more sympathetic ones, such as Will Boden, the protagonist in this story. But more than just a tragic ending, which you kind of expect given the run-up to these events; instead this story ends in a way that leaves you question the investment in time you've made, in going along on this journey of disaster (no spoilers). Kind of like hiring someone who has an impressive resume, only to catch them stealing from you after you give them a job. The commentary on human nature imbedded in this story is at best thought-provoking, and at worst profoundly disturbing. I really liked another reviewer's description: "Ernest Shackleton meets Heart of Darkness." Very apt.Give it a try, if you want something to think about. But before you're through, your journey will take you to the dark side.

Beware - it's the SAME book as Loadstar ,Peter Nichols: I DIDNT KNOW THIS & BOUGHT BOTH BELIEVING THEY WERE DIFFERENT STORIES.A fairly heavy book which certainly couldn't be enjoyed if preoccupied with other mundane issues. I struggled at first waiting for the book to get going as it were due to the personal histories taking up the first 10th or so of the book. Yet being a sea loving sailor I pressed on and it became exciting especially as the characters were so well drawn. The motives for joining this rash cruise up north in a beautiful boat, although not strong enough for Arctic waters, were individual and creative.Having read recently and thoroughly Voyage for Madmen, I have bought Sea Change and Voyage to the North Star as Nichlols writing is impressive. In another review someone wrote that Nichols portrays a sense of the time, early 1900s. This is true and without getting bogged down in history presents situations as they were but when only relevant to the story.It was easy to intensely dislike the rich boat owner who wanted to shoot any kind of animal that moved. Yet it was how things were and would choose to call them 'ego safaris'. All the individuals aboard come to life and experience mental changes.