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    Beside a Burning Sea
    Beside a Burning Sea
    Beside a Burning Sea
    Audiobook14 hours

    Beside a Burning Sea

    Written by John Shors

    Narrated by Richard Poe

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Best-selling author John Shors is a master storyteller. A novel of mercy, love, and renewal in a time of war, Beside a Burning Sea is hailed as "a magical read" (Publishers Weekly). During World War II, the hospital ship Benevolence is providing relief to victims in the South Pacific when she is torpedoed and sunk. Among the survivors are a troubled nurse named Annie and the wounded Japanese soldier named Akira who saves her life.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMar 20, 2009
    ISBN9781440708459
    Beside a Burning Sea

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    Reviews for Beside a Burning Sea

    3.5/5

    82 ratings18 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this read. Enveloped several of the characters and would have liked to see where their stories took them. All in all an interesting book.
    • 4/5
      I loved Shors's debut novel Beneath a Marble Sky and though I can't say I fell for his second endeavor, Beside a Burning Sea, quite as hard, I did enjoy it.A historical, set during the most strategic time of WW2 in the pacific theater, BABS is a gripping story of a group of mostly strangers stranded on an obscure island in the pacific after the hospital ship Benevolence is attacked and sunk to the bottom of the ocean.In the heat of battle, two sisters stationed as nurses on the Benevolence are led to safety by a Japanese soldier who had been under their care during the time of the attack. Stalwart Isabelle is sure her husband, the captain of the Benevolence, is lost with all the hundreds of others who didn't make it off the ship in time, but she has her sister to think of and it's that which drives her through the cruel sea.Annie never had the strength of her sister and almost doesn't survive the arduous swim to safety, but the mysterious man who some would call their enemy aids her even though weak and wounded himself.When they reach the island, they are relieved to find they are not the only survivors of the wreckage and Isabelle's husband is among them. The captain knows he must keep the survivors safe even though he's sure they've landed on a key island to both the Japanese and American fronts, but his guilt over the fate of his ship gnaws at his soul. Suddenly, in the midst of all the turmoil, bittersweet hope arises when Isabelle reveals she's pregnant and Annie and the noble Akira, the man who saved her, fall in love against all odds.But unbeknowst to all, there is a betrayer among them and his treacherous ways takes on a psychotic edge as he menaces the rag tag group throughout their time on the island. Will they survive the harrowing days til rescuers arrive or will the evil of one man overtake them all?The theme of this story is as old as The Tempest by William Shakespeare, which it bears a resemblance too, and feels a bit done before. But Shors does a fine job of adding perilous tension and poignant moments of humanity to keep the pages turning.Although I don't consider it a stellar second outing by John Shors, it is a good enough read to get a 4 out of 5 from me.
    • 5/5
      If I were to describe the perfect story for me, [Beside A Burning Sea] by John Shors would be a very close fit. Set in 1942 the hospital ship Benevolence is torpedoed and nine survivors make their way to a deserted South Pacific island.A story of survival and redemption. These people struggle against the elements, their fear of discovery by the Japanese and even against each other. Unbeknownst to them, one of them is a traitor, he betrayed their ship and now is about to reveal their location to the Japanese. More than this, he is a true psychopath eagerly anticipating the damage he will do, the terror he will inflict. The survivors are a mixed crowd, three nurses, the ship’s captain, two naval officers, an ship’s mechanic, a young stowaway and a Japanese prisoner of war. Many of these people have conflicts within themselves and how they bond together and help each other survive makes for a wonderful story.Each chapter is the equivalent of a day and as we are drawn deeper into the story the suspense rises. I literally couldn’t put the book down, I had to know how it would end. Not a perfect book but I found myself willing to overlook some minor flaws and simply savour the story. This was so much more than a simple action story, the characters are well developed, the writing extremely lyrical and the story telling rich and varied. Like the haiku that start each chapter, this book is a small gem.
    • 4/5
      This novel takes place during World War II in the Pacific. When the hospital ship Benevolence is torpedoed by the Japanese near the Solomon Islands, only nine people survive by swimming to a nearby uninhabited island. The captain of the ship, Joshua, is devastated over the loss of so many. Isabelle is married to the captain and she and her sister, Annie, also survive. Annie is recovering from a bout of malaria and is saved and brought to shore by Akira, a Japanese prisoner. Akira is haunted by his failure to prevent a young girl from being raped and killed by Japanese soldiers earlier in the war. Over the next few days, he and Annie are drawn to each other and begin to fall in love. The story takes place over an 18 day period where they are waiting to be rescued. The book focuses on three main relationships: the changing marital dynamics of Isabelle and Joshua, the growing relationship between Annie and Akira, and the friendship between Big Jake and Ratu, an African American engineer and a young Fijian stowaway. There's secondary drama with the three remaining characters as well. One of the nine will turn out to be a traitor who intends to kill everyone once the Japanese land on the island. This book seems to get diverse reviews but I really liked it. Many of the conversations were boring and there was a lack of character development but I couldn't wait to find out what as going to happen. One of my favorite parts of the book was that each chapter begins with a beautiful haiku written by Akira. I plan to read John Shors debut novel, Beneath a Marble Sky, very soon.
