Into the Storm: Destroyermen, Book 1

I started this book with some concern that it wouldn't live up to my high hopes. I was very happy to find that it grabbed my attention right away. The description of the battle that led to the ship entering the storm captivated me right away. The author kept up with detail but also came up with an interesting approach to a parallel Earth. I very much enjoyed how the crew of the Walker deal with a local threat and the need to find resources that don't exist yet. The author did a great job of keeping the story interesting and on target. I look forward to the next book in this series!

No, that would not work as a title but the "review" of this book doesn't do it justice as a summary either. I realized that wasn't the intention, but that was all I had to go on when I decided to download this book. Glad I did. If your thing is epic SciFi, this book I recommend. Yes it is Book 1 and yes it is a commitment when beginning a series like this (that Book 2, 3, 4, etc. are not already written) BUT this is a "very good" SciFi book. Can't wait for Book 2.

Didn't think I was going to like it as much as I
did. First, it was well written, fast paced,
with genuine characters, all of whom, even the
aliens, seemed realistically motivated. Second,
the narration, overall, was first rate. I have
picked several losers, lately, but this wasn't
one of them. I can only hope that the sequels
are as well done.

Very popular in modern Sci fi idea of shifting into parallel universe during WW2 just caught me off balance.
I read all 7 books in the series available at the moment and it still keeps my attention sharp and focused so I greedily expect book 8.

NEXT BOOK IS "Storm Surge" Expected publication: July 2nd 2013

Wow, this is a great series but I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the similarities between the Destroyermen series and the Lost Regiment series by William Forstchen.

The parallels are too close to ignore. USS Walker lost in a weird storm and comes out in an alternate Earth. The 35th Maine regiment on a ship lost in a weird storm comes out in an alternate planet. Lt Commander Reddy of the USS Walker in total command of allied forces, Colonel Keane of the 35th Maine in total command of allied forces. "Cats" joining the ranks of the USS Walker, RUS joining the ranks of the 35th Maine. The traitor Capt. Tobias and his LT remaining loyal to Keane. The traitor Capt. Kaufman and his LT remaining loyal to Reddy. The woman nurse attracted to Reddy. The woman nurse attracted to Keane. The monsters eating people in both books...SGT Major Schuder made a general to train the locals in The Lost Reg. SGT Adler made a general to train the locals in Destroyermen. Overwhelming numers of enemy hordes in both series. "Cats" learning english better than the humans learning the cat tongue. The Rus and others learning English better than Keane and Co.

Still it's a great and entertaining story but completely lifted...Not Exaclty the same but c'mon...Anyone who's read The Lost Regiment Series will recognize it immediately...

If you loved the lost regiment, you'll love this series!!

Yes, the story of a World War II destroyer that slips into an alternate universe inhabited by friendly, intelligent lemur-cat creatures that are engaged in an epic battle with the malignant lizard like Grik might seem a bit farfetched, but this is 2008 so nothing should seem too unbelievable. It is very fun to hear. I'm downloading the sequel, Destroyermen:Crusade tonight.

I am a sucker for alternate reality. That said, this book was interesting. The initial battle sequence is excellent as are later battle sequences. The world they discover is interesting. Characters are shallow and I feel the author missed lots of opportunities to work the character differences and to make the plot more interesting. This is pure good guys/bad guys but as an escape, it rates a listen. I will probably try the next book. The love interest crept in at the end. Kind of clumsy and clunky. Stick with the action, monsters and technology.

Anderson takes a somewhat tired old idea which has been used again and again and breathes some life into it with his outstanding knowledge of the ships and practice of the U.S. Navy. In addition, he creates an appealing, and even charming, race of lemurians to collaborate with the crew of sailors and Marines which you will instantly recognize if you have ever seen a movie set in the Pacific theater of WWII. In fact, the book feels like nothing so much as a good B movie produced in a simpler time, say the 1950's. Not a bad thing, since it is in perfect keeping with the spirit of the story. American know how and the understated nobility of the common fighting man.
Though the story lacks originality in almost every respect, Anderson tells it well with lots of interesting detail, and the narration is very good. I enjoyed listening and I would consider moving on to the next in the series, but without the compelling excitement or curiosity which is possible when you are in the hands of a truly remarkable creative imagination.

I have not read a lot of alternate history/alternate reality books, but I chose to give this one a try based on the reviews. William Dufris is an excellent narrator and he does a decent job with this book as usual, but the story itself was where it fell short for me.

As a reader of many Fantasy/Sci Fi books, I often wonder what I would do if I found myself placed in the same circumstances as the characters in the book. To me that would be the main attraction of this sub-genre. However, while listening to this book I never found myself with those thoughts. I was always an observer of what was going on and was never immersed. I must admit that I was actually going along for the journey at the beginning, somewhat intriguied by the challenges that would be faced by the crew of a modern ship that all of sudden lost access to the infrastructure needed to keep things running. Then the cat & lizard people were discovered and I knew this wasn't for me.

To be fair, I didn't absolutely hate the story, but for now I won't be picking up book number 2 in the series.

I really enjoyed book one. I will be using my a my one credit on book two. If you are in to sci-fi and and parallel dimensions, this book is for you. I thank this series will become one of the best ever. Taylor Anderson is a good writer, and William Dufris is very good at telling the story.