The Raging Sea is a compelling and involving story of human tragedy, the tentativeness of life, and the power of circumstances to bring people together or to tear them apart.

Kaitlyn Winters and her friends Gracie and Amber are preparing for a luxury cruise, a vacation filled with exciting locales, great food and, of course, lots of handsome young men. But Kaitlyn carries with her the burden of the recent loss of her sister in an auto accident, believing she was responsible for the death of her sibling. Gracie and Amber both feel that this cruise will do her a lot of good.

As they board, they are greeted by a young officer named Matthew, who is immediately smitten with Kaitlyn. As a recently returned Mormon missionary, Matthew is still a little clumsy in his approach to women, but his interest is unmistakable. His attempt to explain ship protocol, tripping over his words and trying to hide his embarrassment, is hilarious.

Several days out, a fire breaks out on the luxury liner, causing all the passengers and crew to evacuate to lifeboats. And here begins a taut and well-written story of survival on the high seas. As the days pass with little potable water to drink and no food, we witness a transformation of the passengers, some good and some very bad. Throughout the narrative, the horror of the situation emerges -- rough seas, roving sharks, etc. But the real enemy is in the boat -- can the passengers survive each other?

I was amazed at how well-drawn the characters are in this book. Each emerges as a fully realized person, several are more fully fleshed out as they are called upon to draw on their inner strengths, their true fiber. Matthew, the sole LDS character in the main narrative, is likewise shown as an alternatively honorable and flawed individual, but facing the dangers of an angry sea with courage and deliberation.

Fundamental to the story is the resilience of the human spirit. As challenges arise, as Mother Nature seems to conspire with the Fates to destroy the lifeboats and their occupants, each small victory seems to energize the group, drawing them together in their common determination to survive.

The ending of the book was a bit too tidy for my liking, but this is a minor quibble in a very fine first effort. This book is especially recommended for older teens and young adults, as it confronts some difficult life choices with realism and grit. This is a very good book, a thriller that will keep you riveted until the very end.

I hope to see much more from O'Brien.

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Jeff Needle
August 11, 2004