    • 4/5
      Anyone who believes that men can't write romance really need to reads John Shors! The relationship between Akira and Annie is simply perfection, romance-wise, for me. They balance each other out, complete each other. They're gentle and sweet with each other and just beautiful in their expression of their love. The obligatory sex scene was even beautiful and sweet rather than out-right passionate. Then there's the added bonus of it being a forbidden love scenario (my favorite kind!) and you've got a fantastic novel, romance-wise.The writer also never leaves his readers unbalanced when it comes to story-flow. The narrative is equally balanced with fast-paced action and relaxing downtime on a paradise island. There never was a spot where I had to slog through pages and pages of descriptive dialogue with no redeeming factor to save it. Nor was there so much happening action wise that my head was left spinning. Very nicely balanced.There are a few instances of stereotypical characterization, too little characterization on secondary characters, and a antagonist that I felt was revealed far too soon. I also had to raise my eyebrow at who some of the survivors were (thinking husband and wife here). Seemed a bit too lucky for me... But at the end of the day, these minor irritants were enough for me to mark this book down further than one star off.This book was a lovely novel of romance and survival in the South Pacific. I enjoyed the story and the relationship between Akira and Annie. A few things made me grit my teeth a bit, but really, not that big of a deal. I would definitely recommend this novel if you're looking for a good WWII story set in the Pacific.
    • 4/5
      This was my first john Shors book and I found it quite good. I was a little predictable, but the story was well written and enjoyable.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely loved this book! I really like Shors' writing. Am anxious to read Beneath a Marble Sky.
    • 4/5
      Another beautifully written book by John Shors about redemption, realization and unlikely love. Set on an Island in the Pacific, survivors of a torpedoed ship must band together to survive against the one who betrayed them.
    • 1/5
      From Hilary Hatton at Booklist: It’s the fall of 1942, and the U.S. hospital ship Benevolence is cruising the waters of the South Pacific when it is torpedoed by the Japanese. Only nine people survive, and they eventually wash up on an island: the captain Joshua, and his wife, Isabelle, a nurse; Isabelle’s sister Annie and a woman named Scarlet, both nurses; Ratu, a teenage Fijian stowaway; Jake, a black engineer; Nathan and Roger, two officers; and Akira, a wounded Japanese soldier.Okay, first of all, let’s look at the survivors of this accident. One: the captain of the ship. The captain. Don’t they go down with their ships anymore? Two: three nurses. One just happens to be the captain’s wife. The captain’s wife, even though they were not together on the ship at the time of the torpedoing. What are the odds?The next nurse just happens to be Annie, the captain’s wife’s sister. The captain’s wife’s s….you get the idea. )The third nurse is a “throwaway”: the character that can be killed off by the danger that stalks them all.)While it is only a matter of time before Japanese naval forces reach the island, the more immediate danger is Roger, who is a ship’s officer, but also a spy for the Japanese. It’s Roger who tipped the Japanese that, unbeknownst to the captain, the hospital ship was carrying ammunition and other supplies of war.Roger is drawn as a mentally unstable, sadistic, misogynistic, and overly proud man. No explanation is needed: after all, he’s the traitor.The captain Joshua, the engineer Jake (the token black, who just happens to be the one who had befriended the ship’s stowaway – who also survived) and the other officer Nathan are, of course, kind, helpful, chivalrous, co-operative and generally nice guys. No explanation is needed: after all, they’re Americans.Then there’s Akira, a wounded Japanese soldier who was on the ship because the rules of war were that hospitals treat all wounded, regardless of nationality. Because Akira’s Japanese, the author spends the entire book explaining and justifying how it is possible that he might be human; a decent and kind human who is in love with Annie. (And how Annie could possibly love him.)The Japanese who land on the island are all wicked, wicked. The Americans who come and bomb and kill the Japanese are heroes. Are we twelve years old?Beside a Burning Sea is a romance and, really, I shouldn’t have been venturing into this territory. I have no patience with such juvenile characterization and plot coincidences. The roster of survivors reminded me of a (quite bad) story that I wrote for a seventh grade English composition.If that’s romance literature and you enjoy it, then have yourself a read. But this is nowhere near being literature. I know I sound like a book snob when I say that, but I find that as I get older and realize that my time to read is running out, I want to read solid fiction (and my snackies of cozy murder mysteries). If I’m going to read romance, at least let it be disguised in a half-decently written story (such as The Diplomat’s Wife.)
    • 4/5
