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Weaving fact and fiction into the fabric of an absorbing novel, Geoffrey Jenkins has written a highly imaginative story of adventure on the high seas.Early in the twentieth centurey a crack passenger liner, the Waratah, went down in a raging storm off the coast of Soth Africa in a tragedy that left neither survivors nor witnesses.A half century later a South African airliner disappeared over the very same spot in another gale, again without trace or explanation. Exhaustive investigations by numerous official bodies produced no explanation of either tragedy.Now Geoffrey Jenkins has linked them in a dramatic novel that deals with three generations of the same Douglas Fairlie,first officer the the Waratah; Bruce Fairlie, piot of the vanished airliner; and Ian Fairlie, the hero of The Hollow Sea.Ian Fairlie grew up with an infleible determination to solve the mystery of the Waratah's end. Later his determination was strengthened by the airliner crash -- and by his knowledge, as captain of the weathership that no shipping of offshore oil exploration woud be safe until the mystery had been solved. In the face of both official opposition and gale swept seas, at the risk of his career and of his very life, Ian set himself to unravel the secret of what had happened to the other Fairlies and to avoid the fate that had trapped them.His dedication was such that his friends and sueperious alike came to fear his quest had become an irrational obsession, and only one loyal and beautiful woman, Tafline, stood beside him as he faced being discredited.The, finally, in the heart of another raging storm, Ian Fairlie, with Tafline at his side, faced the opportunity to obtain the answer he had long sought to the mystery. As he seizes it, The Hollow Sea reaches a tremendously exciting climax.
Driven by a multi-generational mystery, a determined captain risks his career and life to uncover the truth behind two unexplained maritime and aviation disasters off the coast of South Africa. Ian Fairlie, the protagonist, seeks to resolve the disappearances of his ancestors, the first officer of the ill-fated Waratah and the pilot of a vanished airliner. He faces significant resistance from official bodies and skeptical superiors who view his relentless investigation as an irrational obsession. The narrative follows his high-stakes quest as he navigates treacherous weather and professional isolation, supported only by his companion, Tafline, while the threat of further tragedy looms over offshore operations.
This work reflects the classic adventure tropes of the mid-twentieth century, emphasizing the solitary hero pitted against both the elements and bureaucratic indifference. The narrative structure suggests a methodical approach to mystery-solving, where the protagonist's internal drive serves as the primary engine for the plot's progression. Readers likely encounter a focus on technical maritime detail and the physical realities of navigating dangerous waters. The story positions the ocean as a central, indifferent antagonist that demands respect and reveals its secrets only to those willing to risk everything.
Page Count:
253
Publication Date:
1971-01-01
Publisher:
Collins
ISBN-10:
0002217368
ISBN-13:
9780002217361
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