In the Wet

By: Nevil Shute

Narrated by: Norman Dietz

It is the wet season in the Australian outback. Drunk and delirious, an old ex-pilot known as “Pisspot Stevie” lies dying in a remote cabin in the Queensland bush. When a priest named Roger Hargreaves comes upon him, Stevie is smoking opium to relieve the pain of his last moments. The priest listens as Stevie, in an opium-fueled haze, begins to describe a very different life he once lived - not in the past, but decades in the future, as a mixed-race aviator who finds love and glory in service to the Queen.

After Stevie’s death, as Hargreaves tries to sort dream from reality, he makes discoveries that cause him to wonder if he has been granted a glimpse beyond the veil.

©1981 Nevil Shute Norway (P)1988 Recorded Books, LLC

Surprisingly great

This is an unusual book, so detailed, as Shute does so well. But it has a very unusual premise. All I can say is stick with it and you won’t be sorry. The ending is superb.

Enjoyable

Really enjoyed the aeronautical aspects and background. Interesting concept. Well executed. Powerful and evocative ending.

Testament of a self-exile

Two good stories wrapped around a political screed. This is Shute’s near-hysterical jeremiad on why he left England for Australia.

OOPs - didn't quite stand the test of time

Shute is always a wonderful listen. This story with its conjecture, just missed the mark by a little. When it was written I think it would have felt fine. Loved the characters, the descriptions and the overall feeling of awe in such a story. I admire him for taking on such a novel. I like the political ideas postulated in the story.

Stay with this book; it's worth it!

I have long been a Shute fan. The first time I tried reading this, I didn't pay close enough attention. The book moves from the 1950's to a time some 60 years or so into the future. That doesn't become totally clear till the end.

Unlike Shute's earlier books, this is one of his which delves into some gentle fantasy. It's a fun story and gives quite a picture of the hardiness of the Australian people.

Obviously if one looks at what has happend in the time since this book was written, his predictions are far from real. But, that's part of the fun. The book is written with great compassion for the characters, as with all of Shute's books. Norman Dietz did a very nice job with the performance. I didn't think I would like his reading, but found him very pleasant to listen to. I think he enjoyed the book.

I would give the book and narration more like a 4.4. Shute's descriptions are detailed but interesting. He downplays the difficulties of the narrator, as he often does. For him, "getting on with things" is just what decent people do. I found myself totally captivated by the nonchalance with which the vicar telling the story sums up his life. It sounds like a grueling existance to me, but for him, it's just life.

I love the fact that a good story can be told without graphic descriptions of violence or sex or brutality. All those things are in Shute's novels, but much of it is left to the reader's mind, rather than being a feature of the book. Shute's books are perfectly fine for anyone to read.

I will say that if you are looking for an action based thriller, you won't find it here. Rather, a fascinating look at Australia of the 1950's and what a future in England and the Outback might have been. It's a truly likable and well performed read.