      Set during World War II in the South Pacific, a US hospital ship named Benevolence is blown up by Japanese airplanes. There are only nine survivors: the captain, Josh; his wife, a nurse, Isabel; her sister Annie, also a nurse; Jake and Nathan and Roger, Navy men on the ship; Ratoo, a boy who Jake has been caring for who is searching for his father; and Akira, a wounded Japanese soldier they had been treating on the ship. Akira saves the lives of both Isabel and Annie, and all nine reach the shore of a nearby island. There is a traitor in their midst, but that is not discovered right away. The survivors set up camp on the island and work hard at staying alive, relationships are formed, as the traitor is plotting against them. At first, I was taken aback by the way the characters spoke to each other, too much of the dramatic, but I reminded myself this was a different time in the world, much different than 2010. Also, as I got pulled into the story, everything came together for me, and the drama seemed more natural. Good book with a very exciting ending.
    • 5/5
      A good page-turner set in an exotic locale.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this story, especially the haikus at the start of each chapter. I felt like I was right there, on the island.
    • 5/5
      I like the way John Shors writes, so this was an easy choice to read. The book itself is beautifully designed, a pleasure to look at! The story is set during WWII, somewhere in the Pacific. It has pathos, mystery, and love - nicely written. Shors uses words well in order to paint mental images.I enjoyed this book and would recommend it!
    • 5/5
      This book is now a sentimental favorite! There is so much that made this book a wonderful experience for me. Between each chapter was a haiku. They were beautiful. My favorite...The earth is burning.Blackened by machines and men.Raindrops are lost tears.This book takes place during WWII so there was death and war, but when death strikes the characters by heart broke. I loved each and every one of them (except the traitor). It actually made some of the parts hard to read, just because I did not want to know what was enevitably going to happen. I loved the love stories... husband and wife, the love that crossed the bounds of race and war, and a man and a boy comforting each other.Furthermore, Shors wrote in his acknowledgments that "he hoped that the booked moved you.." and it did.
    • 4/5
      The beauty of this book left me haunted at its end. I found myself longing to know more about each character, and wishing that Shors would have included several additional scenes, especially concerning Ratu and his father. The haikus that began each chapter were beautiful and compelling. I enjoyed the way in which Shors included several different relationships, or kinds of love. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys stories rich with detail and emotion.
    • 5/5
      In WWII an American hospital ship is split in two by a torpedo and goes down. Only a few survivors make it to a nearby island, including the captain, two nurses and a Japanese prisoner. Slowly the band of survivors begin to establish their life on the island. As Annie (a nurse) and Akira (the prisoner) begin to fall in love, a traitor is plotting in their midst. And the island is as barbaric as it is beautiful. I found myself swept along with this story. And I loved the beauty of the haiku poems that began each chapter.
    • 3/5
      In September 1942, as the ship Benevolence sails the south Pacific, a Japanese war plane appears over head. A missile heads straight for the ship. The ship and over 500 people on board are sunk. Only a small group of 9 people survive by swimming to a near by island.For the next 18 days they come together to survive typhoons and eventually the enemy who shows up on the island.This is one of my favorite time periods to read about. I didn't care for this novel at all. You have a hard time getting to really know any of the characters. The Captain of the ship was one of the survivors but is the most whiny of male characters. You also have an 11 year old boy who speaks broken English who drove me crazy trying to read. Really, really bad dialogue.
    • 4/5
      We will know that great lives have been lived and that our memories will forever bind us together.So ends Beside a Burning Sea.The writer is an excellent storyteller. I must admit that once I had this book in my hands, I was not expecting much. Between the choosing and the reality The description had lost its draw. I decided to carry on and have a look, and stepped into a story well worth reading.Within a very few pages I realized that I already cared about the characters. Isabelle and Annie are sisters. Nurses serving on the hospital ship Benevolence, during WWII. They cared for Americans and Japanese alike. In fact it was a Japanese man who was in their care when the torpedo struck.Atrocities have always been part of war. In this case a Japanese plane purposely torpedoed this hospital ship.Within seconds water came to the waists of the sisters. That they could only try to save themselves was immediately clear to the Japanese patient, Akira.It was then that he became the caretaker and helped the sisters to leave the quickly sinking ship.The Captain, husband to Isabelle, also managed to survive. He was on deck when the attack occurred and found himself in the water. He and only a few others survived, and all found themselves swimming for a nearby island.This group of people bonded and found a way to survive. The story takes place over a remarkable eighteen days. Days when life, death, and love would make an everlasting impression on the small group of survivors.This is a story that will draw you in and characters who will sty with you for a long time.Do not hesitate to take this one on. It is beautifully written, with a sensitivity that will have you searching for more books by this author.