Blood In the Water (Destroyermen) Mass Market Paperback – May 2, 2017

“Blood in the Water,” is the latest volume in Taylor Anderson’s staggering work of alternative history, “The Destroyermen.” It continues to build, climax upon climax, toward some unknown and unimaginable ultimate climax, which, hopefully, will be a long way down the road.The premise of Anderson’s alternate time line is that none of the extinction events that altered the variety of life on our own line ever happened, and Homo Sapiens is NOT the apex predator! Anderson has created a vast menagerie of creatures, ranging from the very dangerous to the absurd, but all of them fit, like the pieces of a puzzle. They aren’t two dimensional things, like in the classic, old school comics of yore. Their development is interrelated with the environment and other species in a way that makes them so much more real – and realistic, if such fantastic creatures can truly be “realistic.”The sentient characters are created and developed in both linear and non-linear aspects, just like real people – though few of them are “people” people. (some of them are a good deal more “sentient” thaN we at first believe. ) They have character, personality, emotions, ancestors, customs, prejudices, and religions. As they whirl through a sea-and landscape of global proportions, they interact PRECISELY as they should. So consistent and true are Anderson’s characters that not once, in the 11 volumes, have I ever thought, “Oh, baloney! He wouldn’t have done that!” Even when the characters surprise us, we can see the source of those surprises in the texture of their personalities.In fact, if I were to assign one, overweening attribute to “The Destroyermen,” it would be the TEXTURE of life, love, war, and death in this insane, hysterically unlikely world. The texture - or textures - play subtly with each other like the various instruments in a Beethoven symphony. The texture is what brings Anderson’s world and creations to life, and makes us love and honor them, or not. (In about the last third of “Blood in the Water,” I scared hell out of my dogs several times, shouting at the book. It’s been a very long time since I did that!) “Texture” is found in the manual of arms for muzzle loading rifles – gun drill for muzzle loading guns on wooden ships – daily routine on a warship patrolling hostile seas – deadening boredom that erupts into shattering violence in a heartbeat – shattering violence that leads to empty bunks – bunks we never thought would be empty – the smells of powder smoke and battle – military courtesy, especially the peculiarities of Naval custom – the list is endless.“Blood in the Water” is no more “fluff” than any of the other volumes. It is powerful and emotional. Anderson poses very important problems and questions about the origins and evolutions of cultures how they affect each other. His grasp and portrayal of military life and ethos is as square and solid as the locking lugs on an ’03 Springfield. The warrior ethos of the US Marines is drawn in the same frame as that of the US Navy, within which, the unique ethos of the Tin Can Sailor flies like a second flag on the same halyard. This series, but “Blood in the Water,” especially, is a war story, told as war stories ought to be told – no fluff, no bull - just normal mortals in the most monstrous of endeavors.Yeah, it’s that good.

Mr Anderson's Destroyermen series has been a real interesting and enjoyable read all these years. But, there has been a growing problem in that I feel he has too many irons in the fire. He has too many wars in too many places and too many characters to comfortably keep track of. I found myself skipping chapters to follow a curtain character or story point and then going back to fill in the other parts of the story. He should finish the Dominion war and the India war and concentrate on the Grik war. He now has the League to contend with also. Just too many. I normally take about a month to read one of his books. This book took a year because I kept putting it aside to read something else. I have had to think twice about buying the next book. I probably will, but...

My only problem with this series of books is, they just can't be written fast enough for me get my fix properly. That is NOT a black mark against the author or publisher, but more in line with my reading proclivities, they can be, a little, overbearing, at times. Rollicking fun, plot twists across the board and a large roomy world, still rife with potential. I love this series like no ther, it is flat out one of my main three, The iron Druid, Dresden Files, and the Destroyermen. I would like to keep all three of these authors only writing these particular stories, but that would be cheating and more than a little greedy. Deep down, I think every male on the planet would like to identify with Dennis Silva, though not the "star" it seems more likely we all want to live vicariously through a one eyed, patch wearing, gigantic man mountain that causes some form of pandemonium wherever he goes, it's just good clean fun. Love the books, love the voice given to the characters, and love the development of more story lines. Thank you Mr. Anderson, for another winner!

I've enjoyed all of Mr. Anderson's Destroyermen books. The premise is ridiculous to the average reader, but he makes it work. Its one of those that if you briefly explained it to a non-scifi fan, it would just sound silly. A WW 1 destroyer in WW 2, being chased by a huge Jap destroyer, easily its match, gets caught in a storm and unknowingly, until they stumble upon a huge ship piloted by intelligent, larger, Lemur. They then discover the peaceful Lemur are getting decimated and eaten by intelligent, vicious crocodiles, and go to war with the crocs on the side of the Lemurs. See what I mean, but it works, and becomes much more involved than I just said. The small group of destroyermen basically have to modernize a planet. They have been great reads, this is like #10 or 11, and you get to like and enjoy, sometimes hate, the complicated, evolving characters. I am always waiting for the next one, and buy them immediately. I read a lot, and these are some of my favorites of the last decade or so!

Another excellent book in the series Destroyermen by Taylor Anderson it is by far one of the most interesting series I have read and one that I not only anticipate the next book in the series but one I keep in my personal library to re-read along with David Weber and H Paul Honsinger each of these are great story tellers who have a way of drawing you in the lives of the characters involved in the story.For the people who follows this series their is no need to go over what happened in this latest installment for the ones that are looking for excellent series to read this is it find the first in the series called Into The Storm (won't lend you mine) and see if it doesn't catch your imagination

Keep um coming Mr Anderson i love this book series!

Encore un volume intéressant des Destroyermen. L'intrigue devient un peu trop large mais on voit bien qu'il est difficile de gagner!

what can I say, this story line is fantastic. When I bought the first book while at the airport waiting to go to Cuba, it was a last resort. I prefer books of a nautical background such as Douglas Reeman, Alexander Kent etc., I grabbed this since and the second one since it had ships on it and there was nothing left. Well I couldn't put it down, I could actually see and smell everything happening. Amazing.I still cant believe I'm reading a science fiction book on an alternate planet etc. This guy makes it work, the character development is fantastic. I truly cant say enough, yet I don't dare tell my friends what I'm reading because they wouldn't believe.

Marvelous and consistent writing. Characters who challenge your emotions and scenarios that make you believe they are alive. You will want more

Enjoyed getting reacquainted with the familiar characters and on going story line. It just seemed to come to an end too quickly. Looking forward to the next installment.