Pick 1 title (2 titles for Prime members) from our collection of bestsellers and new releases.
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
Your Premium Plus plan will continue for $14.95 a month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.
Send a Gunboat  By  cover art

Send a Gunboat

By: Douglas Reeman
Narrated by: David Rintoul
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.54

Buy for $17.54

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

HMS Wagtail is a river gunboat, a ship seemingly at the end of her unusual life, lying in a Hong Kong dockyard awaiting her last summons to the breakers' yard. Commander Justin Rolfe is also seemingly at the end of his useful naval life, an embittered man, brooding and angry from a court-martial verdict. Then the offshore island of Santu is threatened with invasion from the Chinese mainland.

The small British community must be brought out, and Commander Rolfe and the Wagtail are ordered to the island...

©1960 Douglas Reeman (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Send a Gunboat

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    7
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Exciting adventure, implausible romance

This is only my second novel by Douglas Reeman, and although it was good, I was a little disappointed. The narrator was inclined to over-dramatize, and much of the story was driven by a romance that simply seemed unrealistic and at times laughable. Yet it was all exciting enough to keep me going to the end, and I think fans of Reeman will be satisfied. I do suggest doing a search for pictures of river gunboats of the ‘30s and’40s. It helped me have a much better appreciation of the old Wagtail.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Dateline 1958 The Cold War

There were 3 mentions of time. Two in chapter 3 at min 11 "We arrived here just after the war." and 21 " 14 years of hard work..." Then Rolf in chapter 5 reminiscing about his time (past tense) in Korea. It could be as late as 1959. The Devil is in the details. Hopefully, Chow gets what he desires and deserves for his loyalty to Rolf.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for john thomas
  • john thomas
  • 09-30-22

Brilliant 👍 just brilliant

Brilliantly performed, a truly great story,, u must listen to this ,, can’t say any more about it

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for StephenM
  • StephenM
  • 12-26-21

Another great listen.

Another excellent Book by Douglas Reeman with another great performance from David Rintoul. Set in the Far East just after WW2. A different story and enjoyable.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for John Pearse
  • John Pearse
  • 10-07-20

Exciting, with a nice touch of romance.

A good story with a mixture of military guile, excitement. with a nice romantic thread.

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 06-29-20

Good book well narrated

Brilliantly read as always from a superb writer Douglas Reeman. Looking forward to listening to more

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Samuel McCormick
  • Samuel McCormick
  • 09-03-17

The destroyer's

Excellent telling of a great story. Good attention too detail with well developed characters. Leave's you feeling as if you're actually there.