Rating: 
Summary: The Wreck of the Titan - 20/20 forseight
Review: Walter Lord's book, "A Night to Remember" ends with a list of "ifs." If only they had heeded the ice warnings; If only the lookouts had been given binoculars; If only there were more lifeboats; and a long list of others. Add one more: "If only they'd paid attention to Morgan Robertson." The "Wreck of the Titan," is only one of several short stories in the book, "The Wreck of the Titan." All of the stories deal with the sea, and through them, you can see that Mr. Roberts was very knowledgeable in all aspects of maritime science. Many of his stories deal with Annapolis, and one might assume that he was a graduate, though I have no way of knowing that for sure. Many of his stories show amazing insights - for example, in "Beyond the Spectrum" he speculates on a Pacific war between the United States and Japan, where submarines and secret weapons play an essential role. However, Robertson's main claim to fame was the title story: "The Wreck of the Titan." Robertson knew everything about the Titanic disaster, fourteen years in advance. He knew where shipbuilding was going; he knew the length, and displacement of the next generation of ships, the power of their engines, the speeds they could achieve, and all about their "safety" features - including electronic control and communications systems and the approximate number of watertight compartments. He also knew that the ships carried too few lifeboats; that they raced at unsafe speeds through dangerous waters, and that watertight compartments wouldn't save a supposedly "unsinkable" ship if it sideswiped an iceberg. He even knew when and where a disaster was most likely to happen. He had his Titan sink in the month of April, just a few miles north of the actual spot where the Titanic went down. Was he clairvoyant? Probably not. In hindsight, his dire prediction should have been obvious to anyone. He realized that the way ships were being run a disaster was inevitable. On the other hand - what about the name of his mythical ship - the "Titan." Just a lucky guess, perhaps. However, if that's true, then he guessed right twice. In his story "Pirates" he has a ship much larger than the Titan being torpedoed. Titanic buffs know that the Titanic had two sister ships, and that her younger and larger sister, the Britannic, was torpedoed in World War 1. However, "Britannic" was not the original name when the ship was first designed. White Star originally intended to call her the "Gigantic." They changed the name after the Titanic disaster because "Gigantic" sounded too much like "Titanic." So what was the name of Robertson's torpedoed super liner? The "Gigantia." And one more thing - though I admittedly take this out of context - consider the following passage from "Pirates:" "When he looked, the bow was under water, the stern rising in the air, higher and higher, until a third of the afterbody was exposed; then it slid silently, but for the bursting of air bubbles, out of sight in the depths." For all his insights, however, it has to be said that Robertson not a great writer. In fact, he was mediocre at best. Perhaps that's why his warnings went unheeded. Other than certain facts that turn out to be amazingly accurate, his plots are nonsensical. Still, the stories are entertaining, and there is a certain charm about all of his writings. This charm cannot be found in the great classics, because they are timeless; it can only be found in the lesser-known works of any era. Through Robertson, an average writer, we can gain rare insights into the mind of the average person of the Victorian era. From the way Robertson writes, it must have been an age of romance and chivalry. A world practically inconceivable by today's standards. Case in point: In Pirates, escapees from a military prison steal a supposedly deserted navy Destroyer. Once out to sea, however, the pirates discover that a single naval officer had been sleeping, unnoticed in the galley as they stole the ship. So what do these cutthroats do with him after they find him? Pitch him overboard, perhaps? Not quite. That would be murder; and just because they're pirates and condemned criminals, that doesn't make them murderers. Instead, they make him promise to behave, and and once he'd given his word of honor, they give him the respect he deserves as an officer, and complete freedom of the ship. Unbelievable!
Rating: 
Summary: Every "Titanic" buff should have a copy, but...
Review: What "Titanic" buff hasn't heard of the infamous story of the "Titan?" Here, at a very reasonable price, is a chance to actually read the fiticious story which has been unavailable for so long. Unfortunately, once having read the story, most will find it a minor disappointment."Futility" is not the epic story of a shipwreck. Indeed, the actual wreck and sinking of the "Titan" takes place over the course of only five paragraphs. Rather than a maritime disaster, the title "Futility" refers to the events surrounding the main character, John Rowland, before, on and after the "Titan." Morgan Robertson (the author) uses the ship and wreck only to establish a circumstance in which Rowland's true character can be contrasted with the hypocracy of Victorian society. "Futility" is a novella, easily readable in about two hours. Robertson's writing is flowery by modern standards but always intelligible. After reading it, most are likely to understand why the book has been out of print for so long: it is not great literature. It is, however, part of the "Titanic" legend and therefor deserves to be on every "Titanic" buff's shelf. My strongest complaint with the 100th Anniversary Edition is the complete absence of editing. Mis-spellings abound and words are obviously omitted. Spell-check doesn't catch syntax errors or word substitutions such as "to" for "two." We've all come to accept and expect this sloppiness in e-mail and on web-sites, but the printed word deserves closer scrutiny and better acuracy. Do buy the book. Be aware of what it isn't.
Rating:
Summary: Every "Titanic" buff should have a copy, but...
Review: What "Titanic" buff hasn't heard of the infamous story of the "Titan?" Here, at a very reasonable price, is a chance to actually read the fiticious story which has been unavailable for so long. Unfortunately, once having read the story, most will find it a minor disappointment. "Futility" is not the epic story of a shipwreck. Indeed, the actual wreck and sinking of the "Titan" takes place over the course of only five paragraphs. Rather than a maritime disaster, the title "Futility" refers to the events surrounding the main character, John Rowland, before, on and after the "Titan." Morgan Robertson (the author) uses the ship and wreck only to establish a circumstance in which Rowland's true character can be contrasted with the hypocracy of Victorian society. "Futility" is a novella, easily readable in about two hours. Robertson's writing is flowery by modern standards but always intelligible. After reading it, most are likely to understand why the book has been out of print for so long: it is not great literature. It is, however, part of the "Titanic" legend and therefor deserves to be on every "Titanic" buff's shelf. My strongest complaint with the 100th Anniversary Edition is the complete absence of editing. Mis-spellings abound and words are obviously omitted. Spell-check doesn't catch syntax errors or word substitutions such as "to" for "two." We've all come to accept and expect this sloppiness in e-mail and on web-sites, but the printed word deserves closer scrutiny and better acuracy. Do buy the book. Be aware of what it isn't.
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT BOOK! MORAGON 'S BOOK IS SO GOOD FOR 1898
Review: Whoa!
I screamed when i recived it from amazon.com.
It was scary.Like a bone chiller,or maybe a thriller.
morgan robertson had out done her self.
She has a good book to be written in the 1890's.
this book should be 100.00.It seems to me to be a rare novel.
this book was a prediction.TITAN was related to (TITAN)IC.
GET THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Read This Book!!!!
Review: You will not believe it when you read it!!! I have been interested in the Titanic long before the movie & was unable to find this book until now. Thank you Leo & Amazon.com. Although most of the similarities to the Titanic wreck are only in the first few chapters, it does not diminish their impact & their significance. I was impressed by their accuracy- you think of most predictions as being vague & probably could apply to anything- not this book!!!! He names facts & figures. The story itself is a pretty typical Edwardian novel & lacks some of the polish you may be used to- It was nice to find it in a paperback edition- the original cover is a nice touch. I would recommend it to any fan of the titanic- the real event and fans of the movie. 5 stars!!! Check it out!!
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